Canadian Parents for French - Calgary Chapter
last modified: 2 February 2012
CPF Calgary Chapter is a volunteer association working to promote and support French-second-language learning opportunities for those associated with the city of Calgary, Alberta.
Contact us at cpfcalgary@yahoo.ca.
Support local schools, teachers, and your children by purchasing a membership in Canadian Parents for French. 65% of your membership fee comes back to your local chapter.
membership benefits join CPF online renew your membership now
Upcoming activities for children & families
Our vision Our meetings Chapter activities
French immersion in Calgary Support your child French in your home
Just 8 hours of your time will support the work of CPF for 2 full years!
Every second year, 40 generous members just like you give about 8 hours of their time to the CPF Alberta casino in order to improve opportunities for students in their own communities and throughout Alberta to learn French The funds they raise go to:
supporting the work of our local chapters in promoting French-second-language learning through displays, brochures, information booths, advertisements
developing and circulating the CPF Alberta News
offering information/training/networking sessions for volunteer chapter leaders
providing additional direct support to CPF Calgary.
This fundraiser is CPF Alberta’s second largest source of revenue! Your help is critical to maintaining our current level of programs and services.
CA$H CA$INO in CALGARY Monday & Tuesday, April 16 & 17
~ no previous experience necessary ~ ~ meal and refreshments provided ~
~ a chance to visit with other CPF members ~ ~ non-smoking casino facility ~
For more information or to volunteer: 403-262-5187 1-800-561-2978 jgibson@cpfalta.ab.ca
All Calgary parents have adequate information on which to base a choice of language program for their children’s education.
All interested students have good access to French Immersion programs, and access is not limited to those with a parent available to drive or those who can afford a transportation fee.
Students with special needs are supported and accommodated in French Immersion programs so that they, too, can become bilingual..
Parents have adequate information to be effective and comfortable in supporting their children in French programs from kindergarten to post-secondary.
Parents know what to look for, expect, encourage, and support in French Immersion programs so that they can be partners with the education system in making the program the very best that it can be.
Students have good access to the extra-curricular opportunities to experience and use French that are so important to becoming not only fluent in French but confident in using the language.
All students receive the information, encouragement and support they need when making the choice of whether to continue to study in French.
CPF Calgary Chapter grows stronger so that it can be increasingly effective in achieving this vision.
All CPF members and potential members are welcome and encouraged to attend! Meetings are conducted in English.
CPF Calgary chapter is opening its doors and inviting all members to attend the chapter meetings. At the meetings we have guest speakers, plan upcoming events and discuss all matters that relate to French immersion in Calgary.
The dates of the next Calgary Chapter Meetings are:
Tuesday 7th February 2012 at 7.00 pm in the Library of Western Canada High School
Tuesday 10th April 2012 in the Library of Western Canada High School
OVER THE PAST YEAR, CPF Calgary volunteers:
provided information about upcoming events and opportunities through this web page
provided information pamphlets about French immersion and core French for use at school information meetings, open houses, etc.
offered French for Immersion Parents courses
supported French for the Future, a forum for local senior high school students to learn the career benefits of bilingual education
offered a prize to one member of the graduating class of each French immersion high school* in Calgary, to acknowledge the commitment to continue in immersion to the end of Grade 12.
*high schools which were Associate Members of CPF
Your membership in CPF supports these activities!
Did you know that in 2008/09 there were more than 10,300 French immersion students in the two Calgary school districts? This represented 7% of the total school population within those districts. There were also 1,000 immersion students in three private schools.
The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) offers public French immersion programs from Kindergarten through to Grade 12. For information follow these links:
early French immersion (students begin in Kindergarten or Grade 1)
late French immersion (students begin in Grade 7)
find the designated CBE French immersion school for your area: elementary map middle/junior high map senior high map
for more about immersion and the other CBE language programs click here
The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) offers public French immersion programs from Kindergarten through to Grade 12. For information follow these links:
early or late French immersion (students begin in Kindergarten/Grade 1 or Grade 7)
the designated CCSD French immersion schools for your Calgary community district
French Immersion programs are offered at the following private schools:
For a list of preschools and playschools in Calgary which feature some French-second-language learning, click here. This ranges from "immersion" programs in which most or all of the time is spent in French to those which regularly include some introduction to French.
For postseconday opportunities to continue French studies in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada, click here.
Concerned about helping your immersion student? Want to know what other immersion parents have learned? Looking for French resources and extracurricular activities? Yes, you can help your child in French immersion! answers these and many other questions. A wealth of useful information for French immersion parents, this online resource from Alberta Education was written by unilingual parents with the assistance of teachers, administrators, researchers, and education department staff.
Join CPF
Your membership in CPF makes this web page possible! Join Canadian Parents for French. It costs just $25 for one year or $60 for three. Of that fee, 65% goes to the Calgary Chapter, 25% to the Alberta Branch, and 10% covers processing costs. By joining CPF, you support your child through:
access to more information about resources/ways to help, local events in French, and other people to talk to
participating in CPF-organized events, including workshops, conferences, and activities for families
demonstrating support of French-second-language education to federal and provincial governments and local school boards.
Discount from the Alliance Française for CPF Calgary members: Members of CPF in Calgary can now access a special rate -- just $25 -- for membership in the Alliance Française of Calgary. This membership permits parents and children to use the excellent library of current French magazines, books, children's books, DVDs, CDs and music and to participate in many events and activities promoting and supporting the French language and culture. Simply show your current CPF membership card to the folks at the Alliance Française on the 2nd floor in the Herald Building, Suite 200, 206 - 7 Ave SW.
Counselling Service for Parents of Bilingual Children
The Parent Counselling Service at the University of Calgary Language Research Centre is designed for parents with questions about raising their children to speak more than one language. If you have questions related to schooling and bilingualism, please fill out this form, which will be sent to Dr. Rahat Naqvi.
Upcoming events and activities in Calgary
Festival des Sucres (Maple Sugar Festival): organized by the Calgary regional chapter of the Alberta Francophone association (ACFA), it will be held Saturday, March 3 at Olympic Plaza from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free outdoor activities for young children, maple candy, live traditional music by local artists. Bring your skates!
Nearby at the Royal Canadian Legion, 116 - 7 Ave. SE, a traditional meal featuring maple syrup will be served, with entertainment by the group Châkador. Sittings will be at 11 a.m., 12:30, and 2 p.m. Price is $20 for those aged 14 and older, $10 for children aged 6-13, free for those under 6 (with a discount for ACFA members). Tickets can be purchased at the offices of the ACFA, at La Cité des Rocheuses, at the Alliance française, or at a Taste of Quebec in the Calgary Farmer's Market (510 - 77 Ave SE).
For more information: 403-532-8576
Movies: Coming up at La Cité des Rocheuses: Starbuck, a comedy from Quebec, on February 3, 2012. Sur la Route and Esprits de Famille on March 20, 2012. Disney's Raiponce (Rapunzel) on April 20, 2012. French Immersion on May 25, 2012.
Once a month the Alliance française offers a Saturday morning traditional French breakfast (café and croissant) with story telling for children.
SPEFSA (the Société de la petite enfance et de la famille du Sud de l'Alberta) offers support and learning opportunities in French to families. Activities in French for preschool children include themed storytimes, crafts, puppet shows, learning to play together, etc. Located in La Cité des Rocheuses, 4800 Richard Rd. SW.
The Alliance Française offers French courses for students and adults, drama workshops for children, cultural events, and the DELF examinations. They also offer volunteer opportunities for grade 10-12 immersion students. School programs offered by the Alliance française of Calgary: visits to the Alliance française, organization of a reading challenge program, author visits to school classes, Calgary yesterday to today. For more information contact info@afcalgary.ca or 403-245-5662 ext 0.
Want to improve or maintain your own French? Are you a parent trying to enhance your French skills? A graduate wanting to maintain your proficiency? Consider the wide variety of opportunities offered by the Alliance Française of Calgary: classes for different levels and needs as well as a variety of interesting workshops (wine tasting, cooking, movies, reading clubs, and much more).
for many more opportunities: camps and summer programs exchanges work experiences
French in your home
Purchase French books, CDs, DVDs through Lacoste Bookstore. They will assist you -- in English -- in choosing just the just the right items for your child's interests and level of French.
The Alliance Française offers book and media libraries. For more information contact library@afcalgary.ca or 403-245-5662 ext.24.
SPEFSA (the Société de la petite enfance et de la famille du Sud de l'Alberta) offers a bibliothèque (book lending library) and a joujouthèque (toy lending library). Located in La Cité des Rocheuses, 4800 Richard Rd. SW.
Subscribe to a French magazine or a book-of-the-month - click here for a list of sources
Read Le Chinook - A free copy of the newspaper of the southern Alberta francophone community can be picked up at Co-op or Safeway. Sign up to receive it via email at www.lechinook.com.
Watch French TV and listen to French Radio on 103.9 FM. www.radio-canada.ca has good information about French TV and radio, as well as a variety of games and activities (click on jeunesse).
For a wide range of additional ideas click here.