Ottawa, March 1st, 2021 — This week marked the delivery of CPF “French Goodnight Bags” to over 150 families involved with the Military Family Resource Centre – National Capital Region, as part of their More French S.V.P.!, Bilingual Ottawa initiative.
Canadian Parents for French was a recipient of a Propulsion Grant of $22,000 in February 2020 distributed by the Association of Francophone Communities of Ottawa (ACFO Ottawa) on behalf of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The pandemic had a significant impact on the project delivery as many in person activities and events were planned. CPF quickly adapted and offered French classes for adults, movie screenings and contests, as well as youth tutoring activities all virtually. CPF created “French Goodnight Bags,” a bedtime routine kit for children aged 3 to 5 and their families to help with their transition to school when they will be introduced to French, most likely for the first time.
February is traditionally Kindergarten Registration Month across Ottawa when English speaking parents are making the important decision to select the French immersion or the core French program option for their child entering school.
The CPF French Goodnight Bags are designed to support English speaking parents by developing basic literacy skills that support student success as well as reinforcing the learning link between home and school. The bags include a bilingual bedtime routine, a French story time book, bilingual activity and colouring books, a guide for family French activities to do in Ottawa, a stuffed animal and other resources featuring local partner groups such as the Alliance Française Ottawa and the CPF Ottawa Chapter. CPF would like to thank ACFO Ottawa and the Government of Canada for its financial support with this project.
“While we had to change many of the activities we had planned for the year, we are very proud of the results. The change to a virtual format allowed more parents and children to join. This was a good introduction to French but also to CPF, as parents got a chance to know our work at the local Ottawa level and how we support FSL education. We were also able to extend the project to other families beyond the pilot group, for those looking to improve their French language skills and be involved in Ottawa’s bilingual offerings,” said Nicole Thibault, Executive Director, CPF National.
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Canadian Parents for French is a nationwide, research-informed, volunteer organization that represents 25,000 members across Canada and champions the opportunity to learn and use French for all those who call Canada home.
For more information, please contact:
Marcos Salaiza, National Coordinator, Communications and Government Relations
Tel: 613.235.1481 x222 Email: msalaiza@cpf.ca