News de Nous is your go-to source for information each week!
We publish this newsletter to keep you informed of what's been happening and what's to come. Our reporters are on the scene with the latest breaking news from the heart of St Pete's youngest French-speaking community.
Please take a few minutes to read it through carefully. - Merci beaucoup!
Featured in this week's News de Nous: FASTB Family Directory, Minutes of first School Council meeting, Suzuki Concert, Joséphine Baker, WinterFest, Music and Me performance, Student Representatives Election, and Adult Ed.
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Suzuki Guitar Concert, Monday, December 13 at 3:15 pm
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Café et Conversation, Tuesday, December 14 at 8:30
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Winter Fest, Wednesday, December 15 from 2 pm to 3:30 pm
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Music & Me Performance: PS MS GS CP CE1: Thursday, December 16, 8h45 am at the Tiki Hut
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Winter Vacation December 17, 2021, at 3:00 pm
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Class resumes January 4 at 8:30 am
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Adult Ed resumes the week of January 10
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Parents Association Meeting Tuesday, January 11, 8:30 am at Tiki Hut
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The FASTB Family Directory is available for download at this link. Would you please look over your information and let us know if any changes have to be made? If you are not in the directory but wish to be included, please let us know office@fastb.org
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The first School Council meeting of the 2021-22 school year was held on November 17th via Zoom, and we have collectively compiled the minutes from this meeting for our school community. You can download them by clicking on
School Council Minutes 11/17/2021.pdf
Thank you to all of the participants in the School Council for their hard work this fall - in particular, our three parent representatives, Tara Deubel, Debora Folisi, and Dana Hamdan
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Free Webinar: COVID-19 Vaccines for School-Aged Children: What Parents and Families Should Know |
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Please join the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement for an informational webinar following the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech age 5-11 vaccine.
Thursday, December 9, 2021
At 8:00 PM EST
This is such a special time of year, and this year, we all have one more thing to be grateful for: Kids ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe and effective, specifically formulated for young kids. And getting your child vaccinated is the best way to keep them safe from COVID, including the Delta variant. This is great news for parents and families.
During the webinar, esteemed panelists, including United States Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten along with representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, will address common concerns and worries among parents and families about the COVID-19 vaccine for their child(ren) ages 5-11.
Parents are invited to submit questions about the vaccine on the registration form. Pre-submitted questions will help plan the content of the session. Time will also be reserved for live questions and answers at the end of the event.
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Bravo les Artistes! Vidéos on Joséphine Baker |
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Josephine Baker is the first Black woman to be inducted into France's Pantheon.
Josephine Baker, the American-born entertainer, and civil rights activist who first achieved fame in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s, was given France's highest honor on Tuesday, November 30th, when she was inducted into the French Pantheon the nation's mausoleum of heroes. Some 80 other luminaries, including Voltaire, Victor Hugo, and Marie Curie, are buried in the Paris monument.
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Students have prepared videos on Josephine Baker's life. A collage of drawings, some Charleston moves, and the middle schoolers have prepared a presentation on the Pantheon Building in Paris. Bravo les artistes et Vive Joséphine! |
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HUMAN BODY RESEARCH PROJECT - PART 2 |
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We are discovering the human body in Kindergarten. How does food get digested in your tummy? How do your bones move? How do we breathe? Every child has many questions about their body, and these Kindergarten human body activities are meant to get children thinking while having a little fun.
It’s the perfect time to introduce science to kids; they are naturally curious.
Bravo les enfants!
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Election des délégués de classe |
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Last week, students elected their class representatives to represent them, notably during class councils. The "Délégués" are the spokespersons of the students to the teachers and educational staff. They collect the students' opinions and proposals and share them during the class council. They disseminate the information communicated during the council to their fellow students. Each student may vote to elect class representatives. There are no age requirements. In case of a tie, the youngest candidate is elected :-)
The election of class delegates aims to involve students more actively in school life, develop a sense of community, and introduce students to the role of a representative and the qualities required to carry out this mission.
Elections and the tenure of delegates councils help students learn how to live as a community and participate in it fully. Delegates from each class represent their class and serve as spokespersons, can tell how they were elected and what made the favor of their classmates possible.
A sense of listening, the desire to help others, the strength of proposals, a sense of diplomacy, objectivity, responsibility, perseverance, and popularity are many essential qualities to collect the diverse suggestions of their comrades and transmit them for consideration!
Congratulations to our newly elected students!
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Making the IB PYP Happen! |
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Huge thank you to Catherine Caillet-Cohen for offering hands-on training to our staff earlier this month. Catherine presented recent research and practical application in Conceptual Learning and Concept-Driven Education; This is particularly relevant to our school because teaching and learning happen through concept-driven units of inquiry in the IB Primary Years programme.
Conceptual learning:
- connects new information with what students already know and understand.
- bridges disciplines and subjects to support deeper knowledge of topics and ideas.
- sharpens metacognitive abilities for students and facilitates higher-order thinking.
- draws students into immersive learning experiences with multiple starting points.
- rewards multiple ways of thinking, learning, and expression.
Conceptual Learning in the Primary Years Programme begins with Key Concepts:
- Form (what is it like?)
- Function (how does it work?)
- Causation (why is it like it is?)
- Change (How is it changing)
- Connection (How is it connected to other things?)
- Perspective (What are the points of view?)
- Responsibility (What is our responsibility?)
- Reflection (How do we know?)
Catherine Caillet-Cohen is the former lower school director of the French American International School of Portland, Oregon. Catherine commended the school for its efforts toward the IB-PYP accreditation; so much progress has been made already! Thank you, Catherine, for your guidance!
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Adult Ed Events and Sign up for next semester! |
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Adult Ed met for a joyful Frenchsgiving and prepares for the next in-person event!
During this festive season, we are very grateful for our fabulous - and very culinary talented - adult ed students who celebrated Thanksgiving à la Française! Conversation (and wine) flowed, and everyone was left with full bellies and happy memories.
Join us & solve the mystery in FASTB's Escape Game: À la recherche de la Pierre de Lune
Discover the story of Pierre and Lisa-Marie, lovers separated by the Atlantic Ocean. Then, find Lisa-Marie's mysterious necklace so that she can join her lover in Paris! But be careful, you will need to be quick, her plane is taking off soon ...
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As the Fall semester comes to an end, it is now time to enroll for the Spring semester!
The Adult Ed Spring semester includes 15 classes, from January 10th to the week of April 25th (no class on Spring break week).
You can find the class description, costs, and online enrollment form on our web page. The classes take place on weekdays, typically between 5-8:30 pm on either Wednesdays or Thursdays. Please send your availability & day preference to adulted@fastb.org once you have signed up!
If you are interested and have a few questions or would like to take our free placement test, please email our adult ed program coordinator Emmy adulted@fastb.org
Please enroll at your earliest convenience as we need a more precise picture to share the schedule!
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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! A great way to connect and build community relationships in a casual environment. There will be a theme each week, but no real agenda, and last-minute drop-ins are welcome :-)
Tuesday, December 14th chat with Olivier and Mindy
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2021-2022 After-School Clubs |
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Our first session of After School Clubs ends soon.
We will offer a new session starting in January
- Stay tuned for more information!
Here is a short description of the clubs offered this session:
Monday: Arts & Crafts with Sami - Sami will provide weekly Arts & Crafts activities that will include seasonal crafts, abstract creations, painting, and more!
Tuesday: Spanish - 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.
Wednesday: Suzuki Guitar Group Lesson with Alex
All Suzuki students taking lessons are encouraged to attend this activity which is a component of the Suzuki Method. For details or to enroll, please contact Alex directly. Students will be dismissed by Alex from the Music Studio to their parents. Students who are not picked up will be sent to the aftercare program. You can also contact Alex to sign up for private lessons: alexgammon81@gmail.com
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: Social & Dining Etiquette and Dance with Victoria - 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!
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.
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
This Club session will end the week of December 6-10 and a new 10-week session will start in January.
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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/DALF classes |
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Congratulations to Laura Piehl (French School of Maine) and Emmy Decker.
FASTB is now an official testing center for DELF and DALF!
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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
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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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