Bienvenue Welcome Welcome and “Bienvenue� to EB, where your child will experience the warmth and community of a neighborhood school. Since 1977, EB has cared for, stimulated, and challenged children from preschool through eighth grade. We educate young people to become confident, academically prepared, fully bilingual, and eager to participate in the wider world.
A nurturing community with a larger world in mind The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. They will live in a world that requires confidence, compassion, and the ability to communicate with people of different backgrounds and perspectives. Entering EB, your child will discover a rich world of learning. A world where encountering ideas in more than one language, and the everyday experience of adapting to different expectations and cultures, will lay a foundation for the appreciation of differences. EB also offers your child and your family a community that is socially, culturally, economically, and religiously diverse. We nurture and invite each child and each family’s unique contribution to the whole.
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activities and family events celebrate the more than 40 nationalities represented at EB.
We
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emphasize respect in the classroom and in all social encounters.
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classes offer strong support for your child’s individual development.
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“As a kid at EB I was presented with richness from two worlds, and the knowledge that diversity must be cherished and promoted.” — Danièle Fogel, class of 1999 “A different language is a different vision of life.” — Federico Fellini
World
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Opening Minds “I achieved bilingualism without being aware of it; EB’s dual curriculum gave me a unique perspective as well as a great foundation for high school.” — Kili McGowan, class of 1993 “He who knows no foreign language does not truly know his own.” — Goethe
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Bilingual education: opening minds to the world We blend the best of the French and American educational approaches in a way that challenges your child to think beyond boundaries. In the early grades, stories, songs, and games bring your child into contact with a wide range of cultural values and attitudes. As children progress at EB, they encounter different perspectives on history and on learning math, and they discover the world of literature. Playing and learning in two languages will predispose your child to recognize and appreciate the different ways others view the world.
Iceland H Poland EJ Hungary DA I C B Switzerland Moldova F G Italy Greece Lebanon Morocco Syria Jordan Tunisia
Canada
Cuba Nicaragua Costa Rica
Guatemala
Peru
Brazil
Senegal Mali Guinea Ghana Benin Cameroon Congo
Russia
India
China Bhutan
Korea
Japan
Vietnam Kenya Tanzania
Thailand
Madagascar Australia Chile Argentina
A- England B- France C- Germany D- Ireland E- Netherlands
F-Portugal G- Spain H- Sweden I- Belgium J- Holland
New Zealand
During the past five years, EB’s alumni have lived, worked and studied in at least 47 countries.
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More than half the world’s population is bilingual. Children develop superior cognitive skills through early immersion in a second language. Immersion in a community of fluent speakers is the most effective way to learn a language. 5
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Academic excellence and a lifelong love of learning LAYING THE FOUNDATION: MATERNELLE The fact that EB’s preschool and kindergarten are known collectively as Maternelle is no accident. Like a mother’s world, EB’s early education is emphatically child-centered. Inviting classrooms encourage children in their artwork, music-making, storytelling, and imaginative play. Our highly skilled and dedicated faculty creates a stimulating environment where children’s innate language ability is gently nurtured. In Maternelle, we gradually and carefully prepare your child for a more structured academic setting.
LEARNING TO READ: GRADES 1-2 Excited to move on to a more grown-up environment, your child will discover the magic of reading. Children feel a sense of great accomplishment as they master these skills in two languages. With 80% of the day’s instruction in French, your child will continue to build fluency while exploring math, science, and social studies. Our hands-on approach to learning captures a child’s natural creativity and curiosity. Whether children are gardening, cooking, acting, taking field trips, or playing in PE, there is always something new to experience.
“Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire.” — William Butler Yeats “When I told my high school friends that not only had I already done Geometry, Trigonometry, and Geography, but I had also done them in another language, they were flabbergasted.” — Milton Williams, class of 2002 6
Learning READING TO LEARN: GRADES 3-5 Your child will build on prior successes, becoming a self-reliant learner who confidently tackles new projects. Classroom time is divided equally between both languages: the French and English curricula support each other and encourage students to transfer knowledge and draw parallels among languages and subjects. Through technology, outdoor education, and travel, teachers guide students to explore the world around them and use these experiences to enrich the classroom.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: MIDDLE SCHOOL By middle school, your child will exceed expectations academically and socially. All classes are taught by specialists. Our teachers create interdisciplinary projects that inspire students to approach questions with innovation and an open mind, and integrate 21st century teaching tools like our one-to-one laptop program into the curriculum. EB’s close-knit atmosphere encourages kindness, respect, and support as children make their transition into adolescence. Our graduates are accepted to the Bay Area’s top high schools and go on to first-rate universities.
An EB education gives its graduates far more than bilingualism and first-rate academic preparation. Our students enter their next level of education poised, able to think on their feet, and ready to meet new challenges. They feel at home in any environment. 7
Fostering talents and passions Sports, music, art, and drama are all vital experiences through which children
Passions
discover their talents and passions. Introduced in Maternelle and taught by specialists from third grade on, these programs provide a balance to our curriculum. Our students also have the opportunity to develop new interests through after-school enrichment classes, community service, and travel. Children explore the rich cultural resources of the Bay Area throughout the school year. During the course of an EB education, they also have the opportunity to travel together nationally and internationally.
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足Art,
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music, drama, PE, and gardening are all taught in French.
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third grade on, classes take overnight trips to places such as Marin Headlands, Catalina Island, Washington D.C., and France.
足Our
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middle school students participate in coed sports leagues in flag football, volleyball, and basketball.
“I attribute much of the confidence I have to the structure and support EB provided me. I learned to approach life with innovation and open-mindedness.” — Pia Hauch, class of 2003
“The world is richer than it is possible to express in any single language.” — Ilya Prigogone 9
LEARN MORE ABOUT EB For more information, telephone our Admissions
First-rate teaching
Office at (510) 549-3867 or e-mail us at contact@ eb.org. We look forward to discussing your child’s needs and our programs with you in greater depth. Schedule a visit to our school; let us put you in
“The idea of playing a role in children’s learning process is exciting... to see them grow, evolve, bloom is a source of joy.” — Emma Ragot, Maternelle teacher “The ability to speak another language is so much more than mere communication; it’s about cultural sensitivity, it’s about global awareness, it’s about being entirely human.” — Erika Sinclair, class of 1985
touch with parents who can help you understand what EB will be like for your child and your family.
“EB gave me the ability to relate to my teachers. Being able to talk to a teacher when I needed to was a very good thing to have in high school.” — Juliette McClendon, class of 2001
Please check our website for updates on school events, admissions tours, and information nights.
EB is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and the French Ministry of National Education. It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, and the Association Nationale des Ecoles Françaises à l’Etranger. Our preschool is fully licensed by the State of California. We welcome students without regard to gender, race, color, sexual orientation, religion or national origin, and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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“I had a wonderful childhood thanks to EB. I can’t imagine a better place.” — Martin Jonikas, class of 1996
Caring Faculty