October 2nd, 2025

Bonjour,

October is off to a vibrant start at L’École! From classroom showcases, fun field trips, and daily discoveries, students and teachers are eager to share the joy of learning, growth, and community with families.

Tomorrow is our final fall Bike Trip for grades 1+ at Wolfe Neck Center.

Pick out your outfits, Picture Day it set for Thursday October 9th! Sharyn Peavey will spend the morning taking individual, sibling, and class photos of the school population. Read more below, and check out her website for more info.

The route for this year's Halloween Parade is shared in this edition of the newsletter! We hope you have your costumes ready and are able to share in the fun-- parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. can plan to meet us on the playground for a 2pm departure around the neighborhood for treats! This is such a fun community event, we hope you can make it.

As a reminder, a Professional Day (no school) on Friday October 10th will begin the week off of school for October Vacation. A link to enroll in childcare camp for Tues-Fri Oct. 14-17 was shared with families who inquired-- please let us know if you need a resend!

Bonjour to Big News!

We’re thrilled to share that the French School of Maine is now an official DELF exam center! There are only 39 in the entire U.S. and we made the cut!

That means we can now host the DELF French language exam right here at La Maison Française du Maine — for our students and for adults.

Sign up for class! Any questions at: delf@frenchschool.me

As always, please contact the office with any questions at office@frenchschool.me

Merci beaucoup!

Emily and Willy

Upcoming dates to keep in mind



• Friday, Oct. 3: Bike Trip at Wolfe's Neck for grades 1-6
• Monday, Oct. 6: Grade 5-6 Showcase $1 English at 8:45 am
• Tuesday, Oct. 7: Grade 3-4 Showcase #1 English at 8:45 am
• Wednesday, Oct. 8: Grade 2 Showcase #1 English at 8:45 am
• Thursday, Oct. 9: School Picture Day
• Thursday Oct. 9: Grade 1 Showcase #1 English at 8:45 am
• Friday Oct. 10: Professional Development Day, No School
• Monday Oct. 13: Indigenous People's Day, No School
• Monday Oct 13- Friday Oct. 17: October Break, No School (Vacation Camp open for those who require it!)
• Friday October 31: Halloween Parade at 2:00 pm
• Friday November 7: Make-up School Picture Day
• Friday November 7: Early Release & Parent Teacher Conferences, 11:30 am dismissal
• Monday Nov. 10 - Tuesday Nov. 11: Veteran's Day Holiday, No school
• Wednesday Nov. 12: Grade 1 Showcase #2 French at 8:45 am
• Wednesday Nov. 12: Cafe et Conversation at 8:30 am
• Thursday Nov. 13: Grade 2-3 Showcase #2 French at 8:45 am
• Friday Nov. 14: Grade 4-6 Showcase #2 French at 8:45 am
• Monday Nov. 24: Suzuki Concert: All Musi Students at 2:00 pm
• Wednesday Nov. 26 - Friday Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Break, No School

2025-2026 School Calendar

2025-2026 Events Calendar

What a beautiful session we've enjoyed for our bike trips this year! Please be mindful of the specific drop -off and pick-up times at Wolfe's Neck Center. This ensures a timely start to the adventure, as well as the timely return of teachers to school at the end of the day. Merci!

 Wolfe Neck Center 

All 1st grade and up students will need to be dropped off between 9:00 and 9:30 am at Wolfe's Neck Center instead of at EFDM, so those with younger students at EFDM can drop off at the school first.

The drop-off location: Recreation Field of West Bay (by the campground playground)

Camping Map

Pick-up for grades 1-5 will also take place at the same Recreation Field between 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm, so those with younger siblings to pick up can get to EFDM between 3:00-3:30 pm.

The trip will require a packed lunch for your child as usual. Your student will need a bike and helmet. Teachers and chaperones will be equipped with first aid kits and other essentials to make this trip safe for all.

No more training wheels! Bravo les cyclistes!

Our Petite and Moyenne Section students kicked off autumn with a joyful apple-picking field trip, joined by many family chaperones! The day was filled with crisp fall air, rosy-cheeked children, and baskets brimming with apples. Students not only picked apples straight from the trees but also enjoyed a lively talk on the fascinating world of honey bees and their important role in the orchard. Back at school, the adventure continued in the kitchen as teachers and students rolled up their sleeves to peel, cut, and prepare homemade apple sauce—our very first culinary project of the year. The result? A sweet (and slightly messy!) taste of fall that everyone was proud to share. 

Thank you to everyone who has joined us for recent showcases! Students are always so proud to share a glimpse of their learning and daily school life, and teachers love highlighting the magic that happens each day—whether it’s the IB in action, connections to projects you may have heard students mention at home, or the rich French language exchange among peers.

A note of reminder: Families of younger students are warmly invited to attend showcases beyond their child’s current grade. For example, English class showcases offer a wonderful preview of what’s to come and a chance to see how English learning takes shape at L’École in the elementary years!

Mark your calendar for this year's School Picture Day, coming up on Thursday October 9th! If your student does not usually come to school on Thursdays, but you'd like their picture taken, feel free to arrange a time to visit just for pictures by reaching out to Emily. A make-up Picture Day is also scheduled for Friday Nov. 7, for anyone who may be absent on the 9th.

Individual portraits, as well as full class and sibling photos, will be taken for all students. Downloads, beautiful prints as well as personalized items will be available for purchase directly from the photographer, Sharon Peavey-- please check her website for more info!

Preparations are in place for one of the most favorite traditions and community events of our school year, the much-loved Halloween Parade! Students and familiars will march alongside teachers and classmates through South Freeport village, fully in costume, collecting treats along the way. This community celebration is a great chance to meet other families and share in some fun. We are hoping for a boo-tiful autumn day!

This year, the event will take place from 2 pm to 3 pm on Friday, October 31st. Parents, siblings, grandparents, and relatives are all welcome to come along!

Students, ghosts and ghouls should come to school dressed in their normal clothes on Friday, October 31st, with a costume in their bag. Teachers will be able to help students get into their costumes before the parade.

The parade will be split into two gruesome groups: Jenny, Fabien, and Anaelle's classes will start at 2 PM, followed by Raphaël and Beth's at 2:10 PM.

The entire school will parade from the playground, down Park St. to the Bernard residence, and onward down the hill toward  Brewer's Marina hosted by Stephanie and John Brewer, former parents of l'Ecole. We will also stop at the Ellis residence on the return trip, with a final treat waiting at the Village Market. Parents of younger creatures may plan to park down at the Freeport Wharf and walk up to meet our group on the school playground so they can drive back to school instead of walking back up the big hill. 

A small treat will be waiting at each stop, after which we will return as a group for dismissal from the playground, as usual. Please only take your child home after confirming dismissal with their teacher, even if you plan to drive back to school from the marina. We extend a special thanks to our hosts- the Brewer, Bernard, and Ellis families- for inviting us to "trick-or-treat" once more this year!

Pumpkins with a Story!: The beautiful pumpkins decorating our school this fall come from Applewald Farm in Litchfield—a truly magical place just a short drive away!

From left to right: Emily Smith (French School Director) Jennifer Lemaire (DELF, Adult Ed and French Curriculum Coordinator) and Anaëlle Marret (DELF and Adult Ed Teacher) in front of La Maison Française du Maine.

Bonjour to Big News!

We’re thrilled to share that the French School of Maine is now an official DELF exam center! There are only 39 in the entire U.S. and we made the cut!

That means we can now host the DELF French language exam right here at La Maison Française du Maine — for our students and for adults.

What’s DELF?

It stands for Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française — an international diploma awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify French language skills. It’s recognized around the world and never expires!

Middle Schoolers Rocked It!

Thanks to Anaëlle’s awesome classes, several of our students took (and passed!) the DELF last year. Bravo!

New This Year: French for Adults!

We’re planning fun, low-pressure 1-hour weekly French classes just for grown-ups:

• Beginner (A1–A2): “Bonjour! Je m’appelle...”
• Intermediate (B1–B2): Level up your French game!

Interested? Let us know — and bring a friend!

To organize these classes in the best way, please use the following survey to let us know your interest/level/availability. This will help us move forward with setting up the groups and the schedule.

Any questions at: delf@frenchschool.me