CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE-LENNOXVILLE
Grant to Support Professional Development for Teaching Staff at Champlain College-Lennoxville

Champlain College-Lennoxville is proud to announce that it has been awarded a grant of $607,277 for the 2025-2026 academic year under the Canada-Quebec Agreement on the Implementation of the Action Plan for Official Languages - 2024-2025 to 2027- 2028. This funding will support two innovative projects aimed at professional development for teaching staff and improving student success.

Daniela Fernandes, Pedagogical Counsellor at Champlain College-Lennoxville

These projects were developed by Pedagogical Counsellor Daniela Fernandes, in collaboration with the University of Sherbrooke, the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), and the Cégep de Lanaudière in L'Assomption. They are in line with the new requirements of the Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec (Law 14), and aim to better support preparation for the French Exit Exam. This grant therefore enables the CEGEP to strengthen its capacity to offer equitable and tailored support to its student community.

A collaborative project focused on language teaching

Teachers of English, French, Spanish, and German at Champlain-Lennoxville will collaborate on a research-action and training project. They will be supported by Fernandes and two experts in the field, Prof. Myriam Villeneuve-Lapointe, a professor of French teaching at the University of Sherbrooke, and Valérie Thomas, French teacher at Cégep de Lanaudière in L'Assomption. Together, they will provide training for Champlain's teaching staff and supervise the research conducted jointly by the three institutions.

Support in mathematics

Concurrently, a mathematics component will be led by Prof. Jean-François Maheux, professor of mathematics education at UQAM, and Fernandes. This project will provide an overview of the realities of our student community and the challenges faced by teaching staff, with the aim of adapting teaching practices more effectively. The objective is clear: to support those who have to cope with learning French, English, and mathematics simultaneously, sometimes in addition to a third language.

Promoting student success

At the heart of this initiative is the desire to strengthen the professional development of Champlain-Lennoxville's teaching staff. Through theoretical and practical training, teachers will have concrete tools to improve their teaching approaches. These new practices will have a direct impact on student progress and success.

"Our official languages are at the heart of our identity, and their vitality depends on education. As we make historic investments to protect and promote our linguistic wealth, we are proud to support Champlain College-Lennoxville in its efforts to provide its teaching staff with the tools they need to better guide students toward success. By investing in the professional development of teachers, we are investing directly in the future of today's and tomorrow's youth," said the Honorable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages.

For her part, Minister of Higher Education, Martine Biron, welcomed the news: "Pursuing higher education is fraught with challenges that students must face, especially if they are unfamiliar with the language of instruction. The projects proposed by Champlain College-Lennoxville will support the development of teaching staff in their pedagogical approach, thereby contributing to greater educational success. I salute all those who have been actively involved in these projects."