École Nouvelle Frontière in Grande Prairie (EverythingGP file photo)

By Shaun Penner

Draft K-6 Curriulum

CSNO opts out of draft K-6 curriculum pilot citing lack of Francophone perspective

Apr 16, 2021 | 12:35 PM

The Conseil scolaire du Nord-Ouest (CSNO) will not participate in the piloting of the draft Grade K-6 curriculum in any of its three schools next year, the first division in the Grande Prairie area to opt out of the pilot.

The division’s board came to the decision during what it calls an “extraordinary meeting” on Wednesday, adding officials within the division “deplore the lack of Francophone perspectives in the curriculum”.

The CSNO says it consulted with parents and teachers, as well as stakeholder organizations from within the division. In a release, the division says the vast majority of those they heard from expressed serious concerns and apprehensions about the new curriculum.

“In our view, the proposed curriculum, in general, does not respect the student’s cognitive development,” said CSNO Chair, Sylvianne Maisonneuve. “Further, the significant absence of the Francophone perspective in all subjects does not promote the full development of Francophone students in a minority setting.”

Maisonneuve adds she felt the Francophone community was not able to properly have their input considered in the drafting of the curriculum.

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“Our consultation and collaboration efforts during the development of the draft were ignored and now we find the timeline for piloting too hasty. We have to take the time to do the job well, because this curriculum will be in place for several years.”

The division says the timeline for the new curriculum, which is set to begin piloting in September and be implemented in time for the 2022-23 school year, is much too tight. They add the turnaround time is “demanding, unrealistic and could affect student learning.”

On top of that, the division says since the province is still in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic, they feel now is not the time to make wide-scale changes for students and teacher, while not enough time is being given for careful consideration of the new materials.

The division says by not piloting, staff and parents will have more time to analyze the content, and “propose a recommendation that is acceptable to the Francophone school community”.

“In addition, if the ministry proposes substantial changes to the curriculum that respect child development and the perspectives of francophones, the CSNO is open to discussing its participation in the curriculum pilot project,” adds the division, in the release.

The Alberta Teachers Association announced Thursday they are calling for a rewrite on the draft curriculum, as ATA President Jason Schilling referred to the draft curriculum as “fatally flawed”.

READ MORE: Alberta teachers demanding full rewrite of draft K-6 curriculum

Schilling added the plan is not developmentally appropriate for young kids, and is jammed with random facts, and loosely structured with concepts well over students’ heads.

He adds over 20 schools boards, including the public school boards in Calgary and Edmonton, have already opted out of the pilot.

The Grande Prairie Public School Division, Peace Wapiti Public School Division and Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools have yet to finalize a decision on whether or not they will take part.

The province unveiled the draft K-6 curriculum in late March, which it says is meant to put a renewed focus on literacy, numeracy, citizenship and practical skills.

However, the draft has drawn much criticism in the weeks that followed over several areas, namely social studies and waiting to introduce teaching around the history of residential schools until Grade 4.

(With files from the Canadian Press)