LFIT School Council – Minutes of the Meeting of October 4th, 2018

On October 4th, the last LFIT School Council of 2017-2018 took place.

Your representatives E. Beaufort, V. Brancourt-Ito, J.Gay  (and T. Launey as observer) did attend it.

The management presented baccalaureate’s results and course choices of newly graduated for their higher studies. The management indicated most students have been satisfied on their higher education requests (parcoursup) but noted the difficulty of tracking beyond baccalaureate level.

Start of 2018 school year has shown a student increase: 1376 students, 67 additional vs last year. The management is pleased that the LFI Tokyo has been officially recognized by AEFE (Agency for French Education Abraod).

Among the perspectives for the year, let us remember the adoption of the school project drafted last year and which could not be adopted by the end of the year, the preparation for the baccalaureate’s reform, and CDI’s reorganization which becomes a Center of Knowledge and Culture (CCC).

Mr. Jublot, CPE, insisted on the will to value more pupils’ commitment in civic projects.

Then the management presented the educational actions, this year still very numerous. The parents’ representatives insisted on the necessity of a strict budget respect allowing financial accessibility to SPAN (teaching outing with overnight stay) for all families.

The management presented the training projects for teachers and staff.

Regarding the question of teacher replacements, the management indicated that they had identified people in Tokyo who could do replacements in mathematics and physics. The situation is more problematic for French or Life and Earth Sciences (SVT).

 

Questions from parents’ representatives

Absence of French lessons (two classes concerned: 4th, 2nd) at the beginning of the school year and then throughout September because of visa and work permit problems.

FLT-fapée relayed the parents’ questions about the lack of information and the reasons that led to this situation, which was detrimental for the students. Mr. Exelmans and Ms. Reynaud highlighted an exceptional situation related to the unusual lack of qualified personnel for replacement and a lack of information from the Japanese administration, despite intervention of the French Embassy. The LFIT administration claimed to have done everything possible and rise up when the FLT-fapée regretted the lack of communication with families. FLT-fapée asked if a solution could have been sought from the AEFE and obtained an order of inadmissibility. Ms. Reynaud indicated that a replacement was found and recruited the same day.

Departures during school year to the Japanese system:

The phenomenon exists but remains marginal (2 students this year in high school, 1 or 2 the previous years in primary and / or secondary.)

Purchase of Musical Instruments linked to the School of Music (ARMS) offering courses within the LFI Tokyo:

According to the LFIT administration, no purchase was made for the music school, a private structure independent from the LFIT.  All purchases were made at the request of Mr. Perez, music teacher at LFI Tokyo.

Cancellation of English level groups in CP and CE1:

According to Mr. Sansébastian, teachers consider that grouping students of different levels promotes a higher self-esteem of all students, teachers taking into account the level of each student. Undifferentiated classes open the doors further to the P3 + and P4 courses.

Similarly, in multi-age GS, children in Japanese as a foreign language and Japanese as a mother tongue are mixed together.

Request of FLT-fapée on the work schedule of the language commission in primary school.

Mr. Sansebastian said that working sessions with parents will resume after the October holidays and before Christmas. Working sessions among teachers have already resumed.

Cancellation of level groups in Spanish:

According to Ms. Reynaud, there were no group levels in 4eme (8th year) last year, only small groups, regardless of levels. No change this year then.

Anti-Harassment Initiatives:

A course on the use of social medias will be provided by Mr Calsyn, as well as a conference / training for parents. At the request of the FLT-fapée, this conference could be filmed and put online on the LFIT’s website.

Thefts:

2 or 3 “disappearances” have been reported since the beginning of the year. Mr Jublot indicated that there was now a possibility to display the “disappeared” object, which should provoke some “spontaneous” returns and increase the pupils’ vigilance.

 

Do not hesitate to contact your representatives!

 

The FLT Team

FLT-Fapee : LFI Tokyo Families Association