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Parents rally for French immersion

VERNON: Will ask school district to add another kindergarten
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Worth the wait: Cheryl Peterson, Cody Spencer, Kim Fulton, Teena Billey, Teri Ross and Chantelle Prentice were some of the parents who waited outside in years past in order to register their children in the French Immersion program. Afte ra two-year hiatus, the line-up system will return this April. -Image credit: File photo

With their children on a waiting list, parents are rallying next week to ask the Vernon School District to add another French immersion kindergarten.

There are 23 families whose children are on a waiting list to attend kindergarten in September for the popular program. Canadian Parents for French Vernon will make a presentation at Wednesday’s school board meeting and is hoping to have parents in attendance to show their support.

On Wednesday, parents with children in the program — which operates its kindergarten classes out of Alexis Park and Harwood elementary schools — were sent a letter asking them to attend the March 15 public board meeting, where CPF Vernon will read a letter to trustees and administrators.

“I’m having a difficult time getting contact with all of the people on the wait list,” said Jenn Kemper, who currently has two children at Beairsto, with her third child on the kindergarten wait list. “We need as many parents as possible need to attend the board meeting next week to support a fifth kindergarten.

“I think the district needs to do more to support such a high demand program. The CPF has a presentation planned but the parents will need to be present at the meeting as well. The more people on the waitlist who know about this, the easier it will be to accurately communicate everyone’s desire.”

Kemper said of the 23 families, 17 have children already at Beairsto, and four of the families live outside of the district.

The Vernon School District board meeting takes place March 15 at 7 p.m. in a portable behind the main office, 1401-15th St., with access through the side gate to the right of the office.