Miss-Delectable
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- Apr 18, 2004
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Changes at French school for deaf have paid off, parent says
The atmosphere at Ontario’s only French school for the deaf has improved significantly since the start of the school year after a provincial review recommended sweeping changes, a parent said.
The Ministry of Education ordered a review of the Centre Jules-Léger after students staged a strike in February, saying their education was suffering at the hands of teachers who didn’t speak sign language, had no experience or qualifications with deaf students and responded aggressively when challenged. After interviewing staff, students and parents, members of the independent review team found many of the students’ claims were substantiated.
In June, Education Minister Leona Dombrowsky said she had ordered staff to follow through with the review’s recommendations, including professional ethics training for staff, opportunities for deaf education and sign-language training and forming partnerships with Ottawa’s other French schools. The school hired a new principal, Jean-Marc Sauvé, and replaced superintendent Lillian Patry.
Stephanie Rousseau said parents and students were especially happy about the replacement of Patry, who had no deaf education qualifications or experience and was unable to communicate with students without a sign language interpreter. Rousseau’s 16-year-old son has been attending the school since daycare.
Marie-France Ricard, the new superintendent, was a teacher at CJL years ago and has worked as a principal since. Rousseau said Ricard and Sauvé had gone out of their way to introduce themselves to students and parents and make them feel welcome.
“We are really happy. The students this year, the ambience, like the feeling at the school, it’s really different. More calm and more easygoing, more open to each other. They listen more to what the needs are,” Rousseau said.
Rousseau said the staff were also happier after much of the stress and tension had been relieved. “It was a really hard year last year. Now they’re really happy to have a better place to work.”
The atmosphere at Ontario’s only French school for the deaf has improved significantly since the start of the school year after a provincial review recommended sweeping changes, a parent said.
The Ministry of Education ordered a review of the Centre Jules-Léger after students staged a strike in February, saying their education was suffering at the hands of teachers who didn’t speak sign language, had no experience or qualifications with deaf students and responded aggressively when challenged. After interviewing staff, students and parents, members of the independent review team found many of the students’ claims were substantiated.
In June, Education Minister Leona Dombrowsky said she had ordered staff to follow through with the review’s recommendations, including professional ethics training for staff, opportunities for deaf education and sign-language training and forming partnerships with Ottawa’s other French schools. The school hired a new principal, Jean-Marc Sauvé, and replaced superintendent Lillian Patry.
Stephanie Rousseau said parents and students were especially happy about the replacement of Patry, who had no deaf education qualifications or experience and was unable to communicate with students without a sign language interpreter. Rousseau’s 16-year-old son has been attending the school since daycare.
Marie-France Ricard, the new superintendent, was a teacher at CJL years ago and has worked as a principal since. Rousseau said Ricard and Sauvé had gone out of their way to introduce themselves to students and parents and make them feel welcome.
“We are really happy. The students this year, the ambience, like the feeling at the school, it’s really different. More calm and more easygoing, more open to each other. They listen more to what the needs are,” Rousseau said.
Rousseau said the staff were also happier after much of the stress and tension had been relieved. “It was a really hard year last year. Now they’re really happy to have a better place to work.”