Wednesday: Vince Peterson led the Primary choir with NYC-based a capella group Chameleonic in an extraordinary, moving celebration of the earth and our shared responsibility to take care of it and each other. Said Zara Ruelle, director of the LFNY After-School Program, “I am so proud of Vince and the children. They worked very hard to learn their parts and sing in harmony, something that is not easy for young children. Success!” (credit: E. King)

Wednesday: New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe was invited by LFNY English teachers to talk to their Bac Franco-Américan (BFA) students. The journalist answers questions about the writer’s voice and biaises in a story as well as the debate between truth and fiction. He also tells anecdotes about the inner working at the New Yorker such as the famous Tuesday afternoon meeting where journalists are pitching their stories to the editors.

Tuesday: 9th graders are rehearsing a short theater exercise for their Spanish class in the school gallery.

Thursday: 10th graders dress up following the theme of The Great Gatsby, a book that they study that year in English. Teachers and students get really creative during that event!

Wednesday: The LFNY track team finished a great season at the NYSAIS championships at Randall’s Island’s Icahn Stadium. A special bravo to Ladji M. who won a medal at the Boys Long Jump and to our Boys 4×100 Relay team, who placed 6th.

Tuesday: 10th graders option Art present their “Wearable Armor” projects. This one is called Plugged-In and is meant to convey the feeling of feeling safe and anonymous online.

Tuesday: Students in 5 and 6 grades vote for their favorite book in the yearly selection proposed by “Les Incorruptibles”, a literary French prize for young readers. Click here to view the selection. The winner was “Le théâtre du poulailler” by Helen Peters.

Monday: Every year, half a dozen students from the LFNY go on an school exchange at the prestigious Louis Le Grand high school in Paris. Later in the year, their peers from Louis Le Grand come to the LFNY for 5 weeks. Here, they share their feedback about the experience and ways to improve the program with head of school Sean Lynch and Assistant Head of School Nicolas L’Hotellier.

Monday: These 2nd graders are working on various reading and calculus assignments for half an hour before heading out to lunch. On the blackboard in the background, a famous French fable by Jean de La Fontaine.

Monday: Lunch time in the pre-K French immersion class. Students bring their lunch in all pre-K classes.

Sunday: 220 students and staff participated in the annual AIDS Walk in Central Park, a fundraising event that supports people impacted by HIV/AIDS. The Lycée group managed to raise over $12,600. (Credits: S. Gouazé)

Friday: Teachers and staff mingle during the last day of school wishing each other a happy summer and farewell to those heading to new adventures. See you in September!

Thursday: Fifth graders graduated wearing a beautiful light blue cap and gown. They received a certificate and an educational book on science experiments.

Wednesday: Second-grade students gave a colorful performance in their end of year concert.

Tuesday: Time to say goodbye to the preschool smocks that these young students have been wearing since they were in pre-K! Next year, these kindergarten students are going to first grade!

Monday: Middle School jazz ensemble l’Harmonie rocks out for the Fête de la Musique! Students from all three middle school grades took the stage solo and in ensembles to celebrate the beginning of summer. Bravo!

Monday: Pretty flowers make good neighbors….Fourth graders in Mylène Ardid’s class dig into the dirt and plant begonias in John Jay Park.

Monday: Taking a well-deserved break! Students pause to refuel during the Pre-K Olympics, organized by the pre-K team and Annabelle Altefrohne.

Traduction: “Action de transposer dans une autre langue ce qui a été énoncé dans une autre, tout en conservant les équivalences sémantiques et stylistiques.”

Mais aussi,

Traduction: “Manière d’exprimer, de manifester quelque chose.”

Au club de traduction du Lycée, nous ne faisons pas que de la simple transposition, nous nous exprimons à travers elle. Nous exprimons notre amour de nos deux langues, du texte que nous étudions et de la traduction–et nous profitons de tout ceci pour apprendre.

Le club traduction, ici, en 2013, se réunit chaque semaine autour d’une oeuvre ou d’un texte à traduire.

Au cours de l’année, nous avons traduit Eveline (voir extraits de traductions ci-dessous), nouvelle qui fait partie de Dubliners (1914), recueil de l’illustre auteur irlandais James Joyce. Comme son nom l’indique, l’histoire se déroule à Dublin, ville d’ailleurs devenue synonyme de Joyce. Les quinze nouvelles comprises dans cet ouvrage sont toutes des représentations réalistes et naturalistes de la vie des Dubliners, des Dublinois, peuple qui a fasciné et inspiré Joyce tout au long de sa vie.

Tenir compte du style et du sens

Eveline, l’héroïne éponyme de notre nouvelle, est bien sûr une de ces Dubliners. Pauvre jeune femme qui n’a pas la vingtaine, elle vit une vie malheureuse dans laquelle elle est maltraitée par son père et son patron, et où sa mère et son frère sont tous les deux morts. Elle rêve d’une vie contente, joyeuse, et libre–elle rêve de Frank, un matelot qui lui promet une aventure sur les flots. Joyce raconte l’histoire du déchirement intérieur d’Eveline, qui doit choisir entre la vie triste mais familière de Dublin et l’aventure palpitante mais inconnue de Frank.

Pour traduire cette nouvelle, nous procédons de la façon suivante. D’abord, un élève lit quelques paragraphes de la nouvelle dans son Anglais original. Ensuite, on propose des traductions phrase par phrase, groupe de mots par groupe de mots. Quelquefois, elles sont acceptées immédiatement, sans débat. Mais, la plupart du temps, nous avons un choix à faire entre plusieurs synonymes en tenant compte du style (est-ce que la traduction sonne bien en Français?) et du sens (Est-ce qu’elle veut dire quelque chose?).

Débats longs et animés

Les débats se forment lorsqu’il faut traduire des passages qui ont des nuances compliquées, des expressions obscures ou plusieurs interprétations possibles. Nous voulons trouver une traduction pure, qui respecte le texte original aussi bien que possible, ce qui est difficile surtout parce que le Français ne se prête pas nécessairement à la langue peu conventionnelle de Joyce. C’est ainsi en poursuivant ce but que nous nous livrons à des débats longs et animés mais toujours intéressants qui m’ont rendus plus sensibles aux nuances et interprétations que nous étudions et qui m’ont fait mieux apprécier Eveline.

Enfin, lorsque que nous avons notre traduction, nous faisons trois choses avec. D’abord, bien sûr, nous les mettons en ligne ici pour vous! Puisque Dubliners est au programme des Terminales, nous en avons fait une lecture très bien reçue dans deux classes d’anglais. Nous avons aussi comparé notre traduction à une “vraie” traduction publiée, ce qui était intéressant.

Pour conclure, cette année au club de traduction a été très amusante. Les sandwichs et les cookies y sont toujours bons, les profs sont toujours gentils, j’ai amélioré mes deux langues et j’ai bien sûr découvert un très beau texte. Je trouve que ce club unique m’a vraiment fait profiter au maximum de mon environnement bilingue et qu’il traduit à merveille tout ses avantages.

Traduction d’un passage d’Eveline, du recueil Dubliners de James Joyce.

Lire le point de vue d’un élève anglophone sur le Club Traduction.

It wasn’t all about the food. Even though I have to say the sandwiches were pretty great. Translation Club was really about the words. The author’s words, our words, and the connotations that went with them.

Translate a feeling, not a meaning

On my first Translation Tuesday, I was excited (especially about the free cookies), but I was mostly nervous. There I was, the only student in a room filled with French and English teachers, ready to translate the very first sentence, but unsure about which tense to use. I decided to go with the passé composé – only to use the wrong auxiliaire. Once I corrected myself, five literature teachers smiled and kindly explained to me that usually some form of the imparfait is used in descriptions. In this case, we would use the plus-que-parfait.
“I knew that, I said to myself, I took the Brevet last year; I should know this stuff.”
A few sentences later, after a few complications with the passé simple, I was already getting the hang of all these tenses and it was getting easier to recognize when to use which.

Now it was time to get to the fun part.

Head of the French department Isabelle Milkoff co-organizes the Translation Club.

To put it simply, I would say Translation Club taught me this: it’s not about getting the meaning across, it’s about getting the feeling across. Which isn’t as easy as it sounds. In the text that we worked on, Eveline from The Dubliners, it was important to chose terms that would accurately portray the characters as James Joyce did. “Épousseter” trumped “depoussiérer” and “comptait-elle” replaced “en avait-elle l’intention” because we needed something more colloquial. Joyce was careful to use words that would correspond to Eveline’s. Which meant that we needed to be careful as well.

In order to correctly translate Joyce’s story, we absolutely had to understand the subtle meaning he hid behind the words. Ms. Reilly’s senior class was reading The Dubliners so we were often guided by her analytical explanations. Sometimes however, debates formed in room 505. Whether Eveline sent out a cry of anguish to the seas or if she was surrounded by the seas as she sent out her cry is still a question unanswered by our translators.

Franglish

When I said that Translation Club was all about getting the feeling across, I wasn’t kidding. Sometimes when our french vocabulary failed us, we resorted to hand gestures. “She stood among the swaying crowd” turned into a group of students swaying their arms in the air before becoming “Elle se tenait au milieu du mouvement de la foule”. I even sang Edith Piaf’s “La Foule” in hopes that the lyrics might help us find the right words. Sounds were tricky as well:

“No, it’s more of a CRAAACK!”

“Claquaient?”

“No… it’s kind of like CRUNCH!”

“ Crissaient?”

“That’s the one!”

I should be clear, however: there is no need to be a literary genius to become part of Translation Club. (Although if you happen to be one, I would like to know what is keeping you from joining our team.) We’re all here to learn and improve, so there is no need to be shy! Maybe your first language is Franglish. If that’s the case, don’t think that this will keep you from correctly transitioning from one language to another. Trust me, I also think dans les deux languages, and ça ne m’empêche pas de m’amuser in Translation Club. In fact, your closeness to both French and English can be ideal to detect those slight nuances in certain terms. And if in the midst in all this bilingualism, you excel in one language more than the other, your expertise can help us reach for those words buried deep in our vocab list.

You know what they say: il faut de tout pour faire un monde!

And in Translation Club, we definitely have both the French world and the English one.

Read a French student perspective on the translation club here.

Language is at the heart of learning in primary school, and as the director of a French school abroad, I am often asked a fundamental question: what are the essential factors that support the solid development of both languages in bilingual children?

Though it may seem obvious, one of the key factors is the linguistic experience of the child. A child will not be bilingual without a prolonged, frequent and motivating experience in both languages.

In order to become bilingual, children need to experience the many dimensions of both languages in a motivating, reassuring environment  that makes sense to them.

In order to become bilingual, children need to experience the many dimensions of language (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in both languages in a motivating, reassuring environment  that makes sense to them.

Different situations, different challenges

Some families create this environment quite naturally, such as when two parents are present in their child’s life, and each one speaks to the child in one of the two languages. When a child is schooled in one language, but the language at home is different, she or he will generally develop bilingualism in a harmonious, fluid  way.

Other situations may make this effort harder. When a child is schooled in the language of the local environment, but, after a long day at school, goes home to minimal exposure to the family language, second language acquisition can be more difficult. When the second language is spoken by one parent, who for any number of reasons may not be a daily presence in the life of the child, building bilingualism is also harder.

Bilingualism requires tremendous patience to resist the urge to hope for too much, too soon.

In addition, in homes where there is very little verbal interaction in the second language, such as in a family where there is not a lot of communication, the child may not have enough exposure to the second language, and it may not be reinforced. Conversation is essential here. In other words, speaking to a child in the language is not the same as speaking with a child in the language, because it is not stimulating the same level of engagement and, therefore, progress.

However, strengthening of language does happen when parents or adults close the child converse with their children in these ways:

– Speak at a level that is not too complex

– Reformulate (not correct) what a child has said, eg: “We going to the house.” “Yes, we are going home.”

– Ask open-ended questions rather than “yes” or “no” ones

– Stimulate and support children’s efforts to express themselves with encouragement and approval

– Validate children’s contributions

– Listen carefully to the child

– Reference objects or gestures when speaking to the child to help with comprehension and vocabulary. Support words with gestures and facial expressions.

Supporting language acquisition in a second language may mean putting in place careful plans in a family that take into consideration how and when the child is exposed to which language. This helps the child to adapt an equilibrium of exposure to each language, and especially to the quality of each language.

Bilingual competencies in children change over time

Bilingualism demands a lot of motivation and a positive attitude from parents. In some cases, it may mean extra effort and perseverance to help a child reach a certain language goal over time. It also requires tremendous patience to resist the urge to hope for too much, too soon for each child.

Parents should remember that bilingual competencies in children change over time. They vary in each language depending on where you live, your social environment, development of new friends, or even changes in the family such as a birth, death or divorce.  It is important to accompany life changes with strategies adapted to each situation as they evolve to help maintain an equilibrium of quality and quantity in each language.

In short, in some cases it is really very easy to raise a bilingual child, and others demand much more of an investment in time and care. Looking into how to create the most favorable conditions for language acquisition  is certainly a good first step.

Like me, you may have read about last month’s entrance examination at one of the most prestigious and renowned universities in France, where such extraordinary thinkers as Assia Djebar, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Jean-Paul Sartre, Aimé Césaire and Michel Foucault once studied: the École Normale Supérieure, the most famous location of which lies in the heart of the Latin Quarter in Paris. The required exam was philosophy; the single examination topic about which candidates were expected to write a six-hour essay was one word: “Expliquer.”*

“Préférer les mots aux coups”

How thought-provoking, n’est-ce pas? A verb in the infinitive form to be probed, explored, discussed, possibly even reinvented without instructions for how to do so. And by the way, not just any verb, but arguably one of the most deeply humanistic in any language. As the French professor of linguistics Alain Bentolilia has written regarding this word: “It would be hard to conceive of a more profoundly human project than that of affording two free minds the choice of understanding and thus of interpreting each other’s words. Is there a more urgent challenge today than that of putting language before blows, explanation before murder, argumentation before barbarism?”

This «Normale Sup» examination is interesting for many reasons, not least among which is the fact that it happens to echo the opening paragraphs of an exceptionally helpful book about creativity I have just finished: InGenius: A Crash Course in Creativity by Tina Seelig, professor of management at Stanford University. “Until recently,” Seelig recounts, “prospective students at All Soul’s College, at Oxford University, took a ‘one-word exam’. The Essay, as it was called, was both anticipated and feared by applicants…The word might have been ‘innocence’ or ‘miracles’…Their challenge was to craft an essay in three hours inspired by that single word.”

The book InGenius: A Crash Course in Creativity by Tina Seelig.

“There were no right answers,” she continues. “However, each applicant’s response provided insights into the student’s wealth of knowledge and ability to generate creative connections…This challenge reinforces the fact that everything-every single word provides an opportunity to leverage what you know to stretch your imagination” (p. 3). Indeed. We who have the privilege of educating the students of the Lycee Francais de New York can only agree. Moreover, we have made cultivating their creativity a strategic priority for our school, as our recently announced strategic plan has reaffirmed.

Cultivating creative thinking and doing

Of course, preparing our students to be the innovators of tomorrow is no small feat. It involves constant improvement of the time and space we attribute to the arts in our school, of the ways in which we cultivate the creative thinking and doing of our young minds across the curriculum, of the outings and other opportunities we give them to take advantage of the concert halls, museums, performance spaces and myriad other forums for imagination and invention that abound in the remarkable city around us. Last, but not least, there is also the artist-in-residence program which the LFNY has established over the last three years, exposing our primary, middle and upper school students to the life and work of a highly accomplished and engaging writer, designer, musician or other artist over the course of a very full week which culminates in the production of a final project by our students under the direction of our inspiring guest.

3rd grade students working on a moodboard themed around the ocean, during the residence of perfumer Céline Barel, May 4-8, 2015.

As members of the Lycee Français de New York community will know, these fields of creativity have been successively theater and perfume-making during the period of the last month, with the residence in our tenth grade classes in April of acclaimed Belgian actor Jos Houben and that in our third grade classes this week of the celebrated French perfumer or “nose” Celine Barel. Suffice it to say that our school has been abuzz with ingenuity. And if I may dare say so myself: École Normale Supérieure and Oxford University should definitely be on the lookout for our students. So too should the world at large, where their burgeoning creativity will surely make a difference!

*French for “to explain.”

Friday: Last day at Camp Pontiac. Students enjoy their last game in the beautiful countryside setting before heading back to Manhattan. About 250 students participate to the camp every year.

Thursday: Primary English teacher Carolyn O’Brien presented the results of her summer research grant on meta-cognition and biliteracy, a strategy that encourages students to be more reflective about their learning.

Wednesday: End of practice for these two student-gymnasts at Pontiac, a yearly camp where all secondary students are invited to practice and try out Fall sports.

Tuesday: Every year, the Lycée awards two Summer Research Fellowships to its faculty. Head of the History-Geography, Art and Music department Arthur Plaza presented the results of his fascinating research on Entrepreneurial Learning: Creativity, Problem-Solving and Service.

Monday: It’s Orientation Week for all teachers and staff at the LFNY. To start off the week, employees are put in groups and challenged to create a piece of art around the theme of “hope”. The team-building activity was organized in partnership with ArtWare for Good and the Edeyo Foundation, an initiative for education in Haiti.

Tous les ans pour commémorer l’anniversaire du 11 septembre 2001, Sean Lynch prononce quelques mots pour introduire une minute de silence en présence de l’équipe de direction de l’école.

Le 11 septembre 2011, le Lycée commémorait le 10ème anniversaire des évènements tragiques du World Trade Center lors d’une cérémonie exceptionnelle dans l’auditorium retransmise à travers l’école. Pour le nouveau directeur M. Sean Lynch qui prenait ses fonctions, il était important que toute la communauté du Lycée et plus particulièrement les enfants, qui pour la plupart n’avaient pas vécu les évènements de New York ou étaient trop jeunes pour s’en rappeler, soient associés à ce travail de mémoire. En 2011, deux pompiers de la ville de New York ont participé à la commémoration du 11 septembre au Lycée, leurs témoignages ont marqué les esprits notamment celle du pompier Kennedy de la compagnie 44 qui fut appelé sur les lieux. Cliquez sur la vidéo suivante pour écouter ou réécouter son récit.

It’s back to school! For every adult, both parent and caregiver, whose life is connected to a child in school, a new school year means a fresh start. We create resolutions: “Without a doubt this school year 2015-16 will mean homework done on time with all that newfound knowledge at my child’s fingertips, bedtime stories read, all vegetables eaten, cheerful wake ups, joyful arrivals at school, and serene class departures…”

But, we know in this city that is New York, it’s a race against time. We get caught in its motion and very quickly our dreams of organization, an ideal school year, and an eternally happy child seem to fade.

A magic recipe doesn’t exist, and perfect school years don’t either. But, supporting students without stressing them is possible as you enter this New York marathon…

A good resolution this year is to adapt to your child’s rhythm and not try to keep up with the fast-paced rhythm of New York.

Many parents worry about their dawdling children in the morning and the difficulty they have to arrive on time. At the risk of irritating any New York parent in this September 2015, I will echo the words of Canadian journalist Carl Honoré, author of the best-selling Under Pressure, in his praise of slowness. In fact, my own experience has taught me that from an educational standpoint the best approach is to adapt yourself to the rhythm of your child and to take your time. 

Adapt your time to your child’s rhythm

A child will instinctively listen to his or her own needs, and if she or he seems too rushed, will react by slowing down the pace even further. In fact, each time a child slows down because his or her own rhythm hasn’t been respected, an extra push will only intensify action in the opposite direction.

Carl Honoré questions the pressure parents may not knowingly place on their children to give better and better and to be more and more perfect, because of the unnecessary stress it creates.

He reminds us that when Einstein was asked how he would spend one hour to save the planet, Einstein responded, “I would give 55 minutes to define the problem and five minutes to solve it!” In general, we all tend to do the opposite in times of difficulty. Einstein teaches us patience in the place of impatience. He teaches us that effort, reflection, learning from mistakes, finding causes, paying attention to details, accepting incertitude, building expertise—all these things take time.

Introduce slowness

When you live in the city that doesn’t sleep and your child’s own rhythm is controlled by the crazy pace of  New York days, how can you introduce slowness into a child’s life?

– My first advice is without a doubt to remove the non-essential from your child’s schedule. It is a challenge, but not being over programmed is beneficial for a child.

– You are a model for your child. Get in the habit of disconnecting from electronic devices, tap your spirit of wanderer, demonstrate calm and give your own mind a rest to recharge.

– Teach your child to slow down and think before acting. You might give your child a small toy like a tortoise or a snail for the backpack or desk as a reminder.

– When children face difficulty whether academic, social or emotional, teach them to wait till the next day to make any decisions.

– Do a regular activity with your children, a ritual, that they are obligated to do: read a book or a poem, take a yoga class, or even encourage their green thumb at home!

– Teach your child to persevere and not to give up. Steinway built 482 pianos before he achieved success, and Flaubert wrote 52 versions of one of the scenes in Madame Bovary!

– And, finally, plan long-term objectives with your child to reduce the pressure of the immediate.

The question of homework

To encourage slowness, parents can engage in a regular activity with their children that teaches everyone to slow down, such as reading a book or a poem.

Often a source of stress, back to school can mean the return of stress at home at the end of the day, especially so because of homework. Two years ago a committee of Lycée primary teachers gathered together to create a homework charter for LFNY primary students. It was designed to help parents better plan for that very stressful moment of the day.  And, if the charter itself isn’t enough and homework still ends in despair, here are three small pieces of advice that educators often recommend:

– Establish rituals:  It makes family life easier and creates an atmosphere of reassurance and structure for children. Small children can be very demanding, particularly with the non-negotiable. Try doing homework at the same time everyday, for a defined time in advance and in the living room rather than the bedroom without an internet connection, for example.

To remove the stress from homework: establish rituals, resist the temptation to correct and make your child responsible.

– Resist the temptation to correct. The participation of parents in their child’s school is best when it’s connected to daily life: cooking, museum visits, walks in the park. etc. Rather than correcting your child’s notebook ask your child what she or he learned at school during dinner. If she or he has trouble explaining it, reassure him or her  that you will talk to the teacher about it.

– Make your child responsible. When homework becomes a source of tears a good approach is to say, “your schooling and results belong to you. I won’t get too involved because that might create tension between us. You have many options: not to do your homework, to do it on your own, or you can decide that you need my help. In this case, I will be available between 6pm and 6:30pm, but that’s all.” I understand this may seem difficult to put in place, even counterintuitive perhaps, but very efficient!

So the back-to-school marathon has started. And you will make it! I hope these small pieces of advice will help you start the school year in serenity. Wishing you all a wonderful back to school!

Photos: Jeff Rogers, Chesna Flora.

Friday: All Secondary students spent the day with their advisors at Bear Mountain State Park, during “Spirit Day”. Advisors had the opportunity to get to know their advisees better and advisees discovered one another. The day was a combination of sports and creative activities. Here, some students dig through the bin of costumes and accessories as they get ready for their group photo by the lake.

Thursday: These pre-k students are just waking up from their afternoon nap as Jacques Letalon, the preschool music teacher, initiates them to the basics of rhythm. No instruments yet, today, they are working on posture and sitting straight and singing “Pommes de Reinette”, a famous French lullaby.

Wednesday: Three kindergarten students explore their new classroom during their first day of school.

Tuesday: After a long summer Middle School students reunite and are ready to start the year, full of enthusiasm.

Additional photography by Jeff Rogers and Chesna Flora.

Vendredi: Ces élèves de CE1 finissent d’illustrer une poésie sur l’alphabet, tandis que ceux qui ont terminé passent à l’exercice suivant: apprendre à écrire la lettre J sur le cahier.

Jeudi: La journaliste et écrivain américaine Amy Waldman s’adresse à la classe de 1ère BFA, en session d’Advanced Placement d’anglais. Son célèbre roman, The Submission, était au programme des lectures d’été pour les élèves.

Mercredi: Parents et administration se rencontrent à l’occasion de la Welcome Fair, organisée par l’association des parents d’élèves du Lycée, l’APL. Les parents en apprennent plus sur les différentes façons de participer à la vie de l’école. Ici, la personne en charge du bénévolat au sein de l’APL, Kiera Faulkner-Jekos, discute avec l’enseignante en anglais et français pour adultes, Anne-Marie Gassier. (photo: E. King)

Mardi: Des élèves de Terminale S en pleine session d’exercices sur la démonstration par récurrence. Leur professeur de mathématiques, David Soquet, passe d’un élève à l’autre pour répondre à leurs questions.

Mardi: Justine Guérin et Kristina Gretouce, enseignantes binômes en grande section, présentent le programme et l’organisation de l’année à venir aux parents d’élèves de leur classe à l’occasion des “Curriculum Nights”. Des présentations de la sorte sont organisées à tous les niveaux de l’élémentaire et du secondaire.

Disruptive shifts in technology and the globalization of the world’s economy have sparked intense debates about the future of education. Part of our mission at the Lycée Français de New York is to analyze educational research so that we may uphold academic excellence, support the social development of our students, and foster responsible citizenship. This summer, I was fortunate to receive support from the Lycée to address the question of how innovative instructional methods could promote the civic education and career readiness of our students. Cross-examining research in neuroscience and education and the work of social entrepreneurs, I discovered that project-based learning (PBL) is a promising avenue for transforming pedagogical paradigms in order to cultivate creativity and instill an entrepreneurial mindset in students.

Children created giant cardboard robots during the Maker Faire 2015 in the Bay Area.

In 2010 Newsweek Magazine asked whether there was a creativity crisis in America. The pressure on schools to measure achievement via testing appeared to be stifling creativity among students. Education scholars have noted that students in the United States suffer a 50-60% decline in creativity between the ages of 5 and 9. Meanwhile geographer Richard Florida argued that the motor of the contemporary economy is the creative class. Sir Ken Robinson explained that schools are often guilty of killing creativity because they teach students to avoid failure. On the contrary, in order to have an original idea, individuals must take the risk of being wrong.

Psychologist Carol S. Dweck has investigated the roots of the creativity problem through the lens of intelligence. She found that a difference in mindset regarding intelligence could explain how individuals learn. When people exhibit a “Fixed Mindset” they believe that intelligence is static. Therefore, they seek to appear intelligent with pernicious consequences, such as avoiding challenges, shirking from obstacles, giving up easily, ignoring useful criticism, and feeling threatened by the success of others. On the other hand, a “Growth Mindset” empowers individuals to feel that intelligence can be developed. As a result, students in this Mindset will have the desire to learn by embracing challenges, persevering in the face of obstacles, considering criticism as helpful, and finding inspiration in the success of others. When teachers instill a “Growth Mindset” among their students, creativity and intelligence will flourish.

A tangible way of stimulating innovation and creativity

At a time when some schools are cutting programs in the arts, others are finding new ways of integrating the arts into non-artistic disciplines. Arts education is a tangible way of stimulating innovation and creativity. Research (link to a pdf “How Creativity Works in the Brain”) sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts on creativity and the brain has important implications for schools. When teachers integrated the arts into non-artistic subjects, students reported higher motivation to learn and an increase in their retention of knowledge.  The NEA’s study touted the benefits of teaching art because it stimulates “divergent thinking,” meaning that students can envision multiple possibilities in response to a problem. Neuroscientist Gregory Berns asserted in the Stanford Social Innovation Review that iconoclasts perceive the world differently, which enables them to innovate. At the Lycée Français student projects in arts plastiques classes are always assessed on the degree to which the student has taken creative risks.

Exploring real-world problems

When a teacher extrapolates lessons from the organization of arts classes and studies on creativity and the brain, this leads logically to a reexamination of instructional methods. For instance, it is possible to replicate the conditions that encourage a “Growth Mindset” and “divergent thinking” through the implementation of Project-Based Learning. PBL is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and acquire deeper learning, according to Edutopia. The advantages of PBL are many, including increased long-term retention, improved problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills, and a better understanding of professional environments.

To take PBL a step further in the direction of our creative economy, educational scholar Yong Zhao has challenged schools to consider PBL as “Product-based Learning,” with the critical difference being a student project culminating in some sort of product or service being created to respond to a need. When students produce an artifact, they take personalized ownership of their learning and also gain valuable experience as creators in the new creative economy. The Maker Revolution has been underway for nearly a decade with Maker Faires exhibiting the innovations of home-inventors. A school that implements PBL successfully can serve as a social laboratory that not only studies problems, but also generates student-inspired solutions.

Students should learn to “make a difference”

The Lycée’s mission to instill responsible citizenship compels us to explore how students can better serve the local and global community to foster sustainable development. The Maker Revolution and Product-Based Learning are certainly open to ventures that urge students to “make a difference.” Thus, teachers at the Lycée are exploring ways of integrating social entrepreneurship into our secondary programs. Since September 2014, the Lycée has a formal partnership with Ashoka called LFNY Youth Ventures, which takes the form of a ninth-grade club. This club, which will start later this month, encourages students to study and imitate social entrepreneurs who come up with innovative solutions to society’s social problems by offering new ideas for wide-scale change.

Startup Weekend EDU (see video presentation below) provides a crash course for teachers to create and launch a social enterprise in response to real-world needs. Inspired by the Startup Weekend EDU initiative, the LFNY is in preparation to organize its own, for young people.

Growing our educational programs in the service of the global community while stimulating the creative forces of our students is already underway at the Lycée. Our mission inspires us to impart initiative, intelligent risk-taking, collaboration, and opportunity recognition among students. These skills will enable them to encounter the complexity of the modern world confidently, as capable change makers, thanks to the entrepreneurial and growth mindset we aim to instill.

Learn more:

“Entreprendre“, a post by Sean Lynch about Developing our students’ entrepreneurial potential.

“Our Growth Mindset“, a post by Sean Lynch about how to foster an approach to learning based on the growth mindset.

Our daily nutrition is essential to healthy living. What we eat has a direct effect on how we perform and feel each day. Nutrients are the components of food that help us grow and give us the energy.  Food is considered either nutrient-dense or not, and we don’t always choose the right balance of these essential nutrients, which can cause us either to feel exhausted or energized. There are five major nutrients that we need to feel well balanced and healthy: carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole wheat breads, pastas and cereals), fats (extra virgin olive oil, avocados), proteins (lean meats and fish), vitamins and minerals (nuts, beans, lean meats, fruits, vegetables).

The cafeteria at the LFNY feeds students, faculty and staff every day. It has a full salad bar, a sandwich as well as a hot meal station.

When eating or drinking, students should recognize that what they are consuming has a certain amount of calories. Proper caloric intake is usually measured by an individual’s amount of activity. In other words, the more activity that you do, the more calories you should consume. An athlete, for example, might take in more calories than a non-athlete, simply because of the burning of calories through athletic activity. Nutritionists generally agree that the average intake for a non-active teenage boy should be somewhere between 1800-2000 daily calories. Compared to an active teenage boy, which requires between 2400 to 2800 daily calories. A non-active teenage girl needs about 1600 to 1800 daily calories, while active teenage girls require about 2200 to 2400 daily calories in order to maintain a healthy weight and energy.

A banana after working out

People who participate in any physical activity burn calories and lose water and electrolytes through sweat. It is imperative to replenish those lost fluids with either water or, if needed, a sports drink. The major electrolytes lost are potassium, sodium and calcium.  These electrolytes are the minerals responsible for regulating nerve and muscle function. A small electrolyte imbalance can cause fatigue, dehydration and cramping. For example, snacking on a banana before, during or after an activity can help replenish potassium lost through sweat.

Whenever possibly, the LFNY cafeteria sources fruits (such as apples) and vegetables locally.

It is also important to remember that we get calories from food and also from beverages, and beverage choices should be made carefully; whether it is morning coffee, or soda during lunch, hydration choices affect energy levels and also can increase daily caloric intake. For example, an energy drink may give a quick boost of energy, but the high amounts of sugar and caffeine are not only considered empty calories but also may lead to dehydration and cramping.  Choose water (!) on a daily basis and when performing more strenuous activities, a sports or vitamin drink is also an option.

In conclusion, be conscious of what you put into your body in order to get the most out of it! Drink plenty of water, and eat fruits and vegetables to keep the body well-hydrated and energized.

Sample Healthy Choice menu

Breakfast: Whole grain cereal with low fat milk and a banana.

Lunch: Whole wheat sandwich with turkey lettuce and tomato

Dinner: Grilled chicken with brown rice and a side of broccoli.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with chopped strawberries on top.

Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with oil and vinegar dressing

Dinner: Salmon with quinoa and grilled mixed vegetables.

Breakfast: Egg white omelet with pepper, onions and turkey

Lunch: Tuna fish sandwich on whole wheat bread.

Dinner: Whole wheat pasta with a side of grilled chicken and steamed vegetables

Snacks: Cliff bars, piece of fruit, low fat chocolate milk, protein shake, low fat yogurt, granola bar and multigrain bars.

“Have this and not that” Healthy Alternatives

Instead of having a hamburger eat a grilled chicken sandwich.

Instead of soda drink water or a low-calorie sports drink.

Instead of cookies have a low fat cereal bar.

Instead of a milkshake you can drink low fat chocolate milk.

Instead of fried fish you can eat grilled or broiled fish.

Instead of white rice have brown rice.

Instead of pasta have whole-wheat pasta.

Instead of sugary cereals have oatmeal.

Instead of a potato with butter have a sweet potato.

Instead of candy have a piece of fruit.

Instead of croissant have a whole-wheat slice of bread or bagel.

Instead of coffee have a cup of green tea.

Read more:

Eating tips for teenagers: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/eating_tips_for_teenagers?open

Tips for teen girls: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/sites/default/files/tentips/DGTipsheet36EatSmartAndBeActiveAsYouGrow.pdf

Tips for teen boys: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/sites/default/files/tentips/DGTipsheet34ChooseTheFoodsYouNeedToGrow.pdf

Sport and nutrition (in French):

http://www.ilosport.fr/nutrition/conseils/reprise-du-sport-mes-5-piliers-nutrition/

http://www.ilosport.fr/nutrition/conseils/les-10-erreurs-du-sportif/

Nous voici tous rentrés à l’école, les cartables remplis de cahiers neufs, de livres brillants et de bonnes résolutions. Après avoir surmonté les premiers jours d’adaptation, les nouveaux professeurs et le nouvel emploi du temps, certains reprennent aussi de… mauvaises habitudes : arriver au lycée pour une bonne journée de travail… mais le ventre vide ! Nous avons tous besoin d’un bon petit-déjeuner le matin : pourquoi ? que choisir pour le petit déjeuner ? et surtout comment faire pour réussir à faire petit-déjeuner un adolescent… récalcitrant !

Pourquoi est-il important de prendre un petit-déjeuner ?

Pour briser le jeûne : Au réveil, le corps est resté à jeun pendant de longues heures, souvent 11 à 12 heures ! Il est indispensable de faire le plein d’énergie !

Le petit déjeuner doit couvrir à lui seul un quart des besoins énergétiques dont le corps a besoin dans la journée… Il permet d’alimenter en énergie les muscles et le cerveau pour réaliser les tâches quotidiennes qu’elles soient physiques (respirer, marcher, courir) ou mentales (réfléchir, penser, apprendre). Passer un examen peut ainsi nous amener à brûler autant de calories qu’une séance de sport !

Pour éviter “ le coup de fatigue de 11h” : au lycée, il tombe plutôt vers 11h20 où chaque jour trois ou quatre étudiants se présentent persuadés d’avoir été victime d’un mal aussi inconnu que terrible se traduisant par des crampes d’estomac à les plier en quatre… oui, cela s’appelle la faim ! Maux de tête, fatigue intense et autres vertiges sont aussi légion. Un peu d’eau sucrée les ressucite et leur évite de manquer le test de maths… mais voilà, les capacités de concentration sont déjà durement touchées par ce déficit d’énergie et les performances intellectuelles, lors d’un test en l’occurrence, sont déjà plus chancelantes. Car le petit déjeuner est indispensable à une bonne concentration et donc participe pleinement à la réussite scolaire.

Les enfants qui ne prennent pas de petit-déjeuner risquent de faire de l’hypoglycémie lorsqu’ils sont en cours de sport.

Pour éviter un malaise pendant les cours de sport : régulièrement viennent à l’infirmerie des élèves pâles et hors d’haleine, pris de vertiges et tout tremblants ; l’incompréhension de ce qui leur arrive les porte même au bord de la panique. Du repos, de l’eau, du sucre, un encas et beaucoup de réassurance leur permettent de retrouver leur état habituel. Dans la plupart des cas, sinon tous, ces élèves n’ont pas pris de petit-déjeuner (ou un petit-déjeuner très insuffisant) ce qui provoque une hypoglycémie. Les conséquences ? Ils sont désespérés d’avoir échoué leur test de sport, viennent de perdre une heure de cours pour s’en remettre et resteront fatigués tout le reste de la journée… Un prix fort pour avoir raté un des meilleurs repas de la journée !

Pour limiter les grignotages : cela a été prouvé et re-prouvé: ne pas prendre de petit-déjeuner pousse à grignoter dans la matinée, et à manger davantage au déjeuner avec une attirance marqué pour les produits gras et sucrés que notre cerveau reconnait comme plus caloriques. Au final, ne pas manger de petit-déjeuner peut également entraîner une prise de poids.

Que prendre pour un petit déjeuner équilibré ?

“À la francaise” :

– 1 produit céréalier : Pain complet (idéalement), céréales (les moins sucrées de préférence), flocons d’avoine

– 1 produit laitier : Lait (chaud ou froid), un yaourt, un fromage blanc ou encore, pourquoi pas, une part de fromage

– 1 boisson : Eau ou chocolat chaud ou froid (qui compte à la fois comme une boisson et un produit laitier) et pour les plus grands, café ou thé (attention, pas trop de cafféine dans la journée !).

– 1 fruit : Soit entier (kiwi, orange, banane, pêche, pomme… à varier selon les saisons) ou bien en compote voire en jus. Attention, choisir les compotes sans sucres ajoutés et les 100% pur jus…

“À l’américaine” :

– un oeuf (ajouter des protéines permet un sentiment de satiété plus long)

– du yaourt

– des céréales

– un fruit

Que faire pour que mes enfants déjeunent le matin ?

Pour convaincre vos enfants, mettez en avant les bénéfices du petit-déjeuner :

– meilleure concentration, meilleure présence en classe donc moins de travail personnel à fournir pour de meilleurs résultats scolaires…

– plus d’énergie pour des journées souvent très occupées

– une meilleure santé et une meilleure gestion du poids

Pour les aider :

– préparer la table du petit déjeuner la veille au soir ; tout est déjà sur la table, c’est plus tentant et plus facile.

– se lever 20 minutes plus tôt pour avoir le temps de manger calmement.

– en cas de retard, prévoyez une collation équilibrée, facile à manger sur le trajet de l’école:

– 1 tartine en sandwich, 4 biscuits secs ou 1 barre de céréales,

– 1 brique de lait ou 1 yaourt à boire,

– 1 fruit lavé et prêt à déguster (pomme, poire, pêche, banane)…

– un thermos de thé chaud ou une petite bouteille d’eau minérale

Pensez à faire des stocks de produits tout prêts bien pratiques :

– briques de lait et de 100% pur jus

– yaourts (les yaourts “grecs” contiennent des protéines qui donnent une bonne sensation de satiété pour longtemps)

– fromages à pâtes dures faciles à emporter

– céréales à verser dans une petite boîte avant de partir

– fruits frais entiers faciles à manger en route : pommes, bananes, pêches, oranges

– bagels

– oeuf cuit la veille ou au matin

– petit sandwichs au fromage, au jambon… qui peuvent être faits la veille si besoin.

Pour finir, quand c’est possible : prendre un petit-déjeuner, même rapide, en famille peut tout changer ! C’est ainsi que le petit-déjeuner, en plus d’être une bonne résolution familiale pourrait vous permettre de grapiller quelques minutes bien agréables pour commencer la journée tous ensemble… même si les yeux sont un peu cernés et la conversation monosyllabique … oui, bon, il est encore tôt…

Bon appétit !

Lire un autre article sur l’importance de manger sainement, notamment pour les élèves du secondaire, écrit par le préparateur physique du LFNY.

Every graduating class is different. These differences manifest themselves at the Lycée in the proportion of students choosing certain Bacs and filières, or the percentage of students who immerse themselves in athletic teams or community service activities. We can also see the differences in where our graduating Terminale choose to attend university.

Students from the class of 2015  waited with nervous anticipation backstage at 92nd street Y for their graduation ceremony on June 11, 2015. 

The Class of 2015 will be known for bucking matriculation trends at the Lycée, and choosing their own path. We are proud of this class for making decisions that reflected their academic interests and cultural preferences.

In particular, the Class of 2015 chose French universities in a greater proportion than in years past. A full 19% of the class chose French institutions, compared to 3% last year. Most of these students chose traditional universities, though four will be enrolling in classe préparatoire.

We were also delighted by the growing interest in UK universities. Eight percent of the class is matriculating in the UK, as opposed to 3% last year, with two stellar matriculants to the London School of Economics. In the US, there was a decline in applications, with 30% matriculating in the US, whereas last year 54% matriculated in the US. Note that there are several students headed towards art schools here in the US and across the world.

During graduation, photos of “fidèles” (students who have been at the Lycée since nursery school) are shown on the screen.

As our students are internationally inclined, naturally curious and adventurous, we expect them to continue to investigate their educational options worldwide. It is the mission of our office to know and understand each child, and help each one evaluate the many choices available to them.

United States

– Barnard College

– Boston University

– Columbia University

– Cooper Union

– Emory University

– Fashion Institute of Technology

– George Mason University

– George Washington University

– Georgetown University

– Harvard University

– Loyola Marymount University

– University of Miami

– The New School – Eugene Lang College

– New York University (3)

– Northwestern University

– University of Notre Dame

– Princeton University

– Reed College

– Savannah College of Art and Design

– Smith College

– University of Southern California

– University of Vermont

– Washington University in St. Louis

Canada

– Concordia University (8)

– HEC Montreal

– McGill University (15)

– University of Toronto (2)

– Syn Studio Art School

– York University

The graduation ceremony at the 92nd Street Y is always well attended by families and Lycée teachers alike.

France

– ESAG Penninghen

– IÉSEG Lille-Paris

– IPAG Business School – Campus Paris

– École Pour l’Informatique et les Techniques Avancées

– Lycée Henri IV

– Lycée Jean-Baptiste Say

– Lycée Louis le Grand

– Lycée Madeleine Daniélou

– Université Pierre et Marie Curie

– Sciences Po Paris – Campus Le Havre

– Sciences Po Paris – Campus Reims (2)

– Sciences Po – l’Université Pierre et Marie Curie Dual Degree

– Université de Strasbourg

– Université de Technologie de Troyes

– Université Paris Diderot

– Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris III)

United Kingdom

– Goldsmiths College, University of London

– Imperial College London

– London School of Economics (2)

– University of Exeter

– University of East Anglia

– University of Warwick

Two graduates of Class of 2015.

Italy

– Università Bocconi

Portugal

– Nova School of Business and Economics

Spain

– IE University (2)

– St. Louis University – Madrid

Switzerland

– École Hôtelière de Lausanne

Turkey

– Koç University

Multinational Degree Programs

– Sciences Po – Columbia Dual BA (3)

Tuesday: Secondary students interviewed Serge July during his student lecture on the history of freedom of speech in France, and the impact of technology and social media on the press. Serge July: “L’information aujourd’hui est transformée par les réseaux sociaux … la vérification va prendre une importance considérable pour l’avenir du journalisme.”

This year’s Fall Festival is all new, from the earlier date to the theme – FOOD!

On Friday, October 23^rd, join us for a panel entitled “Evolving Taste: Challenges in Food Innovation” featuring panelists Amy Bentley, Ariane Daguin, Elisabeth de Kergorlay and Lior Lev Sercarz and moderated by Andrew Friedman.

Amy Bentley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University. Ariane Daguin is a chef and founder of D’Artagnan, the leading purveyor of organic poultry, game, foie gras, pâtés, sausages, smoked delicacies, and wild mushrooms. Elisabeth de Kergolay is the founder of Babeth Feast, which champions the power of flash-frozen foods to provide the flavor, quality, connection and convenience that busy people need. Lior Lev Sercarz is the chef, spice blender and owner of La Boîte, a biscuits and spice shop in New York City, featuring over 40 unique spice blends. Andrew Friedman is the founder of Toqueland, a site chronicling the world of professional chefs.

Stay for a cocktail reception with live music, catered by Tastings NYC and featuring 21st century Cheese Fondue and Swiss Wine offered by the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York.

Children will be able to try the climbing wall in the Main Gym on Saturday, October 24.

Come back on Saturday, October 24^th to celebrate all things food with the family. Shop one of the more than 15 food vendors, taste a variety of donated goodies and climb the rock wall. Kids can participate in activities ranging from Basketball to Pop Fit Kids to Food Art. The kid’s corner will be filled with crafts and games for all ages. And for the younger ones, get here early to see Silly Billy at 10 am and come back with the whole family for Ratatouille at noon.

The Fall Festival is being speared headed by our co-chairs and parents at the school: Nathalie Sann, Marie-Paule Nowlis and Brigitte Schaller.

To purchase tickets to the Cocktail Reception or to sign up for activities, please visit: www.lfny.org/fallfestival.

Jeudi: Un par un, les élèves de cette classe de CE1 présentent à leurs camarades l’activité de cirque qu’ils maitrisent le mieux. Ici, cette élève jongle avec les foulards. Le cirque est au programme d’EPS pour le CP et le CE1 et les élèves peuvent choisir parmi 12 activités parmi lesquelles les échasses, la grosse boule, la plume de paon ou encore les bolas.

Mercredi: Plusieurs générations du Lycée sont venues assister à la projection gratuite du Grand Bleu, organisée par le Centre Culturel (voir la programmation ici). L’un des acteurs principaux du film, Jean Reno, était présent sur scène pour une séance de Questions-Réponses avec le public. Ce dernier a parlé de sa carrière et de son expérience lors du tournage, et notamment de l’entrainement à la plongée. Jean Reno et Jean-Marc Barr n’étaient en effet pas doublés pour la majeure partie des plongées pendant le film, allant jusqu’à 30 mètres de profondeur. “It takes a year to understand the sea, and if you don’t understand the sea, you cannot dive,” explique Jean Reno. ©Manon Grossard

Mardi: Concentration et souplesse sont au rendez-vous de ce cours extrascolaire “Karaté niveau avancé” auquel participent des élèves de CE2, CM1 et CM2 dans la salle de motricité de l’école.

Lundi: Les élèves de cette classe de 3ème applaudissent l’élection de leurs délégués, à l’issue du vote. Toutes les classes du secondaire ont participé à des élections au cours des deux dernières semaines. Chaque groupe d’advisory choisit un délégué de classe, soit deux délégués par classe. La semaine du 13 octobre, chaque niveau élira des délégués les représentant au Conseil des élèves. Les règles du vote sont strictes, et aucun cumul (classe et Conseil des élèves) n’est possible.

Chaque jour, la cafétéria du Lycée prépare et sert quelque 1100 repas. Un système bien rôdé où douze employés s’activent à partir de 7h du matin et jusqu’à 15h l’après-midi, toute l’année scolaire. L’équipe de la cantine en cuisine fait partie de Flik Independent School, une entreprise spécialisée dans la restauration collective qui travaille avec plus d’une centaine d’écoles privées de la région nord-est des États-Unis. La sensibilité de Flik à une alimentation à la fois élaborée, locale, bio et respectueuse de l’environnement s’aligne avec les valeurs écologiques du Lycée Français “le développement durable est au coeur de notre mission, et nous sommes fiers des efforts de Flik en la matière”, souligne le proviseur de l’école Sean Lynch.

La nourriture servie chaque matin et chaque midi au Lycée suit un menu bien précis. “Le menu est peu ou prou établi pour l’année à venir”, assure Grace Herrera, chef de cuisine. Cela ne veut pas dire qu’une vraie réflexion est menée sur la variété des aliments servis: “notre menu reflète la diversité de notre communauté”, selon Nadine Kaston, la directrice adjointe de l’élémentaire et présidente du comité sur la cafétéria, composé de parents et d’élèves.

Un menu international, qui reflète la diversité du corps étudiant et enseignant.

Comme la vidéo ci-dessus l’explique, la structure du repas servi chaque jour s’articule autour d’une entrée – soupe ou salade -, un plat chaud contenant de la viande (sauf le lundi) et des légumes, un dessert – fruit ou yaourt -, et une brique de lait, de l’eau ou un jus de fruit (Honest Kids) comme boisson. Cela constitue ce que l’école appelle le “meal plan”, que mangent tous les élèves pour lesquels la cafétéria est obligatoire, à savoir de la grande section de maternelle jusqu’en 5ème. Il existe cependant des différences au fur et à mesure que les élèves grandissent, et ces derniers peuvent, selon leur âge, choisir également parmi le stand des sandwiches, le buffet à salades, voire des sushis vendus séparément. “Il existe des périodes charnières où la palette d’options va croissant comme au CE2, en 6ème et en 4ème”, indique Nadine Kaston, “cela s’explique par la plus grande autonomie des élèves et leur capacité à faire des choix responsables sur leur alimentation.”

Que se passe-t-il avant la grande section? Les élèves de moyenne section doivent apporter leur déjeuner et le manger dans leur classe. Ce n’est qu’à partir de la grande section que les enfants peuvent goûter à la nourriture préparée par Flik, repas qu’ils prennent, eux-aussi, dans leur classe. C’est également le cas des CP. Deux assistants par classe pour ces trois niveaux sont présents pendant les repas pour aider les élèves. “Pour les plus petits, la classe est un meilleur endroit pour déjeuner car ils bénéficient d’une attention particulière de la part des assistants, et l’espace étant plus calme, il est plus propice à l’apprentissage des bonnes manières à table”, souligne Nadine Kaston.

L’une des deux assistantes pour le déjeuner de cette classe de grande section demande le calme avant de commencer à manger en frappant des mains, les enfants font silence en applaudissent à leur tour en réponse.

À partir du CE1, les élèves prennent leur repas dans la cafétéria. Ils doivent désormais prendre un plateau et y déposer les différents aliments. La structure du repas est la même qu’en GS et CP, ce qui favorise une transition “en douceur”, selon Nadine Kaston, car les enfants connaissent la nourriture, ils doivent juste s’adapter à un nouvel environnement et à de nouvelles pratiques, comme débarrasser leur plateau à la fin du repas.

En CE2, les choix s’intensifient pour les élèves, qui peuvent maintenant choisir pour leur plat principal entre un plat chaud, un sandwich déjà préparé et un buffet à salades. “Cela fait beaucoup d’options, c’est pourquoi nous encourageons fortement les parents, à ce stade, à déchiffrer le menu avec leurs enfants, afin de les guider dans leurs choix”, ajoute Nadine Kaston. Les menus sont accessibles en ligne sur le portail du Lycée (sous l’onglet “Infos Pratiques/Cafeteria) et actualisés chaque mois, ils sont aussi postés dans les salles de classes, les couloirs et à l’entrée de la cafétéria. Voici ci-dessous le menu pour le mois d’octobre 2015 (cliquer sur l’image pour l’agrandir).

L’autre transition importante concerne les élèves de 6ème, qui ont maintenant accès au – très convoité – stand à sandwiches. Ils peuvent aussi acheter des sushis (préparés à l’extérieur de l’école), des jus de fruits ou des smoothies à base de fruits Naked Juice, produits qui ne sont pas inclus dans le “meal plan” et donc payants. Idem pour le petit-déjeuner proposé à partir de 9h30 aux élèves du secondaire.

La dernière transition concerne les élèves de 4ème qui sont autorisés à déjeuner à l’extérieur de l’école, trois jours sur cinq. Cela signifie qu’ils déjeunent deux jours par semaine dans l’école, que ce soit en achetant leur nourriture à la cafétéria ou bien en ramenant leur “lunch box”. Ces deux journées sont déterminées au début de l’année dans l’emploi du temps des élèves. Passée cette étape en 4ème, tous les élèves entre la 3ème et la terminale peuvent déjeuner en dehors de l’école, et “en général, à ce stade, ils aiment être entre eux à l’extérieur”, sourit Nadine Kaston, même si ils peuvent utiliser la cafétéria si ils le souhaitent.

Noix et porcs, persona non-grata.

Si les plats proposés sont variés, il y a une certaine constance dans le type de plat. Ainsi, tous les lundis, le plat chaud est sans viande, une initiative appelée “Meatless Mondays” lancée il y a déjà plusieurs années par l’association environnementale du Lycée, l’ETF. Tous les mardis, la cafétéria propose de la viande blanche (dinde ou poulet) ; tous les mercredi, du poisson ; tous les jeudi, des pâtes – “notre journée la plus intense car les enfants demandent constamment d’être resservis”, assure Grace Herrera – ; et tous les vendredi, du boeuf.

Une employée de Flik prépare un guacamole avec des produits frais : avocats, coriandre, oignons et tomates.

Les viandes et poissons servis à la cantine sont attentivement sélectionnés et répondent à des critères environnementaux et d’élevage strictes. Ainsi, Flik choisit son poisson en fonction du programme Seafood Watch, qui liste les variétés qui ne sont pas menacées. La volaille n’est pas traitée avec des antibiotiques, les oeufs certifiés par le label Humane Farm Animal Care et proviennent d’animaux élevés hors cage, et le lait provient de vaches sans hormones de croissance. Enfin, la viande de boeuf est bio et provient d’une ferme située au nord de l’État de New Yok où les bovins sont nourris à l’herbe. Quant aux fruits et légumes, la plupart proviennent de fermes environnantes, en Pennsylvanie, dans le New Jersey ou l’État de New York. Ces temps-ci, c’est le cas des tomates, des carottes, du maïs, de la salade, des pommes et des poires, cela change en fonction des saisons.

“Je suis admirative de l’équipe de la cafétéria qui, en l’espace de deux heures et demi, nourrit plus de 1000 personnes, et ce, dans une cuisine relativement petite”, explique Nadine Kaston. “Mon équipe prend son travail à coeur”, ajoute Grace Herrera, “et nous sommes tous motivés par l’engouement des enfants pour la nourriture que nous préparons. Ces enfants, ce sont comme les nôtres, et nous voulons ce qu’il y a de mieux pour eux.”

Wednesday: Pre-K Students spent the day at the Queens County Farm Museum in Queens.They enjoyed some fresh air and saw some chickens, sheep and cows. See more photos on the Maternelles blog (login required). Credit: A. Morrison.

Wednesday: About 200 students in 9th and 10th grade spent their morning passing the PSAT, a preliminary test to the SAT that all American students practice for. The PSAT is to the SAT what the Bac Blanc is to the Baccalauréat. Students usually don’t pass the actual SAT until the middle of the 11th grade year. Over 3.9 million students across the country took the PSAT that Wednesday.

Tuesday: Head of School Sean Lynch gives an introductory speech during the Annual Fund Launch at the Tovar Gallery on October 13. The event, attended by about 150 parents, is meant to kick off the beginning of the new campaign to support the school. (Credits: Amanda Louis)