UPDATE ~N Another school year is underway!...the 23" since the first French-language education pro- gram began in 1979, the 22" since the founding of the Association des parents du programme cadre de frangais (to- day’s Fédération des parents francophones’ de Colombie- Britannique), and the 6" since the founding of the CSF (French-language School Board). Since that time, many things have changed—for better and for worse. But there’s one thing that re- mains constant—the parents’ desire for their children to receive the best edu- cation possible in French. The FPFCB is still committed to achieving this de- sire, despite steady funding cuts. The following is a brief glimpse at some of the issues we will be addressing dur- ing the coming year. Intercultural Families The issue of intercultural families (one parent is a non-Francophone) has al- ways been a routine part of life in the French-language schools, which have had to deal with this reality—with vary- ing degrees of success. Some rather delicate issues need to be discussed and the resulting decisions occasion- ally lead to conflict that seriously affects the school climate. Among these are the language that the school uses to communicate with the home, language used during parents’ association (APE) meetings, and participation of non- Francophone parents in school activi- ties. These questions pose potential barriers to the participation of non- French-speaking parents in the life of their children’s school. This is an extremely hot topic. During the last FPFCB convention in Novem- ber 2000, parents gave us a mandate to find ways to encourage the commit- ment and participation of non- Francophone spouses. The Federation decided to publish an intercultural fam- ily guide. To do this, the executive asked for the establishment of a com- mittee, made up of non-Francophone parents, to contribute to publication of this guide. ww w During the fall, we will be discussing these issues with the intention of find- ing grounds for resolution. It is quite clear that there is no all-encompass- ing solution. Each school must deal with its own experience. However, there are approaches that would fa- cilitate the inclusion of non- Francophone parents and these are what we hope to identify in the guide. We are well aware that this is a deli- cate issue. When we discuss topics related to language or culture, emo- tions are quick to gain the upper hand...but it’s time to take action. Eighty percent of the potential mar- ket for our French-language schools (qualified) comes from intercultural families and this statistic will increase rather than decrease in future. We must therefore take action and ad- dress the issue. This is exactly what the FPFCB intends to do in the com- ing months. More to follow. High School We have been discussing the issue of French-language high school serv- ices in BC for some time. In Novem- ber 1999, the CSF initiated consulta- tions on the matter without achieving the expected results. To date, deci- sions have been made piecemeal with every best intention, but without a framework to identify major orientations or a common thread. Without this framework, it will be very difficult to ensure the delivery of sec- ondary school services. The experi- ences and aspirations of the various client-groups are so vastly different that it is difficult, if not impossible, to implement a model that satisfies eve- ryone. We must therefore develop a policy setting out the precise param- eters for delivery of high school serv- ices, a policy that would also be flex- ible enough to suit the various local needs. For this reason, the CSF has organized a round table (which will have taken place as you read these lines) for October 2. All of the players are represented at this table, an at- tempt to outline strategies that we hope will lead to the preparation of a realistic policy to guide our efforts to develop quality educational services that satisfy clients’ needs. - f p fc b.be.ca CSF Resources You will recall that last year then Educa- tion Minister Joy MacPhail gave in to our demand to set up a trilateral committee, with representatives of the CSF, the Min- istry, and the FPFCB, to determine the services required to provide quality edu- cation in the French-language system and related costs. The committee met in November 2000 and February 2001. Some of the results included Ministry of Education recognition of the principles arising from particular CSF status and its different needs. Since February, the trilateral committee has not met, however we have elected a new gov- ernment. Consequently, in company with the school board, we met with Deputy Education Minister Emery Dosdall to make him aware of the French-language education system and its needs. We also asked him to continue the trilateral com- mittee. He was receptive to our propos- als and will give us an answer by this fall, once he has thoroughly reviewed the matter. We will therefore continue to look for po- litical means to obtain the resources that our educational system needs. In the event that we fail to achieve the expected results, we can always take legal action, but, | remind you, only as a last resort. Preschool Curriculum (ERI) The ERI preschool program is now avail- able on the Federation website (www.fpfcb.bc.ca). This educational pro- gram, drafted by an FPFCB-supervised working committee, is designed to meet the needs of French-language preschool clients in our province. During the coming year, we will work to prepare a support document to facilitate program implemen- tation. We will also offer a training session during the provincial preschool meeting planned for this coming November. Support for Parents’ Associations The Federation continues to offer a train- ing program and support services for its members. Whether you are organizing and running a meeting, drafting a busi- ness plan, setting up a community-school partnership, or inaugurating a new primary or preschool program, the FPFCB is ready to help you meet the challenge. Simply contact our office or visit our website to find out more about the various workshops that are available. PAGE 4 INFO-PARENTS - FEDERATION DES PARENTS FRANCOPHONES DE COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE