After hearing feedback, the Portage la Prairie School Division is making École Arthur Meighen the sole French Immersion School in the city.

Immersion students from Crescentview School will shift to Arthur Meighen for 2023-24, with Crescentview dropping the École from its name.

Superintendent Todd Cuddington says that the division went through a consultation process with parents and guardians where 74 per cent of respondents indicated they were in favour of this process.

"The data and research does show that when you can create a full immersion environment, where you're not trying to serve both languages equally, kids are able to hear French being spoken more frequently."

Cuddington explains that the division and province feel this is a natural evolution in French Immersion in Portage.

"We've also received support from the province to make it happen in the way of grants from the French Revitalization Grant, which is a provincial and federal support grant and with that additional financial support, that made the decision that much easier."

The provincial/federal grant will support any upgrades needed in the two schools in order to facilitate the transition.

The Superintendent is enthused to make this transition, noting the school will make the transition as smooth as possible for staff and students.