Bayside Public School. (Submitted photo)
Parents continue to speak out in opposition to the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board’s decision to cap the French immersion program at Bayside Public School.
In recent weeks, the board has said it capped the program because there were only enough applications from students within the Bayside catchment area for two classes instead of the usual three. Also the board has to reduce the new grade four class because of space restrictions.
Bayside parents of a soon to be Grade 4 student, Adam and Tanya Burr said the information nights were well advertised however there was no indication they had to attend to register Liam or they would have been there. They explained when they were presented with details on the information night, there was no indication there were signups and it was ‘first come first serve.’
Burr said his 11-year-old daughter Chloe has been in the program for three years and the plan has always been for Liam to be enrolled too. Liam now sits on a waiting list with roughly 15 of his peers. Burr said six of them are already enrolled in Bayside programming and are being denied access.
“It’s ridiculous that kids that are already going to Bayside aren’t eligible for the program because of the cap,” said Burr.
“We like Bayside for our children,” said Burr. “Its programming and location works for our children and us as a family.”
He explained if they transfer their son to Prince Charles in Trenton or Harry J. Clarke School in Belleville for Grade 4 French immersion as the board is encouraging, it will create a scheduling nightmare.
Burr said they aren’t buying the board’s claim there is a lack of space. He said the school has an empty computer lab that can easily be used for an extra French class.
Ideally, Adam and Tanya Burr said they would like to see the board find room within the school for another class creating three classes of 25 instead of two with 60 students.
