French International School (49038574873)

The French International School of Philadelphia (french: École française internationale de Philadelphie, EFIP) is a French

international school An international school is an institution that promotes education in an international environment or framework. Although there is no uniform definition or criteria, international schools are usually characterized by a multinational student body an ...

Bala Cynwyd Bala Cynwyd ( ) is a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. It is located on the Philadelphia Main Line in Southeastern Pennsylvania, bordering the western edge of Philadelphia at U.S. Route 1 (City Avenue). It was originally two separ ...

Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania Lower Merion Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Philadelphia Main Line. The township's name originates with the county of Merioneth in north Wales. Merioneth is an English-language transcription of the ...

within the Delaware Valley. As of 1993 it is the only full French bilingual educational program in Pennsylvania.Hellberg, Joyce Vottima.
French School Gets Larger Quarters The Philadelphia School Has Moved Into The Historic Beechwood House.
''

Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Penns ...

''. August 3, 1993. Retrieved on May 14, 2014. It serves grades PreK-8.

History

The school established its bylaws on January 22, 1991, and it opened in September of that year. At the time the school was established, the French expatriate population of Philadelphia was increasing. At the time, 47 French companies had operations in the Philadelphia area. The Philadelphia honorary consul for France, Stanhope S. Browne, and the general consul of France, Jean-Yves Defay, stated that they estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 French people lived in the Philadelphia area. In addition some American families had concerns about education in American schools. The French expats worked with locals for five months to have the school established. Originally the school occupied a leased second floor wing of the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr. There were 13 students, with the oldest at 7 years and the youngest at years. Because younger children can more easily learn languages, the school initially opened with only the ''maternelle'' grades. The school's principal, Josette J. Smith, stated in 1991 that "A private-school education in France is probably much more conservative than education in public schools. And our school is a private school, but it is modeled on public education in France."Woodall, Martha.
Rigorous Study Is De Rigueur
" ''

''. September 16, 1991. Retrieved on May 15, 2014. The school planned to add the third grade in September 1992.Hellberg, Joyce Vottima.
Sparking A Flair For French
" ''

''. June 4, 1992. Retrieved on May 15, 2014. Because the first facility was unable to give more space, the school moved into a facility of the

Shipley School , motto_translation = Courage for the deed; Grace for the doing , address = 814 Yarrow Street , location = , region = , city = Bryn Mawr , county = , st ...

, the just-vacated Beechwood house, in 1993. The school eventually moved to Bala Cynwyd, PA, and established an Upper School in a repurposed office building on City Avenue to house grades 4-8 and a Lower School, located on Highland Avenue, to house pre-K3 to 4th grades.

Student body

the school has 320 students, with about 33% being French, 33% being American, and 33% from international and/or bilingual families.Our Students
." French International School of Philadelphia. Retrieved on May 14, 2014. In 1992 Josette Smith stated that many students were children of French business executives assigned to work in the Philadelphia area.

References

External links

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French International School of Philadelphia
{{Coord, 40.00197, -75.23866, type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-PA, display=title French-American culture in Pennsylvania French international schools in the United States Private K–8 schools in Pennsylvania 1991 establishments in Pennsylvania Educational institutions established in 1991 Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania Schools in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

History

Student body

See also

References

External links