Think internationally.
General Viewbook
Rooted in San Francisco and informed by a global perspective, French American International School + International High School is the intellectual home for those seeking a world-class education and an inclusive, multicultural community. We inspire students to discover their individualities, explore their passions, and think internationally. Our students develop into global citizens who will make a difference in their world.
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French American International School
Mission Statement
Guided by the principles of academic rigor and diversity, French American + International offers programs of study in French and English to prepare its graduates for a world in which the ability to think critically and to communicate across cultures is of paramount importance.
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International High School
General Viewbook
Guidé par des principes de rigueur académique et de diversité, le Lycée International Franco-Américain propose des programmes en français et en anglais pour assurer la réussite de ses diplômés dans un monde dans lequel la pensée critique et la communication interculturelle seront déterminantes.
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French American International School
International High School
Our Values Our international community brings together people from many backgrounds. Together we strive to create a shared culture that develops compassionate, confident, and principled people who will make the world better. We base our community on these values:
Notre communauté internationale rassemble des personnes de toutes origines. Ensemble, nous contribuons à créer une culture qui forme des êtres altruistes et déterminés. Dotés d’un sens moral, ils œuvrent à un monde meilleur. Notre communauté repose sur les valeurs suivantes:
Integrity Intégrité We speak and act with honesty. We take responsibility for our actions and we meet our commitments. Nous parlons et agissons avec honnêteté. Nous assumons la responsabilité de nos actes et tenons nos engagements.
Respect We celebrate the dignity, shared humanity, and potential in everyone. We listen attentively, speak thoughtfully, and act with courtesy and kindness. We take care of ourselves, our community, and our environment. Nous célébrons la dignité, l’humanité et le potentiel de tous. Nous écoutons attentivement et mesurons le poids de notre parole et de nos actes. Nous veillons à notre bien-être, à celui de notre communauté et de notre environnement.
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General Viewbook
Inclusion We celebrate the diversity that defines our school, our community, and the world. We seek to understand one another and to appreciate differing perspectives. We act with empathy and compassion. Nous célébrons la diversité qui caractérise notre école, notre communauté et le monde. Nous souhaitons nous comprendre et apprécier des perspectives différentes. Nous faisons preuve d’empathie et de compassion.
Collaboration We prize the benefits of working and learning together. We succeed through shared effort and by seeking excellence in ourselves and one another. Nous comprenons la valeur du travail et de l’apprentissage collectif. Nous réussissons grâce à l’effort collectif et la recherche de l’excellence, pour nous-mêmes et les autres.
Curiosity Curiosité We are inquisitive about the world and our place in it, about ourselves, and about one another. We ask questions, take risks, and delight in discovery. Nous regardons les autres etnous-mêmes avec curiosité. Nous interrogeons le monde et partons à sa découverte en prenant des risques.
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General Viewbook
Welcome When you choose a school, you choose the community in which your child and your family will live and grow for the coming years. That community matters, immensely: it must enrich, support, and inspire your child and family, all in equal measure. French American + International offers your family authentic immersion in more than one culture and the most reputable academic programs in the world. We are a delightfully diverse, deliberately innovative school, and an extraordinary place for students to learn and grow. Our students are transformed by their experience here, and they are prepared to navigate the world with confidence and command, empathy and joy. We welcome your family to visit our vibrant urban campus, talk with our enthusiastic students and engaged faculty, and learn about the exciting opportunity that is French American + International.
Warmly,
Melinda Bihn Ed.D. Head of School
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French American International School
Lower School
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International High School
General Viewbook
Our Lower School is a unique, bilingual environment that combines authentic, intellectual endeavors and supportive social emotional learning to position students as agents of their own learning.
Maternelle In the Maternelle, learning comes alive for our PK-3, PK-4, and Kindergarten students. In sun-drenched classrooms, daily activities are differentiated, hands-on, and child-centered. We build large and fine motor skills, gently preparing the children for reading, writing, and numeracy. The program teaches children to work together while developing their individual personalities. Children learn to become students and take an active role in their education. The Maternelle program provides a thoughtfully sequenced, developmentally designed pedagogical approach to young learners, which is reinforced each year at French American. Maternelle students begin Lower School with a great sense of resourcefulness and independence, thanks to their blossoming bilingualism and their increased confidence and self-esteem.
Grades 1-5 Lower school is one of the most exciting periods in our young students’ lives. We celebrate and explore children’s natural curiosity and acceptance of new ideas as we build a solid foundation of skills through our interdisciplinary, bilingual approach to learning. Lower School teachers pay close attention to the linguistic and social emotional development of each student, warmly encouraging critical thinking, active exchange, and cooperation. Just as students learn to share and wait their turn, they also ask questions and express their thoughts independently. By the time they complete 5th grade, our fearlessly bilingual students enter middle school with a strong sense of curiosity, collaboration, and autonomy. Collaborating with classmates and teachers from around the globe introduces our students to different cultures and puts them ahead of peers at other schools. Our English- and French-speaking teachers collaborate in their work with students to enhance the bilingual experience.
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French American International School
Learning Beyond the Classroom Students in Kindergarten through 5th grade take part in local field trips and overnight outdoor education trips that complement the taught curriculum and extend their learning in the classroom. These experiences develop young learners’ sense of responsibility, self-esteem, and independence of mind. A traditional rite of passage for our 5th graders is their exchange trip to Strasbourg, France. This represents the culmination of their lower school bilingual education and prepares them for extensive global travel experiences waiting for them in the Middle School.
After School Program On any given day, as many as 350 students attend the After School Program, which is available before school at 7:30am, and after school until 6:00pm. Children can play, learn, and create through diverse extracurricular activities such as science, robotics, tinkering, sports, art, music, dance, and learning lab. With the children’s wellbeing always in mind, we provide a stimulating and safe environment all year long. Most important, we provide a space where kids can be kids.
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International High School
French American International School
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International High School
General Viewbook
Middle School As a bridge between the Lower School and High School, childhood and adolescence, the middle school years constitute a key moment in our school. Fueled by adolescent energy, our students develop their global citizenship, explore new passions and subjects, and become more independent. As they learn who they are, they come to understand the world they live in—and how they plan to change that world. Our students continue their language journey in our Middle School, becoming fully bilingual by 8th grade. The bilingual middle school program enables students to experience different ways of thinking on a daily basis, enhancing their intellectual flexibility. It is a lifelong benefit that no other school can match. Already steeped in English and French as they transition from the Lower School, our middle school students add a third language class. Accelerated classes in Arabic, Italian, Mandarin, or Spanish position them for proficiency in another language in addition to English and French. They also embark on linguistic adventures through travel to China, Italy, Morocco, or Nicaragua to round out their understanding of both language and culture.
Our students’ growing intellectual independence is fostered by an Advisory Program that provides supportive relationships and guidance for our early adolescents. Advisory builds on our community to strengthen each student’s sense of belonging and create a safe, fun, and engaging space for them to grow personally, socially, and intellectually. Equally important to the collaborative, cross-disciplinary work our students undertake in the classroom is the opportunity for them to express their voice and choice in their learning. Opportunities such as student government, service-learning projects, exploration classes, and student affinity groups allow students to shape their path and develop their voices, preparing them for real-world choices and challenges.
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French American International School
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International High School
General Viewbook
High School Our International High School, with its baccalaureate programs, many languages, and multicultural, multilingual teachers from around the world, is an explosion of ideas, passions, and interests where students excel. The high school years shape how students see themselves and interact with the world around them. As they earn world-renowned credentials through either the International Baccalaureate or the French BaccalaurĂŠat, our International High School students learn and grow in a culturally vibrant, dynamic environment that prepares them to pursue their passions at the best colleges and universities across the country and the world.
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French American International School
International High School
Students experience a rigorous curriculum guided by passionate, supportive teachers who emphasize critical thinking. In the diverse community of our school, students learn f lexibility and develop cross-cultural understanding, positioning them for successful lives as global citizens.
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
In 9th and 10th grades, students take a core of pre-baccalaureate classes that develop foundational skills, strengthen their interests, and provide opportunities to discover new talents. Curriculum is taught in engaging, innovative ways, and students develop strong relationships with their teachers and peers.
In 11th and 12th grades, students take either the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or French BaccalaurĂŠat (Bac). Both the IB and the Bac are powerful, two-year mini-degree programs that provide thorough preparation for college. Both are about students making choices, pursuing passions, and developing strong relationships with faculty in seminars, labs, and in-depth research projects. And together they offer our students the choice of the two most prestigious programs in the world.
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French American International School
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International High School
General Viewbook
Thriving Arts The arts are a vibrant, integral part of the French American + International community and student life. Student exploration of the arts ranges from directing one-act plays to making short films, from painting murals to composing music. The Arts Program offers major theater performances, several music concerts and events, and art shows throughout the year. With a black-box theater, a costume shop, and a fully-equipped workshop, our theater program invites students to develop their talents as actors, writers, directors, and designers. Our Arts Pavilion offers three large classroom-studio spaces where visual art students work in a variety of media ranging from oil paint to charcoal, photography to sculpture. Additionally, music students take advantage of our practice rooms and recording studio, preparing for year-round performances, or rehearsing with their own student-led bands. And, with state-of-the-art computers, software, cameras, and sound equipment, students write, shoot, and edit their own work in our four-year high school film program.
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French American International School
International High School
Fall
Winter
Spring
Middle School
Middle School
Middle School
• Cross Country • Boys’ 5th grade, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Soccer • Girls’ 5th grade, 6th grade, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Volleyball
High School • Cross Country • Sailing • Men’s Junior Varsity and Varsity Soccer • Women’s Junior Varsity and Varsity Tennis • Women’s Freshman, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Volleyball
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• Boys’ 5th grade, 6th grade, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Basketball • Girls’ Junior Varsity and Varsity Basketball • Girls’ 5th and 6th grade Soccer
High School • Men’s Freshman, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Basketball • Women’s Junior Varsity and Varsity Basketball • Club Skiing
• Boys’ 5th/6th and 7th/8th grade Baseball • Girls’ 5th grade and 6th grade Basketball • Girls’ Varsity Soccer • Boys’ 5th grade, 6th grade, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Volleyball
High School • • • • • •
Badminton Men’s Baseball Sailing Women’s Varsity Soccer Swimming Men’s Junior Varsity and Varsity Tennis • Track & Field
General Viewbook
Competitive Athletics Student-athletes participate in competitive team sports, forging close relationships with their teammates and developing healthy practices of mind, body, and character. Many of our students play on a team during all three athletic seasons, some picking up new sports for the very first time in middle or high school. Athletics are fully integrated into our educational philosophy and experience. Our athletic program fosters a spirit of commitment, leadership, and sportsmanship, while honoring cultural diversity and gender equity. Our student-athletes play because they love the game, value their teammates, and take pride in representing their school.
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French American International School
International High School
Engaged Community Our bilingual curriculum truly comes alive in the daily learning interactions among teachers and students, and between school and families. Our vibrant school culture is as much about smart, interesting people and their values as the curriculum itself.
In our classrooms, our teachers take pride in knowing every single student and all our families. Across the school, we create a welcoming community that brings together people from many backgrounds, cultures, and countries. From the outset, parents meet kindred spirits and, like their children, build lifelong friendships around the French American + International experience. At French American + International, there are variety of opportunities for parents to volunteer and sustain our mission-driven programs. Our parents’ support ensures that we continue to provide academic excellence and strong extra curricular opportunities to our lively, diverse community. Volunteerism builds a proud, engaged community. Our parent volunteers can choose from many different roles with varying levels of commitment. All parents are part of our Parent Association, and we encourage them to chaperone a field trip, lead admissions tours, or chair a fundraising event, among other opportunities. Getting involved in the school fosters friendships and creates a vibrant community for our families. Giving from our community is essential to maintaining our standard of excellence. Participating in the Annual Fund is the most important way our parents can make a difference for their child and others. Another way to support our school is to attend one of our community fundraising events. Our Cercle du Proviseur event in the fall recognizes our families that give at leadership levels, and our annual Auction in the spring provides a fun, semi-formal event to dine, dance, and bid in support of our school.
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French American International School
International High School
Academic Roadmap
PK3
PK4
K
Entry point Transfer points
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1
2
Children enter French American at Pre-K3, Pre-K4, or Kindergarten. Initially, students benefit from classes that are conducted in French 80%-90% of the time. After 2nd grade, we switch to approximately 55% French to capitalize on the transfer of competencies between languages. By the end of Middle School, students are competent, balanced bilinguals.
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4
Bilingual English French
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6
7
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General Viewbook
The International High School curriculum consists of two parallel tracks. Previous knowledge of French is not necessarily required for admission to International High School. Non-bilingual students can enter our International Track leading to an International Baccalaureate Diploma.
The Pre-K through 12th grade bilingual journey continues in our French Track which culminates in the French BaccalaurĂŠat. Bilingual students may also opt to switch from the French Track in order to take a Bilingual IB Diploma.
International Track IB
IB Bilingual
Bac
9
10
11
12
French Track
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French American International School
International High School
FAQs How can we support our child at French American if we have no French at home?
Will bilingual immersion undermine my child’s learning in English?
70% of our families speak no French at home. Parents can do much to support the learning of their bilingual children by modeling appropriate and correct language in their native tongue. When children have meaningful and varied reinforcement in all their languages, bilingual acquisition is optimal.
The cognitive advantages of immersive bilingualism are well researched and documented. Early on there may be some lags in reading scores and other measurable skills, but this is temporary. By 3rd grade, there is little interference or confusion, and students are able to thrive studying a single curriculum taught in their two languages.
Does my child need to speak French to attend International High School?
Why should my child receive a Baccalaureate diploma?
No Students do not need to speak French or any other second language to enter the High School. They may choose to start French or Mandarin studies, or continue these or Arabic, Italian, or Spanish.
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1 The French BaccalaurĂŠat (Bac) diploma and International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma are considered among the most prestigious and rigorous programs in the world. They are both two-year mini degree programs that are among the best in preparing students for college and life beyond school. There are currently more than 900,000 IB students and 750,000 Bac students globally. International is proud to be the first IB Diploma school in San Francisco and the 4th IB Diploma School in the country. We have over 40 years of experience offering the IB.
Beginning second language
International Baccalaureate
Fluent in French
French BaccalaurĂŠat
What is the difference between the International Baccalaureate diploma and the French BaccalaurĂŠat diploma? The French BaccalaurĂŠat is the diploma of choice for our students who are fluent in French, and feel completely at home in a French approach to teaching and learning. The International Baccalaureate is ideal for students who are just beginning second language studies, or would like to pursue an international track of classes. Both diplomas are considered among the most prestigious programs in the world, and offer students the opportunity to self-direct their learning and immerse themselves in challenging academic studies.
What does French American + International mean by inclusion and diversity, and why is it so important? Every one of our students benefits from interactions, discussions, and shared activities with other students from various backgrounds, including: countries of origin, cultures and religions, ethnicities and races, family structures, income levels, learning styles, native languages, physical abilities, political beliefs, and sexual orientations. For us, multilingualism, internationalism, and an early appreciation for diversity in all its forms are keys to understanding and communicating across other cultures. We engineer this deliberately by bringing together families and educators from a wide range of backgrounds. Together we strive to create a shared culture that develops compassionate, confident, and principled students who will make the world better.