September 23, 2021
Featured in this week's News de Nous: Max Book Club is back, Directory coming soon, a peek into the classrooms, latest enrollment news, Adult Education information, plus a performance from our CM Class!! After all of this you'll definitely need a coffee break- so please join us for Café et Conversation under the Tiki Hut on Tuesday!!!. These stories and more are a mere scroll away...
Highlights, Notes and Announcements
Bonjour!

Things are moving full steam ahead, and we are pleased with how well the students are excelling! We will even have our first classroom performance this Friday by our 3rd, 4th & 5th-grade students!
This performance will be held at 3:30 PM on Friday under the Tiki Hut!

Some families are still missing paperwork to complete their child's administrative file! Letters with the missing paperwork are going home for completion this weekend. We need these forms returned by Monday as we are gearing up for our bi-annual inspections! Thank you for your cooperation in returning the necessary paperwork!

As a reminder, we are compiling the School Directory and your response is needed: If you would like to be included in the FASTB Directory, please complete the Directory form and return it by Friday, September 24th. We have only received 4 forms to date, so we will extend the deadline for distribution to families to October 11th. Merci!

Please make sure your children are arriving on time for school. We want our students to excel at school which requires them to be here when instruction begins. Students are missing out on crucial instruction for the day when they arrive late as well as posing a disruption to the students who are already in place on time. Let's all strive to be respectful of our students and teaching staff by being in our seats ready to learn at 8:30 AM!

As always, please reach out to Tamye in the office with any questions: tamye.crutchfield@fastb.org or you may call the school between 7:30 am - 3:30 PM.
Bravo les Artistes!
What is Artsonia? So glad you asked!

Artsonia is the world's most extensive collection of student art, published by teachers and students from around the world. Parents and family can view the art online, leave comments, and order keepsakes featuring the artwork.

The artwork created by your child is uploaded onto the school's Virtual Art Gallery, where you can view it and order items featuring your own child's artwork! C'est fantastique!!

What's more, your purchase helps support our Arts Program! Artsonia gives back 20% of your purchase to the school so that we can buy more art materials, and your kids can make even more fabulous creations! Voilà!!
Middle School Students Build to Learn
Middle school students are learning how to use math and geometry skills to build projects around their school. They have built shelves and picnic tables! They are putting their math skills to use, caring for their environment, and learning new practical life skills!
MS Students Work On Pre-Writing
Students in MS worked on individual skills tasks designed to strengthen their pincer grasp. These are pre-writing skills that help their hand-to-eye coordination and control.
STEAM Based Engineering Lessons in GS Kindergarten
Our little GS engineers got into building 3D objects this week with a construction set called BAMBOUCHI.

The kindergarteners applied themselves! They began by following the instructions on their small card. First, they had to figure out how many sticks and stars they needed. Next, they had to determine their size and color and then request their small equipment in French. They worked methodically, step by step until they completed their objects.

The students were very impressive, and we're so proud of their accomplishments.
Bravo!
Creative Writing In Cycle 3 touches on student experience
The students in Olivier’s class are finishing their preparations for the presentation of their first play.

The show will take place on Friday 24 at 3.30 PM under the Tiki Hut. The story is set in a classroom. The teacher suggests a math problem to the students, and the students want to change the wording ... Unfortunately, the Director and Minister of Education enter the class! See how this story unfolds!

Parents of the class are invited as well as any other relatives or friends who wish to attend.
"Café et Conversation" Under the Tiki Hut !
This week's Café et Conversation gathering for parents under the Tiki Hut was a lot of fun! We enjoyed learning about the upcoming club structure from Tamye. We also learned about how Magali is helping our students evolve in their artistic skills.

A HUGE thank you to Dunkin Donuts, located at 62nd & 4th, for donating the donuts and coffee for our meetings this semester! If you are out and about craving a good cup of coffee please stop by and see them! Don't forget to thank them for their support of our school!

Café et Conversation happens on Tuesday mornings from 8:30AM - 9:00AM! All are welcome to join us and hear from our staff on a weekly basis!
Max Book Club Is Back
Again this year, we are encouraging reading in French through our participation in the MAX Book Club. This Book Club is offered to children all over the world by the renowned French publisher, l'école des loisirs.

Your child will receive 8 French books in all, sent to the school monthly from November to June. There is a variety of different reading levels available. Numerous families participated in past years. Our students enjoyed the books with their families and began to build their libraries of beautiful French books!

Subscriptions are all completed online this year. Orders should be placed no later than Thursday, September 30th to ensure timely delivery of the November books.

Here's how to subscribe:

  • Click this link or the image above to connect to the Group Subscriptions home page (**very important to follow all the Group prompts - you get a significant subscription discount, and the school will receive a copy of each book for our library).
  • Scroll down the home page to see each level - and then click for a brief preview of each book in this year's collection. Please note that you can order more than one level!!!
  • Once you have decided on the level(s), scroll back up on the home page and click the red "subscribe" button.
  • A warning box will pop up; click "continue with Group subscriptions."
  • On the next page, select the levels you want to order and fill out the personal info below - be sure to put the school name and our address, which is:
2100 62nd Avenue N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
  • From there, continue to follow prompts to payment.

We need three subscriptions to qualify as a group - you may see mention of that or a prompt to choose an individual subscription. Again, please follow the group path. We should have at least three subscriptions - hopefully many more!

One other note is that all books, at any level, will have a digital version available starting in November, and subscribers have privileged access to "l'école des loisirs à la maison" for games, videos, activities, and more.

We hope you will be able to participate this year!!
Please let Olivier know if you have any questions regarding the MAX book club or the process. Thank you!
2021-2022 Club Calendar
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After School Clubs Are Back!

We have been diligently planning our After School Clubs for the past few weeks and we are excited to announce this year's club offerings! We have lined up a fantastic selection of after-school activities that your students will enjoy throughout the year!

Monday: Arts & Crafts with Sami
Tuesday: Spanish with Sarah
Wednesday: Etiquette and Dance with Victoria
Thursday: Gymnastics with Sami
Friday: Funday Friday with Tracy

Cost:
$150/each activity for 10 weekly sessions from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

You may sign your student up by emailing Tamye. Please be sure to indicate your club choice - you are more than welcome to sign up for multiple clubs as well!
Music Together In-School Program Begins Year 4 at FASTB!
We are thrilled to welcome back Music & Me, offering the Music Together In-School Program at FASTB for 2021-22! Music & Me will work with each class outside under the Tiki Hut, bringing this terrific music appreciation program to our students. This fun, hands-on approach includes everything from basic rhythms with the younger students to songwriting with our middle schoolers. As with every member of our staff, the Music & Me Teacher will have a temperature and wellness check upon arrival each week and, during this COVID time, will not conduct any music lessons inside.
Making the PYP Happen
During the next six weeks, FASTB's teachers will be taking an IB course online: Making the PYP Happen. This course is offered in French and in English, which is ideal for our school community. Congratulations to our staff on this essential first step towards the implementation of the IB Primary Years Programme.
2021 Good Burger Awards - FASTB is a finalist, please vote for us!

A Good ‘Burger is a business, organization, or individual in greater St. Pete making a positive impact in our community. In honor of a former mayor who referred to his citizens as “burgers” (as in St. Petersburgers), the Good ‘Burger Awards were established to honor those who contribute in a positive way to make our community special.

FASTB is a finalist in the category Arts and Culture, establishing St. Pete as an Arts & Culture destination on the national stage.


Award winners will be determined by popular vote. Voting is open to the public from Monday, August 30, 2021, to Friday, October 1, 2021. Winners will be announced during the 9th Annual Good ‘Burger Awards on Thursday, October 28, 2021. Tickets are required to attend.
Thank you for voting for FASTB; friends and family can vote too :-)
FASTB Is Still Enrolling: No Prior French Needed for Ages 3-5
We are continuing to enroll our Preschool & Pre-K students. Over the summer months, we have worked hard to enroll in the Florida VPK Program and are awaiting our contract to be signed. This is a great program that will allow ALL of our 4-year-old students to receive additional resources from the State of Florida! We would love your help to get the word out that we now have this program available, so we offer a Referral Credit of $250 for each student you refer who enrolls before October 15th.

As a reminder: Rising Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade students can enter our immersion environment with no previous instruction in French. These years are foundational for language development, and students at this age are particularly suited to thrive in this environment.

In case you missed them, please take a look at these articles - why it's great to start learning a language at a young age; and this article on the cognitive benefits of multilingualism.

At FASTB, Kindergarten students are not only at a great age to learn a second language, but they also have the bonus of being eligible for Florida scholarships (must be 5 on September 1), which are available to students K & up. Please see the latest on Florida scholarships and Step Up for Students in the article above to learn how you could benefit from this great offering in Florida.

Private Virtual Tours

You hear things about language immersion, but what does it actually look like? Well, the best way to see what we do first-hand is to schedule a private virtual tour, which will take you inside our dynamic and safe classrooms to see where it all happens.

We also conduct after-hours in-person tours and will continue to do so through the fall months.

You can also feel free to visit our Admissions page and website to explore further what we offer and learn about our admissions process.

We look forward to hearing from you soon - merci!
Adult Education and DELF classes are back!
Bonjour!

We are very excited to announce that Adult French classes and DELF preparatory classes return to FASTB this year! Unfortunately, because of Covid precautions, our first semester will be online only. The Fall semester includes 13 classes, from the week of September 13th to December 18th.
You can find the class description, costs, and online enrollment form on our web page. https://fastb.org/community/adult-education/

Adult Ed:
The classes take place on weekdays, typically between 5-8:30 pm; please send us your availability if you are interested in joining a class!
Email address: adulted@fastb.org

DELF preparatory classes:
At FASTB, we offer a preparatory course for students from middle school/high school and adults. The classes prepare the students for the DELF exams. The Diplôme d’Etudes de Langue Française (DELF) (English: Diploma in French Studies) is a certification of French-language abilities for non-native speakers of French, administered by the International Centre for French Studies (Centre International d’Etudes Pédagogiques or CIEP) for France’s Ministry of Education.
The French American School of Tampa Bay has also become an official testing center for the DELF and DALF, alleviating the previous need to travel to take the DELF exams. The DELF Exam designed by the CIEP is an official qualification awarded by the French Ministry of Education certifying a level of fluency in French. Such certifications are useful for school records, as well as college and job applications. The classes are an hour and a half each week after school, sometime between 3:30 to 6 pm.
For those interested in finding out more about these classes, we will have a virtual Open House on Tuesday, September 7th at 7 pm on Zoom. Specific log-in details will be sent in the coming days to all who participated last year and those who have expressed interest so far this year. If you would like to be included, please send an email to adulted@fastb.org with your name, contact information, availability, and level in French (beginner, intermediate or advanced).

Merci!
Emmy Decker adulted@fastb.org
Soy and Milk Allergies at FASTB
Two students at FASTB have an allergy to Milk and Soy.

Food allergies affect about 6% to 8% of children in the United States. Allergic reactions can be life-threatening, and in rare cases, deadly. While emergency treatment is available for allergic reactions, there is no cure yet. The only treatment for food allergies is the strict avoidance of allergens. Sometimes a small amount of allergen can cause a reaction.

We ask parents to explain to their child/children not to share food with other kids and let them know that other than not eating allergenic food, children with allergies can do everything else!
FASTB Wellness Team Effort
Thank you to our parents and staff for being vigilant about spotting symptoms, per the Wellness Agreement. It is great to have everyone looking out for one another during this persistent time of COVID cases rising. For those not familiar, our Wellness Agreement is signed by families and staff, pledging to monitor for the prominent COVID-19 symptoms and stay home if these symptoms appear. Additionally, we do temperature checks every day and practice distancing, hand washing, and wearing face coverings to keep each other safe!
COVID-19: Protocols, Recommendations, and Waiver
Would you please read carefully and become familiar with the drop-off/pick-up procedures and other guidelines?

Here is a summary of our 2021-2022 protocols and recommendations:

  • We encourage all parents/caretakers/older siblings to get vaccinated.
  • Masks are strongly encouraged for all members of our school community inside the school during operating hours (teachers and staff, students, and parents, as well as vendors, volunteers, and visitors). In addition, they are recommended outside on the school grounds.
  • Masks will be encouraged inside regardless of vaccination status.
  • Access to the school building is limited to essential workers and students. 

Our number one priority is always to do our best to protect our community. We need to create a safe environment for all our students who do not have the opportunity to be vaccinated. 

The school is extremely grateful to the following parents, who are medical professionals, for sharing their time, expertise and for helping us write clear protocols.
At the French American School of Tampa Bay:
Dr. Gaetane Michaud, MD, Pulmonary Critical Care, Tampa General Hospital and USF Tampa
At l'Ecole Française du Maine: 
Dr. James Gallea, MD, Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr. Lisa Lucas, DO, Primary Care Physician

WAIVER: Parents wishing that their child does not wear a mask inside and /or outside may request an exemption from School Director Tamye Crutchfield: tamye.crutchfield@fastb.org
Suzuki Guitar with Alex Gammon - Registration is open!
Our returning families already know Alex through his role (and popularity) as the Music Together Teacher for the past three years at FASTB. So, you probably already know how much the kids adore him, have heard about his amazing baritone voice and his excellent guitar playing! We are delighted to inform you that Alex will be returning to FASTB but in a new role in 2021-2022. Alex is going to be starting a Suzuki Guitar Program, with his studio located at FASTB!!! Of course, FASTB students will be first in line to sign up for lessons!

It was a treat to meet Alex this summer, in Maine, where he visited L’Ecole Française du Maine and met with the Suzuki Guitar Teacher, Gary Wittner. Gary gave Alex many helpful tips and ideas on how to bring this opportunity of a Suzuki Guitar Program to life in St Pete. It’s very exciting!

Alex got his first guitar at age 13, just for show. Still, when his family thrust him into private lessons with Sarasota guitarist Jami Gee, he centered his life around the instrument, learning jazz, rock, and classical pieces. As a teen, Alex played guitar in the Fogt’s Junior All-Star Band, which performed at Sarasota retirement homes and blues festivals, covering old swing hits and dancey jazz tunes.

After studying Childhood Anthropology at Florida State, Alex was intrigued by Early Childhood Development, which led him to the Music Together program. Blending his passion for Music and Early Childhood Development, Alex passed the Music Together and Canta y Baila Teacher Training in the fall of 2018 and winter of 2019, respectively. He began working with FASTB students in December 2018, teaching the Music Together in School, Rhythm Kids, and Music History/Ukulele curriculums.

He took the role of the FASTB Suzuki guitar teacher in the Fall of 2021, hoping to bring music to the students' lives via his favorite instrument. We are thrilled to have Alex on board, offering this exciting opportunity to our school families. If you are interested in having your child take guitar (or ukulele) from this devoted teacher, you can contact him directly at:

(941) 321-7962

Rest assured- Music Together with Music & Me will also return, and we will introduce you to the new teacher soon :-)
The French American School of Tampa Bay
2100 62nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Telephone: (727) 800-2159
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