HEAD OF DEPARTMENT - French Bilingual Program - Emma Van Cuylenberg
AAFEBS reading competition – Leve ta voix
Thursday 29 May saw the inter-school finals of the AAFEBS read-aloud competition entitled “Lève ta voix!”
Almost 70 classes from CP to Terminale signed up to share and promote the French language through texts chosen by the students from French-language literature.
Texts by Antoine de St Exupéry, Victor Hugo, Geoffroy de Pennart, Olympe de Gouges and others resonated in AAFEBS schools in Killarney Heights, Caulfield Junior College, Camberwell Primary School, Telopea Park School, Taren Point, Lycée Condorcet Sydney, Tingalpa State School and Lycée Le CLézio in Port-Vila.
It was a wonderful moment of reading and interpretation, with excerpts that touched us and made us laugh, and with attentive readers who were eager to enliven their reading with their voices, their eyes and their bodies.
Thanks to AAFEBS, which, thanks to its very existence, enables French/English bilingual schools to get to know each other and share experiences, notably at its annual congress.
A huge thank you and bravo to the teachers who helped their students prepare for this event.
Congratulations to Elya, Gabriel and Nina who were our school finalists. They did a fantastic job with the reading of their chosen passage.
Here are the winners of this amazing second edition!
Catégorie 1 - CP : Emile - Lycée Condorcet Sydney
Catégorie 2 - CE1/CE2 : Casimir - Caulfield Junior College Melbourne
Catégorie 3 - CM/6ème : Lily-Rose - Telopea Park School Canberra
Catégories 4&5 - Cycle 4/Lycée : Léandre - Telopea park School Canberra
Catégorie 6 - Flsco Primaire : Eveleigh - Lycée Condorcet Sydney
Each winner will receive two French-language books, courtesy of AAFEBS.
Well done to all and see you next year for a brilliant third edition.
Long live reading!
Prix du Civisme for Year 5 & Year 6 students
Last Monday, Mrs O’Keeffe and I attended the launch of the Prix du Civisme at Government House. The Prix du Civisme is an initiative from The Australian section of the French National Order of Merit (ANMONM) and applications are now open for students in Year 5 & 6 who learn French as a language in their school.
The aim of the Prix du Civisme is to encourage young people to undertake projects to assist others. These may be actions of personal courage, projects and actions to benefit the wider community including both in Australia and abroad, projects and actions designed to protect the environment and wildlife, or reduce pollution or waste and emissions, and projects aimed at helping the disadvantaged in our communities reflecting the values of ‘liberty, equality and fraternity’.
Winners (or in the case of a class, its representative) will receive a return economy airfare to Sydney for the awards ceremony to be held in November, together with one night’s accommodation including for an accompanying parent or adult.
Parents and carers with students in Year 5 & 6 will be receiving an email with information about this very exciting opportunity for our students.
We look forward to receiving applications from our students!
Synapses ignite at Whites Hill State College
Synapses ignite is an annual event which showcases the best of the College’s Arts. Families can wander through art works, see media films and watch music performances.
Le Festival
Le Festival will be held at Southbank from July 4 - 6 this year. Information about this year’s event and tickets are available on their website https://lefestival.com.au/
French Theatre
The Brisbane French Theatre has a new play coming this winter!
“Big news—Brisbane French Theatre is making its long-awaited return!
Mark your calendars for 19, 20, and 21 June 2025 for a full-scale theatre production performed entirely in French, with English subtitles projected above the stage: Du foie gras sous le sapin (“Eat your heart out”)
It’s been nearly three years since our last big show, and we’re beyond excited to bring you an unforgettable night of French theatre.”
More info and bookings on their website: https://brisbanefrenchtheatre.org/whats-on/
