Annual Report 2004-2005

Chair's Remarks

It's been an active, exciting year for CPF Hamilton-Wentworth:

Some highlights of our May 2004 - April 2005 year include:
Four highly successful French concerts featuring Etienne were organized and attracted over 2,000 students;
French Public Speaking contests were encouraged by CPF H-W and winning students entered the Provincial CPF contest;
CPF campaigned for consideration of bussing for FI students during the Public Board's Transportation Policy Review;
A lively session of our Basic French Course for Parents Level One was held in October 2004;
A huge sale of French books and materials was held at St. Joseph's Elementary School in November 2004; and
Five more issues of our CPF Chapter newsletter were published, reaching 2,500 families each;
A Parent Information Night was held in May 2004 to highlight French Immersion in High School;
CPF H-W worked diligently to organize Hamilton's first SEVEC exchange to Quebec for middle school students;
New CPF H-W brochures promoting French Immersion were mailed to 80 Hamilton daycares and 6,000 JK students;
Ongoing contact with the Centre Francais lead to preliminary planning for a French summer camp in 2006.
CPF paid for a successful Spectator ad campaign promoting 2005 French Immersion information nights;

Of course we couldn't have accomplished all this without the financial support of our local Chapter members as well as the hard work of our Chapter Executive. A big thank you to everyone!

We appreciate your continued support of our programs and activities. As always, we would welcome the input and assistance of new members on the Executive. Let me know if you can help.

Sincerely,
Rosalind Minaji
Chair, CPF Hamilton-Wentworth

Membership Summary

CPF
Memberships

Total % Increase
November 2001 13
April 2002 29 123%
April 2003 64 121%
April 2004 105 65%
April 2005 100 -5%

As new members join the Chapter, the Membership Secretary phones to welcome them to CPF, confirm their contact information and tell them about Chapter activities. A copy of the Keys to French One is sent to each new member as our thank you for joining. The Membership Secretary also sends renewal notices to our members and we have begun sending a copy of Keys to French Two to those who renewed in 2005.

Although there were 41 new members this year, 46 existing members did not renew their memberships. With only a 54% renewal rate, we are therefore having difficulty retaining our members. Our remaining members should be made aware that our Chapter cannot continue and thrive without their support.

Outreach

French Immersion Advisory Committee (FIAC)
The FIAC has been established by the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board to provide advice to the Board regarding the French Immersion program and accommodation issues. The Committee consists of Board staff, teachers, principals, students and parents.

CPF Hamilton-Wentworth continued to send a representative to FIAC meetings in 2004/2005 so that our members can be kept informed about future public school Board initiatives and Immersion issues. The CPF State of French Language in Canada report has been reviewed and discussed by this Committee.

CPF Ontario & CPF National
The Hamilton-Wentworth Chapter sent four delegates to the October 2004 CPF Ontario Conference. Our Chapter was recognized as one of the more active in Ontario and we were asked to give a presentation to the other delegates about volunteer recruitment and the things we have accomplished in Hamilton.

Our own Marie Patenaude continues to represent Hamilton on the CPF Ontario Board of Directors for 2005. Our Chapter sent two delegates to the CPF National Conference in Quebec City in November 2004. Marie Patenaude also attended as a member of the CPF Ontario Board. On the whole, the conference was informative and fun. It was terrific to speak to parents from across Canada about their concerns and issues with French Language education. It was also very inspiring to be in Quebec City and witness all the people switching effortlessly from French to English and back again.

Public Board Transportation Review
The Hamilton Wentworth District School Board is reviewing its Transportation Policy in 2005. In response to a formal request by CPF Hamilton-Wentworth, bussing for French Immersion
students has been included as a specific issue in the review. The
Sub-Committee reviewing the policy has been meeting once a month to consider the issue and CPF members have been in attendance to watch the proceedings and ask questions.

CPF Hamilton-Wentworth made a formal written submission to
the Review Committee explaining why French Immersion students should be eligible for bussing. CPF Hamilton-Wentworth has also requested clarification of the new Provincial funding formula as it relates to French Immersion students. We hope that our persistence will pay off later this year when the Policy Sub-Committee makes its final decision.

Separate School Board Outreach
In June 2004, CPF Hamilton-Wentworth made a presentation to the Separate School Board asking that greater attention be paid to attrition rates and promotion of the French Immersion Program. We were given a formal Board response to our delegation in December 2004 and of January 2005, the Board hired a half-time French Special Assignment Teacher.

This staff person is working with French teachers and acting as a
liaison with parent groups such as CPF. We are pleased to learn that our lobbying efforts have been successful and look forward to working with Board to strengthen the Core French and French Immersion programs in the coming years.

Francophone Community Contacts
CPF Hamilton-Wentworth has been meeting regularly with staff from the Centre Français this year. We have been successful in promoting our events to the francophone community and in having Centre Français events such as the French Film Festival and the ARTFO talent show promoted to our members.

French Immersion Promotion
One of the great things about having a local Chapter of Canadian Parents for French in Hamilton is being able to take advantage of programs offered by CPF Ontario.
Media:
In January, the Hamilton-Wentworth Chapter received a grant of $1,700 to be used to promote French Immersion programs in Hamilton. Newspaper ads (illustrated here) were placed in the Hamilton Spectator on three occasions in January and February.
Daycares:
We mailed posters highlighting the Immersion program to over 80 local daycares and encouraged those parents to find out more.
JK Students:
CPF also designed and printed a brochure promoting French Immersion which was distributed to 6,000 public and separate school JK students and their parents.
Schools:
Chapter Executive members attended the eight Kindergarten Information Nights offered by the Public and Separate School Boards to offer support and answer questions.
Reward:
We are happy to report that there was another record turn out at the SK information nights this year -hopefully a sign of healthy French Immersion enrollment for 2005.

French Courses helping Parents
In October 2004, another session of our CPF Level One Course for parents was offered. The course was taken by twenty-one students on Tuesday evenings. Thanks to our teacher, Annette Ray. Membership in CPF was a registration requirement and 20 new CPF members joined as a result.

We plan to offer both the Level One and Level Two French courses in the Fall of 2005.

Special Events

Afternoons in French
On June 6, October 17 and December 5, 2004 CPF arranged for children's films to be shown in French at the Staircase Café on Dundurn Street. These films were well received and attended by families from various immersion schools.

CPF also arranged a French language tour of Dundurn Castle for each afternoon. The Staircase Café prepared a delicious French menu of sweet and savory crepes to highlight the events.

CPF Book Sale
The Chapter held our annual French Book Sale on November 25, 2003 at St. Joseph's Catholic School.

Books, videos, computer games and teacher resource materials were sold on commission for the Librairie Champlain bookstore in Toronto. Unsold items were returned to the store.

The event was publicized to parents, teachers and librarians at the public and separate School Boards. Hamilton Francophone schools were sent a French translation of the book sale posters. Large banners were spray painted and hung at several different French Immersion schools across the City to promote the November event. The sale raised $700 for the Chapter.

Bilingual Concerts
On February 23 and 24, over 2,000 Hamilton French Immersion and Core French students rocked to the sounds of Étienne. Inside the hall, kids clapped and chanted his name in anticipation as Étienne signed posters and shook hands before the performance. Once the show began, the infectious music had the kids jumping and dancing in their seats. Several schools prepared dance routines which they performed with Étienne on stage. Teachers plugged their ears and grinned as the students shouted out the lyrics and rapped French grammar.

CPF Hamilton-Wentworth was happy to bring this show to Hamilton and pleased with the level of support shown for the event by both School Boards. A special thanks to Bishop Ryan High School for reducing our rental fees and allowing us to bring this show to students in the east end of the city.

The event was also a great fundraiser for CPF Hamilton-Wentworth. The use of the Bishop Ryan auditorium was generously donated by the School Board and $1from each ticket sold was contributed by Etienne to CPF. A total of $2,000 was raised for the Chapter. This money is being used to help organize and promote the SEVEC exchange.

SEVEC Exchange - Reaching Middle Schools
As a major new initiative this year, CPF Hamilton-Wentworth set out to organize a SEVEC exchange to Quebec in July 2005. The Exchange is for French Immersion and Core French kids ages 11 to 15. A group of 43 participants will be twinned with 43 students in the Beauce Region of Quebec. Students will travel to Quebec to spend two weeks with their twin's family in early July and then host their twin for two weeks in Hamilton.

As this is our first Exchange, it has taken an enormous volunteer effort as well as a substantial infusion of funds from the Chapter. CPF volunteers have held four information meetings to recruit participants for the Exchange. We have printed several thousand flyers and posters advertising SEVEC.

We have sent over 100 fundraising letters local businesses and service groups. We have submitted a request for a Provincial Trillium Grant and for a Federal Wage subsidy grant to help fund our monitors and co-ordinators. The request for a Young Canada Works Grant was successful and will help reduce the cost of the Exchange for all participants. Home interviews will also be conducted by CPF volunteers to help with the matching process for each twin. We hope for a successful outcome of this initiative so that we can run it again in 3 to 4 years time.

Le Concours

In May 2004, three students from the Hamilton Public School Board took part in the CPF Ontario public speaking contest "le concours festival d'art oratoire" at Glendon College in Toronto. Elementary and middle school participants in the contest were treated to a French music concert before they presented their speeches to groups of their peers.

This year, we are excited to have even more Hamilton schools represented at the Provincial Concours. CPF Chapter members have been liaising with both school boards since September to encourage their participation in the 2005 event. The Concours initiative benefits our children through enhanced French reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, as well as increased self esteem.

The Separate School Board held its contest at St. Joseph Elementary School on February 17, 2005. The Public School Board held its contest at Dalewood Elementary School on March 24, 2005. Both events featured terrific speeches and made parents and teachers proud. CPF Hamilton-Wentworth was pleased to award book prizes to the winners.

Many of these winning students will go on to represent Hamilton at the Provincial Level Concours which will be held on May 14, 2005. This friendly event is a chance for students to enjoy some French language entertainment, meet students from all parts of the province and polish their oral French skills.

Parent Information Night
Our 2004 Parent Information Night was held on April 22 at G.R. Allan School. The theme of the evening was "French Immersion in High School". Guest speakers from Westdale Public High School and Cathedral Separate High School discussed the courses and amenities offered at the two schools. A representative from Heritage Canada spoke about the benefits of a French language education and about the Summer Language Bursary Program, Exchange Programs and other activities offered by the Federal Government. School Trustee Ian Thompson, an Immersion graduate, spoke about his French experiences. Representatives from Hamilton's "Usborne Books", "Scholars Choice", "Turtle Pond" and Smithville's "Poster Pals" were on hand to showcase and sell their French resource materials.

Member Appreciation Event
It was with great pride that CPF was able to offer a free concert to our members and their families on Sunday May 16. The event, celebrated our second successful year as a Hamilton Chapter, and was held at the beautiful Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts.

Members of Madame Deborah Raposo's Grade Nine Drama Class from Cathedral presented a series of skits in French to warm up our audience. These talented students did a fantastic job, and their antics had the kids in the audience laughing out loud.

Mark Tardif, Le Magicien from Quebec City was our feature performer. It was fun to watch M. Tardif interact with the Immersion students, who coolly responded to his questions in French, while their parents had to wait for the English translation. Mr. Tardif wrapped up his entertaining act with some amazing fire eating. A great afternoon for all our members.

Communication

Newsletters
Five issues of the CPF Hamilton-Wentworth newsletter have been produced this year to inform Hamilton parents about special events and CPF activities: May, September and October 2004, & January and April 2005.

About 3,000 copies of each newsletter are printed and distributed. Copies of the newsletter are delivered by the Chapter Executive members to the schools they represent and sent home to each French Immersion student. Board staff, school trustees and Heritage Canada contacts are also sent copies of each issue. Back issues of the newsletter are handed out at various school events. PDF versions of all newsletters can be found on the CPF H-W web site.

Some of the topics dealt with in 2004/2005 newsletters include:
" French Keyboard Shortcuts;
" SEVEC Exchange highlights;
" Helping your Child with French homework;
" French Lessons in Hamilton;
" Action Plan for Official Languages;
" Transportation Review Update;
" French Summer Camps around Hamilton; and
" Parent's Guide to Becherelles.

Web Site
Our Chapter web site continues to be hosted at no charge by the Hamilton-Wentworth Community Net. www.hwcn.org/link/hwcpf

The web site contains:
" monthly updates on Chapter initiatives;
" information about the benefits of joining CPF;
" CPF membership application form;
" tips and resources to help parents assist their children;
" links to French web sites of interest;
" minutes and agendas for Chapter Executive meetings;
" Hamilton-Wentworth Chapter Mission and Goals;
" discussion of the benefits of French Immersion;
" information about the 2005 SEVEC Exchange;
" map and contact information for FI Schools across the City;
" an overview of the public School Board's FI Review and the Chapter's responses;
" information on high school Immersion programs in Hamilton;
" back issues of CPF newsletters in pdf format; and
" archived stories about CPF activities and events.

Other Promotional Materials
Our Chapter Executive has been greatly enhanced in 2004/2005 by the addition of a parent volunteer who is a professional Communications consultant. Our newsletter and other promotional materials have never looked better. In the summer of 2004 we printed promotional bookmarks (pictured below) which we have been supplying to local library branches. CPF Hamilton-Wentworth has also produced a new brochure to advertise our chapter activities and a brochure to promote the FI information nights in January 2005.