Shifting students could pave way for Parksides French immersion

SUMMERSIDE - Parkside Elementary could soon be welcoming French immersion students.
A committee is currently studying the impact of introducing kindergarten classes at Parkside, Elm Street and Greenfield schools. Incorporating French immersion into Parkside's curriculum is one of the initiatives being reviewed.
But such a move could mean students currently in French immersion at Elm Street and Greenfield would have to move.
"I think at the centre of (introducing kindergarten) is creating or implementing French immersion at Parkside," Western School Board superintendent Dale Sabean said Thursday. "The question then becomes which students go to which schools."
Greenfield and Elm Street are the only two elementary schools in East Prince that offer French immersion. Students are bused to the schools from as far as Stanley Bridge and Borden-Carleton.
As a result, there's a lack of space at the schools for kindergarten.
Adding French immersion at Parkside would help solve the space crunch.
"We've got to remove some of the population at both Greenfield and Elm Street in order to make room," said Sabean. "At the end of the day the reductions there give us the students over at Parkside."
That would mean further renovations at the schools to accommodate kindergarten classes next fall would be unnecessary.
The move would also mean students in French immersion at Greenfield would no longer have to transfer to Elm Street after Grade 3 to continue their studies.
That, said Sabean, would likely be a move welcomed by parents.
"It's one less change. There are going to be some changes over two or three years but, finally . . . at the end of the day when students start French immersion and kindergarten at any one of the three schools, that's where they'll stay."
If the board opts to included French immersion at Parkside, at least two kindergarten classes - one French immersion and one English - would be introduced at each of the three schools.
Sabean said there is still a lot to discuss on the issue. The committee only met with Greenfield Home and School Association Monday and Thursday night the committee met with Elm Street association. It meets this Monday with the Parkside group.
"We have a committee meeting next Wednesday night and we're hoping to come up with a proposal we can take to the board in December," said Sabean. "Then, at that point, we would produce the report for parents at all three schools."

nmacphee@journalpioneer.com