Message from DPAC

Dear PACs,
VSB is currently undergoing a French Immersion Program Review. As part of the review process, DPAC has been asked to 1) send up to 5 interested parents to be part of the Working Group (details in the attached pdf document; contact secretary@vancouverdpac.org if interested) and 2) to ensure the representative we include on the Working Group can represent our diverse membership.  
We have been asked to be inclusive of the array of perspectives within the VSB parent community. This means we want to hear from parents who are currently part of a French Immersion PAC and the diverse reasons they chose to be there. We also want to hear from members of non-French Immersion PACs, especially from those members whose children left or were denied entry to the FI program or have strong feelings about choice programs and/or their impact on regular stream.
There are a couple ways to share your input. We are arranging an input session on Saturday, February 10th most likely from 10am-noon for interested parents to discuss the attached meeting summary with the DPAC representatives on the Working Group. Realizing that this is not an ideal time for many, we would also love to receive written input … ideally before the 10th, otherwise before the next Working Group meeting on February 15th.
The following two questions are the primary action items from the last Working Group Session. More information is attached in the Draft Meeting Summary and the powerpoint slide files.
An update with the time and location of the Saturday, February 10th meeting should be sent on or by Tuesday, February 6th.
Please share this email with members of your PAC. Group and individual responses are welcome.
Cheers,
Amanda

1. Guiding Principles/ Measures of success for a successful French Immersion Program
   

The Working Group discussed guiding principles for our review of the French Immersion Program.  This focus of this discussion evolved into an exploration of measures of success for a successful French Immersion Program.  Participants acknowledged that the current issues facing the VSB French Immersion Program require that measures of success continue to be top of mind.
Once completed, these measures of success will serve as an ongoing reference point for the program review.  Keeping these measures of success top of mind will assist the Working Group in its deliberations and in communicating its work to the broader community, and will assist the VSB in making trade-offs during decision-making.
Potential measures of success include:

1. Student-centred focus
   
2. Family friendly
   
   • Mindful of driving, commutes, sibling right, etc.
     
3. Access
   
   • Geographic distribution of the program (location of schools/sites in relation to where families are; matching supply and demand). Access means a lot!
     
   • Recognizing diversity (economic, cultural, geographic, etc.)
     
4. Welcoming to families from across the district – not exclusive and good for students of all income levels and learning capacities
   
5. A K-12 program with options and choices at different points
   
   • Program provides support for any student to complete their schooling in French Immersion.  If students are leaving French Immersion, they are doing so to pursue other endeavours and not because they don’t have the support to complete it.
     
   • If a student chooses to leave the program this does not necessarily translate to a lack of success for the program. As a choice program, students can choose to leave and still be successful.  They may wish to try something new.
     
6. French Immersion as a Choice program
   
7. Qualified teachers with native-like fluency (maintaining a quality program)
   
8. Student success (fluency – equal orally and written) – joy, ease, willingness to speak French
   
   • DELF – external standardized test – this is more important to some than others
     
9. Focus on success for each student – we don’t want to dilute learning outcomes
   
10. Equal opportunity to apply
    
    • Access to the program is not sacrificed by ability to apply; Everyone gets a chance to apply
      
11. Importance of geographic distribution of choice programs/ seats relative to demand
    

Action: Working Group members asked to review this list.  Are these all measures of success?  Are they clear?  Any missing?
2.      Potential survey or focus group questionsDuring discussions, a number of questions were recorded for possible inclusion in the survey and focus groups planned for April, 2018.  The April survey and focus groups will elicit additional feedback from parents, teachers, partners and students regarding the VSB French Immersion Program.  Preliminary questions included:

• Why do some families choose French Immersion?
  
• Why do some families not choose French Immersion?
  
• Why do some qualified French Immersion teachers choose to teach in English in the VSB?
  

Action: Identify additional potential questions for the survey and focus groups.  What do we want to know from our wider population?


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Amanda Hillis
Secretary
VancouverDPAC.org
604-762-4565