Change the Sibling Rule for French Immersion to include all grades and not just for grades 3-7
Change the Sibling Rule for French Immersion to include all grades and not just for grades 3-7
The Issue
The Peel-Dufferin School Board has a rule where students who currently (2014-15) have siblings in the elementary FI program (in grades 3 to 7) would be automatically placed into the grade 1 FI program, provided they register online by the January 30, 2015 deadline. This means that younger siblings of students who are accepted into grade 1 FI for the 2015-16 school year and who don't currently have siblings in grades 3 to 7 FI will participate in the random selection process in future years.
This selection process is unfair and discriminatory!!! This so called sibling rule still splits families if the older sibling is in grade 1 or 2.
Families with 2 or more kids are struggling to send their kids to different schools because one got into the program and another did not. This needs to be changed.
I am the parent of two girls, ages eight (8) and five(5). My 8 year old will be going into grade 3 at a French School in September. The five year old attends our home school. For almost two years now my children have been attending separate schools and it has not been easy. I have tried before to get them both into the same school but they had no space to take the five year old so I waited until now for the French Immersion Program.
Recently I received an email that my five year old did not get into the program and is number 27 on the waiting list. This does not sit well with me.
Both schools that my girls attend start about an hour apart. They have to be ready at different times of the morning to catch their respective buses for school. I have to attend two different assemblies, different events and Christmas concerts and keep up to date with what is happening at both schools. I have to pay for different snacks and food items and remember who has what on different days. This is clearly not easy when faced with other day to day tasks and activities outside of them going to school.
Why should a computer system decide the fate of my child. In my household I award my kids the same opportunities and would definitely want to see them both having the opportunity to learn French. My 8 year old as I said is already in the program and is doing very well. Based on her report from and her teachers, my five year old is a great candidate for the program.
I am therefore asking that something be done. If a computer can just randomly pick, then human beings can change this choice. It would only make sense that if one child is already in the system, that the sibling gets to also have the same opportunity.
The Issue
The Peel-Dufferin School Board has a rule where students who currently (2014-15) have siblings in the elementary FI program (in grades 3 to 7) would be automatically placed into the grade 1 FI program, provided they register online by the January 30, 2015 deadline. This means that younger siblings of students who are accepted into grade 1 FI for the 2015-16 school year and who don't currently have siblings in grades 3 to 7 FI will participate in the random selection process in future years.
This selection process is unfair and discriminatory!!! This so called sibling rule still splits families if the older sibling is in grade 1 or 2.
Families with 2 or more kids are struggling to send their kids to different schools because one got into the program and another did not. This needs to be changed.
I am the parent of two girls, ages eight (8) and five(5). My 8 year old will be going into grade 3 at a French School in September. The five year old attends our home school. For almost two years now my children have been attending separate schools and it has not been easy. I have tried before to get them both into the same school but they had no space to take the five year old so I waited until now for the French Immersion Program.
Recently I received an email that my five year old did not get into the program and is number 27 on the waiting list. This does not sit well with me.
Both schools that my girls attend start about an hour apart. They have to be ready at different times of the morning to catch their respective buses for school. I have to attend two different assemblies, different events and Christmas concerts and keep up to date with what is happening at both schools. I have to pay for different snacks and food items and remember who has what on different days. This is clearly not easy when faced with other day to day tasks and activities outside of them going to school.
Why should a computer system decide the fate of my child. In my household I award my kids the same opportunities and would definitely want to see them both having the opportunity to learn French. My 8 year old as I said is already in the program and is doing very well. Based on her report from and her teachers, my five year old is a great candidate for the program.
I am therefore asking that something be done. If a computer can just randomly pick, then human beings can change this choice. It would only make sense that if one child is already in the system, that the sibling gets to also have the same opportunity.
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Petition created on March 4, 2015