ANGLOPHONE SECTION

Dear Parents,

Spring has officially sprung in grand bouquets of bright greens, pinks, and yellows.  We hope you've had some time to take in these welcoming colours and warmth of the sunshine - or at least did before the snow fell on fresh buds on April Fool's Day!

Looking further back to March 14th (two years into the Covid-19 pandemic) the government shifted to a Niveau 1 Covid security level, meaning masks off for the students in school, both in and out of the classrooms. There are still cases of Covid occurring, thanks to the ubiquitous Omicron variant, but you are not alone if you or your children are getting refamiliarised with the common cold or flu again, too!  All to say that we express our support for anyone who feels more comfortable wearing a mask for whatever reason they may have during this transitional time and season.

The Board is busy as ever with many projects and changes on our horizon including the recruitment of the new Head of Section and the introduction of the new Baccalauréat Français International (BFI).  We are extremely pleased to announce that, after a long and rigorous selection process, Dr Simon Matthew Herd has accepted the position of Head of Section, beginning in the academic year 2022-2023. You can read the full announcement, which was sent to parents by email, here. As for the BFI, schools all around France are still gathering information as it becomes available. We are fortunate that Rob Miller, the current Head of Section, has been able to hold on-line meetings with seconde parents (the first class who will be affected by this change as they approach graduation), sharing the somewhat complex information coming to the school from the Ministry of National Education.

We are also happy to report that some field trips have been confirmed for this year. On Monday 4th April, a very successful 6e/5e trip to Grotte de Chauvet went ahead as planned. In June the seconde Drama Option will travel to Paris where they will visit theatres and take in a couple of shows. Our thanks to all staff members who have taken the time and energy to organise and chaperone these trips, which are such a highlight for our children.

We also want to acknowledge and thank APESA families and staff members who are hosting refugee families, and the group of lycée students who have organised the collection of donations for Ukrainian people in need. As you may have seen on their Instagram account (@csistandswithukraine) the list of acceptable items has recently changed, but the drop-off arrangements remain the same as outlined in our recent blog post.  

Speaking of benevolent actions, we want to express our continued thanks to all the parent volunteers who have been pitching in as much as they can whenever we ask for help. The Board has recently established a new Volunteer Committee: it's not too late for you to join in as we rally to make this a satisfying and fun way to contribute to your children's experience at the CSI. Even a few hours can make a difference -  especially if the turn out is strong! We encourage you to join in, if you are able, simply by letting us know you are interested here:  volunteering@csianglo.org
The first (post-restrictions) social event has already been planned: a Coffee Morning and English Children's Book Sale for all Anglophone parents, to be held in the lycèe canteen on Friday 6th May, 08h30 to 10h30. Please do RSVP to the above email address if you are able to join us: we look forward to welcoming you then. 

We hope you enjoy a bright and colourful month ahead despite the challenges of Covid, world affairs, Sahara sand dustings, snow, or allergies. Good news is blooming all around us, and we look forward to bringing you more of that in the weeks to come.

 

The APESA Board