Parents in the area are hoping to start a dedicated French School.
Julie Houle a parent of two young children in Cawston said she wants to give her children a chance to learn her native language within a school setting.
“At home I’m French and my husband is German and we’re teaching our kids German, French and English. We want them to be strong in language. We all speak English right now our focus is German at home because there is no possibility of a German school,” she said. “I love living here and I don’t want to move to Penticton or put them in a car and have to travel them to have formal learning in the language.”
To offer a francophone school at least 15 children have to register. Requirements include either having a parent or grandparent that was formally taught the French language.
Currently Houle along with Jacinthe Alarie, a teacher, is collecting names of children in kindergarten to Grade 3.
Once there are at least 15 eligible children known an information session will be held to decide how a school can be started.
“We’ll talk about things like where the school will be located. If we could find space in another school that we could use and what the administration will look like,” she said.
Students can come from areas including Hedley, Keremeos, Cawston, Oliver and Osoyoos and OK Falls.
Anyone interested in enrolling their child should contact Jacinthe Alarie at 250-506-0148 or Julie Houle at 250-499-4226.