The little French school that can continues to chug along — full steam ahead.
Walnut Grove’s École des Voyageurs celebrates its 20th year this month.
And to mark the occasion, the school at the corner of 216 Street and 88 Avenue hosted a celebration that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the school’s new multi-purpose sport court.
“It’s not just about celebrating the 20th anniversary of the school itself, but 20 years of a public francophone education being available to the Langley communities” notes Laura Grefford, president of the Association des Parents Francophones de Langley (APFL), which functions as the school’s Parent Advisory Council.
Isabelle Baril has been the school’s principal for the past three years and says the sense of community among École des Voyageurs’ students and staff has made a lasting impression on her.
“It’s the greatest,” Baril said. “Mary (London-) Fraser, who was the secretary here for more than 17 years, used to tell me, ‘It’s a little school but with a big heart.’ It’s just amazing what we can do. We are like a big family. That’s how we describe our school.”
London-Fraser said, “It truly is the best little school in the entire world. Even though I’m not there on a daily basis any more, I love it with all my heart.”
École des Voyageurs is often confused for a French immersion school but actually falls under school district 93, Conseil Scolaire Francophone (CSF).
It is a public kindergarten to Grade 7 elementary school offering francophone education to children who have at least one parent who satisfies French first language criteria.
While there is no requirement for children to speak French fluently upon entering kindergarten, the admissions criteria means that French is typically spoken and supported within the home.
“Because we are a public school, we must teach the same English curriculum as the French immersion and English schools,” Baril explained.
The APFL also operates a non-profit francophone preschool program, Les Petits Voyageurs, for children ages 30 months to five years.
Basil said the ability to be bilingual is hugely benefits a child because it opens many doors later in life.
“They get to access different jobs and a little better wage because of being bilingual,” she said.
Basil believes French immersion is a “great program.”
“We always push (the students) to the best of their abilities up to Grade 12,” she continued. “We only go up to Grade 7, here, at Voyageurs, but they can finish high school in another French school from our school district.”
The school is the former site of Topham Elementary which the CSF purchased from the Langley School District in 1997.
It was then re-opened as École des Voyageurs as a means of offering a French elementary education to the growing francophone community.
The sport court unveiling was a fitting way to help mark 20 years in the community, noted Grefford.
“The APFL’s fundraising efforts over recent years permitted the installation of a brand new sport court this summer” Grefford said. “It’s a great way to mark such a special occasion for our school community”.
For more about the school, visit voyageurs.csf.bc.ca.
To learn more about admission criteria to CSF schools, visit www.csf.bc.ca/csf-eng/admissions/.
troy.landreville@blackpress.ca
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