Dear parents,

The plum trees in bloom signal the winter holidays as well as the midpoint of the school year. We hope that the third term went very well for you and your children.

At the end of each term, we prepare a short newsletter to keep you informed about the highlights of the past weeks and upcoming events. 

We hope you enjoy reading it, and as always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or comments. 

We wish you an enjoyable winter break!

Attendees

Parent representatives:Ms. Després, Ms. Cottet

School Management: Ms. Campels, Mr. Ragouvin, Mr. Jublot

Student representatives: 2 students

Summary of some items on the agenda: 

• School calendar

Favorable opinion on the school’s proposal

• Start of the 2026 school year:

Provisional structure: 34 classes (5 classes per grade from 6th to 11th grade; and 4 classes in 12th grade)

Mapping of courses:

Choices are required for the start of the 2026/27 academic year, in a context of budget cuts:

> Attention will be paid to the number of students enrolled before opening an option or specialty.

In practice, the specialties or options that may pose a problem are:

• HLP (2 students currently in Tale)
• SVT: low enrollment, but the high school does not plan to eliminate it due to its specific nature
• German: currently fewer than 10 students in 11th and 12th grades combined
• Latin: It works well to combine 11th and 12th grade levels
• CAV: It depends on the year; the PB may be in 10th grade. Combining 11th and 12th grades is OK.

> Management will pay close attention to the cumulating options, especially in 12th grade:

• Technical feasibility
• Workload for the student concerned
• Impact on the schedule for the entire grade level
  • Pay attention to the student’s pace
  • Fairness in relation to Parcoursup (race for options)

In practice, it will no longer be possible to combine Latin with CAV or Japanese LV3 in addition to SIA.

> Latin: historically, Latin was compulsory in 7th and 8th grade. Two years ago, a reform was introduced making it compulsory only in 7th grade, with one hour of lessons per week.

The school administration proposes that Latin be optional from 7th grade onwards (one hour in 7th grade and three hours in 8th and 9th grades).

Proposal from the student representatives: there should be an introduction/initiation in 6th grade to attract students.

• Parents Questions:

Would it be possible to have a science class in English at LFIT as part of the BFI curriculum? This seems to be the case in other schools in the network. It could be a great help to students who want to study in English-speaking countries when it comes to entrance exams or placement tests. They often have many math tests, lack the appropriate vocabulary, and lose points because of this. The BFI could then really prepare students who want to feel comfortable continuing their studies in the English-speaking world.

Answer: Long answer on regulations. In summary, only the SI Chinese section offers maths instead of HG in DNL. If scientific education is also offered, it must therefore be part of the core curriculum (within the limits of the hourly quotas per student). In the final cycle, only “Enseignement Scientifique” is therefore possible.
This is not realistic at LFIT in terms of timetabling.

Which exam centers in Tokyo will be used this year for higher education entrance exams? Will exams such as GEIPI Polytech or IEP province be offered?

Answer: 

• Geipi-Polytech will take place on April 28 at EIFJ, as it did last year.
• IEP: There is no exam center in Japan.

FLESCO: How many students are benefiting from it in middle school and high school this year? Are teachers invited to the class council meetings of the students concerned in order to review their progress? How is the decision to stop FLESCO classes made? Is it a question of timetabling? A certain level of French achieved?

Answer: This year, only 6th and 7th grade students, 1 to 2 hours per week, outside of class. In 6th grade, 2 students. In 7th grade, 5 students.
FLESCO teachers provide assessments to the students’ teachers, participate in RIPP, etc.
Normally, FLESCO lasts one year. The expected level of proficiency to graduate from FLESCO is A2. If after 2-3 years the children have not reached the expected level, an assessment of the difficulties is made with the families.

Why does the student’s overall average no longer appear in Pronote? Can you tell us what criteria are taken into account for promotion to the next grade in middle school and for high school placement? And for 9th grade, how is the continuous assessment score used for the Brevet calculated?

Answer: The overall average is not usually available in Pronote (except for possible bugs at the beginning of the year). However, the student’s average per subject is available.
For promotion to the next grade, middle schools apply the principle of educational continuity, as well as an overall assessment of the student:

• mastery of core skills
• student progress
• student behavior/attitude.

For guidance at the end of 9th grade and 10th grade, please refer to the documents sent to families and available on the school’s website.

Change in grading for the Brevet: for the continuous assessment component, the calculation is based on the grades received by the student during the year. The average of the continuous assessment now counts for 40% of the final grade and the one-off assessment for 60%. Parents of 9th graders have received detailed information on this subject.

Based on notes taken by parent representatives

Attendees

Parent Representatives: Mrs. Després, Mr. Dumerc, Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Mahjoubi

School Leadership Staff: Mrs. Campels, Mr. Ragouvin, Mr. Teissonnière, Mr. Jublot, Mr. Dahmane, Mr. Bonnet (Languages Attaché)

Student Representatives: Miss Kiku Grossas, Mr. Haroun Ben Youssef

Councillors for French Citizens Abroad: Mr. Consigny, Mr. Roussel, Mr. Seguela

Summary of Key Agenda Items

Approval of the Minutes from the November 19, 2025 School Council

Mr. Roussel requests two amendments, which are approved.

School Calendar

The calendar had already been voted on in the various councils prior to the School Council meeting:

• Teachers’ Council (January 14, 2026): No alternative calendar proposed, no requested changes, unanimously approved.
• Primary School Council (January 22, 2026): No alternative calendar proposed, approved unanimously with 2 votes against.
• Secondary School Council (January 22, 2026): No alternative calendar proposed, no requested changes, unanimously approved.
• Secondary School Quality of Life Representative Council (January 23, 2026): No alternative proposal; a possible request to extend the Christmas holidays by one or two days (without proposing replacement school days); approved unanimously with one abstention.

The calendar is not ideal, particularly during “Silver Week,” but keeping all public holidays during that period would require shortening other holiday breaks.
The calendar was adopted unanimously.

Preparation for the New School Year

For the 2026 school year, LFIT expects 33 primary classes (including 8 kindergarten classes) and 34 secondary classes (one more class than currently)

Curriculum Changes

Combination of Optional classes

Special attention will be given to the accumulation of elective options. The high school may limit the number of options for some students, considering timetable conflicts and the overall workload on students. Students and families will, of course, be informed prior to entry into Première.

Latin in 5ème

Latin will now be offered as an optional subject starting in 5ème (rather than being compulsory as it was previously), in accordance with official regulations. The French department will actively promote the option at the end of 6ème to encourage voluntary enrolment. There will be no impact on teaching positions.

Opening of Specialty or Optional classes

Given current budgetary constraints, particular attention will be paid to enrolment numbers in options and specialty subjects. A case-by-case review will be conducted and if the number of enrolled students is considered insufficient, the specialty class, language class, or optional course may not open for the 2026 school year.

These last two proposals are put to the vote (Latin as an option: 11 in favor, 1 against; Opening groups subject to sufficient enrollment: 7 in favor, 2 against, 3 abstentions)

Miscellaneous questions:

1. Questions from Mr. Roussel (Councillor for French Citizens Abroad)

• Organization of the 2026 school year: What priority is given to maintaining continuity within the teaching team?

Response: Usual staffing changes (replacement of departing staff and recruitment of new staff). Ongoing, as further information is provided by personnel.

• School Psychologist: Update on recruitment and organization within the school (non-financial aspects).

Response: Several strong applications reviewed. An offer was made to one professional, but availability would only begin in September.
Follow-up: Her conditions could not be accepted. A proposal will be made to a second shortlisted candidate.

• Smartphone Break: Could a pilot project be tested in a limited number of classes?

Response: Reviewed by CESCE. A late request from 5ème homeroom teachers to experiment with a smartphone break was approved. It will be implemented at that grade level. Communication and purchase of required pouches are underway thanks to a generous donor.

• Tree Preservation: Could the school reflect on its contribution to tree preservation?

Response: Planting is scheduled along the primary playground fence (CP/CE1). Ongoing reflection on sowing melliferous flowers on the green roof (for the beehive). Regular plantings at the Annex and in kindergarten classes. The school does not own the land; space is limited and additional tree planting would involve costs (gardener, pruning services, etc.).

2. Questions from Mr. Séguéla (Councillor for French Citizens Abroad)

• Applicability of the French Education Code abroad: Does Article L.111-1-1 (display of the 1789 Declaration of Human Rights) apply? Could the Charter of Secularism also be displayed?

Response: Article L.111-1-1 does not directly apply as a legal obligation to AEFE-affiliated schools abroad, which operate under local law.
However, displaying the 1789 Declaration is consistent with the fundamental principles of French education and the network’s mission. If not already displayed, it will be posted.
The Charter of Secularism is already displayed; the Declaration may be displayed alongside it.
A Japanese translation could become a pedagogical project led by a teacher.

• Student Rights & Duties Booklet: Following the discontinuation of the student handbook, could a printed booklet on rights and responsibilities be distributed?

Response: The lycée is not competent to produce such a document. Prevention efforts are coordinated by CESCE with professional interventions.
A parent representative notes that the former handbook provided an opportunity for parents to review rules with their children.

• Training on Japanese Law: do newly recruited staff receive training or information on japanese law (regarding bullying, tobacco and drugs, importation of medicine or meat and fresh produce, highway code, other risky behaviour, etc) ? Could such training be extended to volunteer staff who haven’t received it in the past ?

Response: No such request has been made through the continuing education system. Moreover, as formulated, this type of training does not fall within the school’s scope of responsibility.

• Communication of Internal Regulations as previously requested:

Response: Document has been communicated.

• Annual Information Meeting on Students’ Rights and Duties in Japan: This was previously approved in principle (including potential joint intervention with the Consulate). Would it be possible to know the date and format of this meeting ?

Response: This meeting has been incorporated into a broader citizenship and addiction-prevention education project within the annual CESCE action plan. Scheduling depends on the availability of external speakers. Work ongoing.

3. Questions from Parent Representatives (Submitted Late)

• Class Photos: Could next year’s class photos be outsourced and billed via tuition fees to ensure high-resolution digital copies?

Post-meeting Response: The objective was to provide additional services (individual photos, printed orders, early delivery) while reducing staff workload.
Charging via tuition fees would be difficult to validate as costs.
A review with the provider concluded that next year higher-resolution digital photos will be offered. Overall, the operation was successful.

• Post-Baccalaureate Orientation in Japan: Which organization should students contact for scholarships when pursuing higher education in Japan?

Post-meeting Response: Students should contact Japanese higher education institutions directly, which should provide information regarding scholarship procedures during the admissions process.

School calendar 2026–2027:
LFI Tokyo made the following proposal:

• Students to start the school year on 1 September 2026
• Alternations of 7 weeks of classes (except for the last 8‑week period) and 2 weeks of short holidays
• 6 Japanese public holidays not worked, allowing for 5 long weekends

The FLT did not submit an alternative proposal, and the proposed calendar was approved with 15 votes FOR and 2 votes AGAINST.
By splitting their 8 votes into 6 FOR and 2 AGAINST, the FLT wished to represent the parents who had asked for the Christmas holidays to be extended to make it easier to travel back to France.

The idea of a calendar with 3 weeks of Christmas holidays was abandoned for the following reasons:

• For some children, this would mean 3 weeks without exposure to French, which affects how smoothly they get started again after the holidays.
• Shortening one of the other holiday periods by a week is not desirable (children already return very tired).
• Working on 5 Japanese public holidays instead is difficult for locally hired staff and for some teachers whose children attend Japanese daycare.
• Extending classes by one week in July creates many difficulties (intense heat, secondary teachers mobilised for the baccalauréat, contractual constraints for some staff).

Miscellaneous information:

LFI Tokyo received 58 requests for changes of language pathways for the second semester. Of these, 12 requests received an unfavourable opinion, and 10 requests to return to the standard pathway were approved.

The 2025 Téléthon solidarity event raised 1,666 euros. The FLT contributed significantly by organising sales of cakes and Christmas cards.

The FLT funded the purchase of 28 fencing masks with the proceeds from the 2025 raffle. These were delivered in January 2026.

Unlike in September–October 2025, the rate of absence among English teachers has been very low since November. Nevertheless, LFI Tokyo has launched a recruitment procedure for a substitute teacher. Families are informed of absences in PARL and SI pathways, but not in the standard pathway, as there are fewer hours.

The rules of the French Ministry of Education require 108 hours of physical education per year, i.e. an average of 3 hours per week. The school and the teachers are free to choose the types of sports practised and to organise lighter or more intensive periods of practice, depending on projects and weather conditions.

Teachers note a decline in the level of mastery of the French language over the past 20 years. The committee that decides on entry into the PARL/SI pathways, which require a good command of French, will therefore apply more demanding criteria at the end of the year. LFI Tokyo once again urges all parents to be aware of how important it is to support their child in French outside school time.

Dear parents,

You are warmly invited to come and see your children’s canteen on February 9th 2026.
The visit, co-organized by FLT-FAPEE and LFI Tokyo, will start at 11:30am and will be followed by a lunch until 1:00pm.

Four parents will be able to attend this event.
The cost of the meal remains the responsibility of the participants at the price of 1,000 yen for FLT members and 1300 yen for non-members.

If you are interested in this initiative, please register via this Google Form.

For security reasons, only registered parents will be allowed to enter the school.
We look forward to meeting you soon.

Sincerely yours,
FLT-Fapée Team