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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News Record, 2015-03-18, Page 22 News Record • Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Local residents demand French immersion in Huron County public schools Tara Ostner The Clinton News Record There are currently 31 Eng- lish public school boards in Ontario and almost all of them ensure that French immersion is available in all parts of their respective dis- tricts and to as many students as possible. According to the organiza- tion, Huron County Parents for French Immersion (HCPFFI), the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) is one Ontario school board that does not ensure this. As HCPFFI lead organizers, Dana Morgenroth and Loni Vanderburgh, explain, cur- rently the AMDSB offers French immersion in only three of its 41 schools. Fur- thermore, these three schools are all located in one small section of the school board's widespread district, namely, Stratford. According to them, this is unreasonable and, ulti- mately, unjustifiable. Above all, HCPFFI wants French immersion in Huron County public schools. As the organization asks, "why, in such a wide-ranging board with a total of 41 schools, is French immersion only offered at three schools that are a few streets away from each other? What about all of those students in Huron County who live a distance from Stratford? The fact that parents for so many years have had to drive a 2 hour round trip to Stratford is unacceptable." HCPFFI is also careful to point out how the AMDSB dif- fers so much from other nearby, rural public school boards. For example, the Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) offers the French immersion program in 13 of its 53 schools and, like most Ontario school boards, offers it in diverse areas all across its district. "Why does the BWDSB offer French immersion to 13 of its schools all over its dis- trict and yet the AMDSB offers it to only three schools in a small section?" Morgenroth asks. HCPFFI also points out how the Avon Maitland School Board differs from the Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board (HPCDSB). A lack of a French immer- sion program, for instance, is no problem for Huron County residents who wish to receive a Catholic education. For example, the HPCDSB offers French immersion in five of its 18 schools and, similar to the BWDSB and most other school boards, offers it in dif- ferent areas of its district including Clinton, Goderich and Stratford. Surely if the Catholic board can offer the French immer- sion program to Huron County students then the public board can as well, HCPFFI states. When asked about the fact that there is no French immersion in Huron County, Ted Doherty, the director of education, stated that, "Our board is very proud of the work that we are doing to sup- port French Language learn- ing which is available to all students. We have an out- standing group of French teachers who meet regularly 5 -I..' r$_tvttlPALrrvcr BLUE'V ATER A+'i .r. I:' 7''".. . +',4acv' rom•ma 2 NOTICE OF A PUBLIC MEETING for a NEW ZONING BYLAW Under s. 34 of the Planning Act PUBLIC MEETING DATE: Tuesday, April 7th, 7:00 p.m. LOCATION: Council Chambers, Stanley Complex, 38594B Mill Rd., Varna SEE THE 4th DRAFT ON BLUEWATER'S WEBSITE The five existing Zoning By-laws in Bluewater are being replaced with a new, single Zoning By-law. The Planner will present the final draft Zoning By-law's provisions and answer questions. The Zoning By-law will set out different land use zones for all lands within the municipality and list the permitted uses and required standards in each zone, such as the location of structures, building types and setbacks and parking requirements among other provisions. Committee of the Whole will hear representations at the Public Meeting. The draft zoning by-law may be passed the same evening or on another date. A copy of the draft Zoning By-law may be reviewed at the Municipal Office, (14 Mill Ave, Zurich) between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or on the Planning Department website at www.town.bluewater.on.ca. Residents may submit questions or written comments at any time to zoningcomment@town.bluewater.on.ca. Every resident comment that is received will be acknowledged, recorded and reviewed. If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Municipality of Bluewater before the By-law is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision of the Council of the Municipality of Bluewater to the Ontario Municipal Board. If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the Municipality of Bluewater before the By-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the. Ontario Municipal Board, unless in the opinion of the Board, there are reasonable grounds to do so. E O O V CI) a O a--+ a 0 to enhance the program and provide wonderful opportuni- ties for all our students" HCPFFI agree that French language learning is available to all students within the AMDSB. What the organization refutes, however, is that the same French language learn- ing is available to all students within the AMDSB. Indeed, Huron County stu- dents have access to core French and extended French. However, Perth County stu- dents have access to core French, extended French and French immersion. Therefore, the same French language learning is in fact not available to all students within the AMDSB, the organization states. Doherty also describes how the AMDSB is "extremely focused" on its strategic plan. "When we examine possible changes to the program," he states, "we must ensure that they are consistent with our two priorities which are to maxi- mize students outcomes and to create positive, inclusive leam- ing environments" However, according to HCPFFI, the AMDSB has in fact not created an inclusive learn- ing environment Instead, it has created an exclusive one, the group says. As Vanderburgh states, "over the past number of months we have collaborated with families and community members ral- lying together to address the issue of inequity that currently exists. We should not have to send our children to Perth County or a different school board, such as, Bluewater Dis- trict School Board to attain a French Immersion education. This does not constitute equity in the education system. Our children are apart of this com- munity so lets keep them here Tara Ostner, The Clinton News Record Pictured here are Huron County Parents for French Immersion (HCPFFI) lead organizers, Dana Morgenroth and Loni Vanderburgh. and not push them out" Despite AMDSB's current stance on the issue, however, HCPFFI is gaining in popularity and parents and community members have been contacting the organization expressing their interest in bringing French immersion to Huron County. As of this month, the organiza- tion has 130 members, a num- ber which continues to grow everyday. "As a parent I obviously want to provide every opportunity for my child and French immer- sion is one that I strongly believe we should have access to. I want to give him every advantage for later in life," Mor- genroth says. "Itis truly hard to believe that we don't have any options in Huron County," she states. As another concerned parent, Jordan Hussey, explains, "I think the bene- fits of immersion in a second language are not exclusive to French alone but can improve a child's overall skills in other subjects as well. Having true profi- ciency in another language can open doors in educa- tion, business and travel which in my opinion can be valuable in a globalized world, let alone an officially bi-lingual nation like Canada." Currently, people may express their interest in bring- ing French immersion to Huron County public schools in four different ways: - sign the online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/ petition/HuronFrench - complete a "French Immersion in Huron County" form which HCPFFI will send directly to the Avon Maitland District School Board - email HCPFFI at huron- french@gmail.com - join HCPFFI's Facebook page, Huron County Parents for French Immersion People who wish to voice their concerns may also choose to contact the Avon Maitland District School Board at 1-800-592-5437. The HCPFFI aims to have French immersion in Huron County public schools by Sep- tember 2016. MARCH BOWLING March 13 - 22 • Open EVERY DAY at 10 am Visit our NEW, EXCITING website . a .littlebowl.ca `_' Daily March Break Specials! 579.524 -BOWL (2695) ti