-3 arents may panic in early stages of their child’s education From page 30 introduced as a subject in Gracie 3), but it’s hard not to wonder: *"What have | done to mw child? Will he be illiterate in two fan- guages?” “There is atime in Grade 2 oF 3 when a parent panics. But by Grade 4, the kids are usually hack on par with their English peers,” confirms Diane Kennedy. co-chairman of North Vancouver Parents for French. The information available seems to indicate that French Inimersion students fare at least as well in English as their coun- terparts in the regular system, David Langmuir, principal at West Vancouver's Pauline Johnson French Centre, says that cross-Canada tests, written in English, have shown that immer- sion students come out one to two years ahead of the national surpassed by their children’s and are forced to step back and teave things in the hands of the stu- dents and the teachers, His up to parents to augment exposure to French at home by secking out French programming on television, encouraging chil- dren to take French books out of the library and, later. sponsoring trips lo Quebec. North Vancouver Parents for French (NVPF), part af a larger provincial and national organi- zation, offers support by spon- soring French film, festivals at local theatres, the Concour pub- lic speaking competition and by running summer family camps, where the language is French, NVPF, originally an advocacy * group that helped get immersion Started here about 15 years ago, continues to offer support. Parent representatives from each of the immersion schools gather at the monthly NVPF goes directly to Pauline Johnson and Seating! socondary schacH ta payor their immersion students, In North Vancouver it goes into the big pot of unallocated funds and is distributed fram there, “We do so, Cognizant of our responsibilities to the immersion Classes,” says Kelly, With financial restraints that have forced administrators to dap millions of dollars off the schoag district budget, North Vancouver has lost its French coordinator dad consultants leaving immer sion teachers feeling somewhat lost. Another cause for NYPF con- sternation was the opening of Balmoral junior secondary school as a third secondary French facility, stretching limited learning resources — including qualified secondary immersion teachers. According to Kennedy, there has been a horrendous “attri- students are in immersian in Narth Vancouver, along with 457 kids (Kindergarten to Grade Ghat Pauline fohnson and 248 at Sentine) in West Vancouver. Schaals are currently cele- brating 25 years of French Inunersion in B.C. Put Yourself im the World of Business Start Career Planning Now .. Your Future Depends on It! Desktop Publishing Computer Accounting Business Computer Applications Business Administration / Management Legal Secretary meetings and there is frequent liaison with North Vancouver assistant school superintendent Chris Kelly. The organization tries to mon- itor issues at the seven elemen- tary schools and three secondary schools where immersion is averages in most subjects. The kids appear to transfer what they have learned about language from French into English, thus gaining an enriched appreciation of language, At the secondary level, half of Sentinel Secondary graduates who earned provincial scholar- —_—_—offerect alongside regular English -ships were in French immersion, —_ instruction. ; Langmuir reports. ; They also raise extra funds for Bear in mind that students things like library materials or who have problems often drop cultural activities in the schools. out of immersion; many of those At the beginning, federal start- who stay tend to have highly up funds were provided to get motivated parents behind them. the lead classes started, but most Linda Mitchell, who has three — of them have graduated. -of her four children in immer- In addition to the regular per sion at Larson Elementary in capita’ allotment trom the provin- North Vancouver, has found she cial government for each stu- needs to keep track of her chil- dent, there is a certain amount of dren's reading, and spelling. federal money available to pay “You have to be careful. It for the extra Costs associated can depend on how much time with providing French you spend reading with them. Immersion, such as learning You have to be committed and materials, which are more see that they’re doing OK.” expensive because they are not At the same time, many produced in as large quantities immersion parents soon find as materials in English. their own knowledge of French In West Vancouver, funding North Vancouver School District SCHOOL - COMMUNITY INTERACTION DAY MARCH 2, 1994 School District 44 (North Vancouver) is holding its first School - Community Interaction Day on March 2nd. All schools will be hosting activities for teachers, parents and community members. LOOK IN TODAY'S NORTH SHORE NEWS IN FOR DETAILS OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL tion,” or drop-out rate of kids who were overwhelmed by the uncertainty of immersion or unwilling to part from their Carson Graham-bound buddies 10 finish their education through immersion at Handsworth. Cali 738-7848 Kelly, and West Vancouver gm ® on assistant superintendent George Feyie 7 ters Stewart, also confirm that immersion, which suffered a BUSINESS drop in popularity a few years ago, is back up-and stabilizing. Currently, about 1,197 ele- mentary students and 390 senior Medical Secretary Receptionist / Secretary Administrative Assistant Word Processing PACIFIC MARINE TRAINING INSTITUTE Pacific Marine Training Institute is a provincial post secondary institution with a strong reputation in the area of education and training for the marine industry. Located on the North Shore of Vancouver Harbour, PMTI offers a wide variety of programs and courses in navigation, marine engineering, shipping and safety. SHIPPING & MARINE OPERATIONS DIPLOMA The modern computerized west coast shipping industry requires dynamic, well educated people. The Pacific Marine Training Institute offers a unique program of studies for those interested in the commercial elements of shipping. Graduates of this two year program will find challenging and rewarding careers in diverse areas of the shipping and marine induStries such as: shipping agencies, marine terminal operations, stevedoring, management, freight forwarders and custom brokers, ship and cargo brokers, international trade, port administration, etc. For further information, please contact the Department Head at 985-0622, or attend Career Fair ‘94 at Sutherland High School on March 10.