Bridgewater parents fuming after early French immersion goes to Lunenburg
Some parents in Bridgewater, N.S., say they're shocked after the school board turned down their attempt to start an early French immersion program at Bridgewater Elementary, and started it at Bluenose Academy in Lunenburg instead.
"It seemed like it was going to be a go, and I got my hopes up," said Jenna Eason, who has four kids under the age of six. "Now it's just like I've had a rug swept right out from underneath my feet."
Eason started her campaign when her eldest children were still toddlers. She was surprised to discover that no schools in the South Shore Regional School Board offered French immersion in Grade Primary.
"I think we're doing our kids a disservice not offering that program."
Community interest
Eason and another parent, Lindsey Hancock, both attempted to register their children at the French school board but they say they were denied because they were English speaking families.
The two moms started gauging interest in the community, conducting surveys at nursery schools. They say the response was largely positive.
"I think French immersion starting in Grade Primary is ideal," said Hancock, who has three children. She believes French is an essential skill, especially when trying to find jobs.
"We live in a bilingual country. There should be no reason why our children are being denied this."
The board put a call out for potential students in April for a split class for grades Primary and One. Twenty-one children signed up. But last week, the board informed the parents it was not going forward with the plan at Bridgewater Elementary.
School 'not ready' for program change
School board superintendent Scott Milner says there were a number of reasons to hold off on starting the program. He says there were hesitations among school staff and the advisory council.
He said they made their decision based on the school's readiness for change, and this wasn't an appropriate year to take it on.
"In Bridgewater the school has been through a fair number of changes, even in the last year," Milner said. "There's some reconfigurations happening in Bridgewater Elementary and the school next door to it."
Milner said it's a better fit for Lunenburg right now because there are currently no French immersion entry grades, while parents in Bridgewater can enrol their kids in Grade 4.
Options for parents
Those reasons aren't sitting well with Eason and Hancock.
"I just find it sad," said Hancock. "You would think the school would be doing this in the best interest of the children. Where I feel like right now, it's more of the personal interests of the staff."
Milner says the parents have options.
They can choose to send their children to the new program at Bluenose Academy, or they can wait and enrol their kids in Grade 4. He says the board will consider establishing the program in Bridgewater in future years.
The parents say they are working on an appeal.
