1. How do I get a copy of my high school transcript?
2. How do I get a copy of my teaching certificate?
3. What is the phone number for general information for the Department of Education?
4. What are my options for educating my child in French?
5. What is French Immersion?
6. What kind of French Immersion programs are offered in Newfoundland and Labrador?
7. What happens to English in French Immersion?
8. How do I go about home-schooling my child?
9. Where are private schools available?
10. Can I choose what school my child attends?
11. What is a GED test and how can I arrange to take it?
12. What scholarships are available?
13. What qualifications do I need to teach in Newfoundland and Labrador?
14. Can I, as a teacher, take time off to go back to school?
15. Are there any swap programs available for teachers?
16. How can I find out about student aid?
17. How can I file a complaint?
18. Where can I obtain curriculum documents?

• You can call 709-729-3001;

• email transcripts@gov.nl.ca providing your full name and address at time of graduation; mcp and/or birth date; high school attended and year of graduation; and the address where you would like your transcript to be sent;

• or drop by the Department of Education, 3^rd floor, West Block, Confederation Building.

• Note: There is no fee for obtaining transcripts.

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To receive a copy of your teaching certificate, or to upgrade your certificate, contact Rob Parsons, registrar of teacher certification, at robparsons@gov.nl.ca, or phone 729-3020.

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The phone number is 729-5097.

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Parents with rights to minority-language education under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms may choose to have their children educated in the French language. French language education is currently offered in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador City, Cap St. Georges, La Grand’Terre, and St. John’s. Parents wishing their children to learn French as a second language would choose French immersion (early or late), or core French, depending on their community or residence. For more information, call our Language Programs section at 729-2741.

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French Immersion is an educational approach intended to teach students to understand and communicate in French by teaching them all or some of their school subjects in French. The current model of French Immersion has its origins in an experiment conducted in 1965 by a group of parents who persuaded school district administrators in St. Lambert, Québec, to establish a French Immersion Kindergarten class for their children. Their hope was to create a program that would enable their children to:

• become bilingual and bicultural;
• understand, speak, read and write in French;
• achieve as well academically as their non-Immersion peers;
• retain, maintain and improve their competencies in their native language, English;
• appreciate the traditions and culture of both French speaking Canadians and English speaking Canadians.

The success of this effort led many to adopt and adapt this original model of bilingual education so that the expression French Immersion evolved to become an umbrella term for different immersion designs and programs - such as total, partial, early, middle, late, 50/50 - which vary according to:

• the age of the student;
• the entry point for study;
• the type and quantity of instruction provided in French.

In Canada today, over 300,000 students in some 1,600 schools are enrolled in some form of Immersion. Nearly 5,000 students in 48 schools participate in French Immersion programs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Instruction in the Immersion classroom focuses on:

• teaching curriculum content;
• responding to the child’s educational interests and needs;
• creating an atmosphere in which second language development is nurtured and encouraged;
• facilitating meaningful communication.

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6.  What kind of French Immersion programs are offered in Newfoundland and Labrador?

Many school districts offer Early French Immersion, beginning in Kindergarten, and/or Late French Immersion, beginning in Grade 7. The following table describes briefly some of the key elements of these programs.

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7. What happens to English in French Immersion?

In the early days of French Immersion in Canada, one of the biggest concerns of parents and educators was the effect of French Immersion on the development of children’s English language skills. Research indicated that the children enrolled in Early French Immersion (beginning in Kindergarten or Grade 1) demonstrate listening comprehension and oral expression skills in English comparable to those of their non-Immersion counterparts. There is evidence of a temporary lag in Immersion children’s reading and writing in English in the first two or three years of schooling, until they are formally introduced to English language study, usually in Grade 3. Children may also experience some temporary interference in English spelling. By the end of Grade 5 or 6, the literacy "lag" in English and the spelling problems tend to disappear.

Late French Immersion students do not interrupt their formal study of English language arts when they begin the program in Grade 7. English language testing of Late Immersion students shows that their English language skills are maintained.

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Parents may obtain permission for their children to be absent from school while receiving instruction at home. Contact the director of education for your school district for permission and to discuss curriculum requirements. This permission must be renewed by the director on a yearly basis. 

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There are seven private schools in the province: four in the St. John’s/Mount Pearl area; one in Corner Brook; one in Churchill Falls; and one in St. Alban's. You should contact the individual schools to discuss the programs and services offered.

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Most school boards establish attendance zones for schools and students who live within the zone are required to attend the school to which he/she has been assigned. You should contact your local school board to seek permission to have your child attend another school.

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The GED testing program consists of five tests in the areas of writing, social studies, science, literature and mathematics. It is designed to allow mature students to earn a high school diploma. For more information, phone (709) 729-2405.

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Through the Department of Education, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador awards 201 scholarships each year to high school students in Newfoundland and Labrador. The scholarships range in value from $1,000 to $2,500 and are based on achievement on the scholarship examination prepared by the department. Scholarships are also available from many post-secondary institutions. Information on these should be obtained from the Department of Education, or through the institutions themselves.

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To be employed as a teacher in this province, an individual is required to hold a teaching certificate, in good standing, issued by this province. For certification, an individual needs an approved education degree, certification from the jurisdiction in which they completed this degree, together with regular personal identification, e.g. birth certificate. For more information, visit the Teacher Certification in Newfoundland and Labrador Web page or contact Rob Parsons at (709) 729-3020,  e-mail at robparsons@gov.nl.ca.

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Yes. The teachers’ collective agreement provides for a number of paid educational leaves each year. Teachers may use this leave to attend an approved post-secondary institution to study courses in programs which are accepted for teacher certification. Teachers must have at least five years experience, receive two-thirds of their salary, and cannot defer the leave to a later year. For more information, contact the NLTA. Application forms are available through the NLTA and the Department of Education, phone (709) 729-3034.

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Yes. Teacher exchange programs can be organized for Britain, Australia and the United states. Inter-provincial exchanges are also available. For more information, contact Gary Hatcher, senior director of School Services, at (709) 729-2997.

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Click here to go to the student aid Web site.

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There is a limited amount of funding under the Grants to Youth Program.  This program falls under the auspices of the Department of Education. 

Funding is also available for school trips to a French milieu. For more information, call our Language Programs section at 729-6604.

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This is a difficult question, as it depends on the nature of the problem. Most often, issues should be dealt with either by the school or school board. Most issues affecting day to day education delivery are handled at the board level, not the Department of Education.

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You can contact Elmo Taylor, the manager of the learning resources distribution centre, at elmotaylor@gov.nl.ca, or call 729-4259. Documents are also available on-line at www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/sp/main.htm. 

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