The reception at the French Consulate last night in honor of Philippe receiving the National Order of Merit medal gave The École community an opportunity to once again gather–under an ornate chandelier–over a drink to celebrate a project that belongs to each and every one of us.* At the heart of this project, as we know, lies bilingualism and biculturalism and the desire to give our students access to a double culture where they can draw from the best of two education systems that will equip them with unique skills and abilities.
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of reconnecting in Taipei with a former French-Taiwanese student I had first met at the Lycée français de Shanghai (Andria had been her 9th Grade US history teacher!) She had just graduated from college in Canada and was staying with her mom for a few weeks, trying to figure out her next steps. I think she met up with us in the hope that we would have some pearls of wisdom to share about what the future would hold for her. We listened to her talk about her doubts and her aspirations–I’m not too sure what we shared in return to reassure her, but one thing is certain: she was the one who ended up teaching me something that evening when she said that she had lived her life convinced that she was half-French and half-Taiwanese, but she had recently come to the realization that she was in fact 100% French and 100% Taiwanese.
It’s a statement that stayed with me over the years because it echoed my thoughts on the international schools where I worked. When I arrived at The École–a French American school–it seemed obvious to me that we had to strive to be both a 100% American school and a 100% French school. It’s an ambitious goal for a school like ours, and it cannot be achieved solely via the curriculum–even though it is an important (and perhaps the most visible) element. I believe that the culture of the school also plays a crucial role, and that is why we have introduced a slew of new initiatives in recent years (such as Houses, assemblies, and recess clubs) that distance us from your typical French school.
The participation of our cheerleading team in a challenge in New Jersey two weeks ago was a truly special moment. Coach Way’s success in introducing the sport to The École continues to grow, and next year, we will be adding new time slots so more students, including middle schoolers, can take part. What could be more American than spending a Saturday on the bleachers of a huge high school gym, cheering on cheerleading squads–with a DJ, banners, and dodgy snacks? Even the American parents who were with us insisted they had never experienced anything more American!
Being a student at The École means having the incredible opportunity to share diverse experiences and to feel happy and comfortable navigating both worlds. I’m not saying we are your typical American school either–we never will be. But despite our receptions at the French consulate and our unmistakable accents, we are no longer just a French school either. What we are is a unique school that is always evolving, learning new things about itself, and most importantly, building a bright future.