NEWSLETTER #1 2023-2024
STUDENT WELL BEING AT EFAM - PPA PRESENTATIONS
This year, one of our ongoing priorities continues to be the well being of all students at EFAM. To help us continue our work in this area, the Pediatric Psychology Associates team came to EFAM last week to support our social-emotional actions and curriculum:
Teacher and assistant workshop - Bullying vs. social conflict
On Monday, September 25th, EFAM hosted a professional development seminar with Dr. Erica Wells and Ms. Hernandez at the North Campus for the entire academic team (teachers, assistants, administrators). The presentation was followed by Q&A. Highly instructive content was shared and enabled the team to reinforce our existing protocols.
Parent workshops - Helping your child navigate social conflict
Two parent workshops were hosted by Dr.Wells and Ms.Hernandez for EFAM parents. On Tuesday, September 26th, an in-person session was held at the South Campus. On Thursday, September 28th, an online session was open to all who couldn’t attend previously.
Access the presentation slides here and the online presentation here.
Access EFAM’s social emotional curriculum and bullying protocol here (en français ici) .
Centre aéré d’octobre - october recess camp for efam students
EFAM is hosting a camp at both campuses for the October recess, from October 16th to the 20th. All groups will be chaperoned by EFAM teachers and assistants. Groups will include students from different classes in similar age groups. Activities will include arts and crafts, gardening, STEAM activities, movies in French, cooking and outdoor games and sports. Pictured below is our last camp in May 2023.
BOOK FAIRS @EFAM
This year again, EFAM is hosting book fairs at both campuses. These events foster a love of books and reading while empowering our students to select books themselves.
The Scholastic Book Fair is running this week from October 2nd to October 6th. Students can bring cash or parents can prepay their purchases via the E-Wallet (more details in the emails sent this week). Students will go to the Book Fair with their teachers throughout the week. Parents are invited to come this Thursday, October 5th at 2:45pm for maternelle parents and at 3:45pm for elementary parents.
EFAM will also host a French book fair in partnership with My Bulle Toys in Boca Raton. It will take place from December 4th to the 8th on both campuses. More details to be announced via email as we get closer to the event.
1,2,3 RUN
This year’s edition of the 1,2,3 Run event will be taking place on Saturday, October 28th from 9:30 am to 11 am at the South Campus. This event is part of the AEFE network of French schools abroad yearly projects, whose focus is also to honor the 2024 Paris Olympics next Summer.
EFAM invites students, their families and staff from both campuses to participate by running 1, 2 or 3 miles with us.
A marked-off path at the South Campus park will enable students, parents and staff to run their miles together on school grounds. Please note that parents and guardians will be responsible for their children at this event; EFAM staff present will not be responsible for the children's supervision as this is a family event.
A challenge for each age group! Whether you are an elementary student, a parent or staff member, take the challenge alongside others in your category.
EFAM students - 1 mile / 1,6 km / 3 laps in the park
Adults - 3 miles / 4,8 km / 9 laps in the park
Once your run is completed, you will enter your time via the QR code that will be provided onsite.
Water, sports drinks and snacks will be provided by EFAM. Please RSVP here.
Pictured below - last year’s 1,2,3 Run in November 2022
NO UNIFORM DAY ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13TH!
EFAM’s first fundraising event of the year is upon us! This first No Uniform Day will go towards our Sustainability Initiative for this school year. You can read more about it here. This first initiative will go towards funding a weekly compost service for both campuses and setting up our vegetable and butterfly gardens. These two initiatives will cost close to $5 000.
Our fundraising goal for this school year is $60 000. These funds will go towards building enhancements at both campuses, including creating new outdoor and indoor spaces in the new leased areas at the North Campus, installing a fence along 76th avenue and upgrading student bathrooms at the South campus.
Other fundraising events will include:
Thanksgiving Raffle (email pbertuit@frenchschoolmiami.org if you want to donate an item for the raffle)
No Uniform days throughout the year
Sale of a reusable tote bag featuring the students’ artwork
The Fundays week in February
Sale of school pictures
Our annual Spring Gala
Thank you EFAM parents for your generous contributions last school year, we are counting on your support again this year.
HALLOWEEN 2023…
This year, EFAM Halloween festivities will take place on Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 at both campuses. Expect costumes, parades and lots of Halloween fun! More details to come via email in the coming weeks.
UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS
This year, EFAM will be taking its students on several adventures for cultural enrichment and hands-on learning. The following field trips have been scheduled for the year:
Actor’s Playhouse children’s musicals - Stuart Little (PreK3-1st) and Narnia (2nd-5th grades)- both campuses - November and December
Sports Day/Journée des sports (K-5th)- both campuses meet at Tropical Park in February for an exciting field day filled with games and friendly competition where teams comprised of students from both campuses vie for the gold!
Jungle Island (all classes) - both campuses - April
Further details will be announced as the field trips approach.
a word from the efam parents’ club
Hello EFAM Community! On behalf of the 11 other members of the Board of Directors, it's such an honor to lead the Parents Club for the 2023-2024 school year! The mission of the Club, as always, is to help ensure a safe and supportive environment at EFAM most conducive to our kids' learning and growth. This can mean lots of things, of course, and is flexible on purpose in that what the school and our kids need changes from moment to moment. This year, school infrastructure and covering teacher and staff professional development costs are more direct means of support from the Club. Indirectly, the Club will continue to help build community around EFAM, which, in our opinion, contributes significantly to the school's continued excellence on both campuses. Family Movie Night, the Wine & Cheese event in early November, and the fun-filled Kermesse next semester are all notable ways the Club builds community. Along these lines, the Club was pleased to cover the expenses for the training sessions on bullying and social conflict last month. Finally, the Club hosts numerous smaller events like Halloween goodie bags and pictures with Santa on both campuses to bring smiles to the faces of our kids, teachers, staff, administrators, and parents. And the Yearbook, too, which is put together by a fantastic team of dedicated parents! We couldn't do any of this without the support of EFAM's leadership team, for which we are always grateful. We also rely heavily on parents' and families' ideas and volunteer energy. As our events for the year continue to take shape, please don't hesitate to contact me and the Board directly at club@frenchshoolmiami.org with your thoughts, suggestions, and enthusiasm. You can also find us on Instagram and Facebook. It's going to be another great year at EFAM!
- By Mo Mayrides (President 2023-2024)