We are back after February Break and are in that special sprint towards Passover Break – with a calendar chock full of ruach. Let’s take a peek forward in anticipation of what should be a very exciting week at the Ottawa Jewish Community School. Let me welcome you to the Second Annual La célébration de la semaine de la Francophonie, featuring our third annual Francofête. [For a bit of background, you are welcome to revisit last year’s post.]
We are so pleased to let you know that next week (March 4-8) will be “La célébration de la semaine de la Francophonie 2024”! The goals are simple – to spend a week marinating in French, celebrating the work of our students and teachers, highlighting the strides our French program has taken in the last few years, and elevating French beyond the boundaries of French class, into the broader OJCS culture. The highlight will be Francofête on Thursday, March 7th at 6:30 PM in the OJCS Gym.
So…what to expect from “La célébration de la semaine de la Francophonie 2024”?
- To set the ambience, we will have a customized French music playlist to greet our students each day upon entry and announcements and anthems en français.
- On Monday, students will experience special activities and programs during their French classes. This will include the dix mots de la francophonie (the ten words for this year’s francophonie). What are they? Glad you asked! Learn along with our students and see if you can guess the theme!
- Adrénaline
- Prouesse
- Échappée
- Faux départ
- Mental
- S’encorder
- Collectif
- Hors-jeu
- Champion
- Aller aux oranges
- Students will learn about l’Organisation Mondiale de la Francophonie dans le monde (World Organization of La Francophonie) and Canada’s role therein. They will also take virtual tours of museums from Francophonie locations.
- On Tuesday, we will hold a major dress rehearsal for the Francofête.
- On Wednesday, our students will participate in French-language sports and activities that celebrate the “Diversity of Sports” as well as visit our very own pop-up OJCS French Café where they will enjoy authentic (kosher) French treats.
- Thursday brings us the Francofête! Parents will be welcome to join us at 6:30 PM and each of our grades will share songs, dances, knowledge and the joie d’apprendre that comes with French learning at OJCS.
- We’ll finish the week with a special viewing of age-appropriate French films.
And many more surprises…
So there you go…voilà!
Parents at OJCS will hopefully look forward to lots of opportunities to peek in and/or to see pictures and videos during this year’s celebration and to join us for the Francofête. We’ll look forward to building on this in future years as we continue to showcase French in our trilingual school.
Great appreciation to our entire French Faculty, and to Madame Wanda in particular, who has led this year’s celebration. This should be a week filled with ruach – errr…joie de vivre! [North Star Alert! En Français!]
