Les News de NSFS Archives - North Seattle French School

Celebrating French Language and Francophone Cultures at the French Fest

communication — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:28:45 +0000

Every year, North Seattle French School is proud to be an active participant of the French Fest at the Seattle Center, organized by France Education Northwest. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate French language and francophone cultures.

One of the highlights of the day? Students’ performances from the four French bilingual schools! Our students took the stage twice—once as an NSFS group and again alongside students from the three other French schools. Hearing them sing together was a powerful reminder that they are part of a larger bilingual community, where language connects us across schools and backgrounds.

This year, all four French schools also collaborated on a special exhibition on sustainable development: Explorer ensemble les 17 Objectifs de Développement Durable♻️, a joint project as part of the AEFE network.

We want to extend a huge merci to our amazing volunteers, parents, and staff who helped prepare for the event, run our booth, and support the students on stage. Your dedication and enthusiasm made this day possible!

And of course, a special shoutout to the winner of our Acorn Guessing Game—an NSFS student! Their guess of 232 acorns was impressively close to the actual count of 225. They won an acorn squishmallow a a prize.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating French language and culture at this fantastic event. We already can’t wait for next year!

The post Celebrating French Language and Francophone Cultures at the French Fest appeared first on North Seattle French School.

North Seattle French School Welcomes Seattle Kraken Player Yanni Gourde for an Inspiring Visit

communication — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 19:11:08 +0000

North Seattle French School’s students had the extraordinary opportunity to meet Yanni Gourde, a key player for the Seattle Kraken and a proud francophone from Quebec. Yanni Gourde took time to interact with our students, sharing stories about his hockey career and answering their eager questions in both French and English.

As a bilingual and francophone school, North Seattle French School (NSFS) strives to create meaningful, real-world connections for students, and Yanni’s visit brought this mission to life. With a strong community of families from Quebec and Canada, NSFS is proud to support students in becoming confident bilingual speakers who can connect with diverse, global perspectives.

During the visit, Yanni graciously answered the students’ eager questions in both languages. When asked by one student why he chose hockey over other sports, he shared that his passion began by competing with his two brothers. His humor came through when he answered another question about whether he had ever been to the penalty box: “I have been there a lot,” Yanni admitted with a laugh.

The bilingual connection deepened as Yanni shared personal insights about speaking French with other francophone players in the NHL and raising his two children to be bilingual, with French being the primary language spoken at home. His accessibility and warmth left a lasting impression on both students and staff.

One parent shared their gratitude on social media, writing: “It was such a surreal thing to watch my son meet an NHL player for the first time today at his school. Yanni Gourde was so gracious, patient, and kind with our elementary students and the staff at North Seattle French School. He answered questions —sometimes the same one two or three times! — signed things, and shared his time with some adoring fans. I am so grateful. My son was in awe, and it is a dream to see your kid see what one of his current dreams looks like.”

NSFS believes that bilingual education is more than language acquisition; it’s an entry into a world of diverse cultural experiences. Events like these underscore NSFS’s dedication to fostering a strong, supportive community where students can find inspiration from outstanding bilingual role models.

We are immensely thankful to Yanni Gourde and the Seattle Kraken for making this unforgettable day possible, as well as for their commitment to inspiring the next generation of bilingual leaders.

“North Seattle French School is proud to provide experiences like these, where language and culture come alive in ways that inspire our students every day.”

Aurélie Declerck, Enrollment & Outreach Manager

Contact: communication@northseattlefrenchschool.com

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Introducing Our Next Head of School

communication — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:08:23 +0000

Dear NSFS Community,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to share with you that the board voted unanimously to hire Erin Brust as the next NSFS head of school (HOS), for an initial term of three years. We are excited that we found a leader who is not only a great fit for our school but also able to lead NSFS into our next chapter.

Erin is currently the Assistant Head of School and Director of Institutional Advancement at the French Immersion School of Washington (FISW), located in Bellevue, WA. She has worked at FISW for 10 years serving many roles, including admissions, advancement, marketing and communications. She supported FISW through two Head of School transitions and oversaw the first FISW capital campaign and two priority FISW initiatives: integration and retention of English faculty and robust advancement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work. Erin is a French-speaking American who is passionate about the rich diversity of Francophone cultures.

In the HOS survey completed after Erin’s visit to our school, NSFS faculty, staff and parents provided enthusiastic feedback on her credentials and “fit” with our community, noting especially that Erin is bilingual, experienced in running a similar French/American bilingual school, and clearly embraces the NSFS mission and values. We are thrilled to welcome Erin into the NSFS community.

We would like to share a few words from Erin about joining NSFS:

” I am honored to have the opportunity to join North Seattle French School at this exciting moment in the school’s journey with your recent French accreditation, Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) candidacy, and full-time preschool on the horizon. You are entrusting me with something very precious, and it is with deep gratitude and enthusiasm that I look forward to serving as your next Head of School.

I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone – students, teachers, staff, parents, board members and the Search Committee – for welcoming me so warmly into your school community. I value your openness and your time. Your love for your special, francophone school community is infectious. There was an atmosphere of collaboration and care that was evident in every corner of the school.

It was clear in each conversation how much Jennifer has brought to NSFS during her time as Head of School, and how appreciated she is by the school community. I am so fortunate to build on her inspiring work, and I look forward to collaborating with her on a smooth and meaningful transition. I can’t wait to get started!”

We had planned originally for our next HOS to start on July 1, 2025. However, Erin’s family has a wonderful opportunity to spend six months in France due to her husband’s sabbatical that is awarded every 10 years. As such, Erin will start as NSFS HOS on January 1, 2026. We are grateful to Jennifer Annable for agreeing to extend her time at NSFS through December 31, 2025 and to serve as a part-time consultant beyond her last day at NSFS, to facilitate a seamless transition.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend my deep gratitude to all members of the NSFS community for your commitment to this search process and your thoughtful feedback. I am especially grateful to my fellow members of the search committee for their service during this comprehensive search process. We are also thankful for the guidance and support of our search consultant, Joan Beauregard, of Educators’ Collaborative.

As we look ahead to the next chapter for NSFS, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for Jennifer Annable and her remarkable contributions to NSFS, working in collaboration with her team, including:

Strengthening hiring and integration of NSFS French and English teachers
Obtaining French Ministry of Education accreditation and NWAIS accreditation candidate status
Establishing a support program serving students of all learning styles
Submitting formal application for a full day preschool
Enriching NSFS programs for music, art and physical education

Above all else, Jennifer’s unfailing enthusiasm, positive attitude and humanity have created a true NSFS family that is the cornerstone of our identity. We look forward to celebrating Jennifer’s legacy at the NSFS gala on March 8, 2025 and throughout her tenure at NSFS.

In closing, with the prospect of new and exciting leadership and the continuing dedication of our wonderful teachers, staff, and families, we look forward to a bright future for North Seattle French School.

Sincerely,

Jen Thiebaud

Chair, Board of Trustees & Search Committee

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