Some classes to be reduced at Mississauga schools

If you’ve tried to enrol your child in a French immersion program for next year, you might find your options slightly limited.

The Peel District School Board (PDSB) recently sent home a letter to parents announcing a change that will affect the grade 1 French Immersion (FI) program at a number of schools in Brampton, Mississauga, and Caledon next school year. 

The letter, written by Peter Joshua, director of education with the PDSB, says that on Jan. 28, 2020, the board of trustees approved a recommendation to reduce the number of FI grade 1 classes from 143 to 113. Joshua says the number of classes is being reduced due to “challenges in filling ongoing French immersion teacher vacancies for a period of one school year.” 

The letter says that despite the board’s focus on recruiting qualified French teachers, it’s still grappling with teacher vacancies in its existing programs. Joshua says this is primarily due to a shortage of qualified French teachers in Canada.

The reduction will come into effect in September 2020. 

The following Mississauga schools will be affected:

• Artesian Drive

• Barondale

• Britannia

• Burnhamthorpe

• Champlain Trail

• Corsair

• Credit Valley

• Edenrose

• Levi Creek

• Nahani Way

• Oscar Peterson

• Osprey Woods

• Settler’s Green

• Sheridan Park

• Springfield

• Vista Heights

• Whiteoaks

Families who have already applied for the program for September 2020 will be advised if their child has been offered a place in the program or waitlisted. 

To learn more, click here.