The regionB次元官网网址檚 three school districts are working hard to fill the need for French teachers as enrolment in French immersion programs rapidly grows.
According to a statement from Canadian Parents for French British Columbia and Yukon (CPF), French enrolment has been increasing province-wide for 20 consecutive years.
In SD62, enrolment is double the provincial average.
B次元官网网址淎s a result of the booming popularity of this well-established program, districts around the province are scrambling to find enough qualified teachers and teaching assistants,B次元官网网址� the statement reads.
Cendra Beaton, the former SD62 chapter president of CPF said itB次元官网网址檚 a good sign that enrolment is growing as the job market shows an increased demand for bilingual employees.
READ MORE: SD62 leads with French immersion enrolment
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 looking at the future for your kids,B次元官网网址� Beaton said. B次元官网网址淎s a parent you always want them to have more than what you did.B次元官网网址�
Compared to other areas in the province, Beaton said she thinks it is a little easier to convince teachers to come to the Island due to its location and officials from the school boards agree.
Dave Eberwein is the superintendent of SD63 and said Saanich is a destination for many teachers who want to escape big city life but still want to be in close proximity to a city.
Eberwein said the French immersion program is B次元官网网址渁lways an area in demandB次元官网网址� and the District is working with the University of Victoria as well as using social media tactics to find teachers.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to be creative,B次元官网网址� Eberwein said. B次元官网网址淭here continues to be a need for French teachers.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: Pressure to recruit French immersion teachers with increasing enrolment in B.C.
Stephanie Hedley-Smith, the associate superintendent at SD62 said the DisctrictB次元官网网址檚 French immersion enrolment numbers have definitely gone up. She said that in anticipation of the increase, the District recruited French teachers last year.
B次元官网网址淲e actively recruited and we donB次元官网网址檛 have a shortage this yearB次元官网网址eB次元官网网址檙e doing great,B次元官网网址� Hedley-Smith said. B次元官网网址淲e have French teachers on the [substitute] list.B次元官网网址�
Hedley-Smith said she and others in the district went to Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto to find teachers. She said she found that many of the teachers wanted to move to the Island.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hoping we can recruit every other year and are hoping to work with the other districts together to recruit teachers,B次元官网网址� Hedley-Smith said.
READ MORE: French immersion programs B次元官网网址榦vercrowdedB次元官网网址� in SD62
SD61 has also taken measures to hire more French teachers.
Lisa McPhail B次元官网网址� a spokesperson for the District B次元官网网址� said that in the last four years B次元官网网址渢he District has taken part in hiring fairs nationally to recruit teachers.B次元官网网址�
She added principals have been sent to Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta to help find teachers.
McPhail said the District has also partnered with the University of Victoria.
B次元官网网址淎ll UVic students who are placed in District schools for practicum are given priority status for hiring subject to successful completion of their degree program, as well as meeting the language proficiency threshold,B次元官网网址� she said an email.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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