Chapter Reporting is now overdue. All chapters have now been emailed with what documentation they are missing. Rebates will be deposited soon and if your reporting is incomplete you will not receive your full rebates. Although we typically hold the entire deposit, for the purposes of Membership Drive, we will release a small amount to those chapters who are active but not up-to-date. If your chapter has not shown to be active, your deposit will be held at the Branch. Please contact Kirsty Peterson if you have questions about the status of your chapter at outreach@cpf.bc.ca

If you need more information about what we are looking for go to Chapter Reporting on our website

You can see how much your deposits were and what they were for by going to the Deposits page on our website.

Membership Drive is here again! Here are some best practices we have heard about coming out of communities like Tri-Cities, Surrey, New Westminster and Richmond:

• Putting together Welcome to French Immersion packages for all Kindergarten parents that includes: a letter from the Chapter President, a membership form, chapter calendar of events & next meeting date
• Some chapters offer discounted memberships to new parents, or parents who attend their AGM by the chapter picking up the additional fee costs (and getting an 80% return on the full fee)
• Establishing how and when people should return their competed membership forms, to the CPF rep, to the school office. Making sure the parents and school administration are both aware of the process
• Contacting new members to welcome them to CPF and inviting them to attend the next chapter meeting
• Recruiting classroom Reps to forward CPF related information to their FI child's classroom

Don't forget!! 80% of all membership dues collected is returned the local Chapter. It's one of the best raise to raise funds for local French programming, promotions, and activities!

Check out some of the great prizes new and renewing members are eligible to win this year:

• Air North return flights for two! (some restrictions apply)
• $600 toward a confirmed spot at BC Family French Camp
• $500 voucher for travel on Greyhound
• Free French for Parents Class (Vancouver Only)
• $50 gift certificates to Kidsbooks
• Gift pack from Ethical Bean
• Necklace from Kohana Jewelery
• 1 year subscription to l'Actualite
• Playland Vouchers

Kamloops, Burnaby, Terrace and Ridge Meadows all hosted Summer Camps this year. Check out the CPF video filmed in Kamloops about the camp and what makes it such a successful sociocultural activity in their community!

The results of the Bulk Purchase Survey are in! The BC & Yukon Board voted to purchase an outdoor banner for each chapter in good standing, to be handed out at our Provincial AGM in Richmond this year. (see design above)

There was also an identified desire for many Chapters to have their own retractable banner. If a minimum of 12 Chapters would like to purchase these, we could get them at a rate of $185 each. Please email Kirsty at outreach@cpf.bc.ca by September 26th, 2013 if your chapter would like to go in on a group purchase of a banner.

Vancouver, BC - According to a recent student participation study French immersion enrolment in British Columbia's public education system has reached a record 15th year of consecutive growth. Latest figures indicate 47,857 students - or 8.5% of the student population - are now registered in the popular program.

In addition, there are over 187,000 students learning French through basic Core French.

“We believe French programs are popular because they are widely recognized by parents as providing young students with the tools and experiences that will enrich their lives and help them prepare for the future,” said Debra Pool, President Canadian Parents for French BC & Yukon.

The life-long benefits of learning French as an additional language include: social mobility, career advancement, cultural understanding, and cognitive development.

Background:

*Bloomberg Magazine has ranked French as the "third most useful language for international business." (Bloomberg)                   

*Official-language bilinguals all across Canada, regardless of mother tongue, have an employment rate higher than the national average, and an unemployment rate of 4%, which is well under the national average of 7.7% (Statistics Canada)

*Research has demonstrated the following cognitive and developmental benefits for youth learning French as a second language: Increased cognitive abilities to understand complex and abstract concepts, enhanced listening skills, stronger problem solving skills, greater insight and understanding of other cultures, amongst many others. (Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science).

Sociocultural Grants Applications Opening Soon!

Grant Applications Accepted September 10th – October 17th

Apply through our webpage: Sociocultural Grant Application

All information for the Sociocultural Grants is available in the How To Document posted on our sociocultural webpage.

Learn about the 5 steps of sociocultural grants: HERE

Tips:

1) Collaborate! Working with partners, schools, or other Chapters increases your chances of receiving funding, and enables you to make up the 50% for the grants.

2) The more accurate your budget requests are, the greater chance your chapters have of receiving funding for multiple projects. So get together and pull those numbers and plans together!!

Registration Open for the AGM & Conference November 1-3 in Richmond, BC

AGM Package

**Note: in order for your Chapter to receive reimbursement for your travel expenses & per-diem, you must register for and attend the AGM.**

CPF BC & Yukon welcomes our Chapters to participate in our 35th anniversary of our Annual General Meeting & Conference! Celebrate with us our milestone! Our event this year is taking place the November 1-3, 2013 weekend in Richmond, BC at the Radisson Vancouver Hotel.
CPF BC & Yukon would like to invite one partly sponsored representative per Chapter executive to attend the AGM & Conference in Richmond, BC.

Register online here: http://bit.ly/1fx2ivv

Or check out our AGM webpage: http://bc-yk.cpf.ca/agm/

Early Bird registration ($350) open now until September 25th

Late Registration ($400) is open until October 15th.

*Note, any registration requests past October 15th are not guaranteed accommodation or admission.

Additional Unsponsored Delegates: Unsponsored Chapter representatives are welcome to attend the conference, space permitted. Unsponsored participants are subject to the following fees:

Registration fee: $25

Friday November 1st Reception: $25

Saturday November 2nd Banquet: $50

Saturday Workshops: Free (*does not include lunch)

AGM Sunday November 3: Free!

Accommodation: Shared (Fri/Sat): $65, Single Room: $120

Flying: Please book your air travel as soon as possible through the Flight Centre.

Contact: Roxy Rae at 604-682-5621 or email her directly at Roxy.Rae@flightcentre.ca
See AGM Information Package for all details.

French for Parents - Canadian Parents for French Special Promotion - Fall 2013

A special partnership between Educacentre College and Canadian Parents for French - BC & Yukon Branch allows the 8 first chapters to register a group to benefit from a special offer :

- Gather a group of a minimum of 6 participants, and each participant will benefit from $30 on its registration :   only $159, instead of $189, including a workbook. (No PST-GST). If your chapter is hosting this class, your group would save between $180-$260 depending on registration.

You are a chapter representative and would like to take advantage of this offer?

Contact Kirsty Peterson, Chapter Support and Outreach Officer - Canadian Parents for French - BC & Yukon Branch at outreach@cpf.bc.ca  or call toll free 1.800.665.1222 ext 315