FSLAC Newsletter June 2019

In this issue: 


1. French Elementary Summer School 
2. Secondary Summer School- Regular & E-learning

1. French  Elementary Summer School

The TDSB is offering free summer school for French Immersion elementary students from July 3-26 at the following schools: Brimwood, Broadlands and Tredway Woodsworth. Program information here. 

2. Secondary Summer School- Regular & E-learning

E-Summer School offers free TDSB high school credits online. Registration for the July 31-Aug 28 session closes July 11th at 4:30. Courses include grade 11 and 12 core French (university prep), Civics – Extended and French Immersion and Career Studies – Extended and French Immersion.
Regular summer school offers Grade 9 Core French (academic and applied) at Agincourt CI, CW Jefferys CI, Cedarbrae CI, L’Amoureaux CI and Woburn CI from July 3-July 27. Registration closes on June 27th.

More information here. 

3. Free French Fun at the Library

Help the kids practice their French skills over the summer at the Toronto Public Library. The Summer Wonder program includes French events with music, theatre and science at branches across the city. Details here via Toronto Public Library website.  Summer Wonder French flyer here.  

4. TD Bilingual Summer Reading Club

The TD Summer Reading Club is Canada's biggest, bilingual summer reading program for kids of all ages, all interests, and all abilities.  Sign up at your local Toronto Public Library branch or if you are travelling this summer, at public libraries across the country! Check out the website for kids and parents here.  
Parent tips: If your French is not as good as your child’s, it is easy to flip back and forth between the English pages and the French pages on the website to help you figure it out. ‘Titres Vedettes’ is where you can find the French book suggestions. In the ‘Parents’ Corner’ you will find ‘Ways to Raise a Reader’ and biographies of the authors and artists. 
This program is developed by Toronto Public Library in partnership with Library and Archives Canada. Sponsorship is generously provided by TD Bank Group.

5. Find Summer FUN on FrenchStreet.ca

Finding French summer camps, places to go and events to attend over the summer has never been easier. FrenchStreet.ca is the go-to site for all kinds of opportunities for kids to use their French outside of the classroom. This internet database allows you to search by region, by age group and MORE. Click here for great opportunities in our city and beyond. 
FrenchStreet.ca is brought to you by Canadian Parents for French Ontario with financial support from the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage.

6. Franco-Fête de Toronto

On July 5-7, Yonge-Dundas Square is hosting La Franco-Fête de Toronto. Enjoy diverse cultural performances in French for the whole family. Kattam et ses Tam-Tams  will be there at 11 am on Sunday, July 7. Kattam is a percussion artist based in Montreal and his children’s albums have won numerous awards. Be sure to stop by the Canadian Parents for French booth to say ‘Bonjour’! 


For details visit their website here. 

7. Future of French at TDSB: French Review Update

 At the June 19, 2019 meeting of the Board, Trustees adopted a new direction for French programs:
Core French: A Core French action plan is being developed by staff over the summer and it is expected to go to Trustees for approval in October 2019.
End of Extended French and Legacy Programs: September 2020 will be the last entry year for the grade 4 and grade 7 extended programs, for Hawthorne II Bilingual Alternative and for Cosburn MS grade 6 intensive French. 
Change to Immersion as the only intensive French program: As of September 2025, the only intensive French program at the TDSB will be Immersion. There will be 2 entry points: Junior Kindergarten and Grade 4. These 2 entry points will merge in grade 9. 
Immersion program locations: Guiding principles and criteria for the redistribution of programs will be initiated over the summer and presented to Trustees for approval in October 2019. Follow-up consultation will occur once approved by Trustees.
Procedure changes: The current PR597 will be reviewed and revised slightly to reflect the 2019-20 year of transition. However, to support the recommendations approved at Board on June 19, 2019, PR597 will need to be revised in its entirety. A plan for consultation will be drafted and shared following Board approval October 2019. The current PR597 includes procedures for French programs, such as, admission for every on time applicant, the sibling rule and how new sites are added.
French Review recommendations are here. Note: Trustees amended the Staff recommendations at the June 19, 2019 Board meeting to add that stakeholders be broadly consulted on the implementation plans as stated in Summary of  Decisions by the Board of Trustees on June 19, 2019. 

8. Update on TDSB 2019-20 Budget & French

At the June 19, 2019 meeting of the Board, Trustees passed the 2019-20 balanced budget including cuts to transportation and school teaching staff that impact French Immersion/Extended.  
No TTC tickets for Grade 9-12: As of September 2019, due to budget cuts, the TDSB will no longer be providing TTC tickets to grade 9-12 French Immersion/Extended students who live further than 4.8 km from their designated secondary school. Measures are being put in place to assist families for whom paying TTC fare to access French Immersion/Extended is a financial burden. Ask your French Immersion/Extended school principal for further information. 
SK-8 Transportation Changes: For the 2019-20 school year, bussing continues as is for SK-5 and for TTC tickets for grade 7-8 (grade 6 is free). However, as part of 2019-20 budget cuts, there will be changes to transportation in September 2020 for French Immersion/Extended and Gifted students to save $4M. Changes will include service reductions and improving efficiency of routes by adjusting bell times. 
Supplementary Teachers - French: As part of 2019-20 budget cuts,  the allocation of teachers will be reduced to save $12.15M in September 2020.
2019-20 Budget Information, cuts to French explained in Appendix A, pages 90 & 93 here. Summary of June 19, 2019 decisions here.

9. Annual French Enrolment Report

The Trustees received the Annual French Enrolment Report at the June 4, 2019 meeting of the Program and School Services Committee. For 2018-19, enrolment in Core French from grades 4-12 is 90 998 students and enrolment in French Immersion/Extended is 29 489 students.Full report here. 
Thank you TDSB FSL, Planning and local school staff for all the work done to create these opportunities for students!

10. Make a Difference in French at the TDSB

 FSLAC parent volunteers come together from across the TDSB once a month to support growth and excellence in French programs and the work of Trustees and TDSB staff. Up next at the FSLAC will be conversations about the implementation of all the changes to French programs. If you are interested in making a difference and being part of those conversations at the FSLAC, please join us at our September 10, 2019 meeting, 7 pm at 5050 Yonge St and/or email us at fslactoronto@gmail.com and/or email your Trustee.  The FSLAC welcomes a parent member and alternates from every ward in the TDSB. Click here for more information about the FSLAC. 

11. Save the Dates!

The FSLAC will be meeting on September 10, October 15 and November 12, 2019. Parents, students, trustees, teachers and staff are welcome. Meetings start at 7 pm at the TDSB offices at 5050 Yonge St., ground floor. FSLAC information is posted on the TDSB website here: www.tdsb.on.ca/fslac 

12. Share this Newsletter

Help us share TDSB French news and parent tips with parents and school councils by forwarding this newsletter. Sign up link is at the end of this email or here and on our TDSB webpage: www.tdsb.on.ca/fslac . It just takes a minute to get connected to the TDSB French Second Language community to get this once/term newsletter and occasional breaking news.

Have a great summer,  

Mandy Moore
FSLAC Parent Co-chair
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