Early Immersion

French Immersion is a program in which French is the language of instruction for a significant part of the school day; that is, several or all subjects are taught in French.  Immersion is designed for students whose first language is not French.

Early Immersion in Fort McMurray Catholic Schools begins at the pre-school level with Premier Pas at Ecole St. Paul School.  Early Immersion entry also occurs in Kindergarten or grade 1.

Middle Immersion provides entry to the program at the grade 4 level.  Students entering the Middle Immersion in grade 4 will be in their own classroom (not with students that started the program at a younger age) until grade 7 when both groups will merge.

Students in the French Immersion Program will attend Ecole St. Paul School until grade 6.  Grade 7 to 12 French Immersion is offered at Holy Trinity Catholic High School.  Transportation services are provided to the French Immersion Schools from any location in Fort McMurray and Saprae Creek.

Research on the effectiveness of French Immersion in Canada has been extremely positive.  French Immersion students show advantages mainly in reading and writing skills, but their resulting bilingualism may also positively influence their performance in other subjects.  French Immersion offers solid academic benefits as well as promotes bilingualism among its students.

When making educational choices for their children, more and more parents are recognizing that knowing a second language is an important skill in today’s ever-shrinking world—and will be even more important in their children’s future.  Consider the many advantages!

Information and Research on French Immersion

Alberta Education – Information and Inspiration for French Immersion Parents

Canadian Parents for French – Alberta Branch