For students who might once have thought 
they missed their chance to learn French, 
a new path is now open.
That growth is visible every day. Students who began the year 
unsure of their ability to learn French are now speaking it with 
confidence and pride.
“J'aime parler avec les autres élèves en français,” said Usman, 
with a natural flow you’d hardly expect from someone who 
didn’t speak a lick of French some months earlier. 
“I was really nervous when I started the year, and I thought I 
couldn’t learn French at all,” said Usman, a Grade 6 student in 
the program. “I feel really proud.” 
For Isabella, the experience has been similarly transformative.
 “It makes me feel kind of confused, like how did I do that?” she 
said. “But it makes me so happy.” 
These experiences highlight both the intensity of the program 
and the remarkable growth students achieve in a short period 
of time. Within months, learners move from foundational skills 
to confidently using French in academic and social settings.
The program addresses a significant gap in access. For many 
families, particularly those new to Canada or those who did 
not enter early or middle immersion, French programming has 
historically been somewhat inaccessible.
In the 2025-26 school year, the Louis Riel School Division 
(LRSD) introduced its Late French Immersion program, creating 
a new entry point for Grade 6 students to begin intensive 
language learning and build fluency alongside their peers. 
The program expands on existing early and middle immersion 
opportunities, giving more students access to French learning 
and new opportunities.
At principal Jennifer Oldfield’s school, École Van Belleghem, 
the first cohort has already demonstrated what is possible.
“I’m really impressed by the progress that I’ve seen these kids 
make in that class,” said Oldfield. “I can imagine on the first day, 
it was kind of intimidating, the idea of doing school in a whole 
new language. But now, they’ve got the confidence and the skill 
to be able to speak French in front of the whole school.” 
NEW PATHWAYS, 
NEW POSSIBILITIES
Late French Immersion opens doors for students in LRSD
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