High school-level French Immersion coming to SCHS this fall

by Stephen Dafoe and Morinville Online

Sturgeon Public School s (SPS) will offer high school-level French Immersion at Sturgeon Composite High School (SCHS) this fall. The 2023-2024 school year marks the first time in the Division’s history that the program is offered.

The French Immersion program allows students to learn and study the French language in a variety of subjects to help students become proficient in French through a fully-immersive environment.

The SCHS program will include French-taught courses in the Humanities Department, offering Grade 10 French Language Arts (FLA10) and Grade 10 Social Studies (Études Sociales 10). Dependent on enrollment, the Division hopes to add French-taught Sciences and Math eventually. 

“The French immersion program is a new endeavour to SPS and started with the first kindergarten class 10 years ago,” explained Sturgeon Public School Superintendent Shawna Warren. “The program grew a grade each year, and we are now expanding into High school. 2023-2024 is the embarkment of French Immersion into High School, beginning with a grade 10 class. We are excited to have grown the program to have enough French Immersion enrolment to offer courses at the high school level.”

Warren said that responding to community needs and offering choice to the Division’s French Immersion families beyond Elementary and Jr. High makes the new program opportunity exciting. “Creating the connection to the rich French heritage of the area, SPS is committed to French immersion instruction in our schools. The French immersion students at SPS can continue receiving the quality education of our school division’s teachers within their own community.”

SPS has committed to launching the two French-taught humanities courses with the students currently enrolled at Four Winds Public School in grade 9. 

“Should we welcome more students to the program, we would expand and offer Sciences 10 and Mathématiques 10, depending on enrolment,” Warren said. “Sturgeon Composite High School would accept new registrations that are French-speaking and want to continue their quality education that meets the needs of their rural families.”

Further information on the fall offerings is available at the Sturgeon Composite High School and Sturgeon Public Schools websites. Families can also contact SCHS or Sturgeon Public Schools Central Office for further information.