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Home | What the Pandemic Taught Us About Early Education

What the Pandemic Taught Us About Early Education

 Lycée Français de San Francisco

Marin Mommies presents a sponsored article from Lycée Français de San Francisco which offers early childhood education at its campus in Sausalito.

Looking for a preschool during the pandemic is not an easy task. Searching for the right school for your child is becoming a quest and the struggle to make the right choice is real.

At LFSF, the Lycée Français de San Francisco, we offer a well-rounded in-person education that places the development and well-being of your child at its core. More than a bilingual program, LFSF offers opportunities for young preschoolers to grow and thrive in this crucial moment of their lives.

In-person schooling is essential to all children’s healthy development, especially to the youngest ones

There is a consensus amongst Early Childhood Education Experts : the social interactions that take place at school teach children different - but equally important skills - than the academics.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “(...) children get much more than academics at school. They also learn social and emotional skills, get healthy meals and exercise, mental health support and other services that cannot be easily replicated online.”

During preschool years, children start really taking each other into account, so playing and socializing are critical stages of their early development.

In-person schools give them opportunities to navigate social scenarios and understand how to share, talk and play with others, as well as how to express and regulate their own emotions. They are better prepared to be part of a group. 

The learning environment becomes more interactive, which is especially important when it comes to learning languages, since it creates more opportunities for young children to communicate than online or home learning environments. Frequently exchanging with their teachers and peers, young children quickly develop strong vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Because teacher and peer interactions are heightened in in-person schools, children develop and curate these relationships at a deeper level. This opportunity to make new friends, helps preschoolers learn more about themselves, build empathy and reduce their stress levels, which contributes to their general well-being.

LFSF: a demonstrated safe place for preschoolers to socialize, learn and thrive

Reopening our campuses during the pandemic: one of our priorities

After a few months of imposed remote learning, it became clear that safely re-investing our campuses would be our first priority in the Fall of 2020. Through theme-focused, collaborative task forces that included administrative staff, faculty and parents, our teams worked hard on reimagining and preparing for a safe school reopening. As a result, our Sausalito campus was amongst a handful of schools in Marin County allowed to reopen and soon after, all LFSF were able to attend school in person.

 Lycée Français de San Francisco

Since then, we’ve continued to adapt, implementing comprehensive protocols in alignment with the latest recommendations from local health authorities to ensure everyone’s safety on campus. As the pandemic evolved, we have proven our agility and ability to swiftly adapt to the new normal. From renting an extra campus to allow for spatial distance requirements to upgrading our technological equipment to convert each classroom into fully functional zoom rooms, or organizing testing sessions for our community, we’ve demonstrated our capacity to #pivot #adapt #anticipate and develop a real Know-How when it comes to safely welcoming students on campus. Check out our Covid-19 Info Hub for more information.

What do you like most about LFSF:

“The school’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances around COVID and the dedication of the school to keep students in the classroom”. - LFSF parent

 Lycée Français de San Francisco

La Petite Ecole: a place for little ones to grow, socialize and thrive

Available every morning of the week, la Petite Ecole is a bilingual program, currently only offered on the Sausalito campus and especially designed to gently and naturally prepare toddlers for preschool as early as age 2.

The main objective of la Petite Ecole is socialization, so crucial to the healthy development of children. At la Petite Ecole, children play safely, learn together, socialize and affirm their personality within the group while developing their natural curiosity and appetite for learning.

This program prepares them to move on to Preschool and Elementary school, where they continue to be engaged in fun and educational activities, in a friendly environment that encourages learning and is tailored to the students’ needs.

LFSF has two Primary campuses: one in Sausalito, and one in the city, in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Check out our campus webpage to see which one might be best for you and take advantage of our virtual tours.

What do you like most about LFSF:

“My child is so happy and seems to be learning a lot. He is thriving thank you!”- LFSF parent

 Lycée Français de San Francisco

A caring environment: the well-being and success at the center of our educational approaches

The safety and well-being of our community is front and center in all our approaches and the current COVID health crisis is no exception.

As the impacts of the crisis are practical as well as psychological, our school psychologists have been organizing parents support meetings to encourage discussions and provide parents with resources around the emotional and social needs of their children.

In addition, the Student Support team guides and assists students who are experiencing learning difficulties in their academic journey. Speech therapists, psychologists, learning specialists for the French and English curriculums... are part of this team.

More than 80 LFSF students across the three campuses are currently receiving personalized support within the frame of Special accommodation plan, allowing them to follow the class curriculum in a regular classroom with simple accommodations. Thanks to the Student Support team, the teachers' dedication and their own perseverance, nearly 30 neurodiverse students, with learning disabilities or ADHD, have graduated from LFSF in the past 5 years!

On our Sausalito campus, academic teams and parents are working together on a Positive Education plan for nonviolent communication practices and peer-to-peer conflict resolution, using a "clear message" approach and a point-based passport system.

Interested in learning more?

The pandemic has impacted the admission journey and this season, our admissions process will be both hybrid and flexible to better meet your needs. You apply online and first meet with the LFSF admissions team remotely with opportunities to meet and engage with our community.

If you’d like to chat with our friendly admissions team, simply contact us! In the meantime, you might find our FAQ page helpful.