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8 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 20, 2009 www.oakvillebeaver.com Trustees want single-track vs. dual track FI comparisons By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Halton District School Board is doing more research into the benefits of single-track French immersion versus dual-track programming before making a decision on the Ward 4 Oakville elementary schools accom- modation issue. Director of Education Wayne Joudrie was scheduled to discuss the research project, as well as his revised recommendations put forward in his draft report at Wednesday night's meeting. However, the item was deferred on the agenda, and by the meeting's TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE Kerr Street between Shepherd Road and Wyecroft Road February 20 at 10 p.m. to February 22 at 12 p.m. To facilitate the GO Transit expansion, Canadian National Railways will be upgrading the crossing controller at the CNR crossing on Kerr Street just north of Shepherd Road. To accommodate this work, Kerr Street will be closed between Shepherd Road and Wyecroft Road starting Friday, February 20 at 10 p.m. until Sunday, February 22 at 12 p.m. If you have questions or concerns, please contact: Canadian National Railway's representative Rick 647-393-3746. Porath at Town of Oakville's Engineering and Construction Department at 905-845-6601 ext. 3337. adjournment at 11 p.m., had not yet been discussed. This did not sit well with many of the approximately 20 Ward 4 parents, who waited more than four hours for discussion on the issue. "If you looked at what had to be completed in the night, you knew it was going to be a long meeting, but we stuck through because we knew it was going to be a long meeting," said Lesley Dalgarno, Oakville Parents Encouraging Neighbourhood Schools (OPENS) member, Pilgrim Wood School Home and School Association president, and Pilgrim Wood parent. "There are some very important issues that need to be discussed and have time constraints, so I think we should all take some caffeine and do it. I appreciate that we're tired and maybe the discussion isn't going to be as fabulous as it could be if it wasn't at 11 p.m., but you know what, this is crunch time. Take a break, get some water and let's go to midnight." However, Colleen Bailey, French Immersion Really Matters (FIRM) spokesperson and Ecole Forest Trail parent, said she wasn't surprised trustees didn't get to the topic. "It is policy," Bailey said. "They didn't get to it. There have been many meetings we have been to where they didn't finish the agenda. There's no point in having them dis- cuss something that is that important and sensitive to us when they are just not ready or in the mood, when they've lost steam." Joudrie's draft report was made available online and highlighted two questions that he said needed to be answered before trustees make a decision. One question is whether there is a discernable difference in performance between students in a singletrack or dual-track French immersion program. The other question is whether this difference is worth the additional costs associated with single-track French immersion. Joudrie has given the school board's research department officers the task of providing information regarding the possible difference in student performance in single-track and dual-track schools. During a brief discussion on the issue before it was deferred to a later point on Wednesday night's agenda, Joudrie highlighted what the research officers would be considering. "The items that I have asked our research staff to bring to my attention include a literature search with respect to program delivery modes -- single track, dual track -- whatever is there, as well as internal data with respect to student performance RESIDENTIAL INTENSIFICATION WORKSHOP March 5, 2009, 7­9 p.m. Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Trafalgar Room As part of the Livable Oakville (new official plan), the Town is undertaking several major studies including a Residential Intensification Study. The study area includes all the lands south of Dundas Street within the built boundary that are not included in another major study currently underway, these being, Bronte Village, Kerr Village, Uptown Core and Midtown Oakville. The purpose of this workshop is to receive feedback on the Residential Intensification Study-Background Analysis and Directions Report. The report is currently available for review on the Town's website. Input generated from the discussion will assist in developing updated residential infill and intensification policies for the new official plan. The agenda for the workshop includes: · Presentation and overview of the Residential Intensification Study-Background Analysis and Directions Report · Round table discussions on the proposed designations and criteria · Overview of next steps To assist Town staff in ensuring that there will be sufficient supplies and materials on hand for the discussion, please register by March 2, 2009 to: Diane Childs, Senior Planner, dchilds@oakville.ca 905-845-6601 ext. 3986. For any questions or further information, please contact Diane Childs, Senior Planner or visit www.oakville.ca. At Trafalgar Village, across from the GO Station · 905 845.4443 Partial Proceeds from this day will go to Epilepsy Halton Courtesy of Epilepsy Halton Please Support the Cause! One Child per adult meal purchased. OAKVILLE We take VISA, Mastercard and Amex, We Accept Debit · LLBO comparing the likes of EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office reports), credit accumulation, attrition rates, and those are the kind of pieces of information I think I heard trustees talk about during our program and accommodation meeting where we spent two hours discussing this issue," he said. "There was an expressed interest to know what the data tells us. At this point in time and not having seen the data, I'm not sure what it will tell us and my experience with data is that it usually creates more questions, but it may show us some trends and some patterns that may be instructive in both my recommendation and your ultimate decision." The research is expected to be completed by the end of February, with the results and the revised recommendations introduced in Joudrie's final report on Ward 4 Oakville at the March 4 meeting. A decision is expected on March 25. This will still give the school board enough time to hire the required staff for the fall. The information may alter the draft recommendations presented in Joudrie's report this week. "We are open to information that comes out of the research being done, so these are not the final recommendations," he told The Oakville Beaver. The first draft recommendation is similar to the previous one in that it recommends option B, with one single-track French immersion school (Ecole Forest Trail), two dual-track schools (Pilgrim Wood and proposed new school Palermo) and five singletrack English schools. However, the recommendation now goes on to state that it will be implemented on a graduated basis starting with Grades 1-3 in September 2009 at Pilgrim Wood School and starting with Grades 1-4 in September 2010 at Palermo School. Joudrie has said in recent weeks that he does not want to move students who have already switched schools at least once. The second draft recommendation is that the board considers an imbalance of programs in dual-track schools on an annual basis as part of the Long Term Accommodation Plan process. This varies greatly from the previous two recommendations that the school board implement a boundary study if either of the dual-track schools in Ward 4 Oakville exceeds a 60 per cent threshold for French immersion enrolment and that board staff provide a draft Elementary School French Immersion Program Review Process for board consideration by Feb. 2009, with an expected program review completion date of Nov. 2009. Bailey said she did not have any comments to make on behalf of FIRM until the final report is presented on March 4. For more information visit www.oakville.ca or call 905-845-6601 See board page 10