'Language barrier can create a challenge': School branch informing newcomers about rezoning
PSB hearing a lot of questions and concerns from families
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is working to make sure newcomer families are up to speed on school rezoning that will come into effect in September and how it will affect their children.
- School rezoning letters going home
- Students forced to move schools through rezoning will be notified
The PSB said it's heard a lot of questions and concerns from families including immigrant families who have just arrived in recent years who may be struggling to understand if and why their children have to move schools.
Schools tried to the best of their ability to translate those letters to target populations.— Janet Perry-Payne
PSB said language is an issue as much of the communication around the whole school review process such as public meetings and information on the branch website has been in English.
"Most of those meetings were held in English, so there weren't interpreters on site to provide that type of information," said Janet Perry-Payne, English-French additional language program administrator.
Open houses with translators
"The language barrier can create a challenge," she said.
There are 150 EAL students who will need to move schools next year through rezoning and and chances are their parents haven't really been engaged up to now said Perry-Payne.
Perry-Payne said the branch is doing its best to provide the right language help. She said letters recently sent home to parents whose children will need to move schools were translated for parents whose first language isn't English.
The branch is also planning open houses at schools taking in rezoned students and interpreters will be on site at those too. The PSB is also making sure the PEI Association for Newcomers is aware of open houses and posting on its website as it posts in multiple languages.
"Schools tried to the best of their ability to translate those letters to target populations, especially those in larger quantities — the Chinese community, the Arabic community, making sure those families actually understand what that letter meant in their own language."
Rezoning affecting staff too
She said parents are asking questions whether the school will be the same and the PBS has been assuring parents that all schools on P.E.I. are very similar with the same curriculum.
With 150 EAL students moving schools PSB said that creates more staffing work now too, as the branch needs to figure out just how many EAL teachers and supports are needed in each school in September.
PSB said it won't really be able to finalize those details until August, when it has a better sense of how many EAL students have left the lsland over the summer and how many more have moved here.
With files from CBC's Steve Bruce