Victoria school district-secondary french language options

1. Secondary Programming in Greater Victoria School District
Greater Victoria School District is proud to offer Secondary Immersion programming at four of our
seven secondary schools.
 Esquimalt www.esquimalt.sd61.bc.ca is the pathway school for Shoreline.
 Oak Bay www.oakbay.sd61.bc.ca is the pathway school for Late Immersion students from
Lansdowne, for Early Immersion students at Lansdowne who attended Willows and for Early
Immersion students at Central who attended Margaret Jenkins.
 Reynolds www.reynolds.sd61.bc.ca is the pathway school for Cedar Hill, for Arbutus and for
Early Immersion students at Lansdowne who did not attend Willows.
 Victoria High School www.vichigh.sd61.bc.ca is the pathway school for Late Immersion
students at Central and for Early Immersion students at Central who did not attend Margaret
Jenkins.
If your child wishes to continue into secondary Immersion at his or her pathway school, no registration
is required. The school will be in contact in the spring to set up a program.
To continue in secondary Immersion at a school other than the pathway school, apply for a transfer
during student transfer week. To leave Immersion and enter the English program, a transfer application
is also required, even if your child is continuing on to the pathway school.
Remaining in Immersion: Secondary Immersion program requirements and options
Students who complete Immersion to Grade 12 receive a Bilingual Dogwood. The Bilingual Dogwood
tells employers and universities that the student has achieved functional bilingualism. It indicates that
the student is fluent enough to accept employment requiring bilingualism and to take university courses
and full programs offered in French.
Greater Victoria School District assumes students leaving Grade 12 Immersion have also achieved the
learning outcomes of FSL. We, therefore, automatically grant them credit for French as a Second
Language Grades 10 - 12.
When students leave Grade 8, they are already well on their way to functional bilingualism. In
Secondary, they spend less time learning in French. However, secondary courses provide students the
important opportunity to maintain and enhance their fluency. Our schools offer at least 3 courses in
French in Grade 9 Immersion. In Grade 10, students enter the Graduation program where, to obtain
their Bilingual Dogwood, they must complete:
 Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 Français Langue et Literature (French Language Arts)
 At least 3 additional 4 credit courses as a part of their graduation program (Grades 10 - 12) with at
least one of those being Grade 11 level.
 The Provincial Exam for Français Langue et Literature.
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2. All four of our Secondary Schools offer these core courses:
 Grade 9-12 Français Langue et Literature (French Language Arts)
 Grades 9-11 Sciences Humaines (Social Studies)
Additional course offerings vary from school to school and sometimes from year to year depending on
student interest. Other options sometimes offered include Planning 10, Science, Environmental Studies
and Spanish (taught in French). For information on your preferred school’s offerings, contact the school
or visit the school’s web site (see addresses above).
NOTE: If your child is reluctantly leaving Immersion to pursue other options, a Bilingual Dogwood
may still be possible. Contact The Link at www.thelink.sd61.bc.ca for details.
Leaving Immersion: Secondary Options
Students who leave Immersion after having successfully completed Grade 8, 9, 10 and/or 11, are
automatically awarded credit for French as a Second Language (FSL) according to the guidelines below:
Students who leave Immersion after successfully completing FRAL (French Language and Literature) 8
 Automatically receive credit for FSL 10.
 On request from the family, may receive credit for FSL 11 and/or FSL 12. Determination of
appropriate level of credit will be made based on assessment by The Link.
Students who leave Immersion after successfully completing FRAL 9 and/or FRAL 10
 Automatically receive credit for FSL 10 and FSL 11.
 On request from the family, may receive credit for FSL 12. Determination of appropriate level
of credit will be made based on assessment by The Link.
Students who leave Immersion after successfully completing FRAL 11
 Automatically receive credit for FSL 10, 11 and 12.
(Note: Final school mark for challenge credit at any level will be the average of the best two of the
previous three years’ marks in FRAL).
Instead of seeking credit, former Immersion students may opt to enroll in FSL at an appropriate level at
their secondary school.