Or as they call it here in France, La Rentree scolaire. After one year of playing around with her online school in Canada, Isabella is back in the real world. In a french school no less. With limited french language skills. We had a tutor the last six weeks who did his very best to get her up to snuff with the basics. We shall see.
I will walk her to school for the first while, I don't mind, it's one of the more scenic walks. The school is located about 1,8km from our house and most of the way is either along the river, or along Grand Rue. Country on one walk, architecture on the other. On my way home was able to take some images inside a Cognac storage, since the doors were wide open and they permitted me to enter.
The schools is France, surprise, surprise, take a two hour lunch break just like the grown ups do. can't train them early enough I guess. Due to Isabella's dietary restrictions we opted against the meal plan and will pack her lunches and snacks. Amazingly enough Madame la Directrice made a few major exceptions for Isabella. Our other option would have been for her to come home for lunch. we play this one by ear, eventually we will look at the lunches offered and pick some each week, if there are GF options.
School starts at 8.25 in the morning and goes till noon, then that two hour lunch break (what are they doing for that long?) and in the afternoon school goes till 5pm. Curriculum seems straight forward, including music and frequent PE.
April will bring the first field trip, a week in a castle in the Loire valley. I am volunteering for that one.....
So, stay tuned for academic progress made. if all fails, we will be looking to you, maybe one of you wants to live in France and teach Isabella.....all the gluten free food you can eat included.....
ISABELLA'S SCHOOL
A SCENIC WALK TO SCHOOL
ABOUT 1,6 KM ALONG THE RIVER
LOOKING BACK TOWARDS JARNAC
MANSIONS ALONG THE CHARENTE
JEAN XXIII, A PRIVATE PUBLIC CATHOLIQUE SCHOOL
MEET AND GREET IN THE COURTYARD
NICE SCHOOL
A BIT APPREHENSIVE
90 MINUTE EXPLANATION OF THE CURRICULUM
A COGNAC STORAGE WAREHOUSE
THE NICE MANSION SEEN FROM THE STREET
9 comments:
I do not remember 2 hours for lunch. In my days, it was 1 hour. It might be different for private schools.
Isabella will do well. The first week might not be easy but she will make friends and will become fluent in no time. What a great experience for her.
Thank you for your kind words Nadege.
Isabella is smart, just a tad stubborn. Once she gets over that, she will do fine. .
My friends in Adge had two hours too. You should have a look at the meal plan menus - if they're anything like the one I saw in Adge it looks better than most restaurants!
Good luck to your daughter - my oldest just started college this year too! I understand what you are going through...my girls started in French school last November and at first it's a bit overwhelming. It does get better. Tutoring definitely helps but the immersion is the best. Sitting just on the other side of having a year behind us, I will tell you it's the best thing. She will soon be bilingual and it's amazing. If she's every looking for a friend who has gone through a similar experience - email me - my daughter I'm sure would be a great support for her. Best of luck - looking forward to hearing about her progress!
Hi Sherene,
yes, the food is amazing they get in school here.
All good in AB?
Hello AMIB,
thank you for kind words sent email
Eva here from That's Hamori
We chucked our kids in sink or swim in the French system last fall, and we could not be more pleased.
Very surprised they let your daugher bring her own brown bagged lunch, but good on yah for getting that exception with her food allergies.
We are living in Capestang, close to Beziers and Narbonne and are originally from White Rock, BC Canada.
Glad to have met you through survive france, and we are now following you!
Hi Eva,
yes, it was surprisingly easy for Isabella's lunch.
Madame la Directrice even threw in the use of the school Microwave if needed.
Small town life in Europa....can't beat it.
Hi i am coming to your web site from garths site. Can you email me i am traveiling to france first time in oct looking for recommendation 2 nights avignion marsielles area. Thanks tim albertaguy@gmail.com
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