French immersion changes in JK to Grade 3 delayed

An Ottawa Carleton District School Board committee hasputoff a decision on changes to French immersion in kindergarten to Grade 3 after parents complained there wasn't enough informedconsultation.

Amajority of school board trustees voted Tuesday nightto delay the decision after parents spoke against it.

The delay meanschanges, if approved at a later date,wouldn't be implemented until September 2017.

The plan wouldexpandFrench immersion to all children for half the day (from 20 minutes per day to 150 minutes) in junior and senior kindergarten.

It would also reduce the number of hours of French immersion from Grades 1 to 3 for the childrenwho stay with French immersion (from 300 and 240 minutesper day to 180 minutes).

The changes are being recommended by the board as a result of Ontario's newtwo year full-day kindergarten program.

The parent council at ElmdalePublic School in the Hampton Park neighbourhoodopposesthe change, arguing that the OCDSB failed to provide enough detailed information to parentsand that the original consultation process over three weeks wasn'tlong enough.