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Comments From The French Academy of Minnesota's Parents
A Brighter Future
Loving our
children unconditionally is as natural as breathing.
Having the patience, grace, and wisdom to help them
realize their full potential, now that’s a humbling
endeavor. One of the best decisions I have made in
guiding my son thus far has been to enroll him in
The French Academy of Minnesota
The cognitive and cultural benefits of the
immersion approach are appreciable, but even
more important to me is that these gifts are
given to my son in the context of safety,
comfort, and mutual respect. Both the
classrooms and the school as a whole are
well-managed. Information to the parents is
complete and timely. The rapport between the
students and the staff is exceptional. From
the first meeting with The French Academy’s director,
Veronique Noel, I could see that she knew
children well. She knelt down to be on eye
level with my son, she spoke kindly, with
humor; this made him smile, and he left
there wanting to see her again. I have found
all the staff members at the French Academy to be equally
knowledgeable and caring. Since that day,
Veronique and her staff have always taken
the time to answer my questions thoroughly
and sensitively. I have often received calls
at home simply to tell me how well my son is
doing. This positive, proactive approach is
shared with the children as well. On the
occasions my son has difficulty advancing,
his teachers are quick to assure me he will
succeed, and I know they make every effort
in helping him to do so. At The French
Academy the
partnership between home and school is
strong. It’s wonderful to feel that my input
as a parent is valued, just as I feel that
my son is valued for the unique and
wonderful individual that he is.
During my initial exploration of
The French Academy I
found the rooms to be bright, cheerful, and
well-organized. Most impressive, however, is
the fact that no matter the time I stop by,
the rooms remain neat and inviting. As an
educator I know that this kind of
environment only happens when the children
are participating in keeping the rooms
clean, and this speaks volumes for the
responsibility and stewardship being
fostered.
The curriculum is also well designed to
stimulate the children’s curiosity and build
their confidence through achievement. Each
day I try to arrive a few minutes early
since it is such a pleasure to peek in the
classroom and see my son completely absorbed
in his lesson.
The songs, rhymes, and stories work wonders
to increase the children’s fluency in the
French language. It is to rewarding to hear
my son singing French songs and using French
phrases at home. When I pick my son up from
school he is happy and full of energy. I know
he is enjoying his time at The French
Academy. Every day I
ask him, “What was your favorite activity
today?” and every day he replies “Oh,
nothing, I liked it all”.
At The
French Academy of Minnesota I have the sense of not only being a
part of an outstanding school, but also of
being part of an educational community
dedicated to helping all the children master
outstanding skills and appreciate their own
strengths and abilities. I don’t feel
isolated in my efforts to help my son reach
his potential. This gives me great peace of
mind. To all those at The French Academy who make this
possible, I would like to express a
heartfelt “Merci beaucoup”. Keep up the
great work. You are touching lives and
making brighter futures for all our
children.
Janetta Gong, January 2004 |
