Information prepared for the AMDSB meeting May 12, 2015

Knowing both of our official languages has a multitude of benefits for individuals. These benefits are listed on the AMDSB website ( services/french-immersion/)  A broader linguistic and cultural scope with which to view our increasingly integrated world  Communication has increased with technology and understanding must keep pace  A deeper understanding and direct communication with students of various languages and cultures  A facility for learning other languages  A greater range of career options

 141 members with the “Huron County Parents for French Immersion” Facebook group  78 forms submitted by parents requesting French Immersion for their child(ren) in Huron County  Other community members have signed supporting documents LocationTotal FormsPercen tage Goderich4760% Clinton810% Exeter56% Bayfield45% Zurich34% Walton34% Wroxeter34% Wingham23% Lucknow23% Blyth11% 10 towns78100%

1.We Will Create Positive, Inclusive Learning Environments 1) Honour all student pathways with a focus on individual strengths, needs and learning preference 2) Create a culture of acceptance and inclusion 3) Ensure safe learning and working environments in collaboration with the broader community 4) Promote positive attitudes with respect to school and student achievement

2. We Will Maximize Student Outcomes 1) Gain competency in the following areas: collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving. 2) Improve student achievement in primary reading and numeracy, junior reading and numeracy and secondary literacy and numeracy 3) Foster the effective use of technology

In support of French Immersion in Huron County, My partner was born and raised in Huron County. His family and friends live there and enjoy the many benefits the area has to offer, so last year when we were looking to buy a home in which to raise our family we considered several houses in the area. We have two children, so education was an important consideration for us when looking for a place to live. I was very disappointed to find that French Immersion is not available in much of Huron county, particularly for those of us looking for public rather than religious schools. This shortcoming played a very large part in our decision to abandon our search in the area and settle down in Wellington County, where this valuable educational opportunity is made more readily available to all students. I fully support the petition to have French immersion education brought to Huron county schools. Learning a second language has been proven to have many benefits, both for a child’s immediate educational experience as well as later on in life. I believe every child in Canada should have the right to learn the national language of French and immersion education is the most effective means of achieving this. Christine Roberts

To whom it may concern; I am from a small town on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. I studied at Université du Québec à Rimouski and received my Bachelor’s of Education in 2005 in kindergarten and elementary teaching. After that, I worked nine years for Chic- Chocs School Board. This July, I moved to Goderich, Ontario and became part of the Ontario College of Teachers. I have traveled from Goderich to Stratford since September because there were no job opportunities in the Goderich area. I received a long term occasional contract for the first term at Stratford Central Public School as a Grade 8 French Immersion teacher as well as teaching Grade 8 Core French. I am now working at Bedford Public School for the second term as a Part time (0.5) Grade 1 French Immersion teacher. Seeing as though French is my mother tongue, I love teaching French but I also believe in the importance of mastering a second language. Of about 6000 languages, French is the 5th most spoken language in the world. For learners, this means that there will be various possibilities for working and travelling in French. As a Long Term Occasional Teacher for Avon Maitland District School Board, I want to give my support to Huron County Parents for French Immersion because according to me their cause is very important and relevant to increasing second language learning in our region. Amélie Lagacé

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