VSB considers cutting a Kitsilano school French immersion program

VSB to decide fate of early French immersion The fate of a French immersion program at a Kitsilano school will be decided by the Vancouver School Board.

The Vancouver School Board is voting Monday on potentially scrapping a French immersion program at a Kitsilano elementary school.

The school board is looking at a proposal to phase out the early French immersion program at Henry Hudson Elementary, over concerns about the number of students attending the school.

Officials say the school is operating over capacity and that there isn't enough classroom space to accommodate both English and French programs.

According to a report created by education officials, a little more than half of students currently attending the school's French program live downtown.

But parents say there aren't many options for French immersion programs in the area, and hopes the school board finds another proposal.

"The people who are downtown, the majority of them are lower and modest income, they don't necessarily have cars to be able to go a third of the way across the city to find French immersion and so it makes no sense that they should pull this program out," said Josh Patterson, a parent.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Allison Hurst