Phase 1 of a plan to bring French Immersion to the southern portion, or Region A, of the Prairie Rose School Division will unfold when classes resume next week. Currently, the programming is only offered in the northern part of the division.

Terry Osiowy, PRSD superintendent, explained a kindergarten class will be offered at Carman Elementary beginning this fall. He said officials were quite impressed with the interest level among parents, noting by the end June there were 16 students registered for the program.

"We were expecting between eight to ten, so the response has been very positive."

Osiowy pointed out that these students are strictly from within the catchment area for Carman Elementary. The original plan called for the program to be based out of CES but include students from the Elm Creek, Carman, Roland, and Miami school catchments as well. He said work to implement French Immersion programming at those schools will continue this year with an anticipated start date of Fall 2019. The hope is to have a plan in place soon as kindergarten registration for 2019/20 is happening at the end of January.

"So this way it gives us an opportunity to listen to the principles from those communities and to make sure that we're representing and planning properly," said Osiowy.

The large-scale plan calls for the Region A French Immersion programming to start at the Kindergarten level with grades added each year as the students move forward.

Osiowy anticipates the Board will start recruiting for the 2019/20 Grade 1 class at CES before Christmas.