Special Communiqué

French-Second-Language Education Week 2019

February 4-8, 2019

Schools across Saskatchewan celebrated French-Second-Language Education Week with activities held for students, parents and the school community. The extreme cold weather which occurred that week created some challenges for outdoor activities with many being postponed until warmer weather arrived. Some schools chose to adapt their activities to take place indoors.

This year, French-second-language schools, with a French Immersion and/or a Core French Program, could take part in the FSL Education Week Challenge to be entered into a draw for three grants. To be entered into the draw, a school had to host a French cultural activity in their school. In total, 17 schools entered the FSL Education Week Challenge.

More than 5,800 students participated! What a strong showing by Saskatchewan schools!

Participating schools included:

École Connaught Community School, Regina
École St. Mary School, Regina
Sacred Heart School / École Sacré Coeur, Estevan
École Gravelbourg School, Gravelbourg
École Monseigneur Blaise Morand, North Battleford
The Crescents Elementary School, Regina
École Harbour Landing Elementary School, Regina
École Alvin Buckwold School, Saskatoon
École St. Michael's School, Yorkton
Sacred Heart High School, Yorkton
École Vickers Public School, Prince Albert
École Arthur Pechey Public School, Prince Albert
École Centennial School, Swift Current
Marion McVeety Elementary School, Regina
École Holy Mary School, Martensville
École St. Margaret School, Moose Jaw
Vanier Collegiate, Moose Jaw

The winning schools of the FSL Education Week Challenge were:

1st: École St. Mary School, Regina, receiving a $500 grant.

2nd: École St. Michael's School, Yorkton, receiving a $250 grant.

3rd: École Arthur Pechey Public School, Prince Albert, receiving a $100 grant.

Everyone at Canadian Parents for French - Saskatchewan would like to extend a "bravo" to all the students, teachers, parents, and administrators who participated in FSL Education Week 2019. All the creative activities done were simply wonderful to see. Well done!

We also extend our gratitude to our funders. Merci beaucoup!

Here is a summary of the activities organized by the participating schools:

École Connaught Community School, Regina

Students were invited to answer the question, How does French feed your brain? Every day, a French expression and joke were read to the school. Students participated in learning buddies activities. French music was played for the entire school. Student got to test out their theatre skills with a French Theatre Workshop.

École St. Mary School, Regina

École St. Mary School students sang "O Canada" in French at the Regina Pats hockey game. Many activities were hosted throughout the week including a reading buddies activity, a spirit day, a winter Carnaval, a concert, and a French movie. A few guests came into the school to read in French to the younger grades.

Sacred Heart School / École Sacré Coeur, Estevan

Students started off each day with a French song and a fun fact about the brain. Many classrooms got involved with a poster on their door where students attached a brain with French words they learned this year. Many French immersion and core French classrooms got together for activities. A French-speaking police officer came in and gave a presentation. Over lunch, French short films were shown.

École Gravelbourg School, Gravelbourg

École Gravelbourg School held a number of activities throughout the week; some of the highlights were a French concert by a teacher, a reading buddies activity, and the creation of the "Ponts des Arts" on the school staircase with locks where students stated their love of the French language.

École Monseigneur Blaise Morand, North Battleford

École Monseigneur Blaise Morand used each day to cover a different region of the brain. Activities included a danse for the frontal lobe which controls movement, science experiments for the parietal lobe which controls the senses, art projects for the occipital lobe which gathers visual data, and singing and reading activities for the temporal lobe which controls memory, speaking and reading. They finished off the week with a treasure hunt.

The Crescents Elementary School, Regina

Students participated in reading buddies activities, they taught their parents a song that they learned in class and learned how to play the card game Go Fish in French. Students were going to build ice sculptures but because of the extreme cold, they worked inside with wooden blocks.

École Harbour Landing Elementary School, Regina

École Harbour Landing School created a BINGO card of challenges for students to use their French outside the classroom. The school was able to host their school Concours d'art oratoire event where grade one to three student presented their poems to parents and guests. The Week finished off with a winter Carnaval with a neighbouring school.

École Alvin Buckwold School, Saskatoon

The school held a Spirit Day where student wore their favorite tuque and hockey jersey. Many brain-themed activities took place throughout the week including BINGO. A 'Café, Croissant & Crayons' event was hosted for students and parents where everyone enjoyed a coffee, croissant, and writing and drawing activities. The week finished off with an assembly.

École St. Michael's School, Yorkton

A beautiful ice sculpture was created in front of the school were many students stopped to grab a photo. École St. Michael's School held a poster contest and literary activities centred around the theme. The school partnered with Sacred Heart High School for activities for students of all grades.

Sacred Heart High School, Yorkton

Sacred Heart High School students facilitated activities at École St. Michael's School. Students had fun playing board games, reading, participating in improvisation activities, and signing, all in French. Students learned the traditional French Canadian game of Kinball.

École Vickers Public School, Prince Albert

Students created their own Bonhomme Carnaval puppets and learned the "Salut Bonhomme" song, how to play the wooden spoons and sang traditional French songs. With École Vickers School being a dual-track school, all students got to eat croissants and jam. French students also taught some simple phrases to their peers.

École Arthur Pechey Public School, Prince Albert

École Arthur Pechey School started the week with an assembly where the French immersion and English students sang songs in French. Students got creative with an art project. Students got to enjoy crêpes. Students had a danse in the gymnasium instead of going skating since the weather was too cold. Students partook in a mini-Carnaval with activities that included charades, traditional danses, crafts, and hot chocolate. The week ended with French movies and popcorn.

École Centennial School, Swift Current

Many events took place in the school. Each day starting with bilingual announcements, a fun French fact and karaoké du jour. A French book display was set up in the library. Everyone enjoyed crêpes made by the teachers. The entire school participated in a French BINGO. Students who made an extra effort to speak French were entered into a draw for prizes.

Marion McVeety Elementary School, Regina

Students were partnered up for reading buddies activities and shared stories that they created. Students learned French songs in class and were encouraged to teach them to their family. At the school assembly, students sang a song in French. Students were elated after the opportunity to perform in front of the school.

École Holy Mary School, Martensville

École Holy Mary School held care partner activities for students to practice their French. A display was created in the front entry of school with cards that students wrote about why they loved being bilingual. A French reading activity with a grade-alike buddy was also enjoyed by the students.

École St. Margaret School, Moose Jaw

Students at École St. Margaret School got to take in a French magic show and learned about improvisation theatre. High school students from Vanier Collegiate came to the school to lead game and activities in French. A Francophone artist came in and worked with students in a visual arts project.

Vanier Collegiate, Moose Jaw

Grade 9 French students taught grade 9 English students a French folk dance and finished off the activity with crêpes and Maple Syrup. Students learn how to play Kinball and taught students at École St. Margaret School. Following this, everyone enjoyed poutine!

Mark your calendar for...

French-Second-Language Education Week 2020!

It will take place from February 3-7, 2020.

The theme will be announced in early September.

Have a wonderful, safe and well-deserved summer break!