Overview: This is the third archival content piece. It examines the controversial relocation of the French Immersion program from Edwin S. Richards Elementary to Mission Central Elementary. The fight for the program shows the community of Mission’s passion for the program.

Edwin S. Richards Elementary School, 2000’s, archived photograph, Mission Community Archives, Mission, British Columbia, Canada.

In School District 75, there are three schools that offer the French Immersion program; one at the secondary level, Mission Secondary, and two at the elementary school level, Edwin S. Richards Elementary and Mission Central Elementary. Back in the 1980s, Edwin S. Richards Elementary School was one of the first to be approached to adopt the French Immersion program. The faculty was hesitant to accept as they were concerned about what housing this program would mean for their school. Ultimately they accepted and the program became an instant success at ESR. Many credit the success of the French Immersion program at Edwin S. Richards to the principal, Ron Fouquette, who ran an excellent school that acted as a supportive home for the Immersion program.

After 20 years of operating as a dual-track school, it was announced at the end of the 2001-2002 school year that the following year would be the last year that ESR would offer the French Immersion program to its students. The unanimous decision was made by the school board to move Mission’s entire French Immersion program to Mission Central in the hopes of maintaining the program’s integrity, as the offering the dual track program at two schools was no longer sustainable and the best option to secure the future of the French Immersion program in Mission was to consolidate the two programs together. Other factors that influenced the decision two move from two dual track schools to one were increased staffing challenges, elementary to secondary transition issues, and district enrolment projections that indicated a need for space along the Cherry corridor where ESR is located. The move would be made in two stages: the first happening in September of 2003, which would move all of the students enrolled in kindergarten as well as any of their siblings to Mission Central, and the second happening in September of 2004, where ESR students in Grades 1 through 7 would follow. The first stage would also see a partial reduction in the bus routes for French Immersion and the second would see their elimination.

Mission Central Elementary School, 2000’s, archived photograph, Mission Community Archives, Mission, British Columbia, Canada.

Mission Central was chosen to house the program instead of Edwin S. Richards, despite ESR having a higher total enrolment in the program. For the 2002-2003 school year, there were 300 students currently enrolled in French Immersion at ESR, with 50 pre-registered for kindergarten the following year, whereas Mission Central only had 175 currently enrolled and only 5 students registered for kindergarten. Despite the popularity of the program at ESR, only 16% of all students in French Immersion at both schools actually lived within the boundaries of the elementary school’s catchment. To move the program entirely to Edwin S. Richards was not a feasible option as there was no room to open their doors to Mission Central’s French Immersion students, Mission Central on the other hand, had seen a significant decline in enrolment, leaving many of the classrooms lining its halls empty, which meant that there was ample room to accept all of ESR’s French Immersion students.

This decision was strongly opposed by the community who believed that the boards decision to move the program entirely to Mission Central would jeopardize the French Immersion program as a whole. The major point of contention was the fact that the school district was not going to offer bussing to students who were being forced to change schools. This would have drastic impacts on the enrolment in the French Immersion program as families who did not live within walking distance or who did not have access to a car would be forced to transfer their kids to the English track. There were also concerns regarding the health and safety of the students as the lack of busses would mean there would be hundreds of cars in the neighbourhood surrounding Mission Central twice a day. A decrease in French Immersion enrolment at the elementary school level would lead to a decrease in enrolment at the secondary level as well, meaning it would only be a matter of time before the program collapsed as a whole. In order for the program to succeed at the secondary level, it is integral to maintain a strong elementary school program. Another area of concern was the fact that by only offering the program at one school it would restrict the number of students who would be able to enrol in the program in the future, as an enrolment cap would surely have to be put in place.

Parents felt as though their concerns were not being acknowledged by the school board, whose decision had been made without much consultation with the French Immersion community, and felt as though there was a lack of communication. The board had published the agenda for the meeting that was supposed to address the relocation of ESR’s French Immersion program, staff and students, however this was nowhere to be seen on the listed topics for discussion, leading many to believe that the decision was to be made behind closed doors without addressing any of the parents’ concerns. It is no wonder that the parents were angry with the school board and felt as though ‘their’ program was being destroyed. The board later issued a notice to the parents of Mission Central Elementary and Edwin S. Richards apologizing for this lack of communication during the decision-making process and reassured parents that the board was doing everything they could to keep the French Immersion program sustainable and alive in the Mission school district.

After much deliberation on behalf of the Mission School Board and many protests carried out by the parents in the community, the decision to move the elementary school French Immersion program from two schools (Edwin S. Richards and Mission Central) to one school (Mission Central) was put under review. There were three options proposed by the school board. The first was to keep the original programs where they were, at Edwin S. Richards and Mission Central respectively, however this option would severely limit the number of students that would be able to enrol in the French Immersion program to maintain a balance between the English and French tracks. The second option was to have two dual track schools, one at Mission Central and the other at another core area school, likely Frsaserview Elementary, West Heights Elementary, and Christine Morrison Elementary. The third option was to go with the original decision, to move the entire elementary school French Immersion program to Mission Central.

In the early months of the 2002-2003 school year it was announced that there would be two dual track schools at the elementary school level, and although Edwin S. Richards would not be one of them, this could still be seen as a victory for the future of the French Immersion program in Mission. The school board, who, now, ultimately supported the idea of having two schools, still voiced many concerns regarding financial impacts, staffing, overcrowding, and the transition from elementary to secondary school. The choice of the second school would be made following the school boundary review to ensure that the selected school would maximize access to the Immersion program, balance enrolment rates between English and French, and maximize the stability of the program.

Christine Morrison Elementary School, 2000’s, archived photograph, Mission Community Archives, Mission, British Columbia, Canada.

In early 2003, it was announced that the school board had finally decided on Christine Morrison Elementary School as the second French Immersion site in Mission. Christine Morrison was selected because it would allow for the greatest potential for growth of the program. Although Christine Morrison already had quite a high enrolment number, the redefining of the catchment areas would free up ample space to make it the best choice for the French Immersion program. The new school catchment boundaries, would divide enrolment in the French Immersion program along an East-West boundary. Christine Morrison Elementary falls under the West boundary and would serve as the choice school for French Immersion for students attending Albert McMahon Elementary, Cherry Hill Elementary, Christine Morrison Elementary, Fraserview Elementary, West Heights Elementary, Silverdale Elementary, Stave Falls Elementary, and the south-west corner of the current Edwin S. Richards catchment area. Mission Central falls under the East boundary and would serve as the choice French Immersion school for students attending Edwin S. Richards Elementary (minus the south-west corner), Ferndale Elementary, Hatzic Elementary, Hillside Elementary, Mission Central Elementary, Deroche Elementary, Dewdney Elementary, Durieu Elementary and Windebank Elementary.

There were several efforts made to ease the transition from Edwin S. Richards to both Mission Central and Christine Morrison. This includes inviting students to come in and visit both schools to get acquainted with the staff and school community. There were also some administrative changes at Christine Morrison who had recently hired a new Vice Principal, to help assure a smooth transition. Ms. Kathryn Day, who had been a French Immersion teacher at École Eric Langton Elementary School in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, was brought in to Christine Morrison family as an asset to the French Immersion program in the school district.

References:

Ann, Carol. “Parents say board still not listening.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), Jun. 13, 2002.

Edwin S. Richards Elementary. Newsletter for February 7, 2003. Mission, BC: Edwin S. Richards Elementary, 2003.

Edwin S. Richards Elementary. Newsletter for June 6, 2003. Mission, BC: Edwin S. Richards Elementary, 2003.

Edwin S. Richards Elementary. Staff List 2002/2003. Mission Community Archives, Mission, BC: Richards Elementary, 2002.

“French Immersion decision ‘arbitrary’.” The Abbotsford Times (Abbotsford, BC), Jun. 8, 2002.

“French Immersion program movement to MCE could be the beginning of the end.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), May 23, 2002.

“Immersion program should have been capped years ago.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), Nov. 27, 2003.

Jorgensen, Lisa. “French fight simmers in Mission; board has a plan.” The Abbotsford Times (Abbotsford, BC), Oct. 15, 2002.

Jorgensen, Lisa. “Mission plan to relocate some French student angers parents.” The Abbotsford Times (Abbotsford, BC), May 17, 2002.

“Keep FI program at ESR.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), May 23, 2002.

“Message from the Board of School Trustees”. 2002. Mission Community Archives, Mission, BC, Canada.

Mission School District. District Update. Mission, BC: SD75, Jan. 20, 2003.

Mission School District. District Update. Mission, BC: SD75, May 28, 2003.

Roessle, Jason. “Two schools designated as FI sites.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), Oct. 10, 2002.

“School board is destroying French immersion program.” The Abbotsford Times (Abbotsford, BC), May 21, 2002.

“SD75’s French Immersion program a success story.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), Aug. 8, 2002.

Speech written on the back of an order form. 2003. Mission Community Archives, Mission, BC, Canada.

“True success of program lies with former ESR principal.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), Nov. 6, 2003.

Wierda, Cheryl. “Clarkson meeting with parents about ESR French Immersion.” Mission City Record (Mission, BC), 2002.