For immediate release: February 14, 2025
FRENCH SECOND LANGUAGE EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RURAL AREAS (FLORA)
Fredericton, New Brunswick (February 14, 2025) – Canadian Parents for French New Brunswick is thrilled to recognize excellence in French Second Language teaching this year with the French Second Language Educator of the Year and French Second Language Administrator of the Year Awards. Nominations were received from across the province from colleagues with glowing testimonials to educators and administration who motivate students to achieve their best and who make a significant contribution to their school and community.
The French Second Language Educator of the Year Award this year highlights French second language excellence in the rural areas of New Brunswick. French Language Opportunities for Rural Areas (FLORA) is a French program currently used in elementary schools across the province. Our winners, Janice Gagnon and Sylvie Guimond have both been champions of the FLORA program in their schools, district and across the province where they support their students and colleagues with profound passion for bilingualism.
Sylvie Guimond is a classroom teacher at Miramichi Rural School and has been teaching in New Brunswick since 2004. Her school was one of the first to pilot the FLORA program. Sylvie taught FLORA and supported the training sessions for many educators from its implementation. She was always willing to go the extra mile to help support students during their French second language learning journey, particularly, rural students in New Brunswick.
Janice Gagnon started teaching at Woodstock High School. She went on to become an FSL Coordinator in ASD-West where she supported teachers of Intensive and Post-Intensive French as well as FLORA. Janice has now taken on the role of Education Support Teacher in ASD-North. She has worked with educators and participated in provincial training sessions to ensure that FSL learning was well-supported in New Brunswick. Janice also assisted Services linguistiques, working virtually to support FSL proficient educators when enrollment requests were over capacity limits. Janice has always stepped forward to support students, teachers and FSL education.
Canadian Parents for French, New Brunswick also choose an Administrator of the Year Award winner, Linda Dickson. Linda started teaching French Immersion in 2002 and moved on to the role of FSL Coordinator. Whereas other districts have multiple coordinators, Linda has been executing this role singlehandedly in the vast north of the province since 2017. She has responsibilities regarding FLORA, Intensive and Post-Intensive French as well as French immersion. Additionally, she supports teacher professional learning and the development of OLE plans. She sits on the Steering Committee for Services linguistiques and helped the anglophone sector establish its first partnership with an academy in France (Académie de Créteil). Linda participates actively in teacher recruitment for the district and supports student learning opportunities for summer camps, oratorical competitions and more. Linda is always eager to contribute to French education efforts in the province.
Félicitations to Sylvie Guimond, Janice Gagnon and Linda Dickson, we appreciate your excellence and your dedication to bilingualism!
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Canadian Parents for French is a nationwide, research-informed, volunteer organization that promotes and creates opportunities to learn and use French for all those who call Canada home.
For more information, please contact:
Mira Savran, Communications Coordinator (Atlantic region)
Email: communications@ns.cpf.ca
Canadian Parents for French, New Brunswick
cpf@nb.cpf.ca
Tel: 902-453-2048
Website: nb.cpf.ca
Click here to see the full press release : Press Release NB FSL Educators and Administrator of the Year 2024