ANGLOPHONE SECTION

Dear Students and Parents,

 

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the last edition of newsbite for the year. And what a year! It has been a rollercoaster of events, ending in a hot, frantic and rather sticky finish.

 

With the lifting of the Covid restrictions, we have been able to finish the year with many of our activities taking place in person. ‘Language Week’ and the ‘CM2 Oscars’ both went ahead as planned, allowing our young primary pupils to get out, enjoy themselves and display their many talents. We also welcomed Aimée de Jongh (author and artist of the graphic novel ‘Grains of Sand’) into the classrooms to run inspiring and illuminating workshops with primary and collège students.  

 

For the Lycée students it has been very much ‘nose to the grindstone’ as they prepared for and sat their IGCSE and OIB / Bac exams. Nonetheless, many of them made the effort to stay engaged in other activities such as ILYMUN and the ongoing charity appeal for Ukraine. Many Terminale students have made applications to continue their studies in universities around the world and we wish them all every success in their applications. We will certainly look forward to hearing more from them in January 2023 when we hope that many will return for the annual Alumni presentations.

 

There are many, many exciting developments to look forward to next year. Both the primary and secondary Anglophone Section libraries are set to expand their collections. Section trips and extra-curricular activities (including ILYMUN 2023) are already in the planning stages. Première students will start studying towards a brand new diploma called the Baccalauréat Français Internationale (BFI), which will replace the Option International de Baccalauréat (OIB). We will also have an expanded University Guidance team, under the leadership of Chelsey David and Lorna Cassan, who will gradually introduce a new programme of reflection and research for the 3ème up to Terminale students. 

 

The staff of the Anglophone Section are well-placed to support and develop our students in the coming years. Nicola Hill, Kat Weinert and Alan Geary are all the global coordinators for their subjects within the OIB and bring their great experience and knowledge to bear for the benefit of our students. I would also like to congratulate Katrina Fullerton (primary), who has recently completed her Masters of Education with a specialism in ICT: she was awarded the Biggar Award for the highest scoring dissertation.

 

Sadly, as we look forward, we also need to say thank you and good-bye to several staff members who will be leaving us this year. Myriam Ardoin and Alicia Wielemaker, both relatively new but highly valued members of the collège LL team, are moving on to new posts elsewhere in France. We will not have the skilful input of Keith Gilroy in the 2e Drama option. Our dear Emily Roze and Anna Coghlan are leaving for new lives in the US and UK respectively. We shall miss the energy, creativity and professionalism which all of you have brought to the section. We can not thank you enough for everything that you have brought to the Section and to the students in your charge.

 

I will also be closing my computer and moving out of the office for good. My time at the CSI Lyon has been a wonderful experience despite the challenges, both personal and professional, of the last five years. I am hugely appreciative of  the youthful, inquisitive and creative energy of the wonderful students in our charge. The fantastic staff of the Section and the school display an incredible level of dedication to their students and to the teaching profession. Together, staff and students, they transform the somewhat stern structure of the CSI Lyon into a warm, welcoming and nurturing centre of learning and life.

 

I’m happy to welcome Simon Herd as the new Head of the Anglophone Section. I know that he will be admirably supported by our excellent senior management team of Nicola Hill, Kat Weinert and Eve Bellanca, their super subject teams, the wonderful administrative team and our super-efficient, amiable Tom. 

 

I thank you all profoundly and wish you all a stimulating new year of learning.

 

Fond regards,

​

Rob Miller

Head of the Anglophone Section