1. 2018 - 2019 French Immersion Program Parent Information Night
St. Joseph the Worker School
November 15, 2017

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

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

7. 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

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

9. 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
6 Credits

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. Application Process www.ycdsb.ca
January 25, 2018
All students interested in the French Immersion program must apply online by completing and submitting the YCDSB French Immersion on-line application form at by January 25, 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)

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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