Parents denied third class of French Immersion by SD8 board
By Timothy Schafer
There will be no third class of French Immersion added to the Kootenay Lake School Division No. 8’s scholastic field, the board of trustees decided Tuesday night at their regular meeting.
The SD8 board of trustees voted to limit the number of French Immersion students it allows at 60, despite there being over 90 students on the waiting list.
The school district presently offers a late French Immersion program for students, commencing in Grade 6. The program is only offered at Trafalgar School and is not offered in any other areas of the district.
Heading into the school board meeting parents believed one solution could be the creation of an integrated approach to French immersion, one that would involve parents, LV Roger High School, Trafalgar School and the school district, and could help reduce the program’s drop-out rate.
The parents believed another way to reduce the drop-out rate was by offering a volunteer tutor service to support students who are challenged by the program, and for those with learning difficulties who may otherwise opt for English instruction.
However, the school district re-iterated their position that there are only two classes being offered at Trafalgar School with no plans to add another. A high dropout rate was a concern raised by the board.
In January the SD8 board was alerted to a potential problem of too many students in the French Immersion program at Trafalgar.
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