Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 21/00) - French Week activities went over well at Ecole St. Joseph, a teacher there says.

"Everything went smoothly. There was a lot of positive feedback from the other teachers and students. They really enjoyed all the activities," said Josee Tourigny.

A "French" breakfast kicked off the week as staff enjoyed croissants and cretons (similar to doughnuts), while students feasted on la tire (boiled maple syrup on a stick).

"During that week we had many student performances," Tourigny said.

Students who are learning about French puppetry put on a show, and Ginette Leblanc's Grade 3 class performed their skit, Ou sommes-nous?

"(Dawn) Mackillop's class read a French book they had written. And there were also the grades 6 to 8 students, who read to the primary grades," Tourigny said.

"We also had a French career fair that was for the (grades) 6 to 8 French immersion and core students. We had different guests that spoke French, like, that work in Yellowknife and speak French," Tourigny said.

"They use their French at work on a daily basis," she said. "We also had, on the announcements every morning, a French fact."

During lunch that week, the grades 6 to 8 French Improvisation Club performed for the student body and finished the week with a student-teacher improvisation match.

"They're kind of little skits," Tourigny explained. "You don't have time to practise them ahead of time. You're given a topic and you have to perform."

There were many displays in the school, including in the library.

Tourigny added, "There was also some French music played for about five minutes every day with a music contest on French artists."