Don't miss the Registration Deadline!

We can hardly believe that it is only 3 days before the deadline on Friday January 29th to register for Spanish Bilingual at Earl Grey School.  Many of you are on our database, but you must go down and register in person at the school in order to secure your spot. Call the school at (204) 474-1441 if you are unable to make it down during regular school hours and they will be accommodating. 

The division needs a deadline of the end of January in order to have time to approve a budget for the new program. Will they need to have two classes or just one? Do they have to hire one teacher or two? They also need time to renovate the new kindergarten classroom. The school division and the school is eagerly awaiting your registration to make plans!

Maybe you still have questions about transportation and bussing, or wondering if your child is ready for a bilingual program or questions about daycare etc. However we nor the division cannot answer your questions unless you register! Go and hold your spot before it's too late!

1. Bussing routes are figured out in the spring based on those who are already registered.

2. Earl Grey Children's Centre, Dante Day Nursery, and ABC Montessori can only bump families up on their list if they are already registered at EG.

3. Your child's nursery teacher can offer advice on kindergarten placement starting in April.

We have an opportunity to be part of the first Spanish Bilingual Program in all of Manitoba! Earl Grey School is a fabulous N-8 school in a beautiful River Heights neighbourhood, with not only room for your kindergarten children, but your older children who can register for the English program in anticipation for the late entry Spanish in grade 7. It's a win-win situation for your family.

We urge you to go and register your child(ren) before you miss out. Being bilingual has amazing advantages and we have the chance to give that to our children, our community, our city, and our province. 

Registration Now Open!!

Registration is open at Earl Grey School for kindergarten for the Spanish Bilingual Program! The school is located at 340 Cockburn St N and the phone number is (204) 474-1441.

In order to register your child, you will need to go in person to the school today or starting on January 4th. Documentation that you will need to bring to register:

1. Manitoba Medical Card listing the child and parent(s) name

2. To prove residency - Property Tax Bill of primary residence OR Rental/Lease Agreement OR Accepted "Offer to Purchase" with possession date included

4. Birth Certificate OR passport OR Treaty Card

If you are not a citizen then you will need to provide a landed immigrant document OR work visa OR study visa OR refugee status

There will be three forms for WSD families and four forms for families outside of the division. 

The principal and the secretaries at the front office are ready to accept applications from all families. All of the registrations will be date stamped and those out of catchment will most likely be put on a wait list.

We need to have a minimum of 20 children from WSD catchment by January 29. 

We plan to have an open house mid-January to update you on the current program at EG, as well as plans for other division presentations and late entry (grade 7) proposal. 

Official Statement by the School Division

We are pleased to announce that the Spanish Bilingual Program will be started at Earl Grey School and will begin in September with kindergarten and/or grade 1. We are most pleased with the decision! Official registration will begin in January and more details will follow.


See news on the Winnipeg School Division website HERE

School Division Meeting #1

Our first meeting back in January was with the Winnipeg School Division.  It was very informative because the assistant superintendent went over the Heritage Language Act with us as well as answered some of our questions.  We also went over the last proposal that was presented a number of years ago by a different group of people.  Unfortunately, it did not go through so we are attempting again.

What we were told is that we need 23 children in a particular year to start the program.  Most language programs start in kindergarten or grade 1, but we also talked about the possibility of having a program start in grade 7.  Many of the children signed up are already enrolled in school and so this shows community support for a later bilingual program start.

We asked about where the school that would have the language program be located.  That is dependent on which school has space.  It makes sense that a crowded school will not be built on to accommodate a new program.  So we have been doing a little research in the last few months as to which schools are not at capacity.  Though we have no say as we make the proposal, maybe a gentle suggestion could go a long way.  Also we could also encourage the division to look at where the majority of the families reside in making their decision.

A proposal would need to be made in the early fall of 2013 to this division.  The board would deliberate, go over their budget for the coming year and make a decision.  If the proposal is accepted, the program would begin in 2014.  The school would be responsible for choosing the location of the school, hiring the teachers, and gathering curriculum and materials.  They would also advertise the program and ask for committed families to sign up.

We left the meeting feeling positive but also aware there was much work to be done.