April 1st, 2024

Bonjour,

Who can believe April is already here? Especially with the recent snow, our springtime fun is mostly yet to come!

EFDM will host a Zoom information session on Thursday, April 4th, at 5 p.m., led by our PYP Coordinator, Elise. This session is a crucial opportunity for you to understand and participate in the culminating event of the IB Primary Years Programme: The 5th Grade Exhibition.

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Showcases: The upper grades will be on display soon, with different mornings designated by grade and English, too! It's a chance to see the fun and educational activities our students enjoy at EFDM. Stop in and see the classes in action. You'll be on your way by 9 am!

Be sure to complete enrollment for the April Vacation Camp if needed this year. We are hosting a full day camp that is certain to be tons of fun! All ages of students are welcome to enroll. Please note there has been some confusion due to an outdated version of the school calendar, the correct dates of April Vacation are the 15th-19th. The most up to date version of all calendars can always be found on our website.

Speaking of calendars, please find the 2024-2025 school calendar available now! We know some families like to plan ahead. Please reach out with any questions.

Also coming up in April is the much anticipated Solar Eclipse on Monday April 8th. This magical event will be partially visible from school; we've prepped by obtaining special eclipse glasses for students and teachers, and are crossing our fingers for fine weather!

For any questions or further information, please contact us at:

office@frenchschool.me.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community.

Warm regards,

Emily and Willy

Upcoming dates to keep in mind

• April 1: Poisson D'Avril!
• April 4: Presentation IB PYP 5th Grade Exhibition on ZOOM at 5 PM
• April 9: Grade 1 Showcase at 8:45 am
• April 10: Grade 2 Showcase at 8:45 am
• April 11: Grade 3-4 Showcase at 8:45 am
• April 15-19: April Vacation (Childcare Camp)
• May 14: Grade 2 Showcase #3 at 8:45 am with Sarah
• May 15: Grade 3-4 Showcase #3 at 8:45 am with Sarah

2023-2024 School Calendar*

* Please note, calendar linked above and on our school website have accurate April vacation dates of the 15th-19th

2nd Semester Events Calendar

Dear Learning Community, 

EFDM will host a Zoom information session on Thursday, April 4th, at 5 p.m., led by our PYP Coordinator, Elise, to discuss the culminating event of the IB Primary Years Programme: the 5th Grade Exhibition.

The 5th Grade Exhibition is the final step along the PYP, where students take the knowledge and skills they have built across their learning journey and share it with the greater learning community. In this long-term project, developed in groups or individually, students (with the assistance of their teachers and a mentor) curate their own unit of inquiry.

These units, which may be represented under any of the transdisciplinary themes, build skills across all transdisciplinary fields. The Exhibition requires students to push themselves in brainstorming, conducting research, communicating with experts, analyzing data, preparing a presentation/project along with writing, speaking and presentation skills. This achievement is shared with the entire learning community at a celebration at the end of the year where the 5th grade students are given the opportunity to showcase the work they have accomplished. 

The PYP exhibition key purposes are: 

- For students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry 

- To provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning 

- To provide students with an opportunity to explore multiple perspectives 

- For students to synthesize and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP

- To provide an authentic process for assessing student understanding 

- To demonstrate how students can take action as a result of their learning 

- To unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP 

- To celebrate the transition of learners from primary to middle/secondary education

We hope to see you there! 

Enrollment is now open to interested families outside of those currently enrolled. Please be sure to complete your Enrollment Packets as soon as possible to ensure your students' place in the 2024-2025 classroom!

The School Calendar for 2024-2025 is also now live!

Click ==> Discover our new Curriculum Guide

In preparation of the very special partial Solar Eclipse expected to be visible from EFDM on April 8th, we have acquired a school set of special viewing goggles for students and teachers! If weather permits, we should be able to see and experience a part of this historical event. Many families have let us know they may be traveling for the day, or will be taking a half-day. Thank you for communicating your plans to teachers or the office as needed! We will be hosting a full day of school, with some special projects sure to commemorate the event.

“Maine is the best place in New England and one of the best places in North America to witness the historic solar eclipse. If you’re planning to travel anywhere in Maine on April 8, now is the time to make a plan so that you can safely and enjoyably experience this historic event.” 

Maine Governor Janet Mills

June 24- August 23, 2024

Hours: 8:30-3:30, with extended days offered from 3:30-5:30

Summer Camp Sign-up:

Our camp enrollment is filling up fast! Please note there is a waitlist for some weeks already. Enroll as soon as possible to ensure your spot using the link here.

Can you host one of our French Summer Camp Counselors?

This year, we have a new crew of summer camp counselors planning to spend the season here from France. If anyone is interested in being a host family for these young adults, please let us know. They would love to experience life in an American family and share their language and culture with you! It could be just for a week or two; you do not need to commit to the whole summer.

There will be a childcare camp for anyone who is looking to have some fun during the school break April 15th-19th, open to all ages of current students at L'Ecole. Mornings will include a fun French activity and afternoons will be filled with arts & crafts, games and plenty of time for free play outside. 

Early Childhood children will be offered time for rest in the afternoon. 

Hours will be 8:30am-3:30pm, with no extended day offerings. Sign-up for childcare camp can be found here!

Bravo to Sarah's English Language Arts students who recently completed and presented their biography projects for Black History Month. From Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges to Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama-- students did wonderful research. They created some truly beautiful posters displaying the remarkable accomplishments of these greats from history!

Thank you to Sarah and all the parents who attended the special presentations in the English classroom. We learned a lot!

In the Petite Section, students have been learning all about The Three Little Pigs. We read the story and drew pigs using circles and lines. Then we made a house for our pigs that had to have a roof to keep the wolf out! We also made wolves by gluing small pieces of paper to a paper plate and making the face. The results are amazing. Bravo!

Deep into their IB unit exploring "how we express ourselves", the Moyenne Section has been working on the relationship between feelings and colors. They have done a variety of projects, including sorting different paintings based on the feelings they evoke and experimenting with mixed colors. They are now creating mood boards by painting different monsters from a book. Soon, they will add pictures of faces and art pictures expressing various feelings, too.

Kindergarten students are learning all about time. To understand why it's important to measure time, they used different tools to calculate the baking time of the cookies they prepared. They used a timer and chose to bake them for 30 minutes, but the cookies came out burnt. Students then chose to bake them for 2 minutes using an hourglass, but they weren't cooked at all! Finally, they chose to bake them for 10 minutes using a watch, and they were perfect. Bon appétit!

For CP/CE1, the days are filled with fun projects, whether the latest artwork to display (check out Artsonia to see the cutest winter owls!) or the "coolest" science projects including one on temperatures and figuring out when water turns to liquid!

Bravo to the CE2 and CM1 class who have been working on studying the Solar System together. Recently, they built a full model of the solar system and gave presentations on the different planets and everything they have learned through their research. Just in time for the solar eclipse!

This summer, we have a wonderful new crew of summer camp counselors arriving from France and staying in Maine for the season! We would love to offer them the full experience of living with an American host family. No matter if you are only able to host for one, or a few weeks, we would love to piece together a plan for these exchange teachers!

Hosting a French Camp Counselor offers a rich cultural exchange and language learning opportunity. Do not hesitate to contact Willy for more information about hosting a summer camp counselor: wlebihan@frenchschool.me

During the 2023-2024 academic year, 580 schools, including primary schools, middle schools, and high schools, located outside of France across 139 countries, provide education aligned with the standards of the French national education system. These accredited institutions, collectively known as the French Overseas Education Network (AEFE), uphold essential humanist principles such as tolerance, gender equality, equal opportunities, intellectual curiosity, and the promotion of critical thinking. They offer a comprehensive educational journey from early childhood education to the completion of the baccalaureate. Operating within a vibrant, appealing, and globally connected international network, these schools provide students with an exceptionally enriching educational experience.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) is highly regarded for its comprehensive approach to education, aiming to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people. Here are several reasons why the IB PYP is particularly effective in fostering risk-taking and inquiry qualities among students:

### Focus on Inquiry-Based Learning

- **Student-Centered**: The PYP curriculum is designed around inquiry-based learning, which places students at the center of their own learning journey. This approach encourages students to ask questions, seek answers, and explore concepts in depth, fostering a natural curiosity and love for learning.

- **Research Skills**: Students develop strong research skills by engaging in inquiry-based projects. They learn to gather, assess, and interpret information from various sources, a crucial aspect of risk-taking and inquiry.

### Encouragement of Risk-Taking

Safe Learning Environment: The PYP emphasizes creating a safe and supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable taking intellectual risks. This encouragement helps students not fear making mistakes but understand them instead as opportunities for learning and growth.

- **Confidence Building**: Through the process of inquiry and exploration, students build confidence in their abilities to tackle unknown problems and situations. This confidence is key to developing risk-takers who are fearless in stepping out of their comfort zones.

### Development of Essential Skills

- **Critical Thinking**: The curriculum promotes critical thinking by encouraging students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information as part of their learning process. This skill is crucial for successful inquiry and risk-taking.

- **Problem-Solving**: Students are often faced with open-ended questions and challenges that require innovative solutions. This nurtures their ability to approach problems creatively and effectively.

### Interdisciplinary Learning

- **Connecting Concepts**: The PYP curriculum integrates subjects into a coherent whole, helping students make connections between different areas of knowledge. This interdisciplinary approach fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of how the world works, encouraging students to explore and inquire across boundaries.

- **Real-World Relevance**: The curriculum connects learning to real-world issues and contexts, which motivates students to engage in their learning deeply and see the value in taking risks and asking questions.

### International Mindedness

- **Global Perspective**: With its international focus, the PYP encourages students to think globally and consider multiple perspectives. This exposure broadens their understanding and appreciation of different cultures and viewpoints, encouraging open-mindedness—a key trait for successful inquiry and risk-taking.

The IB PYP supports the development of risk-taking and inquiry qualities by providing a holistic, supportive, and challenging learning environment. It equips students with the skills, confidence, and mindset necessary to navigate and contribute to an increasingly complex world.