Featured in this week's News de Nous: Middle School Plans Halloween Fun, English Language Arts Announcement, After School Clubs in full swing, a Peek into the Classrooms, Ultimate Frisbee...These stories and more are a mere scroll away... |
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Highlights, Notes and Announcements |
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All hands on deck! Our crew is growing!
A lot is happening at FASTB this week- including many positive changes!
We warmly welcome a new English Language Arts Teacher, Maeve, to our faculty (see article below), and we thank Mindy for her flexibility and willingness to step into a new and important role, helping in the school office. From now on when you call the school, you are likely to hear Mindy's friendly voice! Mindy will also be answering emails and will gladly get messages to the teachers for you. Finally, we are very fortunate to have extra hands on deck these days at school! We have a new teacher's aide on staff, Ivana, who will assist with lunch and recess duties and more to give our teachers some well-deserved extra breaks! Our playground pirate ship is on course for smooth sailing ahead!
Welcome, Maeve, Mindy, and Ivana to your new roles in the FASTB Team!
The Parents Association has a meeting tomorrow Friday at 3PM Tiki Hut to plan activities for the school year. Congratulations - as a FASTB parent, you are automatically a member of the PA!! (- and did we mention, your help would be very welcome indeed!) Please reach out to find how you can be involved! Merci!
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Nov 2-3-4-5
Parents, please watch for a separate email coming your way including the information to sign up for your child's conference. We look forward to speaking with you about your student's progress!
Professional Day on Tuesday Nov 16: No School Please mark your calendar! As you know, we are working diligently towards becoming an IB World School offering the IB PYP- Primary Years Programme, and this is no small undertaking!. As an approved Candidate School, we are on our way! Currently, our teachers are enrolled in an IB class and we will be taking a professional development day for this purpose on Tuesday Nov 16.
Thank you for supporting our efforts! Merci beaucoup!
School Council Election on Tuesday, November 2nd
On November 2nd, Election Day, you will have the opportunity to vote for our three parent representatives who will serve for one year. The timeline from now and November 2nd is as follows:
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Oct 22-26 Nomination period please email the names to info@fastb.org
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Monday, Nov 1 Ballots shared with envelope - at drop-off and pick-up, we will provide one paper ballot and instructions for each parent with an envelope
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Tuesday, Nov 2 Parents submit vote - parents submit sealed envelope with ballots at drop-off or pick-up. The top 3 vote getters are the representatives. Results will be announced on November 4.
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Meet Maeve Mulvie, English Language Arts Teacher |
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Originally from Scotland, Maeve completed her undergraduate studies in art and design in Manchester, England before embarking on a Post Graduate Diploma in Primary Education at the University of Glasgow. She is also currently completing a MA in Art Education at Boston University. After beginning her teaching career in Scotland, Maeve accepted a position at an international school in Chicago. While there, she taught general elementary and also coordinated the primary art curriculum. After a short spell teaching in Hong Kong, Maeve then spent five years teaching English at the International School of Boston, where she became very experienced with working in a bilingual setting. Most recently, Maeve taught at an independent K-8 school in the Seattle area before relocating to Florida with her husband and young son. She is very excited to be joining the team at FASTB as the English Language Arts Teacher.
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Dear FASTB Families,
I would like to introduce myself as the new English Language Arts Teacher at FASTB. I am excited to be joining the FASTB team, and very much looking forward to meeting the students and their families!
As you will see from my ‘bio’, I am originally from Scotland and have gained many teaching experiences both in the US and internationally. Most relevant to my new role at FASTB, I spent five years teaching English at the International School of Boston.
As well as language arts, I have a particular interest in art education, and often like to integrate elements of this into reading and writing projects. I find this to be a fantastic way to create meaningful and engaging learning opportunities for my students.
I intend to meet with students’ families in mid-November, to talk further about the English curriculum and the types of projects and lessons we will be doing. I will also be happy to answer any questions you may have for me then.
In the meantime, I would very much appreciate it if students could prepare two things to bring to English class on Monday, October 25th. The details are listed below, but please do reach out via info@fastb.org if you have any questions about this.
Thank you!
Best wishes,
Maeve Mulvie
Please bring the following things to class on Monday, October 25th, and plan on them staying in the classroom for the remainder of the week:
1. A ‘Just Right’ English book that you have recently enjoyed reading or are currently reading. ‘Just Right’ means a book that you think is a good fit for you – not too difficult to read, but not too easy either!
2. Five ‘All About Me’ objects that tell our class about you! For example, objects that tell us about things that interest you, your hobbies, your family, etc. Please make sure that each object is no bigger than a letter-sized (8 ½ x 11) piece of paper.
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With Magali in art class, we continue to work on Florida Native Americans, in particular the Seminole Tribe. In middle school, we studied the relationship between art and Native American beliefs (the bestiary, totems). In the Petite Section, we finished gluing all the leaves/feathers we made to represent hairstyles. In the Petite section, students also learned to wind woolen threads to make hanging objects. The Moyenne Section and Grade 1 students have finished painting the decorations for the tiki poles. Grades 3, 4, and 5 worked in small groups on Florida animals. They chose an animal for their totem heads. Bravo les artistes!
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CP and CE1 practice prepositions in song with Emmy |
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The CE1 class learned all about pronouns this month, and put together a song to teach the younger classes!
Click on the video to watch them teach La Maternelle!
Here are the lyrics to their song, well done 2nd graders!
La chanson des pronoms
Pour parler de moi, j’utilise “JE”
Et avec “TU” je parle de toi.
Puis “IL” c’est pour lui, et “ELLE” c’est elle
Quand on est ensemble, c’est “NOUS” qui s’en mêle.
Ce sont les pronoms - pronoms !
Oui, les pronoms personnels.
Les pronoms - pronoms !
Qui remplacent Marc ou Belle.
Les pronoms - pronoms !
Qu’on utilise en français.
Ces pronoms, qu’on vous donne en chanson,
Ça sonne bon et ça remplace un nom.
Quand y’a plusieurs copains, on va dire VOUS”
Ou quand un adulte parle avec NOUS.
“ILS” au pluriel quand on parle d’eux
“ELLES” prend un S quand y’en a deux.
Ce sont les pronoms - pronoms !
Oui, les pronoms personnels.
Les pronoms - pronoms !
Qui remplacent Marc ou Belle.
Les pronoms - pronoms !
Qu’on utilise en français.
Ces pronoms, qu’on vous donne en chanson,
Ça sonne bon et ça remplace un nom.
Ça n’en a pas l’air,
Mais c’est de la grammaire,
Bientôt vous aussi, vous saurez le faire !
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Learning about Native Americans and The Solar System in GS |
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This week we worked on the theme of Native Americans. We talked about the vocabulary and we discovered the legend of Kokopelli. Kokopelli is depicted in the legend as a flute player with kyphosis, which gave him a convex curvature of the spine. He is a bit of a healer and a rainmaker who breathes life and the joy of living. Kokopelli, to have his magical powers, had to confront a great hawk in the forest, so we drew this giant hawk. |
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We ended our work on the solar system with an art project wherein the students became astronauts. Onboard their space shuttle, they were propelled into the middle of the planets. The era of space tourism is definitely here in kindergarten! |
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Middle School Plans Halloween |
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This week, the middle school students prepared for the approaching Halloween celebration: They learned to use iMovie to create the audio for the dance show, created the invitations, and prepared the goodie bags!
A few details regarding FASTB’s 2021 Halloween Celebration:
Come join us on Friday, October 29th
from 2 - 2:45 pm on the playground!
There will be a costume parade, spooky songs from the chorus, and a dance show! Entry and exit will take place at the gate next to the Tiki Hut.
A few notes regarding costumes: Students are to come to school wearing regular clothes, they will change into their Halloween costumes after lunch to get ready for the show! Please make sure your child’s costume does not include any weapons (even plastic or wooden) and please, not too scary - we don't want to frighten the little ones! Thank you!
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Cycle 3 Ultimate Frisbee Fun! |
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This week, Olivier’s class began an Ultimate Frisbee project. First, the goal is to master the different types of throwing. Then the team's strategy is put into place. It is a team sport that resembles basketball or handball. This allows the students to re-invent what they have learned over the past few months, but not with a ball ... |
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"Café et Conversation" Under the Tiki Hut ! |
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Please Join Us!
Tuesday mornings from 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Under the Tiki Hut! - All are welcome!
What is it all about anyway?
It's just what it says - Coffee and Conversation!
Best of all, it's a great way to connect and build community relationships in a casual environment. We hope you will mark your calendars and try to attend. There will be a theme each week but no real agenda and last-minute drop-ins are welcome :-)
Coming up next Tuesday, October, 26th:
Françoise, Teacher of Grande Section / Kindergaren will attend
Please come get to know Françoise better and welcome her to FASTB!
Nov 2nd: Middle School and Chorus with Benjamin
Nov 9th: FLE, DELF, Adult Ed, IB PYP with Emmy
Nov 16th: Music and Art with Magali and Alex
Missed it? No worries, you can always join us next time!
*Many thanks to Dunkin Donuts who is generously donating coffee and munchkins for each Tuesday's Cafe et Conversation. Be sure to stop by and thank them for the support of our school at the following locations: 6325 9th St N (MLK St N and 62nd Ave N) or their Pinellas Park location at 7315 US HWY 19 N (34th St N and Park Ave.)
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FASTB T-shirts are in fashion! Join the trend and order yours today! |
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2021-2022 After-School Clubs |
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After School Clubs Have Started, but it's not too late to join the fun!
We are still taking enrollment in clubs! (fees will be pro-rated for a late start)
Here is a short description of the clubs offered this year:
Monday: Arts & Crafts with Sami - Sami will provide weekly Arts & Crafts activities that will include seasonal crafts, abstract creations, painting, and more!
Tuesday: Spanish with Sarah - In the Spanish Club, participants will learn basic Spanish words and greetings while exploring unique and particular aspects of various Hispanic countries. Activities will include play, song/music, & arts and crafts that highlight the language and cultures of Latin America and Spain.
Sarah is a native Spanish speaker born in Puerto Rico and has over 20 years of experience working with children as a nanny and tutor. She looks forward to sharing her language and culture with the students at FASTB!
Wednesday: Social & Dining Etiquette and Dance with Victoria - Victoria is the Founder of School of Body Elegance®. She teaches classes on Etiquette, Deportment, and Public Speaking. Victoria trained at the Protocol School of Washington, and she specializes in etiquette, starting with children as young as three years old! Her etiquette classes are based on understanding and living with respect. Classes are super fun, filled with activities, interactive lessons, and role-playing games to get the best manners out of our little ones! Get your children ready to conquer the world!
Victoria is also an internationally recognized dancer and performer. She is the Director of Tampa Tango Argentino Dance School and Tangoflex®, an online, on-demand fitness and flexibility program. Victoria teaches dance classes and workshops nationally and internationally. She will be teaching dance as a free form of self-expression for boys and girls (including hip-hop, modern, and theatrical). We will have a presentation at the end of the semester.
Thursday: Gymnastics with Sami - Sami has been a gymnastic coach for the past three years. She will work with your children on flexibility, tumbling, balance, and coordination techniques! The students will work towards a final performance of their skills after the 10-week session!
Friday: Funday Friday with Tracy - Funday Friday is an opportunity to have a playdate at school! Our students work so hard during the week that they will look forward to playtime with friends to kick off the weekend! The kids will play board games, do outdoor activities, learn some card games, and more! Funday Friday is a chance to give your kids some much-needed downtime with their friends in a controlled and trusted atmosphere!
Tutoring Club with Cécile - Cécile will be here Tuesday - Friday from 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM to assist any student who signs up to receive additional assistance with their school work! The Tutoring Club is available on an "a la carte" basis.
Cost and Schedule:
$150/each activity for 10 weekly sessions
Daily Clubs are from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM, Tutoring Club from 3:00-3:45
Email Tamye to enroll your child, and be sure to indicate your club choice(s)!
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FASTB Is Still Enrolling: No Prior French Needed for Ages 3-5 |
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FASTB is now offering the Florida VPK Program!
This wonderful program will allow ALL of our 4-year-old students to receive additional resources from the State of Florida!
As a reminder: Preschool and Kindergarten 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.
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 five 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 excellent 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. Please feel free to visit our Admissions page and website to explore further and learn about our admissions process. We look forward to hearing from you! |
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Adult Education and DELF classes are back! |
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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.
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FASTB Wellness Team Effort |
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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 daily temperature checks, practice distancing, frequent hand washing, and encourage wearing face coverings to keep each other safe! |
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COVID-19: Protocols, Recommendations, and Waiver |
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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
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Suzuki Guitar with Alex Gammon - Registration is open! |
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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 that Alex has returned to FASTB in a new role in 2021-2022. Alex has begun a Suzuki Guitar Program, with his studio located at FASTB!!! Of course, FASTB students will be first in line to sign up for lessons!
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
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The French American School of Tampa Bay
2100 62nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Telephone: (727) 800-2159
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