Centretown West residents believe French programming could save Cambridge Street public school

Residents trying to save Ottawa's Cambridge Street Community Public School think the addition of French programming could be the answer.

Dozens of people attended a virtual Zoom meeting Monday night regarding the future of the school. At the moment, Cambridge Street Community Public School has about 55 students, but a capacity to handle 323, and as a result is now at risk of being closed. 

Along with community leaders and parents at the meeting were NDP MPP Joel Harden and Somerset Ward City Councillor Catherine McKenney. 

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) trustee for Somerset-Kitchissippi Justine Bell told CityNews a number of opinions were expressed at the meeting.

“A young man of Asian descent spoke emotionally about going to that school and now being disadvantaged because he doesn't speak French. He said his new immigrant parents didn't know how to advocate or navigate the system. Some new immigrant parents also spoke out asking for French immersion at the school,” explained trustee Bell. 

Another group of parents, Bell said, are refusing to send their children to Cambridge Street Community Public School because it doesn't have French immersion. According to data provided by the trustee, there are 166 students that live in the school's immediate area who are currently attending other institutions. Even Bell said she will be sending her elementary-school-aged daughter to Devonshire Community Public School in neighbouring Little Italy, as it offers French immersion. 

Elementary schools in the city's downtown area like Viscount Alexander Public School in Sandy Hill and Rockcliffe Park Public School both have English and French programs and roughly the same capacity as Cambridge Street Community Public School. 

Since 2002, enrollment at Cambridge Street Community Public School has been steadily dropping, with a brief uptick between 2007 and 2012. 

Cambridge Street Community Public School enrollment numbers / Justine Bell, OCDSB trustee

School council at Devonshire Community Public School told Bell that they are supportive of the plan to add French immersion at Cambridge, and plan to send a letter to the OCDSB stating as much. According to Bell, that school also had a “dwindling single-track English program with declining numbers years ago, and there was talk of closing it because of the predicted housing development numbers,” however, the community advocated, neighbourhood demographics changed, and now the school is thriving. 

Trustee Bell said she believes that the continued inaction at Cambridge Street Community Public School amounts to systemic discrimination, “as many of the students at the school come from traditionally marginalized communities – racialized communities, new immigrants, low income households, or are students with special needs.”

The Centretown West area has very mixed demographics. It also has the highest population of rooming houses in the City of Ottawa. 

OCDSB's education director and other trustees have stressed the urgency of equity as a priority, said Bell. She claims that Cambridge Street Community Public School can add the French immersion program without a review, “if we make a priority.” 

The trustee goes on to say that the community has been advocating for more than a decade, for a dual-track program at the school.

Bell has asked the Centretown West community to keep sending their stories, needs, and wishes for the area, to the OCDSB. The Somerset-Kitchissippi trustee said that she is, “committed discussing and pushing forward for a real plan for Cambridge and all English programs.”

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board did not commit to any next steps, and as such trustee Bell is hosting another virtual community meeting next week on the issue.