THE NUMBER of students in
the English as a Second
Language Program in West
Vancouver’s School District
45 has skyrocketed since
1987, while the popularity of
French Immersion for kinder-
garten children is dropping in
the school district.

WEST VANCOUVER
SCHOOL BOARD
By Glen Anwick

Figures released recently by the
West Vancouver School Board
show that there are currently 590
ESL students registered in the dis-
trict, an increase of more than six-
fold from seven-years ago.

The 1994-95 board budget pro-
vides an expenditure of $645,556
for the ESL program, which
includes salaries of teachers and
support staff plus benefits and sup-
plies.

Assistant District 45 superinten-
dent John Calder told trustees at an
Oct. 12 meeting that there are now

numbers ju
last Vancouver

French Immersion popularity drops in District 45

one in 10 West Vancouver students
who need ESL support, a substan-
tial but much lower number than in
other districts such as Vancouver
and Richmond.

He predicted the number of ESL
students would keep growing in the
next few years as immigration from
Asian countries increases.

Calder added that most of the
ESL students were in the secondary
school grades and came from the
eastern part of the municipality as
well as the British Propertics area.

He also said that West
Vancouver seemed to be part of a
growing trend in the “metro area”
of the past three years which has
seen student enrolment in the early
grades of French Immersion “take
a noticeable drop.”

Calder said the local district had
planned for at least two new
French Immersion classes but only
opened one due to the lack of
demand. He pointed out this trend
could “signify significant program
implications down the road,”

Trustee Ken Haycock said the
first dip in French Immersion
enrolment came during the federal
constitutional debates of a few
years ago.

TRUSTEE Ken Haycock ...
first dip in French immersion
enrolment came during con-
stitutional debates.

Is

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