Governance: Personal Inquiry

question
WHATS THE STATUS OF THE CONSEIL SCOLAIRE
FRANCOPHONE (CSF) IN THE FRENCH IMMERSION
PROGRAM IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (CSF)?

BY FLORENT DEDO
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him
in his language, that goes to his heart." - Nelson Mandela

SUMMARY

Quick overview of the French language in the

BC School System

Did you know

Particularisms of the CSF

Moving forward with the CSF and French in BC

Quick overview of the French

language in the BC School System
.

French-Canadians and Francophones have been in British Columbia for

many years. All along they demanded that their children receive a Frenchlanguage education. Even though some Francophone students were able to
attend French classes early on, it is only in 1982 when the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedom was adopted that it became a
constitutional right for Francophone parents to have their children educated
in French anywhere in Canada.

1871: Creation of the BC school system.

1910: First French Catholic School Notre Dame de Lourdes in Maillardville.

1968: Pilot-project to offer French at the kindergarten level in Alderson

Elementary, Coquitlam.

1977: The government recognizes the right of Francophones to be

educated in French.

1982: Adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which

guarantees the right of Canadians to educated in one of the countrys
official languages (i.e. French) wherever they reside in Canada.

Quick overview of the French

language in the BC School System
(cont.)
1983:

Opening of the First French Public School (stand-alone school in BC).

1995: The Government announces the creation of a Francophone School
District, the CSF (Francophone Education Authority/ FEA). Mission: Promote
French as a first language throughout BC.
1998: The FEA assumes responsibility in the hiring of its own teachers. A
new local is created (93)
In 1999 there were 29,979 students enrolled in this province. Today, twelve
years later, there are 45,324. That is truly remarkable!
2010: Legal Action against the province of BC by the CPF (Canadian Parents
for French) and the CSF for better funding of its programs.
According

to the most recent enrolment statistics, there are approximately

277,000 students learning French as a second language in British Columbia.
This number includes the 45,000 in French immersion and Intensive French,
and 232,000 in Core French. Another 4,300 BC students are enrolled in
francophone programs. Meanwhile, in Yukon, French immersion enrolment
has reached 605, the highest its been in some time.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know that in British Columbia:

Francophones arrived with Alexander Mackenzie in 1793?

The first Francophone parish was established at Maillardville in 1909?
42 000 Francophones live in Vancouver and Victoria?
There are 40 Francophone schools attended by almost 4 200 children?
The Francophone School Council is the school board that has experienced the
most growth in B.C.
There are almost 40 000 children who are enrolled in French Immersion
programs?
Simon Fraser University has an Office of Francophone and Francophiles
Affairs where young adults can pursue their post-secondary studies in French?
College courses are offered in French in classrooms and online?
The francophone community has its own theatre, festivals, dancers,
musicians, artists, artisans and historical society, and that thousands of
people attend these activities?
French speaking business operators can receive training in their own
language in entrepreneurial management in all key sectors of the provincial
economy, thanks to the Socit de dveloppement conomique?
Members of the Francophone population come from all over the world?

Particularisms of the CSF:

Eligibility criteria and funding

The Board of Regional Trustees of the Conseil scolaire francophone de la C.-B.

(Francophone School Authority of British Columbia) has adopted a new policy
D-400-2 pertaining to admission of students into its schools on May 2013.

The policy, adopted on April 20, fully maintains the unalienable right, under the
provisions of Article 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, of
francophone parents to be eligible to have their children educated in the Conseil
scolaire francophone schools of the province.

The policy also opens the door to the admission of children whose parents are not
eligible under the provisions of the Charter, but who meet other criteria, including
the ability of the child and the parents to speak French. It would also extend
eligibility to some children whose grandparents are francophone.

The goal is to integrate parents who are not Canadian citizens into the
francophone community of British Columbia, on the condition that they contribute
to the vitality and the diversity of this community.

Budget 2015/2016: The 2015/2016 fiscal year indicates a total budget amount of
87,023,458

Particularisms of the CSF: Leadership,

vision, mission and hiring process
Board of Directors (2014-2015): https://
www.csf.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/ressources/Organigramme_CA.pdf
Vision: All our students will reach their full potential proud of their language and their francophone
heritage.
Tous nos lves atteindront leur plein potentiel, fiers de la langue et des cultures francophones.
Mission: From early stages, fostering in each student, a total mastering of the French language, a
permanent culture of learning, healthy living habits and community involvement.
Dvelopper chez llve, ds le plus jeune ge, une matrise de la langue franaise, une culture
dapprentissage continu, des habitudes de vie saine et un esprit de contribution la socit.
Hiring process: Each applicant (i.e. educators) is invited to create an account following this link:
https://emploi.csf.bc.ca/offres/enseignants. You must speak fully French, have a Bachelors in
Education, your resume and cover letter well written in French as well must be attached together
along with your certification in one file. There is a list of available positions. Feel free to apply. Only
online applications are accepted. An interview will only be granted if you match all criteria. Other
school related positions are also available (i.e. Secretarial, computer, etc.)
Address: Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique
180 10200 Shellbridge Way- Richmond (Colombie-Britannique)
V6X 2W7- Tlphone (604) 214-2600
Tlcopieur (604) 214-9881
Ligne gratuite (toll free number) 1 (888) 715-2200

Particularisms of the CSF: Partnership

The CSF is actively working with four main partners in

promoting a participatory process and shared leadership in all
of our schools.

These main partners are:

the Fdration des parents francophones de ColombieBritannique (FPFCB);

the Regroupement des directions dcoles francophones (RDF);

the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 4227);

the Syndicat des enseignantes et enseignants du programme

francophone (SEPF).

During the 2007-2008 school year, this group has developed a

policy regarding the creation of a partners committee in each
of our schools, as well as a guide accompanying the policy (D400-18), which was adopted by the CSF Board of Trustees in
June, 2008.

Moving forward with the CSF and

French in BC
CURRENT CHALLENGES:
Despite all the success CPF has achieved over 30 years, there is a new set
of challenges ahead for the organization:

Critical teacher shortage resulting from teachers retiring and not being
replaced by a sufficient number of new teachers.

French programs is still not available in all areas.

Students who speak neither English nor French when they enter public
school are discouraged from enrolling in French immersion.

Inequity of resources available to students with learning difficulties. In

many districts, parents are still not included in medium and long range
planning for French programs.

FORWARD

Enrolment increasing. Demand for more French immersion classes and

the demand for more qualified French teachers will continue unabated
at parental request. We will see more and more new Canadians who will
want their children to learn both of Canadas official languages.

Resources
Useful Websites
Le Conseil Scolaire Francophone (CSF): https://www.csf.bc.ca/
CSF admission criteria: https://
www.csf.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/ressources/csf_feuillet_admissibilite_2013_ang.pdf
Budget of the CSF: https://
www.csf.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/ressources/2015_2016_budget_preliminaire.pdf
Ministry of Education BC: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/home
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages: http://
www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/clo_ocol_splash/splash/theme-gcwu-fegc/index.html
Canadian Heritage: http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1266037002102/1265993639778
Canadian Parents for French: http://bc-yk.cpf.ca/
Additional links:
Societe Francophone de Victoria: http://www.francocentre.com/about-us/french-in-bc/
Federation des Parents Francophones de Colombie-Britannique: http://www.fpfcb.bc.ca/
Independent schools association of BC: http://isabc.ca/
Federation of Independent school associations BC: http://fisabc.ca/

Canadian association of second language teachers: http://www.caslt.org /

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages:
http://www.actfl.org/about-the-american-council-the-teaching-foreign-languages