We’re at that point in the school calendar when our preparation for the next academic year becomes more tangible. Various elements are starting to fall into place and we are now switching from abstract visions to concrete plans that have the well-being of our students at their heart. Two obvious must-haves take precedence when it comes to achieving a high-quality, harmonious school: students and teachers.

Re-enrollment

Now that the re-enrollment deadline has passed, I would like to take advantage of this letter to thank our families for the confidence they have placed in us. Many of you—a record number of you, in fact—have selected our school for your children again next year. It’s an indicator of your trust and it touches us immensely. It will also allow us to continue to evolve. Your support provides visibility that enables us to ensure that your children benefit from the best conditions possible to study, learn and grow. Of course, we understand that a number of families are not in a position to make a decision right now and we are there for them whenever they need us.

Welcoming Siblings

Some of our students will no longer be coming to The École alone next year; they will be accompanied by a little brother or sister. It is a priority for a family-oriented school like ours to welcome siblings among our ranks and we will be delighted to have 13 newly-enrolled siblings at The École next year (so far!). There will be new families coming to join us too. Mireille Desalm has organized more than twenty Open Houses this year – onsite and virtually—during which members of our teaching team presented our school and curricula. Several parents have also been involved in the admissions process: coming to events or answering questions from families who want to know—after all of the speeches and presentations—what the school is really like. Thank you so much, Alice(s), Benjamin, Anna, Bernard, Helen, Florence, Amy, Margaux, Nejat, Ambre, Michael, Zoe, and Ludivine for your discreet but precious work. The final step in the admissions process is something I put in place when I arrived at the school—a family interview with the head, which gives me a chance to put faces to the names on the admissions applications, meet the children, and answer any lingering questions.

Recruiting Teachers

The children who are enrolling and re-enrolling need to have the best teachers in front of them. In the same way that some families are still unsure of what the future holds, some of our teachers are also uncertain: should they stay here, try something different, go home, or move elsewhere? There is a myriad of choices. We are here for them too, whatever choice they make. At the same time, we are laying the groundwork for the recruitment of potential replacements. For that reason, I’ve spent much of my time since winter break interviewing potential colleagues all over the world: from Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi, Sydney to Paris, and Bucharest to Beirut.

Between those Zoom interviews and managing COVID cases, I feel I am neglecting you a little at the moment by being less present physically, particularly in Maternelle. I miss being with you and want to get out from behind my desk more, but I know it will be worth it in the long run!