With French Culture Month in its final stretch, École Notre-Dame Des Vallees shares their insight on how they celebrated one of Canada’s official languages within their halls.
School principal for Notre-Dame Melissa Martel explained that compared to French immersion schools, they are Francophone-based.
“We are French all day long,” Martel said. “Everything is French, like our communication, report cards, everything is in French. In French-immersion, meetings with parents, newsletters, and all those things are in English. The only English we have in our school is the English course.”
Looking back on how they celebrated French Culture Month, Martel said it officially started with the raising of the Francophone flag at their school, alongside several French-language based activities throughout the month.
“Next week, we’re going to do reading the gym,” she said. “Everyone will read in their pyjamas, and with the lights off. We’re going to have flashlights and headlamps, so I think it’s going to be fun.
“On the 31, we’re going to do a sugar shack day, and we’re going to make maple taffy.”
Martel said that all the students in Notre Dame are very excited to participate in these events every year. By celebrating French Culture Month, Martel adds that it plays a role in preserving French culture in Canada’s identity.
“When you have more than one language, it’s good to preserve it,” she said. “When you apply for jobs, you can say that you are bilingual in with the two official languages in the country. I think it’s really good for the students, and some of them are proud to be French.”
With French as a prominent language in Europe, parts of Africa, and eastern Canada, Martel said it is a useful skill and can be found around the planet.
“It’s something that you really should be proud of, and that’s why we try to implement it in school,” Martel said. “To share it with other kids that are proud to speak French and are living the culture of French countries.”
In terms of representing French culture in Cochrane, Martel said she’s really proud to be part of the growing community within the halls of Notre Dame. Although their school board is much smaller compared to Rocky View Schools and the Calgary Catholic School District, she said that they’re already guiding students along the path of success.
“Last year, we had our first Grade 12 Graduate,” Martel said. “This year, we are going to have two, and next year we will have seven. Our building was built for K-9, and now we’re going to Grade 12. This year, we have one student who was here since kindergarten, and he’s going to graduate. We are really proud.”
Martel adds that there are many Francophone people in Cochrane. As more native French speakers come to Cochrane, she hopes that Notre Dame becomes a group that can help share that culture with the rest of the community.
“We just want to be together and enjoy those activities,” she said.
