Ecole

The boys start school here on Monday.  Jacob will be in CE2, which is equivalent to Gr 3 (although it sounds as though they will just be learning to write and read in French).  He will also have the chance to take German (or English) as second language this year.  Joshua is in CP, which is equivalent to Gr One.    

The go to Ecole Jean Jaures.  The classes are small, about 15 per class.  The school has 1 class for each grade, for  total of 5-6 classrooms in the school!  There are quite a few schools in Aix!  They do not have the budget that Canadian schools do.  No smart boards, and some of the classrooms have computers.  We have to supply paper for the office as part of our school supplies.  It looks as though they would still like me as a volunteer once a week though!  I can help in the afternoons with reading, or with groups!  They will use my English abilities where needed!!

Noah will be in PS (which is the 2 year of preschool!).  They do 3 preschool years, and then GS (which is kindergarten).  He will also be in a class of 15.  Nathan gets to go to GS, as one of the younger in the class, but I think it will be good for him!   Nathan and Noah go to Ecole Grassi.  It is located right beside Jacob and Joshua's.

It was quite an adventure to buy the boys' school supplies--the lists were in French (obviously), but not all of it converted that great, and a lot of it was just "knowing" what was expected at the school!  The aisles at the store were just as crazy as they are back home.  And, since we didn't know what we were really looking for, we worked our way down 1 list at time, rather than grabbing 2, 3, or 4 of what we needed while we were in that spot....

Here is Jacob's school list!

Here's from wikipedia:

France
The most junior level of schooling in France is l'école maternelle. Compulsory education begins at the age of six, when children enter l'école élémentaire. The two may be combined, known as l'école primaire. The numbered years, or classes are as follows:
·         Cycle I : cycle des apprentissages premiers
o    Toute Petite Section or TPS
o    Petite Section or PS
o    Moyenne Section or MS
o    Grande Section or GS
·         Cycle II : cycle des apprentissages fondamentaux
o    Second year : Cours préparatoire or CP (6–7 years).
o    Third year : Cours élémentaire niveau 1 or CE1 (7–8 years).
·         Cycle III : cycles des approfondissements
o    First year : Cours élémentaire niveau 2 or CE2 (8–9 years).
o    Second year : Cours moyen niveau 1 or CM1 (9–10 years).
o    Third year : Cours moyen niveau 2 or CM2 (10–11 years).
After this, students attend collège, from the ages of eleven to fifteen. The classes are numbered in descending order.
·         Sixième (11–12 years)
·         Cinquième (12–13 years)
·         Quatrième (13–14 years)
·         Troisième (14–15 years)
The final part of French secondary education takes place at the lycée. Education is only compulsory to the age of 14 or 16 le lycée covers three years, and concludes in the French Baccalaureat. These are:
·         Seconde
·         Première
·         Terminale
It is possible in France to fail a year, and need to resit (redoubler).