September 20th, 2023

Bonjour,

The Family Picnic was a huge success-- we're not sure we've ever had bigger smiles on the playground! Students were thrilled to show off their forest village, swinging skills, and enjoy extra play-time with parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends. Thank you so much for helping us kick-off the year in style!

As mentioned in our Back-To-School Meetings for families, we will continue to use two wonderful app's this year to maintain a strong home and school connection. More information about both Seesaw and Artsonia can be found in the articles below.

Coming soon to an inbox near you: an updated School Directory for the new year! The School Directory is a great resource for playdates, parties, and to make connections amongst families in our school community. The directory will be shared directly to only current families at L'Ecole. Contact information details for each family are based on the preferences completed at the time of enrollment. Be on the lookout!

As September swiftly moves along, we are highlighting details for our first Bike Trip for grades 1+ at Wolfe Neck Center on Friday September 22nd! This trip is for all students in the classes of Fabien and Anaelle. If this is your family's first bike trip, please read the details below carefully regarding drop-off and pick-up locations and timing. We ask that you let us know ASAP if your student requires a rental bike. We also want to invite you to the classroom Showcases coming up soon, and highlighted on our Events Calendar. These small presentations of life inside the classroom will be a fun way to share more of what's going on at L'Ecole!

Has your student ever wanted to try a hand at leatherwork? Have an affinity for nature? How about learning to cook? Check out the possibilities in this fall's After-school Club lineup! We ask that you enroll ASAP if interested in joining a club as they are set to begin very soon!

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

Merci beaucoup!

Emily and Willy

Upcoming dates to keep in mind



• September 22: Bike Trip at Wolfe Neck Farm
• September 26: EC3/PS Showcase #1 at 8:45 am 
• September 27: Café et Conversation 8:30 am
• September 28: EC4/MS Showcase #1 at 8:45 am 
• September 29: K/GS Showcase #1 at 8:45 am 
• September 29: Bike Trip at Chebeague Island
• October 6: Early Release, dismissal 11:30, no lunch
• October 9-13: October Break
• October 9: Indigenous People's Day - No School
• October 17: Grade1-2 Showcase #1 at 8:45 am 
• October 18: Café et Conversation 8:30 am
• October 19: Grade 3-4 Showcase #1 at 8:45 am 
• October 20: Bike Trip at Wolfe Neck Farm
• October 31: Halloween Parade at 2 p.m. at School
• November 10: Parent Teacher Conferences - Early Dismissal 11:30 am
• November 10: School Photos at 9:00 am

2023-2024 School Calendar

1st Trimester Events Calendar

We were so impressed with the wonderful turnout from families of all classrooms at our Family Picnic gathering last week. It was a pure delight to share the sunny playground and cool forest with you all! We look forward to offering more community events like this in the future, for all seasons. Thank you to everyone who helped carry out this successful event!

Students bid farewell yesterday to the caterpillar found on the school playground, which evolved into a beautiful butterfly this weekend. The caterpillar's transformation into a butterfly was spectacular. Saying goodbye was poignant, as the butterfly stayed on a tree branch for an hour drying its wings after the morning dew. The butterfly's journey to Mexico sparked curiosity about nature and will certainly leave a lasting impact and connection to Maine's beautiful environment.

The Café et Conversation is a regular event at La Maison.

A revolving presence of school staff attends cafés. You are always welcome to participate in any gathering, even if your child is not in the classroom featured on a particular day. Attending other classrooms' cafés is a great way to meet school families and staff and learn how your child's experience will develop throughout the years.

Coming up Next Week:

Wednesday, September 27, 2023, from 8:30 to 9:00

Location: "La Maison" adjacent to the school

Come on over after drop-off; we look forward to seeing you!

You may have already been able to connect to this year's Seesaw classroom-- for those who have not yet, or are new to L'Ecole or Seesaw, please read on!

Seesaw allows teachers to upload images frequently from classwork, projects, and assignments that will appear on your student's profile within Seesaw. Of course, you'll only have access to the posts your teacher created and applied to your student's profile. In addition, parents will have access to snapshots from the day in the classroom that will help spark conversations at home and with teachers!

If you have yet to connect, please reach out to Emily in the office, who will share a direct link to your teacher's account. After this, teachers will approve and verify your connection, and the sharing will begin!

If you already have an account from previous years or have more than one child (or teacher!) using Seesaw, click the "Sign in" tab at the top of the screen. You will not need to create a new account.

After signing up, download the free Seesaw Family app and check in anytime!

Please reach out to Emily office@frenchschool.me with any questions.

Students who are new to EFDM will need parent approval for their Artsonia account; you will be able to set your preferred privacy settings for your student. New families should watch for an email directly from Artsonia with instructions. Teachers will begin uploading artwork for the year onto each student's profile. Artsonia is a win-win for all! For every keepsake purchased through the Artsonia website with a student's artwork, the school gets further funds to supply future art projects!

The weather is looking great for our first Wolfe Neck Center Bike Trip of the 2023-2024 school year for students grades 1+ coming up, Friday, September 22nd! If you are interested in chaperoning this trip and spending the day with your students' class, please let us know!

All 1st grade and up student(s) 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 (near the campground swingset)

Camping Map

Pick-up for grades 1 through 4 (CP through CM1) will also take place at Recreation Field of West Bay 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.

Exploring the shore and farm center will be an optional way to spend the day for students who do not ride a bike. Please let us know ASAP if your student does not ride independently, or if your student requires a rental. Teachers and chaperones will be equipped with first aid kits, extra sanitizer, wipes, and other essentials to make this trip safe. Please send a packed lunch from home along with your child.

Thank you for helping make this event possible!

Drop-Off Location, Recreation Field of West Bay

Enrollment is now open for our DELF continuing education program for middle/high schoolers and Adult Education classes for the 2023-2024 school year!

Information for DELF, including schedules and enrollment opportunities, can be found via the link below. Payment forms will be shared separately!

DELF

For Adult Education inquiry, please email Laura at delf@frenchschool.me.

We are so proud to have Laura as our DELF Directrice! Check out this video sharing Laura's experiences and thoughts regarding the prestigious training she underwent in France this summer for France Éducation International. Bravo, Laura!

Following the summer break, students return to school eager to refine and revisit the skills they learned in the previous year. One such skill is cursive writing, which holds particular importance in the early grades, such as grades 1 and 2. Cursive writing allows for faster writing and contributes to developing cognitive functions like thinking, language, and working memory. It actively engages brain synapses and promotes synchronization between the left and right brain hemispheres, less emphasized in printing and typing. Beyond its visual appeal, cultivating clear and aesthetically pleasing cursive handwriting brings mental, physical, social, and practical benefits.

Puzzle play is a valuable educational activity for children, contributing to their cognitive, motor, social, emotional, and language development. During puzzle play, youngsters acquire essential spatial vocabulary and sequencing skills as they piece together various puzzle components, enriching their comprehension of spatial concepts and sequential order. Moreover, this activity cultivates problem-solving abilities as children strategize and persist in overcoming challenges, nurturing a sense of accomplishment and determination. Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are progressively developed by manipulating puzzle pieces.

Grande Section students have already explored several new games in their motricité units this week during Sport! Here's a great video of teams racing and practicing some gross motor activity. Merci, Alison, for all you do to fill the day with fun!

Anaëlle's class is certainly not your traditional classroom-- students often learn through play and that means they aren't always to be found at their desks! This week, students shared a math lesson while playing Bingo. What a fun way to spend the afternoon!

English students have been busy this week with Rhyming activities, writing lessons, and starting their read-aloud books for the season. Even first graders have had their first few phonics lessons and are loving it! We are grateful to Sarah for all her hard work. Thanks for making English Language Arts class one of the best parts of the day!

We are thrilled to offer afterschool clubs again this season! Club fees are separate from garderie (aftercare) hours, but your child may participate in a club and attend garderie after the club concludes on any given day. In case of cancellation due to staff absence or weather, individual sessions will not be rescheduled. There will be a minimum enrollment for each activity to be offered. Club fees are nonrefundable, unless minimum number of participants are not reached (5 students per club).

• Deadline to enroll for your chosen club(s) is Friday September 22nd.

• Each club activity will run once per week for 10-week sessions, please see exact dates for each club sessions below, from 3:30-4:30 pm.

• Each club costs $200 per session. ($20 per club session)

Mondays- COOKING with Anaelle, ALL AGES

Students will learn recipes and practice their cooking skills for a variety of meals!

Club dates: Oct. 2nd, Oct. 16th, Oct. 23rd, Oct. 30th, Nov. 6th, Nov. 13th, Nov. 27th, Dec. 4th, Dec. 11th

Tuesdays- LEATHER with Raphael, GRADES 2 and up

Students will be introduced to basic leatherwork tools and techniques, creating useful and beautiful items of their own!

Club dates: Oct. 4th, Oct. 17th, Oct. 24th, Oct. 31st, Nov. 7th, Nov. 14th, Nov. 21st, Nov. 28th, Dec. 5th, Dec. 12th

Wednesdays- OUTDOOR EXPLORING with Fabien, GRADES 1 and up

Students will explore nearby trails, practice map-reading skills, and get some great outdoor exercise throughout the fall season! 

Club dates: Sept. 27th, Oct. 4th, Nov. 1st, Nov. 8th, Nov. 15th, Nov. 29th, Dec. 6th, Dec. 13th

Sign-Up for one, two, or all three clubs HERE!

The agency is the keystone of the PYP as it allows students to take learning outside the classroom. Students with agency have the voice, choice, and ownership to take meaningful and intentional action, acknowledging the rights and responsibilities of individuals and supporting the voice, choice, and ownership of everyone in the learning community.

Student-initiated action will be considered a dynamic outcome of agency and an integral part of the learning process that can arise at any time.The Enhanced PYP

Student-initiated action can be as small as changing opinions on a subject after reflection or as large as contacting local authorities about an important issue. The size of the action is far from what is important as what really matters is how action and agency, along with the other elements of the PYP framework work to strengthen students’ confidence in their capacity to make a positive change in the world.

What does Action look like? 

• A change in attitude
• A consideration or plan for action in the future
• A demonstration of responsibility
• A commitment to leading or participating in a youth advocacy group
• An engagement in school decision-making
• An expression of support in community, local, and global decision-making.

Ways to Support Student Action at Home:

• Acknowledging and celebrating the various forms of action that occur
• Guiding students to reflect on their actions and adjust their course of action when necessary
• Planning for inquiry that supports making informed choices
• Providing opportunities for skills development that facilitates action.
• Helping students connect action with personal experiences
• Celebrating student action with others
• Encouraging students to consider the appropriateness and impact of their actions
• Supporting students in establishing and maintaining connections to local and wider communities.
• Engaging students in dialogue around what action is
• Acknowledging the various forms of action with lived/personal experiences
• Analyzing the scope of possibilities for action
• Supporting students in establishing and maintaining connections to local and wider communities by providing service learning opportunities in response to need, such as volunteering.

Bonjour,

My name is Claudia Scherer-Effosse, and I'm the new Director General of the AEFE.

A diplomat since 1990, I have held various positions in France and abroad: China, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, the United States, and Argentina, before being appointed Ambassador to Estonia in 2016, then to Argentina in 2019, in Buenos Aires, a city that is home to two very fine approved schools.

During my career, I've been lucky enough to visit, follow, and accompany several French international lycées and discover the beauty of this unique network. I've been able to observe the richness of human relations within these establishments, to see the solidarity that exists, and to marvel at the dynamism of each and every one of you.

As the mother of two children who spent most of their schooling in the network, I am indebted to AEFE for providing them with an education that has helped them succeed in their studies and their entry into professional life.

.... Read More ....