It all started in the spring of 1990.
A number of university graduates, including Helene Moranville, embarked on an all-expenses paid trip from Montreal to a hotel in Campbell River.
A hiring fair for school districts in B.C. and Alberta looking for French Immersion teachers was the destination and finding a job was MoranvilleB次元官网网址檚 goal.
Twenty-five years later, that program is helping thousands of students in the west, including hundreds on the West Shore students learn a second language.
B次元官网网址淚 was the first teacher hired in the whole district. One (was) here at John Stubbs (elementary), the other at Saseenos (elementary),B次元官网网址� Moranville recalls.
Now, she says, parents looking to enrol their kids in French immersion line up down the hallway to register their children in the program. B次元官网网址淧eople are lining up to make sure they have a spot, because parents are seeing the importance of getting a second language.B次元官网网址�
Starting with only 14 children in a single class, Moranville advanced with that group from Kindergarten through Grade 3, with a new teacher replacing her in the previous grade each year.
Showing the continued growth, this fall, almost 100 students will be enrolled in Kindergarten alone at 脡cole John Stubbs memorial school, which is changing to a single-track, French Immersion-only school.
B次元官网网址淐anada being bilingual it is a great opportunity B次元官网网址� I have students from previous graduation that got a job because they were bilingual,B次元官网网址� Moranville said. B次元官网网址淪ome of my previous students are French Immersion teachers. (One) started here without a word of French, but is teaching French Immersion now. It is just amazing.B次元官网网址�
Sooke School District board chair Wendy Hobbs said since its inception, French Immersion has played a major role in the district.
B次元官网网址淔rench Immersion is a very popular program for families in our district and thatB次元官网网址檚 why we continue to expand it to meet the needs of our students and parents,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淐urrently, we have 1,166 students in French Immersion, and like the overall population in our growing school district, that number is only going to increase.B次元官网网址�
MoranvilleB次元官网网址檚 original plan to come west for a short time, gain experience then return to Montreal couldnB次元官网网址檛 have changed more. After 25 years teaching in the program, she is proud of the work the district and the teachers have done together as they celebrate a quarter century.
B次元官网网址淚 think the district should be proud to offer this opportunity to parents coming and looking for something different for their child,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 25 years and going stronger than ever. ItB次元官网网址檚 something we should be proud about because I (know I) am proud of this.B次元官网网址�
