2018 - 2019 French Immersion Program Parent Information Night St. Joseph the Worker School November 15, 2017

Prayer Lord, we give you thanks for having given us children. We accept them with serenity and all the worries and fears we have. They are our joy. Give us the wisdom to guide them, The patience to teach them and The courage to set a good example. They are our hope. Help us to respect and nurture the person you made them to be. They are our love. Amen We are all here tonight to support our students in the next stage of their lives. Let us pray for guidance as we prepare to make a pathway choice for our children and their education.

St. Joseph the Worker Principal Ms. Donovan Staff Mme. Mancinella: Gr. 1 Mme. Ortiz : Gr. 2 Mme. Geronimo: Gr. 3 Mme. Calabretta/Ms. Lowe: Gr. 4 School Council Co-Chair Mrs. Wigston Mrs. Markovsky Students 427

SCHOOL ACTIVITIES/EVENTS Love of Dance club Intermediate Dance Contest Primary Christmas Concert Summer Send-Off Concert Scientist in School French Carnaval Ed. Tech. Fair Paid lunchtime programs: Ten Ten Sports Hatch Canada- Coding Northern Karate CSC events: Fun Fair Pancake Tuesday Dinner & a Movie Night Gingerbread Decorating Night Dance-a-Thon Pumpkin Decorating Contest Spirit Days & Monthly Virtue Awards Track & Field & Cross Country teams Junior Girls’ & Boys’ Volleyball & Basketball teams School presentations (e.g., Mental Health, Bullying Awareness, the Arts, Cultural Celebrations) Luke 4:18 Social Justice Club (Food Drives, Humanitarian Relief, VIP Program etc.) Intramural sports Gr. 3 Swim to Survive School Book Fair

Community Partnerships Catholic School Council St. Joseph the Worker parish York Regional Police: VIP Program (grades 3, 6, 7, & 8) Vaughan Fire Department St. Vincent de Paul Knights of Columbus Rotary Club ShareLife Safe Schools Committee Swim to Survive

Feeder Elementary Schools: Our Lady of the Rosary Blessed Scalbrini Feeder High School:

Rationale French is one of Canada’s two official languages French is one of Ontario’s two official languages of instruction Knowledge of a second language strengthens first-language skills Ability to speak two or more languages generally enhances reasoning and problem-solving, as well as creative-thinking skills Research shows children educated in content subjects (like science and geography) in two languages develop higher reasoning and analytical skills Knowledge of French provides students with an advantage in a number of careers, both in Canada and internationally

French as a Second Language Programs Core French French Immersion French is the language of instruction Minutes per week: Grades 1-3 = 160 mins Grades 4-5 = 200 mins Grades 6-8 = 160 mins Grades 1-3 = 1275 mins (85%) Grades 4-8 = 750 mins (50%) Begins: Grade 1 Available in elementary and secondary Available in elementary and secondary

French Immersion Classroom Program Delivery Grade French English 1 - 3 Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies Arts Religion/Family Life Physical Education/Health 4 – 8 Math Music 9 Geography Religious Ed 5 Credits 10 History 11 - 12 6 Credits

Curriculum: For Subjects Taught in French Students will be taught the Ontario Curriculum Primary Grades Expectations in each grade are as outlined in the English-language subject curriculum documents. Language skills will be assessed with accommodations for second language acquisitions. Learning resources provided in French align with the Ontario English language curriculum. Students will achieve the English language curriculum expectations by the end of Grade 8. Assessment and Evaluation of students is consistent with Board procedures and practices for all students.

Is the French Immersion Program right for my child? Research suggests that children who are most successful in French Immersion are: Risk takers Interested in learning Attending school regularly Positive in their attitude toward school Able to communicate well verbally in their first language Developing early literacy skills Effective listeners All children have the opportunity to apply to the program

Transportation Information Transportation will be provided to: FI Gr. 1 – 3 students residing 1.2 km beyond the school and within the FI boundary. FI Gr. 4 – 8 students who live beyond 1.6 km and within French Immersion (FI) boundary. Students are required to walk a short distance to and from centralized bus stops. English track siblings who are currently receiving transportation, will continue to receive transportation for as long as one child in the family remains in the FI program. NEW **No new siblings, including Kindergarten students will receive transportation to the FI school. **In Secondary, .transportation for students is only available within the regular high school boundary. FI students in Secondary do not receive special provisions for alternate means of transportation. No door to door transportation

Application Process www.ycdsb.ca January 25, 2018 www.ycdsb.ca All students interested in the French Immersion program must apply online by completing and submitting the YCDSB French Immersion on-line application form at www.ycdsb.ca by January 25, 2018. If you are experiencing any difficulty accessing the on-line application, please contact the school. Students currently in SK at FI schools and siblings of students in FI program, must also apply on-line to indicate interest. Following January 25th, 2018, applications received by that date, will be prioritized as follows: Siblings of students presently in the French Immersion program. SK students in FI schools, or living in the English boundary of the FI school (Except for St. Brendan, St. Mark and single track FI schools)

Application Process (Continued) Students within the school’s French Immersion boundary. Students outside of the French Immersion boundary but within the York Region. Students from outside York Region currently in SK. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available openings, a public lottery process will be conducted at the FI school, at 5:00 p.m. on February 1, 2018. Approved applicants will be notified by the school between February 5th – 8th, 2018. Parents must indicate acceptance of placement by completing required forms no later than February 16, 2018. Students who apply following January 25, 2018, will be placed on the bottom of each tier of the lottery waitlist, if one is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions Why Early French Immersion (EFI)? Research shows that Early Immersion leads to the highest fluency in French How does the French Immersion program impact student achievement in other subjects such as mathematics? Research indicates that the performance of French Immersion students in other subjects is equal to the performance of students in the English program.

French Immersion High Schools At this time, there are no defined boundaries around feeder schools Parent Information sessions are held with grade 7 FI parents regarding their child's  transition to high school, in the French Immersion program.     At this time, there is no transportation provided to high schools specific to FI students other than the normal qualifying distances for each respective high school (e.g. English stream). YORK CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOLBOARD :: Collaborative Learning Inspired By Jesus