French speaking students in Quesnel celebrated the language this week, marking French Immersion Week inside the classroom.
Events included presentations about different French speaking regions around the world, Metis dancing, concerts and students connecting across grades and languages.
Kevin Stuart is the French language coordinator for the Canadian Parents for French group in Quesnel.
“The kids have been pretty excited about all this, especially with everything opening up a bit more,” he said.
“We had (events previously), but it’s looked differently. It was more virtual connecting between classes. This year we’re having immersion students not only at Red Bluff Lhtako, but also Quesnel Junior School and Correlieu Secondary are involved.”
Canadian Parents for French provided grant funding for events throughout the week.
French immersion students receive instruction in all subjects in school in French. Events outside of school hours can be especially valuable to those students, getting a chance to use those language skills outside of a classroom setting.
Stuart thinks those interactions have gone “reasonably well,” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There have been some challenges for sure, but I think students have risen to the occasion,” he said.
French immersion is offered from kindergarten to grade 12 in the Quesnel School District. Students are bussed from across the region in early years schools to Red Bluff Lhtako School. To register your kindergarten or grade 1 student in french immersion, call the school.
Older students must show a french proficiency before joining.
FROM OUR ARCHIVES (2018): Pressure to recruit French immersion teachers with increasing enrolment in B.C.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
@GimliJetsMan
cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.