http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/ June 2016
French as a Second Language Advisory Committee
FSLAC NEWS
Broadlands PS Students ‘Dare Greatly’ on I-tunes! Daring greatly isn’t an expectation outlined in the Ontario Curriculum. It’s something you’re either born with or acquire after watching “Mr. Holland’s Opus”. I am a TDSB Music teacher and this year, my French immersion students discovered that great things happen when you dare to ask questions. Last fall, when I couldn’t find a French Remembrance Day song, I asked myself, “What if I wrote one?” So I did. When I taught my students the song, we asked, “What if we sang this song for our school?” So we did. And they loved it! Then we asked, “What if we recorded this song and put it on iTunes for the world to hear?” This seemed impossible, audacious even. But we did it! Then someone asked, “What if this song could do more, like help our soldiers?” This question took us from the classroom to reaching out to the world. So we contacted The Royal Canadian Legion to see how we could help. We never could’ve imagined that CTV News would come to our school and share our story across the nation: www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=855564
Working together for our students Travaillons ensemble pour nos élèves E-MAIL:
[email protected]
Find us at: www.tdsb.on.ca/fslac
So here’s how you can help too. Go to iTunes and search “je me souviens”. You will see our song featuring Broadlands students. Half of the proceeds from downloads will help the Homeless Veterans Assistance Program. Now we are asking, “What if we could sing at the War Memorial in Ottawa for Remembrance Day?” Fingers crossed. - Mme Manu, Music Teacher, Broadlands PS
Join Us September 20th! Would you like to know more about what the TDSB is doing behind the scenes to support your child in immersion, extended and core French programs? Would you like to learn more about how our supersize school board works? Have you got some feedback on French programs but don’t know where to share it? Then, the French as a Second Language Advisory Committee (FSLAC) is the place to be on September 20, 2016. It will be our 11th anniversary! Join parents from across the city and our FSL staff at the TDSB head office at 5050 Yonge St at North York Centre, Committee room A at 7 pm. The FSLAC is all about parent engagement at the Board level and providing input to support growth and excellence in our French programs. Check out our page on the TDSB website: www.tdsb.on.ca/fslac
Trustee By-elections Wards 1, 5, 14 June 20th is the trustee by-election for Toronto Centre-Rosedale, TDSB Ward 14. Advance polls are June 11th and 12th. July 25th is the trustee by-election for Etobicoke North, TDSB Ward 1 and York Centre, TDSB Ward 5. Details on who the candidates are, who can vote and where to vote are on the City of Toronto Elections site: www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=21193fab14970410VgnVCM10000071d6 0f89RCRD
FSLAC News – page 2 – June 2016
Celebrating La Francophonie
Awesome Secondary Students
Lord Lansdowne PS held Franco-Fête in March. It was a fun-filled week celebrating French culture and language, spearheaded by Gr 2/3 teacher Mme Brigitte Roussel. The inspiration was ‘La Journée de la Francophonie’, celebrated around the world on March 20th.
Amna Majeed of Richview CI and Mubeena Mistry of Leaside HS won both the provincial and national Concours d’Art Oratoire sponsored by Canadian Parents for French on.cpf.ca/actvities/youth-activities/le-concours-et-festivaldart-oratoire-part-2/ .
Activities included a screening of a Francophone film in the gym, a friendly Scrabble/Bananagramme competition en français and ‘La journée de la politesse’ where students were asked to be extremely polite and use ‘formulas de politesse’. The week culminated in a day of ‘Déguisements’ where students were invited to dress up in the colours of a Francophone country's flag, or as a famous Francophone person or character. This helped everyone to see just how far French language and culture reaches in the world. Memorable costumes worn by both staff and students included Tintin, Edith Piaf, Monet and beaucoup des Coco Chanel(s)! On this day we also held the finals of our ‘concours d’orthographe’ (spelling bee) in front of the whole school. Students all had Franco-Fête passports where they could collect stamps for activities completed as well ‘formulas de politesse’ from fellow students. Feedback from students, teachers, and parents was very positive; everyone was excited to explore the rich cultures and traditions of La Francophonie. This is sure to be a Lord Lansdowne tradition for years to come! Merci Mme Roussel! -Sarah Warden, Lord Lansdowne Parent & FSLAC Member
TD Summer Reading Club is Bilingual! Kids of all ages, including pre-readers, are invited to join Canada’s bilingual summer reading program at local public library branches across the country or online. Take great reading on the road or wherever you are this summer. Connect and share jokes, book reviews and more with other kids across the country. Suggested books in French are here: www.clubdelecturetd.ca/parents/livres_vedettes Check out the details here: www.tdsummerreadingclub.ca/
Join the FSLAC Email List To receive this once/term newsletter and occasional FSL news or to get in touch, please email
[email protected]. Be sure to give us your first and last name and the name of your child’s school.
Amna won in the Extended French grade 11 -12 category and her speech was on “Le féminisme”. Here’s some info from the Richview Concours experience http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/richview/Departments/FrenchI mmersionModerns.aspx Mubeena won in the Early French Immersion grade 11-12 category and her speech was on “L'islamophobie”. Provincial winners receive $500, a scholarship for $1000 to York University and a trip to Ottawa to compete in the nationals with other contestants from across Canada. National winners receive full scholarships to the University of Ottawa, valued at $32000!
TDSB and beyond - Summer French The TDSB offers free French programs for elementary students during the summer at several schools. Students will continue to build French skills in a less formal way than during the school year. Secondary students can do credits in summer school. Full details and registration information is here: www.tdsb.on.ca/AboutUs/Innovation/SummerPrograms.as px For a searchable database of activities to over the summer in French across the GTA and beyond, look at frenchstreet.ca brought to you by Canadian Parents for French and the Ontario Ministry of Education. July 15-17 is Franco-Fête de Toronto at Yonge-Dundas Square. Info here soon: www.franco-fete.ca/
What would you do if a grasshopper landed on you? French children’s author Mireille Messier will share her book on insects and curiosity at the Toronto Public Library this summer. This is just one of the many free events in French that are taking place at branches across the city. There are magic shows, musical performances and drama. Some events require advance registration so be sure to check them out on-line: www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/search.jsp?Ntt=summer+Fre nch&N=37867 Don’t forget that the Library has picture books, chapter book and audiobook in French that are available electronically. All you need is your library card and an internet connection to access the full collection.
