ae by INFO-PARENTS COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE “Ey 11 Mare Gignac ExecutiveDirector | iy members, In South B.C., each year when the rain | season starts the school year is well on its way. Comparatively with the previous years we can say that it went quite smoothly. This does not mean that everything is perfect but | we encoutered less problems regarding | transportation, resources, services, etc. Two main factors can explain this change. Firts parents are better informed on budgets, school boards procedures and their own rights. This way they can foresee the problems ' and find solutions before the begining of the | school year. The second is the existence of the Francophone Education Authority (FEA). The FEA is legally responsible for offering the Francophone Education program | on the territory under its jurisdiction from Chilliwack to Greater Victoria. It has also a moral responsability when it comes to the rest of the province. It has a power to help make changes. Just think of the two new programs (Anne Hebert Annexe and _ Langley); the negotiations taking place with Central Okanagan School Board to allow the injection of resources to the Francophone program in Kelowna. It goes without saying that the creation ofthe FEA has had a beneficial effect on the Francophone education system development. All problems will not be resolved overnight, it is a fact, but with the | cooperation of all partners in education we | will beable toimprove many things, especially | on the cultural aspect. I would like here to bring an update on our different projects. Some have considerably evolved thanks to the vision and mediation | of the FEA. Others are a proof of history | always repeating itself theory such as the court action. Asa matter of fact, last July the Provincial government passed amendments to the | School Act to bein conformity with Judge _ Vickers ruling of August 1996. Asa result FEA the same way it finances the other school boards in BC. the FEA is now part of the School Act and N | will be able to acquire facilities, the \ | Minister of Education must finance the ff However the government did not go as far as Judge Vickers ruling implied. Even with the adoption of the School Act Amendments the B.C. government does not respect Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. There is no clause regarding transfer of school facilities and resources; no mechanism have been placed to expand the FEA jurisdiction to the whole province; there is no acknowledgement of the specific needs and accumulated delay in the development of the Francophone education system and no clause giving the FEA the power to negotiate directly with, or recruit teachers. Those are the reasons for APFCB return to Judge Vickers last October. Following the hearing, and taking Judge Vickers advice, it was to intent anew actionon the inadequacy of the amendments and asking for the FEA provincial jurisdiction. Judge Vickers ensured us that he will intervene for a hearing in the very near future. The court action could be heard before May 1998. Regarding the «Projet educatif francophone» (PEF) and asa followup to Forum 97 last february, a provincial meeting was organized last May to allow parents committees representatives to reflect on the philosophy of this project. Parents worked to define the content, more specifically on the ideal student's profile, the vision and mandate, values, responsabilities of partners (students, parents, teachers, administrators, community) as well as the structure and the mandate of the project management committee. The document content could be used as reference for schools wishing to be endowed with such a project. Two schools have taken the first steps to createa PEF (Brodeur and La Vérendrye). The next step is to develop a kit on how to create a PEF in schools and Francophone programs. We expect the kit to be ready by September 98. It will be developped jointly with all partners in education. The project is sponsored by the FEA's task force in education that was set up in August 1997 and consists of representatives from the FEA, the Ministry of Education, the Conseil Jeunesse Francophone, Educacentre (adult education), APFCB and FFCB. Its mandate is to contribute to th fulfilment of the FEA's operational plan, more specifically objectives with a community component; it reflects well the collaboration and cohesiveness existing between the provincial organizations working in the education sector. | | The implementation of the kit Paul et Suzanne in the Francophone preschools is going on. This year five other services will receive it ontop of the five implemented last year. Corinne Lohner is coordinating the project replacing Frédérique Grenouillat who went back to her studies. Corinne will also work as liaison and support staff for preschools and the resource center Tire Lire. | Finally I would like to mention that the administrative assistant is Martine St-Onge replacing Corinne Devos. The latter left us to return to her roots in France. We welcome Martine who is doing an excellent job since she took over. Due to the budget cuts the Executive Director will take for the moment the responsabilities of the liaison Officer. It was until now the duty of Daniel Bélanger who is working for the FEA. Knowing Daniel's hardworking style he will for sure work for the development of the Francophone education system. | One moretime thank you so much Corinne Devos, Frédérique Grenouillat and Daniel Bélanger for the excellence of your work while at APFCB. Welcome to Corinne Lohner and Martine St-Onge. I would not wish to pass over the wonderful work o Lorraine Fortinin silence. Lorraine assum the duties of administrative assistant since Corinne Devos departure until the hiring of Martine St-Onge. We wish you plenty of success. | I wish you all a very rewarding school year and Iam looking to seeing some of you at the Annual General Meeting. ————_____—— Good luck and thank you Linda ! Linda Lévesque representing Vancouver Island South, director onthe Board is leaving BC after two years of hard work on various projects. The Board Members recognize her excellent work and commitment and wish her the best of success in her new challenges.