www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 9, 2009 - 5 Recommendation raises concerns on both sides Continued from page3 French immersion in Sept. 2010. A new boundary has been proposed that diagonally splits the current Forest Trail area to determine which of the two schools French immersion students will attend. The new Palermo school will have a capacity of just over 700 students. Bailey said FIRM is concerned about the impact on the relocated students. A year and a half ago, students were moved from Pine Grove to the new Ecole Forest Trail. The current recommendation means that some Ecole Forest Trail students will be moved again. Bailey said she is worried yet another relocation will occur when the threshold for Pilgrim Wood exceeds 60 per cent. "It is extremely psychologically, socially and academically disruptive," Bailey said. "There's only so many times you can sever them off from their friends and splinter them off from one school to another." The proposed recommendation, called Option B, is one of three options originally proposed in the Director's Report released this winter to address the accommodation situation in Ward 4 Oakville. The two other options were: · Option A: two single-track French immersion schools (Palermo and Ecole Forest Trail) and six single-track English schools. · Option C: three dual-track schools (Palermo, Pilgrim Wood and Ecole Forest Trail) and five single-track English schools. Bailey said FIRM prefers Option A, arguing that single track French immersion schools are ideal learning environments. "Our understanding is that we (French immersion students) are learning the same curriculum as they (English students) are except that half of it is delivered by a different teacher in a different language for half of the day," Bailey said. "In order for that to happen in a way that language and subject acquisition is possible at an optimal level, it has to happen in an environment where that is possible and single track has provided that at a better level than the dual-track environment has. And single track is very committed to its students." If Option B is approved, Pilgrim Wood will welcome French immersion students, according to Dalgarno. "We would welcome an influx of students for an optional program, like French immersion, if we could just have some assurance that this is not an intermediate move before we become a single-track French immersion school," said Dalgarno. "But how can we find how we can come together as parents and move forward and build something new and great together when they (HDSB) have put both of us (French immersion and English track parents/students) on shaky ice?" NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS? do in s to hing T 2009 l takes care of them all. If you would like to get in shape, meet new people, and have a ball this year, call the dance professionals at Fred Astaire Dance Studios and start the year off on the right foot. One call will make 2009 a year to remember! NEW YEAR'S taire d As s ll Fre Studio Ca nce Da Psess AL S10 ECIions for $20.09 ly students on New adult Out-of-Town Service ort & p Air HAMILTON: 1092 Main Street W. 905 522-3237 OAKVILLE: 225 Lakeshore Rd. East (2nd Floor) 905 815-3237 www.fredastaire.ca OAKVILLE UNITED TAXI Oakville's # 1 Taxi Service! © Real Rock Band Workshops for Young Musicians New Sessions & Lessons Start This Month · Weekly Sessions & CD Release Performance · Private Guitar Lessons for ALL Levels 905-484-7331 www.rocksessions.ca HARDWOOD FLOORING LIQUIDATORS GIANT $1.99 SALE EXPERIENCED DRIVERS YOU CAN DEPEND ON · · · · · Airport Flat Rates Out-of-Town Service Regular In-Town Service 10% Discount On Parcel Service GPS Computerized Dispatch · · · · · Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles Corporate Accounts Welcome Airport Customer Wake-Up Service 10% Senior Discount - In Town More Than 60 Taxis In Our Fleet ON NOW! 25,000 SQ. FT. HARDWOOD & ENGINEERED FLOORIN ARDWOOD FLOORING $ Some q quantities may be limited. y N No Payment, N Interest, Until July 2009 O.A.C. No til y S Sale ends Jan 31 2009 31st, 200 1.99 9 / /SQ. FT. PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS 905.338.0044 If you are interested in joining our team, please call 905-338-1762 24 hour · 7 days a week NOBODY CAN BEAT THESE DEALS AND OUR THE QUEENSWAY HUGE SELECTION Installation Available * All Quantities Limited KIPLING AVE. LING AV AVE 486 Evans Ave., Unit #11 Etobicoke GARDINER EXPY./QEW 486 EVANS, #11 W 416-201-0299 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Mon.-Wed., Fri., 10-6 Thurs. 10-8 Sat. 10-5 CELEBRITY FLOORING