In early October a group of close to 40 international exchange students from the Provence region of southern France arrived in Ottawa to spend 5 weeks living with an OCDSB partner student and host family while attending an OCDSB secondary school.

Apart from an interruption of a few years due to the pandemic, the French Exchange has been an annual program since the fall of 2018. The main goals of the exchange are to provide opportunities for students to practice language skills and develop intercultural awareness.

During their stay in Canada, the French students attend the home school of their exchange partners and participate in many activities, such as the day at the MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre as well as attending a hockey game and other events.

In the spring of 2024, 39 OCDSB students from seventeen local schools will have the opportunity to re-unite with their exchange partners and live for 5 weeks with their French host families to experience the second half of the learning exchange.