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CPF BC & Yukon Chapter Representatives,
Enclosed is the May 2013 CRU. As always please forward this important information to your local chapter mailing lists, school contacts, local media, and partners. We encourage you to include additional stories and activities from your local chapter. One of the best ways to promote membership and recruit new volunteers is by effectively communicating the good work of our organization (at all levels) and the many resources available to support students and
parents.
Thank you for taking the time to help create French learning and cultural opportunities for students in your community. It's making a real difference.
Best,
Kirsty Peterson,CPF BC & Yukon Outreach Officer (outreach@cpf.bc.ca)
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Chapter Happenings
Comox-Courtenay: The local chapter sold 400 tickets to their Cabane à Sucre event in April, engaging families with children of all ages in French culture. There was signing, dancing and lots of eating with 65 litres of maple syrup consumed during the event. Yum! Read about this event at: Canada.com
Ridge Meadows: Kirsty Peterson attended a chapter meeting in Ridge Meadows where some of the topics up for discusion were attrition at the highschool level, french immersion mentoring, and the benefits and challenges to different membership recruitment strategies.
Don't forget to send your photos, videos and chapter stories to Kirsty Peterson at outreach@cpf.bc.ca to be featured in CRUs!
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30th Concours d'art Oratoire
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Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year's Concours! Charlotte Diamond was an excellent Master of Ceremonies and had the crowd dancing and singing along to some of her classic hits. The winners list is now posted online. Congratulations to all the winners, as well as every student who participated in this year's event at the provincials, at the regionals and in your classrooms. Bravo!
Finally, thank you all for helping to make Concours d'art oratoire a truly incredible annual French public speaking competition. Concours has achieved many great things because of the talent of students but also because of all the volunteers who help make it a reality. Merci mille fois!
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Summer CPF Volunteer Opportunity
The CPF BC & Yukon Branch office is looking for three enthusiastic individuals to help us collect important French immersion program information over the summer. If you or someone in your family is interested to spend some time this summer helping the CPF BC & Yukon office:
Please contact: Xiaoyang Luo, CPF BC & Yukon Research Assistant & Policy Analyst Summer Student: xla121@sfu.ca
The volunteer hours are flexible (2-4hrs/ week), the work can be done remotely, and we would be happy to provide a reference letter upon successful completion.
This is ideal for students in French programs looking to give back and gain some work-related experience this summer.
Merci!
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Bouquet de Merci
Do you know someone whose outstanding activities and achievements have contributed to the health and vibrancy of French programs and activities for children in your community?
The Bouquet de Merci is an award of recognition of the contribution by an individual or an association to the goals of Canadian Parents for French – winners are announced at our AGM. The Board of Directors of CPF BC & Yukon recognizes individuals or associations in BC or the Yukon which have contributed significantly to the following goals of CPF:
To assist in ensuring that each young Canadian has the opportunity to acquire as great a knowledge of the French language as he or she is willing to attain.
To promote the best possible types of French language learning opportunities.
To establish and maintain effective communication between interested parents’ educational and governmental authorities responsible for the provision of French language learning opportunities.
To provide educational opportunities for young Canadians to learn and use the French language.
To nominate a volunteer in your area please see our website: Bouquet de Merci
Nomination Deadline: June 30th, 2013
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Board Nominations
Canadian Parents for French BC & Yukon Branch is seeking interested and enthusiastic CPF members to join our Branch Board of Directors. Directors are elected for either one or two-year terms and are responsible for supporting the organization’s strategic goals and objectives.
Board Director positions are voluntary and travel is required. Reasonable travel expenses are reimbursed. The Board of Directors meets in person at least four times a year; other meetings occur by teleconference.
If you value French as an integral part of Canada and if you are dedicated to providing opportunities for young Canadians to learn and use French, we need you!
Can you offer these skills?
• You enjoy working on the big picture
• You are innovative and responsive
• You can respectfully share your views
• You work well independently and as part of a team
• You are a good communicator
• You have a love for languages and an awareness of FSL issues
• You are comfortable with computers and have access to email
For more information see: Board Nominations
Deadline for applications is May 31, 2013
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Multimedia
C'est la vie with Bernard St. Laurent did a show about French Immersion on CBC Radio One called "French Immersion for all? French immersion has sometimes been criticised as a kind of unofficial streaming. Now, that's starting to change. Find out how." Listen online at: http://www.cbc.ca/cestlavie/
Beth Cougler Blom attended our regional conference in Parksville in February and facilitated a workshop about working with volunteers. Here are some of her thoughts: http://on.fb.me/YsSU7m
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French for Life
Check out the French for Life website. Coming out of Manitoba, it is an excellent resource for students, parents and educators!
FFL targets those groups which do not have French as a first language, but can however significantly impact on the continuance and expansion of the use and appreciation of the French language and culture within the province of Manitoba. The project assists by addressing the need to
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Increase the visibility of FSL programs
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Increase enrollment and encourage retention in FSL programs
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Provide teachers with the necessary tools to offer and supply effective and challenging FSL programs
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Encourage students to continue their studies in French at the postsecondary level
www.frenchforlife.ca
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National Ambassador Youth Forum
National Ambassador Youth Forum (NAYF), is a national event organized by French for the Future, to be held in Vancouver this summer, from August 22 to 27, 2013. It is a busy week of workshops and activities on the importance of bilingualism and youth leadership. 30 Ambassadors (students in grade 11) will be selected everywhere across the country. Ambassadors are being recruited right now!
Eligibility criteria: Grade 11, enrolled in a French second language or French immersion program, and want to make a difference to French and bilingualism. Visit French for the Future for more information and to register
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OSEF Exchange
Note from OESF:
This year, we have an unprecedented number of French students that have applied to the OSEF France-Canada reciprocal exchange program. As of today, we have 200 French students that are not yet matched. It would be very unfortunate to have to refuse all these young French students and their families the chance to live this Canadian experience and for our students to miss out on the chance to live the European experience.
Places are available in all programs. Please see our website for details and registration information www.osef.ca . I have attached an information sheet to distribute to your students and their families.
We are counting on your help in making sure that your students know about this exciting opportunity to improve their French and expand their cultural horizons.
To facilitate Canadian registration, please ask your students to email their application directly to the OSEF office in France at contact@osef.fr
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Verbathon
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Verbathon®, is a classroom resource/tool for teaching verbs and grammar which also doubles as a game in which students race to conjugate verbs or form sentences. The game has evolved into a national tournament that is held every two years since 2000. In 2011, over 2,000 students participated! The 2013 National Verbathon Tournament has registered participants from schools in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. What is unique about this national tournament is that there is no registration fee or travel cost. Teachers who have a Verbathon kit and whose students are in Grades 2-8 French Immersion/Late Immersion/Francophone Program/Intensive French, or Grades 6-8 French as a Second Language can participate. Individual and team
trials can be done in the classroom and the results submitted by May 31.
CPF Chapters are welcome to consider looking into setting-up a tournament for their district. For more information on Verbathon or the tournament, please don't hesitate to contact (Emmanuel Escueta) by phone at 604-466-2821 , by e-mail: verbathon@shaw.ca or escutech@verbathon.com, Visit the website at www.verbathon.com where you can view video highlights of the national tournaments.
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