The French Immersion Conference sponsored by Action Cadienne was held on August 12, 1999 at the Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Southwestern Louisiana. The event was very well attended. The presentations were informative, and both the success of French immersion as well as the problem facing French immersion were addressed. Highlights include:

- Zachary Richard, président

There are some new kids in school, and they are bilingual. That is right, they speak two languages. Starting an immersion program in your school will require parents to band together in a group large enough to fill a class. It is important to fill this class with students whose parents are permanent fixtures in the community, and who you feel will be committed to the long haul in order to keep student attrition losses low. People who are trendish or are in the program because of a fad are not good candidates, as they tend to jump off the "band wagon when the trail gets rough." Starting a program begins with the parent, but there are many people and groups of people willing to guide and assist. From the Consortium of Immersion Schools, to actual immersion schools and their parent support groups, to CODOFIL, the help is readily available and more than willing to assist.

Starting a program sounds very simple at the onset, but the going gets rough soon into the scheme. It takes a certain amount of insight, creative scheduling, and vision to see the program into and through continued success. A supportive principal who is willing to make some concessions from year to year, and lead the program, makes it easier to continue successfully. It is also important to gain the support of your school board member, as he or she is your link to the School Board, and greater support.

Some of the common problems that you may encounter are apprehensive principals and a School Board unwilling to give support for fear of monetary expenditures that would be above any minimum requirements on their behalf. Principals must use a little creativity in incorporating immersion teachers into the regular schedule and using normal teacher attrition openings by replacing them with immersion personnel. Immersion programs are sometimes viewed by School Boards as an extra amenity, when in fact they add no extra teaching positions when principals schedule as such.

There is strength in numbers. Showcase your immersion program, by having the children give performances whenever possible. Children love to perform for school functions, and civic groups in the community also enjoy having the groups give French performances in the form of songs and skits. This helps to broaden the support base throughout the community. The greater the support base, the more likely the success of the program. School systems might ignore a small groups, but are less likely to ignore a larger community-wide constituency.
In closing, it is my opinion that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Parents need to be vocal and have a strong tenacity and zeal for the program. For through immersion, our children not only learn a second language, but their minds become diversified and more accepting of knowledge. They also receive an important part of their local culture, which has for generations, all but been lost.

Bonjour! I care very much about the preservation and dissemination of our unique heritage. Thus, the Immersion Program became most important to me. Furthermore, I strongly believe that the posterity of the culture and languages of South Louisiana can be best safeguarded through the development and implementation of a second language program. Therefore, my desire for French Immersion merged.

To implement an Immersion Program at her school, the Administrator must ready herself to wear many hats and walk in many shoes. By far, she is one of the key ingredients of a successful Immersion Program.

After learning all there is to know about immersion programs and after visiting existing programs, she must first articulate the mission, philosophy, goals, and objectives to her superiors, her school family, and her community, ensuring that they understand and support the program's concept to be implemented.

Next, the Administrator becomes a recruiter. Here, she plays a major role in parent and student recruitment and orientation. After deciding which grade level to being the program and the manner in which students are to be admitted, the Administrator must set up extensive parent orientation to also ensure that parents understand and comprehend the nature of the program. She must also provide opportunities to address parents' questions and concerns which may arise once the child is actually in the program. She must be ever mindful of frequent and close communication between the school and the parents.

The Administrator must encourage increased exposure to authentic opportunities for students to use the target language inside the classroom and reinforcement of the language outside the classroom. Therefore, she plays a vital role in securing appropriate instructional materials, initiating meaningful field trips, bringing community resources into the classroom and taking the classroom into the community. Recently at South Street, we readily agreed to help the community organizations welcome the Belgian Tour Group at the Estorage House in Opelousas which music, song, and dance in French. We eagerly and appreciatively said yes to Monsieur Zachary Richard to be featured in his upcoming documentary. We were delighted to perform at the Chamber of Commerce Banquet, knowing that the guest speaker was a native of a French speaking country.

Besides being a listening ear, a helping hand, a friend who cares, and one who helps the immersion teachers adjust to the school climate and the new culture, the Administrator must also be an instructional leader. She must monitor closely and assess the progress of the program to ensure that Louisiana Standards are being addressed in a meaningful and age-appropriate context and that students are meeting the requirements and expectations.

After providing ongoing staff development and time for preparation of instructional materials, the Administrator must play the role of a promoter. She must celebrate the program by hosting open-house gatherings at the school, using the media, making small and large group appearances to talk about the program and by allowing the students to participate in community sponsored activities. The difficulties I must overcome presently are: space, replacement, attrition, and maintaining/keeping the French Immersion teachers.

TEST SCORES SOUTH STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMPARING RESULTS OF FRENCH IMMERSION TO ENGLISH ONLY STUDENTS. These test were on the standard English language Iowa battery exams. It should be noted that Principals and parents are often resistant to the creation of French Immersion programs because they believe that French language education will be a handicap to their children in the context of the American educational system. They fear that their children will be less well prepared than children learning in English. Test scores and statistics prove over and over again that the opposite is true. French Immersion students DO BETTER than their English only counterparts. The challenge of another language at an early age goes far in developing language and deductive skills. In addition French Immersion students are more open and curious with a strong tendency to tolerance of other peoples due to their exposure to another culture.

To amend Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, by adding thereto a new Section, to be designated R.S. 17:273, to authorize each parish or city school board to establish, as a part of the general curriculum, the teaching of a second language in grades one through twelve. B. (1) If a parish of city school board does not establish a second language program by May 30, 1976, such a program shall be required upon presentation of a petition requesting the instruction of a particular second language. The petition shall be addressed and presented to the parish or city school board and shall request the instruction to be in a particular school. It shall contain the signatures of at least twenty-five percent of the heads of households of students attending a particular school within the jurisdiction of the parish or city school board. The superintendent of the parish of city schools shall determine the required number of signatures needed for each school and shall certify whether or not a petition contains the necessary number of signatures. Parents may petition to initiate second language programs in elementary school, junior high schools, and senior high schools. THIS LAW HAS NEVER BEEN APPLIED.