Dear friends,
As we close in on our winter break, I want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the wonderful moments we have had here at FASTB since the last Newsletter.
Since we last spoke, our students embarked on a trip back in time to the Pinellas County Heritage Village, revitalized the FASTB garden, and transported us far away from Saint Petersburg through the beautiful winter landscapes they created.
Looking ahead, I am also very excited to announce that we have added piano, led by Dr. Ross, to the list of instruments that fill our hall with music.
With one final week ahead of us before break, I hope everyone enjoys a wonderful weekend.
Warm Regards,
Colin LeBihan
School Director
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Upcoming dates to keep in mind
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December 25 - January 5: Winter Break
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January 8th: School Resumes
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January 15: Martin Luther King Jr Day (No School)
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January 26: (Parent Event) Job Day
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CP, CM1 et CM2 Field Trip |
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The CP and CM1/CM2 class visited Pinellas County’s Heritage Village to discover what life was like at the beginning of the 20th century. Working in teams, students worked to find the answers to questions, oriented themselves using a map, and visited houses from the early 1900's. |
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After a well-deserved lunch, the children took part in workshops on the theme of life in days gone by: writing with a fountain pen, weaving, painting on a plate, watercolor painting on a postcard. Even our parent volunteers accepted the challenge to knit a scarf!
Our warmest thanks to all the parents and grandparents who helped make this outing possible.
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It's time to take care of the garden!
Thanks to last year's fund-raising campaign, the school was able to purchase all of the gardening equipment needed to start a beautiful jardin à l'école!
With their new equipment in tow, the first-graders put on their gloves and went to work revitalizing the garden. They watered the papaya, lemon and hibiscus plants, which were beginning to suffer from the drought.
In order to get closer to a water source, the children transported the soil with buckets and a wheelbarrow and created a new gardening bed, ready to receive new seeds.
The children enjoy gardening and are fully committed to the project, which also works to develop mutual aid and cooperation between them. Of course, Marion also used this experience to sow new vocabulary into the experience.
With their sleeves rolled up, the first graders created something that all of FASTB will get to enjoy for years to come.
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First graders studied the work of Canadian artist, Ted Harrison, before completing these Harrison-inspired winter landscapes.
During the painting process they also learned about color theory - specifically creating different tints and shades.
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During this winter-themed printing project, students learned about different types of printing. They then created snowflake designs on styrofoam tiles, before experimenting with techniques and color to create a series of beautiful prints! |
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Second and third graders studied miniature landscapes by Jen Aranyi, learning about her artistic process (and about the job of a graphic designer). They then used watercolor and fine drawing pens to create these beautiful winter wonderlands.
To add a challenge for our fourth and fifth graders, they worked at a much smaller scale. While considering precision and detail the students were encouraged to create their own compositions later in the lesson.
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Thank you Maeve for the wonderful winter themed art! |
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Piano Lessons with Dr Ross |
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It is with great pleasure that I announce that piano lessons are now available with Dr Ross!
As we approach break, there are two dates available before vacation: December 18th, 19th. A full schedule for the rest of the year will be available after break.
Dr Ross is offering an "Introduction to Piano" for students from 2nd to 5th grade for the dates listed above. Lessons are 30 minutes long, are available from 4:30pm to 5:30pm, and are priced at $40 per half hour.
Should you want to sign up, please send an email to office@fastb.org. Going forward, parents will communicate directly with Dr. Ross to schedule future lessons after break.
As with all music lessons here at FASTB, parents are more than welcome to attend lessons.
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Everyone say hello to Myrtle, our resident Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata). Spotted today watching over the students in the playground.
Having just moved down to Florida in search of the sun, Myrtle has not been too impressed with the weather this week.
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Pick-Up and Drop off Procedures |
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Drop-Off: 8:15 am to 8:30 am
Drop-Off at FASTB begins at 8:15 am and goes until 8:30 am. Upon entering the parking lot, parents should follow the drop-off route marked with cones. Parents are advised to pull up to the marked point before parking to expedite the drop-off process for all. Once parked, a staff member will greet and escort students to the gate adjacent to the car circle. Parents can then proceed out of the parking lot. Once inside the gate, students are divided into two groups according to age, with older students going onto the playground and the younger students remaining in the lunch area. At 8:30 am, students walk to class. To remind you, the use of cell phones is strictly prohibited in the parking lot unless you are safely parked. Thank you!
Late Drop-Off: 8:30 am onward:
Parents who arrive after 8:30 am are advised to park and escort their child to the marked door in the car circle area. Once at the door, please ring the bell, and the student will be let in.
Pick Up: 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm.
Dismissal at FASTB begins at 3:00 pm when the students are walked by their teachers to the lunch area adjacent to the car circle. The gate which leads to the car circle remains closed at all times. Using walkie-talkies, teachers standing outside the gate communicate with their counterparts inside to call students when their parents arrive in the car circle. Parents are advised to pull up to the marked point before parking to expedite the pick-up process. Once parked, a teacher will walk the student to their respective car, open the door, and ensure the child gets in. However, the parent is responsible for securing their child’s seat belt or car seat before driving away.
Late Pick-Up: 3:15/3:20 onward
We highly recommend that parents notify the school in advance of delays or changes in pick-up times for students. Without prior notification, students still waiting to be picked up by 3:15/20 will be escorted to the office. The school office will then contact parents to remind them to collect their child, and the student will be placed into aftercare until the parent arrives.
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What to do if someone has COVID-19?
Below are our recommendations
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We want to hear from you!
Please use the email address office@fastb.org for general school correspondence. Questions and requests sent to this address are forwarded as needed. We do our best to respond to emails quickly; thank you for your patience. Alternatively, please know that you can call us anytime for an immediate response! School Office Phone: (727) 800-2159
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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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