American Section
General Information :
Date created : 1952
Number of students : 695
Levels taught : Maternelle, Primaire, Collège, Lycée Partner schools : Ecole Schnapper, Collège Marcel Roby
Message from the Section Director
The goal of the Section is to provide students with a genuine American educational and cultural experience. All Section classes are taught by English mother-tongue teachers who were educated in North America. Our curriculum stresses academic excellence while building intellectual curiosity and self-confidence. We provide a wide array of co-curricular activities for all ages, aimed at developing leadership, global awareness, and responsibility.
While the majority of our students hold both French and American nationalities, and a significant percentage are French citizens who have spent a considerable time abroad in American schools, there are over 50 nationalities represented in the American Section student body. The common denominator is that all American Section students speak age-appropriate fluent English and are motivated to learn in a demanding bilingual and bi-cultural environment.
Brian Brazeau, Director
Admission procedures
At each grade level, we enroll students who have native or near-native English language proficiency (vocabulary, language skills, and reading ability), and an affinity with American culture. Acceptance decisions are based on overall academic achievement and the likelihood to succeed in the dual-culture, bilingual education program.
Students between the ages of 7-15 who do not already speak the French language may apply to the Français Spécial immersion program. This intensive course allows students to acquire a sufficient level of French to then integrate the bilingual classes the following year.
Apart from the youngest children (PreK – 2nd grade/MS – CE1) and Français Spécial applicants, most decisions are made on file. All favorable recommendations are submitted to the Headmaster (Proviseur) for final approval.
Applications should be sent in December and January for the following September. Please check the American Section website for specific dates for each grade level.
ACTIVITES ELEVES
Model United Nations
Run by the American Section, the Lycée MUN group includes students from Sixième up, and from a half-dozen sections. Weekly debates are about an hour and a half. We launched our own conference, LIMUN, in the fall of 2017. In addition, we usually attend three conferences during the year. PAMUN is a long-standing three-day international conference in Paris organized by the American School of Paris. Our weeklong trip to The Hague for THIMUN is often the highlight of the year, attracting thousands of students from all over the world and demanding our best and brightest. In recent years we have also joined a conference run by our friends at the Institut Notre Dame in Fourqueux.
MUN meets on Thursday evenings from 5:15 – 7pm. Contact the American Section for more information.
Human Rights Team
The activity is open to all Lycée International students from Troisième through Terminale. Each year is dedicated to a particular human rights issue, such as refugee rights, human trafficking, child labor, or prisoners’ rights. There are two Human Rights Team presentations during the school year: one for Cinquième and Quatrième students, and an evening event open to the entire community.
Human Rights Team is run by the American Section and meets weekly on Mondays from 5:15 until 6:15 pm.
Community Service Group
Run by the American Section, the Community Service Group is open to student from all sections. While there are no weekly meetings, members participate regularly in various student-led activities, such as distributing breakfast to homeless people, participating in St. Germain’s Opération Fôret Propre, and collecting winter coats for refugees.
Students interested in taking part should contact the American Section.