Minutes Of the LFIT School Council (SC) 18 November 2019

(The full report will be available on the LFIT website in French.)

Student Parents Representatives:  M. Peyron, M. Serverin, M. Launey, M. Brancourt

This second School Council of 2019-2020 gave Mr. Wajnberg the opportunity to present several projects that will be put into action this year or in September 2020.

• Financial Policy: At the moment the extra cost for the “Anglais LC” and Japanese International Section is spread among all the parents. From September 2020, with the opening of the new American International Section (for 6th, 7th and 8th grades) the management decided to reconsider the financial policy.  The administrative and financial manager, M Favre explained the details of the extra costs (about 120000 in Middle School and 200000 in High School). The principal suggested having higher tuition fees for these sections. The parent representatives mentioned that 1. There is a rupture in the system of equality 2. making such changes would mean lower tuition fees for other children. The Administrative and Financial Director answered that he can not commit on that point. After a staff representative asked the Principal answered that the cost of outside certifications (for example Cambridge test) is not included in the tuition). Examinations will be paid by parents and certifications (Cambridge test) by the school. 
• Questions From parents Representative: Next year only one class for the International American Section is planned. Given the number of students (<10 students) the Financial director explains that the school is not trying to make a profit out of the new section, on the contrary, it will be slightly in deficit. The principal insisted on the willingness to provide financial visibility. The vote was favorable but we will remain careful about the various points raised
• Control of expenses. The Principal and the DAF indicates a strong desire to control budgets (payroll, overtime, credit, equipment needs in a concern for rationalization, knowing that it will soon finance the extension of high school …)
• Consultation: The Principal wants to meet more frequently with the different representatives of the school community, in addition to the current councils (School, School, Second Degree, Administration). We are very happy about this proposal which will make it easier to find solutions together to all problems that might arise and a better follow up on all files. The next EC will be held at the end of January and the CA on February 6th.
• Clarification: The Principal will start a study group to make sure the rules of the LFIT are known and understood by all, to avoid problems and misinterpretations..
• SPAN Maximum cost (SPAN =Pedagogical Outing With Overnight = School Trip): Following a petition from a group of parents asking for an increase in the maximum cost for trips outside Japan, we had a discussion where all points of view were expressed and addressed. The teachers’ representatives abstained in the vote against, pending a survey conducted with all parents. In the immediate future, the trip to Rangoon has received a favorable opinion and the trip to Hanoi is under the condition it maintains the current limit of 100,000 yen.
• The FSE: In general assembly, the FSE has been dissolved. For secondary school, the Maison des Lycéens et des Collégiens supports the organization of clubs and activities (but is not entitled to manage a budget). For the primary, a consultation is launched to determine if a structure is necessary in addition to the existing Caisse de Solidarité. The principal proposes that all primary needs be settled on the LFIT budget in order to get out of a situation full of tension.

Q&A

• Mathematics: The Mathematics Plan (Villani-Torossian Report) aims to strengthen Math training in high school. The Ministry of Education has chosen to offer three courses around the core curriculum: the option “complementary mathematics”, the Math specialty or the Math specialty + option “Math Expertes”. Articles of the national press (Nv.Obs) indicate that some high schools will not be able to offer all these possibilities and are worried about the influence on the selection at the entrance to Classe Prépas et Grandes Écoles (CPGE, especially scientific). What will happen to LFIT? Will there be a quorum for these two options? The same report encourages the formation of “Mathematics Club”, to arouse the craze of students. As part of these clubs, could there be awareness of the prerequisites required by the prepas? (Parents question)

The principal states that every effort will be made to allow students who wish to follow these options and point out that some options are already open with few students (<5?). To enable management to make the necessary projections, families interested in specialties / options are invited to come forward before the orientation decision.

• SIA: We understand that the SIA means an increase in the number of hours compared to the common core, corresponding to half a full-time if only one class is open (?). The figures announced for the “SIA Surcharge” seem very high in relation. Could we have a detailed explanation of the justifications for these costs, to share with the parents? We also have many parents returning whose children were not able to join the LC this year and who are asking for an increase in the number of seats. How many SIA do you plan to open in September?

See above. The plan for the next school year is one SIA class per level but it may change depending on the number of families who manifest interest and the evaluations made by the teachers.

• Information: We have many returns from parents who consider themselves insufficiently informed about the pedagogical offer, both on the language courses (this remains very complicated despite the improvements) and on the commitments of the school at the level of specialties and options of the secondary school. Information meetings are only announced to the classes concerned, whereas the parents would like to be able to make decisions upstream and to be certain that the option will be sustainable (and at a reasonable cost) in order to be able to choose a re-orientation in time or consider a change of establishment if necessary. Finally, the LFIT being “International”, it would be desirable that this information be available in English, Japanese and French (as are the information provided by the Parent Association).

On the form, during this EC and a preparatory meeting, the Principal and his Assistant indicated to be aware of the efforts to be made in these areas, in particular, to systematically implement a communication at least bilingual for all announcements to parents. Basically, the management seems to have realized that the information is not easily accessible (period of reform(s), distance from the metropolis, non-French public ..).

• Screens: At primary school children are asked more and more early to use screens especially for homework (exercises to do online, blog …) but also in classrooms where additional activities on screens are granted as a form of reward for children who finish fast. Knowing the risks of screens on the health of young children and the risk of addiction, why the education system teaches them this practice? One of the initial justifications, online textbooks and textbook lightening did not materialize and it may be necessary to rethink the LFIT policy in this regard.

This question has been asked before. The representatives of the elementary school teachers answered that the use of screens is under control and limited, following the guidelines given by the Ministry of Education. The principal suggested considering this question in the CESC (Comité d’éducation à la santé et à la citoyenneté ).