Immersion Works!

My latest cause is immersion programs in the school system. My husband and I went round-and-round trying to figure out where and what kind of education to choose for our children. After endless conversations and hours of research, we decided on a world language immersion program.

So far, so good. Our oldest daughter just completed first grade with "A" honor roll all four 9 weeks.Our 2nd child finished pre-k 4 with a great foundation for her target language. We feel like it was a really great decision. Initially, we had SG enrolled in a parochial school. The one part of public school we were torn about was the fact that there was no daily religion class and they wouldn't get the religious foundation we hoped for. SG also tested into an advanced placement school which you must score a 95% or higher. She did and was accepted, but still we wanted that language immersion.

As the end of the 2010-2011 year approached, we got word that the immersion programs within the Jefferson Parish Public School System was considering eliminating them. The worse part is that the school system didn't notify the principals, coordinator for foreign language and immersion programs, teachers, or parents before the news story broke.

We have gone 1 school year with great results from both of our children. I don't want to see this program go. I was brainstorming with another parent and we came up with an idea to fight the school board and educate everyone what immersion is, the importance of it, and why we need to keep it in the public school system. That is when Immersion Works came alive.

We were just a group of 2 and have grown to a Facebook group of 219. We now have a voice! We had a voice before, but now it is a stronger, louder, and a very educated voice. Our school board members didn't even know we had immersion programs much less what an immersion program was. One of the school board members did attend one of our meetings and went away very knowledgeable and is now an advocate for Immersion Works.

June 7, 2011 at 3:00 PM is the school board meeting that will determine if the immersion programs will truly be cut. As a group, we will attend the meeting en masse all wearing the Immersion Works logo T-shirt. If you are in the area, please join us to show your support.