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GAZETTE SPECIAL EDITION JUNE 2016

UPCOMING EVENTS Welcome Day: Wednesday, August 31 First Day of School: Thursday, September 1

IN THIS ISSUE Message from the Head..............................................................................p. 3 Graduation Speeches: Frédéric Canadas.......................................................................................p. 4 Stacy Chandler............................................................................................... p. 4 Mathieu Cladidier......................................................................................p. 5 Monique Jonath and Diego Salgues.......................................................... p. 6 Class of 2016 Memory Boards..................................................................p. 7 Graduation Photos......................................................................................p. 8 EB Citizenship Award Recipient for 2015–2016....................................p. 10 Grade Eight Class Gift................................................................................p. 12 Class of 2016 High School Placement.....................................................p. 14 Middle School Student Councils................................................................p. 17 EB Yearbook Dedication............................................................................p. 18 Roberte Rountree, Executive Assistant....................................................p. 19 Tessa Loehwing, Extended Day Assistant Director...............................p. 22 Class of 2012 College Choices..................................................................p. 24 G5 Moving Up Ceremony Speech: Frédéric Canadas............................p. 26 Lower School Talent Show Photos...........................................................p. 28 Thank You to Our Parents’ Association..................................................p. 30 Thank You to Our Room Representatives...............................................p. 34 Thank You to Our Annual Fund Volunteers...........................................p. 36

BONNES VACANCES !

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD It’s hard to believe that another school year has come and gone. In the midst of all the action—class projects, weekly homework, music shows, field trips, and more—it’s sometimes hard to remember to take a moment to appreciate all that we have and are capable of. I feel so lucky to have been part of the growth and experiences of your children this past year. Our students are leaving one year older, and one year wiser. They’ve read new books, learned multiplication tables, conducted experiments, traveled abroad, made new friends, and participated in countless other activities to form the building blocks of their futures. Our wonderful teaching staff has opened new doors and introduced new ideas to our children, instilling the joy of learning through innovative teaching techniques, quality experiences, and a universal sense of compassion and caring. The caring extendedday staff has watched over our children as they’ve played, created, and stretched their imaginations. Our dedicated administrative team has kept the wheels turning behind the scenes, supporting teachers, organizing events, and doing the necessary accounting. Our newest graduates are heading to high school, armed with independence, curiosity, and the tools for success. Congratulations to the class of 2016! I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has touched the lives of our students and parents this year. To our teachers, staff members, grandparents, alumni families, and friends: thank you for being a part of EB and for the part you have played in guiding our children along their journey. And especially, thank you to you, our parents, for your support, generosity, and involvement at EB; you make our school and our community feel truly welcoming and special. I wish you all a wonderful summer. l Warmly, Frédéric Canadas, Head of School

G8 GRADUATI FRÉDÉRIC CANADAS, HEAD OF SCHOOL It is with great pleasure that I welcome every member of our graduating 8th grade family. Parents, teachers, friends, and of course, students. This is a very special day for all of you. And all of you have reasons to be proud. Our hard working teachers, each of the teachers who have taught this class from maternelle to this very day, have preprared you academically and provided you with the very best that a true bilingual education has to offer. Parents and family have nurtured you, supported your learning and have become an integral part of our EB community. You have thrived and succeeded in this wonderful environment. In your years here at EB, you have been held within the warm embrace of a community that cares about your well-being and also wants you to become global citizens who care about others. Our school’s mission calls upon each of us to develop a high sense of personal and social responsibility, and respect and honor the diversity within our school community and the community at large. Continued on page 38

STACY CHANDLER, MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD Welcome parents, families, guests, faculty, alumni and students. Tonight marks the cumulative moment for the graduating class of 2016. Look around at the original portraits adorning the room! It’s time to live, rejoice and also say “à bientôt” as new directions open up for the graduates in the room. I am grateful to the Grade 7 parents—Sarah Nasgovitz, Susanna Corcoran, Kymi Amour, Bonnie Barkett, Phyllis Grant, Katherine Keeler-Hodgetts, Golriz Ghassem Ardebili, Armando Ruiz—who decorated this room with care to make this evening a special one where memories and enthusiasm about attending high school are the highlights. The class of 2016 is “at home in the world” and EB graduates, you—the class of 2016—will always have EB as your springboard as you take to new paths, up inclines and down smooth slopes. I hope you will experience new cultures and perhaps learn additional languages, that you will adjust to new systems and adapt structures in order to do helpful or amazing actions. I hope you are excited about how your bilingualism and affinity Continued on page 36

ION SPEECHES MATHIEU CLADIDIER, MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH TEACHER Bonsoir, good evening to you parents, colleagues, friends and of course to you graduates. It’s an honor for me to be among you tonight, and it has been an honor to be at this school for four years. I was hesitant at first to talk to you tonight, not because you’re not nice people of course but because of my still strong French accent. Sexy... you say... maybe, but it’s not how it feels when the barista at Starbucks gives me a mocha every time I order a cappuccino. I learned to like mocha by now, it’s easier than changing my accent. So, I decided to make the effort to speak in English for once as you graduates have been doing so “en français” for almost ten years now. And then I realized that this should be the core of my speech tonight. Adaptability, having an open mind and a willingness to grow are at the heart of my teaching experience at EB. As a teacher, I always remind myself that I need to be a lifelong learner. There is nothing worse than a teacher who stops learning. Growing, evolving and changing is part of a school and it’s also obviously part of life. That is the reason why we are all here tonight. That is the reason why I decided to be here in front of you tonight. Like you, graduates, I realized that if I wanted to learn I needed to evolve in a safe and respectful environment, a community which will respect me as an individual human being as well as include me in this incredible school which is EB. As I said earlier, the word community has a real special meaning thanks to you all. I’ve never felt Continued on page 41

MONIQUE JONATH AND DIEGO SALGUES, STUDENT COUNCIL CO-PRESIDENTS Hello everybody and welcome to the 8th graders’ graduation! We are thrilled to be able to speak in front of you tonight about the student experience at Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley. Every moment that we have shared with our peers has lead up to this day. Bonsoir tout le monde et bienvenue à la graduation des 4èmes ! Nous sommes ravis de pouvoir faire ce discours à propos de notre expérience d’étudiant à l’Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley. Chaque moment que nous avons passé ensemble culmine ce soir. Continued on page 42

Diego Salgues and Monique Jonath, 2015–2016 Student Council Co-Presidents

CLASS OF 2016 MEMORY BOARD

More photos of the Graduation dinner and the Graduation available at: https://www.eb.org/groups/eighth-grade/galleries/photos/g8-graduation-dinner-june-2-2016 https://www.eb.org/groups/eighth-grade/galleries/photos/g8-graduation-june-10-2016

CITIZENSH EB CITIZENSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT FOR 2016 The Middle School Citizenship Award was created in 2011 to honor a student or group of students for acts of leadership small or large, for inspiring others to higher levels of civic engagement, and for their commitment to building community. The goal of this award is to encourage Middle School students to take positive action in the EB community and beyond by modeling EB values. The Middle School is pleased to announce the Social Responsibility Action Corps, made up of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, as the recipients of this year’s award. SRAC’s mission is to “inspire young people to make positive change by completing action-oriented projects in our school and surrounding communities.” Supported by Social Studies and English teacher Jennifer Hammond, SRAC identifies issues in their school, local, and global communities that they feel passionate about and formulate projects to effect positive change. This year, among other projects, SRAC coordinated a Pennies for Patients project to support patients with leukemia and lymphoma, established a pencil dispenser for sustainable fundraising, helped coordinate MLK Day of service activities, led a clothing drive for St. Vincent de Paul, and beautified the school campus through painting and locker stickers.

Members of the SRAC (Social Responsibility Action Corps)

HIP AWARD SRAC students set a positive example for the entire Middle School, through their acts of service, leadership, and community building. Through a gift of $1,000 from an anonymous alumni family to the EB Endowment fund, the Citizenship Award honors SRAC for their commitment and hard work this year. Congratulations!

SRAC Members Elizabeth Bisno Cyanne Hett Ruby Jordan Max-Emilien Kluiwstra-Descalle Tia Laurent Theodore Lee Ella Macallair Mahogany Morris Nina Prunet-Sharma Michael Puchkov AmĂŠlie Ritter Cassandre Roos Bahia Rozan Leila Shadfar Noah Sonet Maxime St. Jean Anna Tripier Chloe Tripier Natasha Wadlund

CLASS OF 2016 EN CLASS OF 2016 RAISES $7,785 FOR EB’S ENDOWMENT In 2008, the graduating students and their parents created an EB tradition of presenting the school with their legacy gifts to the EB Endowment. This year, the students and parents continued the tradition with a wonderful project to help raise funds for their class gift. Under the guidance and support of Awatif Chirar, Devyani Jain, Noémie Hansen, and Eric MccCormick, the eighth graders embraced the idea of giving back to EB. They preserved lemons in Oakland and then headed to San Francisco to create chocolates and marshmallows with chef Lamia Fehada. Their goods attracted many passersby at the annual Place du Marché, but the biggest draw were the delectable made-to-order waffles whose scent inspired long lines and much salivation! No one could resist and these will long be remembered as a highlight of the project. Beyond these sales, students made their own financial contributions to their class gift alongside their parents’ gifts. With the help of Patrick Burns and Colleen Zardiackas Burns, Christopher Colebourn and Tam Liljefelt, Alvaro Sanabria and Sandra Guzman, Awatif Chirar and Noor Wais, Noémie and Matt Hansen, Lisa and Weldon Clemons, and Tanu Sankalia and Devyani Jain as fundraising leaders for the Class of 2016, this graduating class raised a total of $7,785. Monique Jonath, Diego Salgues, Shiven Sankalia, and Reda Wais presented the check to EB on behalf of the graduating class. This total gift was made possible by a generous matching gift of $1,400 from an alumni family. We are grateful for their continued support of the EB Endowment. Ecole Bilingue is proud of this legacy that our students have left behind for future generations of EB families. We wish the class of 2016 the best of luck with the next steps in their educational journey. l

NDOWMENT GIFT

The Eighth Graders, with the help of parents Awatif Chirar, NoĂŠmie Hansen and Erin McCormick, raised more than $7,000 for the EB Endowment. Bravo!

The Eighth Graders sold preserved lemons, chocolates, and waffles at the MarchĂŠ.

MIDDLE SC CLASS OF 2016 HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT Congratulations to the 8th grade Class of 2016 on their successful completion of middle school! It is with much enthusiasm that we send them off to high school! This class has been a wonderful group of students, who have courageously embraced the often daunting task of selecting a high school and it is rewarding to see each of the students gravitate to a school that reflects his or her special interests, talents, and intellectual curiosity. This is a list of the private schools where our 8th graders were accepted: Bishop O’Dowd High School (3) College Preparatory School (2) Head Royce School (2) International High School (5) Lick-Wilmerding High School (1) Marin Academy (2) Maybeck High School (2) Orinda Academy (1)* Saint Conleth’s College in Dublin, Ireland (1)* Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School (1)* Saint Mary’s College High School (11) San Francisco School for the Arts (1)** *Only one student applied to the school. ** Charter school with competitive admissions requirements. We wish the Class of 2016 much success as they embark on this new endeavor! Congratulations to you all! l *Only one student applied to the school. ** Public school with competitive admissions requirements.

CHOOL LIFE The high schools that the 8th graders have chosen to attend are as follows: Isabel Anderson Berkeley High School Liam Burns Bishop O’Dowd High School Alix Chandler Berkeley High School Malcolm Clemons Saint Mary’s College High School LyLy Colebourn Berkeley High School Léo Cramer Berkeley High School Peter Davis Saint Mary’s College High School Ethan Ford Bishop O’Dowd High School Jeremy Hansen Berkeley High School Isadora Hester Berkeley High School Maia Jeanneau Berkeley High School Monique Jonath College Preparatory School Sidhanth Kapila Head Royce High School Callum Lerner-Thomas Berkeley High School Anaya Matthews Saint Mary’s College High School Ailish McGiffin Saint Mary’s College High School Felix Moses Walter Johnson High, Bethesda (for one year), Berkeley High School Jordan Mure Saint Mary’s College High School Samantha Myers Saint Mary’s College High School Joseph Nadeau Berkeley High School Kahyela Racinet-Schmalle San Francisco School of the Arts Diego Salgues Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School Medea Sanabria Saint Mary’s College High School Shiven Sankalia Lick-Wilmerding High School Andrew Schurman Maybeck High School Adriana Schurman Maybeck High School Andrei Secor Piedmont High School Xanthe Setchko Marin Academy Holden Smith International High School Maxime St. Jean Saint Conleth (Dublin, Ireland) for G9, El Cerrito High School Addison Sutton Berkeley High School Parker Sutton Berkeley High School William Villarina International High School Reda Wais Head-Royce High School Kassim Wesley Orinda Academy

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2016

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCILS 2015–2016 COUNCIL Co-Presidents: Monique Jonath and Diego Salgues Secretary: Melody Joliff Treasurer: Nina Kelley Spirit Committee: Malcolm Clemons, Ethan Ford, Sidhanth Kapila, and Jordan Mure

2016–2017 COUNCIL Congratulations to all candidates! This year’s election had more candidates than ever and we are thrilled to have seen such interest in school politics through action and initiative! Co-Presidents: Nina Kelly and Aidan McCarthy Secretary: Nina Prunet-Sharma Treasurer: Andrew Grasman Spirit Committee: Audrey Krueger, Anna Tripier and Adriana Villarina

FACULTY A EB YEARBOOK DEDICATED TO ROBERTE ROUNTREE AND TESSA LOEHWING Every year, EB dedicates its yearbook to people who have inspired us. This year, the yearbook was dedicated to two women who have contributed immensely to the students’ educational experience, as well as the parent and faculty experience here at EB. Tessa Loehwing has been at EB for 18 years and has enriched the lives of so many of our students through her amazing work in the arts, her magical puppetry, her love of theater, and her transformative face painting abilities. She is widely loved by students, parents, teachers, and staff alike for her warmth, creativity, and wonderful ability to listen. We will miss her and wish her the best. Roberte Rountree has been working in the Head’s Office for 38 years as an invaluable support for every single Head in EB history! She has been a critical component of EB’s inner workings and we will only be able to replace her position, but never her. We will miss her warm smile, wonderful attitude and fabulous laugh. Tessa and Roberte—you touched the lives of numerous students, parents, and fellow staff, and will always be fondly remembered. We thank you for all the time, talent, and energy you’ve devoted to EB. We wish you many wonderful adventures in your journeys ahead. Bonne chance ! l

See Roberte’s interview on page 19 and Tessa’s interview on page 22.

AND STAFF ROBERTE ROUNTREE, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Can you share the various steps of your professional career at EB? How many Heads have you worked for, what year did you take to travel around the world, etc.? I was hired in October 1978 by the first EB Head of School, Jeannette Rouger. At that time, there was only Jeannette and myself to handle most of the administrative work; a typewriter and a ditto machine were the only “technology” I had. Jeannette was teaching part-time and I was the secretary-receptionist, payroll administrator, classroom sub when necessary, and yard supervisor anytime the need arose. I left at the end of June 1980 to go back to school for a year and came back in 1981 to work with Anne-Marie Pierce, the second Head of School. In 1987 I went to see Anne-Marie to ask her to let me take an unpaid sabbatical year in order for me to fulfill a dream: to travel around the world as a voyageur, not as a tourist. After traveling for 11 months in about 18 countries, I came back in January 1989 and amazingly it was as if I had never left. Then in July 1989, Anne-Marie left Ecole Bilingue after expanding our student population to nearly 390 and starting the Middle School. Marcel Barchechat became the third EB Head of School for 8 years until 1997. During his tenure, the Middle School moved from the main campus to its current location on Grayson st. Sue Maino, EB Assistant Head since July 1995, became the Interim Head for one year, and then Andrée McGiffin, EB founding French teacher, returned to EB in 1998 as the 5th Head of School until June 2002. Finally, the current Head, Frédéric Canadas is the last Head I will have worked with. What did you like the best about your job at EB? What are you the most proud of ? Oh my, I liked/loved so many thing about my job at EB that it’s difficult to choose but, I can say that the diverse EB community of students, parents, teachers and my colleagues have been a real pleasure for me to work with. Another big pleasure has always been to watch the students’ shows and productions, especially the ones with the younger students.

Continued on page 20

Something I am really proud of is to have adapted myself to all the different Heads’ style of leadership at EB, to have had great relationships with the students, parents and especially the teachers and my colleagues. I cannot recall having a conflict with any of them. Another thing I am proud of is to have brought an amazing Brazilian dance group called “Conceiçao Damaceno Dance Group” to EB for an assembly in 1992. Carole Griffin, the librarian at the time and Mary Havemann, the English 3rd grade teacher, were working on Brazil with the 3rd grade students and I suggested having an allschool assembly on Brazil. We had several Capoeira masters, Brazilian musicians, and samba dancers. At the end of the assembly, the Multi-Purpose room was on fire with everyone dancing samba with the group. What is your best memory of EB? Of course I have hundreds of great memories, but the overnight Faculty and Staff retreats—especially the one in Mill Valley—were probably some of the best. The 25th anniversary celebration is another great memory. I also very much enjoyed working with the alumni parents for the different Kitchen tours. What did you enjoy most about your time at EB? The diverse community—having people from so many different countries was wonderful, and being able to use both French & English to communicate was always interesting. Having a direct connection with the teachers, especially the French teachers when they had just arrived from France to teach at EB was rewarding. For many years I would be the first to welcome them and set them up with a place to stay until they found their own place. The past several years I’ve also enjoyed seeing alumni parents coming back to EB for Grandparents’ and Friends Day or other events. And it’s exciting to know that we currently have 11 alumni who are now EB parents themselves. What do you feel was the most important lesson you learned while at EB? Remaining humble, neutral and avoiding conflict at all times.

What do you like the best about the EB students and EB community? Their energy and joie de vivre. I am always amazed to see the students perform on stage with such ease and confidence. The EB communityâ€™s diversity and generosity, be it financial and/or with time is truly special. I like the feeling that we are a big family. What do you think you will miss the most once you leave? Being part of the EB community on a regular basis. How do you plan to spend your time once you leave EB? My first four months will be spent in France to take care of my parents, who are getting older. I want to help out my sister who has done a wonderful job taking care of them on weekends. Then I want to travel throughout France to visit many of my friends, some of them are past EB faculty and/or parents. When I return, I will be busy organizing my home, as well as going on walks, visiting friends, doing yoga, and more... my life will be very full! l

After 38 years at EB, Roberte Rountree is looking forward to her well-deserved retirement.

TESSA LOEHWING, EXTENDED DAY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Can you share the various steps of your professional career at EB? I started working at EB 18 years ago, in 1998. My first position was in childcare, then I spent two years working as a drama teacher in the Lower School. After that I was hired as Assistant Director of Extended Day, where I’ve stayed until now. Through these roles, I’ve done art, music, theater, puppet shows, and more with the kids. What did you like the best about your job at EB? What are you the most proud of ? I love working with the kids every day, and my colleagues. They make it all worthwhile. I feel very fortunate to have been surrounded by such a supportive and welcoming group; my coworkers have all touched my heart and have been one of the best things about EB for me. I’m proud of my ability to work fast on my feet. You walk into the Art Room and have 15 minutes to prep a project for a diverse group of kids and have to come up with something that can hold their attention. With my diverse background (in theater, puppetry, the arts, education), I feel like this is something I excel at and I have always been able to bring creativity and fun (with organization!) to the table. I think I’ve been extremely fair and am a good listener. Kids really respond to that and want to be acknowledged and heard. I’ve always enjoyed listening to the kids, hearing their conversations—which can be quite deep; I’ve heard them talk about politics, religion, friendship—and letting them know they’re important. I also really enjoyed my time as drama teacher. I have a theater background and am particularly versed in improv, which was great fun with the kids. Creating the plays, sets, costumes, scripts, that was really exciting for me. What are some of your best memories of EB? I love the Marché; the face-painting and singing are always a lot of fun. A really good memory is from when I was doing drama and we did a production of Le Petit Prince with the 3rd graders (in French). I wasn’t sure they were going to be able to pull it off as it was pretty advanced, but they performed fabulously. All the work that went into that production was well worth it and it was a great feeling to see the kids shine.

Also, just sitting in a room and doing art with the kids while they talk to each other has always been a highlight. Kids do give a lot of great feedback and compliments! What do you like the best about the EB students and the EB community? Having such a diverse, international group of students has been so interesting. I worked in public schools for 40 years, and while there was diversity, it wasn’t the same. The emphasis at EB on diversity, and of course the French culture, has really been enriching to me. What do you think you will miss the most once you leave? Definitely my colleagues and all the people I work with at EB. I’ve developed great friendships over the years and shared some wonderful memories. It will be sad to leave such a great group! I’ve truly valued being Mirza’s Assistant Director, being his support system and his advisor in difficult times. I feel my interpersonal communication skills have been useful and will miss the daily interactions. I’ll also miss the kids, and being around them everyday. How do you plan to spend your time once you leave EB? Even though I’m leaving EB, I’ll still be around! I plan on potentially teaching a few classes at EB, namely preschool music, face painting, and maybe a drama class. I’ll also be available for subbing (not all the time though!) so I won’t be a stranger. Outside of EB, I plan to continue with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, of which I’ve been a member for 18 years, and focus a bit more on solo singing work, blues and jazz. I may teach a few classes outside of EB as well; I do love being with the kids so won’t give that up completely. I’ll also spend more time expanding my face-painting business (TJ Facepainting) that I started with Jackie Mariz from Extended Day to include games, entertainment, and puppet shows for kids’ parties. l

Tessa Loehwing will remain part of the EB community.

ALUM

EBâ€™s Class of 2012 Congratulations Class of 2012 and good luck in college!

MNI CLASS OF 2012 COLLEGE CHOICES • American University • Berkelee College of Music • Berkeley City College • Brown University • California College of the Arts • Cal Poly University • Harvard University • John Moor University, Liverpool • Marymount Manhattan • McGill University • Morehouse College • San Diego State • San Jose State • Sonoma State University • UC Berkeley (2) • UC Los Angeles (2) • UC Santa Barbara (2) • UC Santa Cruz (2) • University of Aberdeen • University of British Columbia • University of Colorado, Boulder • University of Oregon • University of Wisconsin, Madison (2) • Yale University

G5 MOVING U G5 MOVING UP CEREMONY SPEECH, FREDERIC CANADAS, HEAD OF SCHOOL Welcome, Fifth Graders. Welcome parents, family, friends, and welcome to our wonderful EB teachers and staff. Together you have all worked hard in preparing these Fifth Graders for one of their first major transitions into the greater world. As Fifth Graders, you have learned the benefits of being a part of a strong community. You know that there are always people around who will be there to help you when you need help. You have learned how to communicate with others, not only in English but in French, as well. And hopefully, you have learned that how we communicate with others makes a big difference in the lives of the community’s members and in the culture that community creates. When we visit a new school or new place to work, we come away with a feeling about that environment based on the way the members of the community treat us as a visitor and how they treated one another. We might say: “Oh, I have been to the ABC school… It is a very welcoming community. Or we might have a different experience and say: “Oh, I visited the XYZ school and they were not very friendly.” Next year, some of you will be newcomers in the schools in which your will enroll. You will see firsthand what it is like to be the stranger in a new place. But I want you to remember that you will not be alone. There will be others like you who are also enrolling in a new school. They will probably share some of the same feelings you have about being in a new place. There will also be people at your new schools who will take the time to reach out to you in friendship and you will appreciate their kindness. Continued on page 39

More photos of the G5 Moving Up Ceremony on the web at: https://www.eb.org/groups/g5-red/galleries/photos/g5-moving-ceremony-june-9-2016

UP CEREMONY

From left to right: G5 teachers Franรงois David, Carine Lapicque, Pauline Tajchman, and Karolina Koppany

LOWER SCHOOL LI

IFE: TALENT SHOW More photos of the Talent Show online at: https://www.eb.org/galleries/photos/lower-school-talent-show-and-yearbook-dedication-june-8-2016

PARENTS’ AS THANK YOU TO OUR PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION The community at EB is truly a special and memorable one. Thanks to our global members from all over the world, the EB community brings a richness and diversity to everything we do, from sharing regional delicacies at World Celebrations to performing a cultural dance at the Marché. The PA plays an essential role in the creation, health, and growth of this amazing community. This year, the PA successfully orchestrated the first full year of its new website, which was a huge blessing for volunteer organization and coordination; installed and displayed LED signs by the reception for updates and reminders; organized successful Parent Enrichment events and speakers, including a wonderful evening on diversity and inclusion; and stepped up to lead many successful events throughout the entire year. Thank you to all of our parents—you’re all a part of the PA!—for a wonderful year. From organizing major events like the Auction to helping with morning carpool: the level of community participation at EB is truly touching. You create this wonderful community that we are grateful to be a part of. Thank you! And a special thank you to the PA Board for their leadership, commitment and dedication to the school and the community. We are grateful to have such stellar members of the community taking on these important roles for the school! l

SSOCIATION

2015â€“2016 PA Board and Committee Chairs

2015–2016 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS PA OFFICERS: Anglophone Co-President Renee Cole Clyde Francophone Co-President Camille Servan-Schreiber Anglophone Co-Vice-President Steve Levine Francophone Co-Vice-President Maria Reyes Secretary Beverly King Treasurer Laura Carmany Communications Secretary Charlotte Attry Volunteer Coordinator Todd Vollmerhausen

COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Room Rep Coordinators (3) Emilie Verbinnen (PK–G1) Karpien Trépier (G2–G5) Noémie Hansen (G6–G8) Auction: Silent and Live Chair Claudine Ozzello Auction: Online Chairs Michelle Clincke, Anh Nguyen, Katie Slemmer Marché Chair Robert Lee World Celebrations Chairs Petra Fibrichova, Clélia Donovan Raffle Chair Olga Popova Le Beaujolais Nouveau Stéphane Deleger Buddy Program Karoline Robbins Diversity Events Yael Perez, Kimbo Prichard EB Spirit Wear Suzanne Rasic First Friday Coffees Golriz Ardebili, Erin McCormick Grandparents & Friends’ Day Andrea Bacigalupo-Lee, Setenay Bozkurt Frucht PA Website Liaison Jeremy Bled PA Webmaster Katie Slemmer Parent Enrichment Nicole Harris, Laura Carmanyy Scrip & Retail Rebates Natasha Boissier Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day Laura Magu Welcome Day Janice Kirk, Roxanne Chester

2016–2017 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS PA OFFICERS: Anglophone Co-President Todd Vollmerhausen Francophone Co-President Setenay Bozkurt Frucht Anglophone Co-Vice-President Steve Levine Francophone Co-Vice-President Maria Reyes Secretary Beverly King Treasurer Laura Carmany Communications Secretary Libby Hruska Volunteer Coordinator Stuart Kendall

COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Room Rep Coordinators (3) Jesica Goldhammer-Zebouah (PK–G1) Petra Fibrichova (G2–G5) Karine Tripier (G6–G8) Annual Fund Co-Chairs Pria Hidisyan, Hal Stevens Auction: Silent and Live Chair Stéphanie Ross Auction: Online Chair Nicola Pravato Marché Chairs Robert Lee, Heather Saulnier World Celebrations Chair Fatimatou Fall Raffle Chairs Annette Hackett, Setenay Bozkurt Frucht, Andrea Bacigalupo-Lee Welcome Committee Karoline Robbins, Karine Tripier Diversity Events Yael Perez, Kimbo Prichard EB Spirit Wear Suzanne Rasic First Friday Coffees Golriz Ardebili, Erin McCormick Family Day (formerly Grandparents’ Day) Andrea Bacigalupo-Lee PA Webmaster Katie Slemmer Parent Enrichment Steve Levine Scrip & Retail Rebates TBD Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day Laura Magu

THANK YOU TO OUR ROOM REPRESENTATIVES EB would also like to give a special thank you to all of the Room Reps who have helped both teachers and parents alike throughout the school year. Room Reps spend many hours helping to coordinate field trips, carpool, lice checks, teacher appreciation... and the list just goes on. Thank you for your dedication to your classes and to EB; we appreciate each and every one of you! l

2015â€“2016 Room Representatives

2015–2016 ROOM REPRESENTATIVES Mandeep Ahluwalia Rosie Bell Lynn Bentley Christine Borchani Maureen Cane Laura Carmany Michelle Clincke Susanna Corcoran Katherine Fairbanks Abbott Petra Fibrichova Liza Finkelstein Joelle Garland Maureen Garvey Marissa Goldman Kate Grasman Noémie Hansen Corine Henton Pria Hidisyan Omayya Kanafani Susan Knecht Elise Lebec Isabelle Le Blanc Steve Levine Vivian Li Laleh Martin Erin McCormick Christina Meyer Sarah Nasgovitz

Anh-Thu Nguyen Alexandria Pembleton Yael Perez Olga Popova Sara Rahimian Constance Ramos Ondine (Magali) Rangel Maria Reyes Karoline Robbins Andrea Rondini Stéphanie Ross Heather Saulnier Camille Servan-Schreiber Marjorie Setchko Kristen Sidell Avery Sim Wendy Sitler Katie Slemmer Sarah Spear Kristen St. Aubyn Rhonda Steward Goldstein Jannick Terrail Karine Tripier Yani Vargas Marie-Elise Villasante Hallie Von Rock Arlena Winn Anosha Zereh Misaghi

ANNUA THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL ANNUAL FUND VOLUNTEERS! It takes many hours, much energy, and lots of follow-up by devoted parents to make the Annual Fund, our largest fundraiser of the year, happen. Our Annual Fund volunteers are parents who give generously of their time to make the calls (not always an easy task!), send the emails, and talk face-to-face with other parents because they care. They know that each dollar donated makes a difference to our students, and they work very hard to reach out to every single family. We thank each and every one of you for the time and energy you have invested in this year’s campaign, and for putting yourselves out there. Thanks to you, this campaign was a tremendous success! A very special and heartfelt thank you to our two “Stephanies”—co-chairs Stephanie Sullivan and Stephanie Walton—who led the way (for a second time!) through our short 30-day campaign with humor, perseverance, and tireless energy. With these two ladies’ support, the Annual Fund team was able to reach our goal and raise a total of $360,000. These funds will go towards purchasing books, providing financial aid, training our teachers, and much, much more! Thank you to the 85% of parents who chose to give to this year’s Annual Fund— your contributions make the EB experience possible for all of our students. We’re excited to welcome Hal Stevens and Pria Hidisyan as next year’s co-chairs. We know their drive, great attitudes and welcoming spirits will lead the way for another successful year for our school and all our children. Thank you! l Paul Abboud Mandeep Ahluwalia Matt Arnold Andrea Bacigalupo-Lee Natasha Boissier Pat Burns Stephane Deleger Golriz Ghassem-Ardebili Pria Hidisyan Devyani Jain Max Kozlov Steve Levine

Greg Nemitz Bao-Long Nguyen-Trong Doug Oakley Isha Ray Heather Saulnier Sarah Sawyer Avery Sim/Bryan Matheney Hal Stevens Stephanie Sullivan, Co-Chair Yani and Rafael Vargas Todd Vollmerhausen Stephanie Walton, Co-Chair

AL FUND CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE!

From left to right, front row: Mei-Lin Ha (Advancement Coordinator), Isha Ray, Bryan Matheney, Heather Saulnier, Andrea Bacigalupo-Lee, Hal Stevens, Pria Hidisyan, Florence Kragen (Director of Advancement), Bao-Long Nguyen-Trong. Back row: Rafael Vargas, Stephanie Sullivan (Co-Chair), Doug Oakley, Max Kozlov.

38 Frédéric Canadas’ Graduation speech, continued from Page 4 THESE ARE WONDERFUL IDEALS AND NOBLE VALUES THAT DEMAND WE COME FROM THE BEST IN OURSELVES. VALUES AND IDEALS ARE GUIDES THAT HELP US SET STANDARDS FOR OUR BEHAVIOR. THEY EXIST AS MORE THAN A FASHION STATEMENT THAT WE WEAR FOR THIS SEASON AND REMOVE WHEN IT BECOMES CONVENIENT. THE WORLD HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE COMPLEX. WE ARE LIVING IN TIMES WHERE MANY OF THE PEOPLE WE DEPEND UPON FOR LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE ARE NOT BEHAVING IN WAYS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. INSTEAD, WE ARE SEEING LEADERS WHO USE OUR DIFFERENCES AS WAYS TO SEPARATE US AND BREAK UP OUR COMMUNITY. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN OUR SOCIETY WHERE BULLYING HAS BECOME ACCEPTABLE. PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BUILD BRIDGES FOR IMPROVED COMMUNICATION AND RATHER ARE BUILDING WALLS TO SEPARATE US. WE SEE IT ON TV, IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVEN IN THE DEBATES BETWEEN OUR LEADERS. ADULTS ARE NO LONGER STANDING UP TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE’S VIEWS ARE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD OR THAT EVERYONE’S RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED. THIS IS

WRONG.

EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD BASICALLY SEEK THE SAME I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, THINGS. PEOPLE WANT THE THAT WHEREVER YOU SEE BEST FOR THEIR FAMILIES, OTHERS BEHAVING BADLY THEY WANT OPPORTUNITIES TOWARDS ANOTHER, IT IS FOR THEIR CHILDREN THAT NEVER OKAY AND YOU MUST THEY THEMSELVES MAY HAVE FIND THE COURAGE TO TREAT NEVER HAD. THEY WANT EVERYONE RESPECTFULLY. THEIR LOVED ONES TO LIVE UNAFRAID- AND THRIVE IN ALONG THE WAY, YOU WILL A WORLD THAT IS SAFE AND HAVE TIMES WHEN YOU RESPECTFUL. DISAGREE WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS I AM HOPEFUL THAT ONLY NATURAL. BUT IT IS THE MULTICULTURAL HOW YOU EXPRESS THOSE ENVIRONMENT AND THE DIFFERENCES THAT MAKES DIVERSITY THAT YOU HAVE YOU SOMEONE WHO SEEKS EXPERIENCED EVERYDAY UNDERSTANDING RATHER HERE AT EB, HAS GIVEN THAN SOMEONE WHO SEEKS YOU A KEEN SENSE OF TO GET HIS OR HER OWN WAY RESPONSIBILITY WHEN IT BY BULLYING. COMES TO LOOKING OUT FOR EVERYONE HAS BOTH PERSONALITIES WITHIN. WHICH PERSONALITY WILL YOU LET WIN? OFTEN WE ARE INFLUENCED BY PEOPLE AROUND US TO WATCH AND PARTICIPATE IN THINGS THAT ARE HURTFUL TO OTHERS. YOU MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE NOT TO FOLLOW OTHERS WHO ARE BEHAVING IN WAYS YOU KNOW ARE WRONG. WE COUNT ON YOUR ABILITY TO BUILD BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PEOPLE, WHEREVER YOU GO. WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST AS EDUCATORS, TO ENCOURAGE AND NURTURE YOUR CAPACITY FOR TREATING OTHERS WITH KINDNESS, UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSION. WE HAVE CREATED TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU SO THAT YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELVES THAT PEOPLE

OTHERS WHOSE VIEWS DIFFER FROM THE MAJORITY VIEW. I AM HOPEFUL YOU ARE MORE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE RICHNESS THAT PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES BRING TO OUR WORLD THAN YOU ARE IN TARGETING THEM FOR BEING DIFFERENT. I AM HOPEFUL THAT AT EB YOU HAVE LEARNED TO EXPAND YOUR CURIOSITY AND CELEBRATE “OTHERNESS.”.. OTHER PEOPLE. OTHER VIEWS. OTHER BELIEFS. MOST OF ALL, I AM HOPEFUL THAT FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE AT EB, YOU WILL CARRY A MESSAGE OF TOLERANCE, CURIOSITY AND CIVILITY OUT INTO THE WORLD. THE WORLD NEEDS YOU NOW... AND I AM HOPEFUL THAT YOUR PARENTS, TEACHERS, NATIONAL AND WORLD LEADERS CAN LEARN THESE LESSONS FROM YOU… l

39 Frédéric Canadas’ G5 Moving Up Ceremony speech, continued from Page 26 MANY OF YOU WILL REMAIN HERE BUT THERE WILL BE NEW STUDENTS COMING AND YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT AND OFFER YOUR FRIENDSHIP TO THEM. THEY WILL APPRECIATE YOUR KINDNESS. AND YOU WILL BE RECONNECTING WITH MANY OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHEREVER YOU WILL BE NEXT YEAR, ALL OF YOU NEED TO REMEMBER EB’S CORE VALUES. RESPECT. RESPONSIBILITY. CARE. COMMUNITY. FRIENDSHIP IS A TREASURE AND I WANT YOU TO CARRY WITH YOU THE IMPORTANT LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNED HERE AT EB ABOUT MAKING FRIENDS. WE ARE LIVING IN TIMES WHERE MANY OF THE PEOPLE WE DEPEND UPON FOR LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE ARE NOT BEHAVING IN WAYS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. INSTEAD, WE ARE SEEING LEADERS WHO USE OUR DIFFERENCES AS WAYS TO SEPARATE US AND BREAK UP OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS WRONG. IT IS HARD TO TURN ON THE NEWS AND WATCH LEADERS AND OTHER ADULTS BEHAVING BADLY. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, THAT WHEREVER YOU SEE OTHERS BEHAVING BADLY TOWARDS ANOTHER, IT IS NEVER OKAY AND YOU MUST FIND

THE COURAGE TO TREAT EVERYONE RESPECTFULLY. ALONG THE WAY, YOU WILL HAVE TIMES WHEN YOU DISAGREE WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS ONLY NATURAL. BUT IT IS HOW YOU EXPRESS THOSE DIFFERENCES THAT MAKES YOU SOMEONE WHO SEEKS UNDERSTANDING RATHER THAN SOMEONE WHO SEEKS TO GET HIS OR HER OWN WAY BY BULLYING. EVERYONE HAS BOTH PERSONALITIES WITHIN. WHICH PERSONALITY WILL YOU LET WIN? HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES I WOULD HOPE YOU CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE, WHEREVER YOU GO: 1. TO HAVE A FRIEND YOU MUST BE A FRIEND. YOU MUST ASK YOURSELF WHAT KIND OF FRIEND DO I WANT TO HAVE? THAT IS THE KIND OF FRIEND YOU MUST BECOME. 2. YOU MUST SPEAK UP WHEN SOMEONE IS BEING UNKIND AND UNFAIR TO ANOTHER PERSON. IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO SAY TO YOURSELF, “WELL, I SEE THIS PERSON IS BEING MEAN. I WON’T BE MEAN.” YOU MUST FIND COURAGE. STAND UP AND SAY, “THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. YOU CANNOT TREAT ANOTHER PERSON THIS WAY.” BE UNAFRAID AND SPEAK UP FOR WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT. SEEK HELP IF NECESSARY. 3. IT’S REALLY VERY EASY TO OFFER YOUR FRIENDSHIP OR REACH OUT TO SOMEONE

WHO MAY BE ALONE. IT WILL MEAN SO MUCH TO THAT PERSON. EVERYONE AT SOME TIME IN THEIR LIFE WILL FEEL ALONE AND FEEL LIKE AN OUTSIDER. TAKE THE TIME AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THAT PERSON TO KNOW YOU SEE THEM AND THAT SOMEONE CARES. 4. USE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY AND THINK BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING YOU WILL REGRET. WORDS HAVE POWER. WORDS HAVE THE POWER TO HURT OR THE POWER TO HEAL. YOU HAVE SPENT YOUR FORMATIVE EDUCATIONAL YEARS COMMUNICATING IN TWO LANGUAGES… WITH MANY CULTURES. WHAT IS THE USE OF HAVING THE GIFT OF BILINGUALISM IF YOU ARE NOT USING WHAT YOU HAVE LIVED AND LEARNED, TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. NONE OF US CAN CHANGE THE WORLD BY OURSELVES. AND EVEN WITH ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER, THE WORLD WILL NOT CHANGE ALL AT ONCE. BUT WE CAN MAKE SMALL CHANGES IN OUR SMALL PART OF THE WORLD. YOUR WORLD STARTS IMMEDIATELY WITH ALL THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM YOU COME IN CONTACT. TAKE THE BEST OF WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED HERE AT EB. RESPECT. RESPONSIBILITY. CARE. COMMUNITY AND SHARE THESE VALUES EVERYWHERE YOU GO… ONE PERSON AT A TIME. l

40 Stacy Chandler’s Graduation speech, continued from Page 4 with French culture will serve as a compass setting you apart, offering you additional opportunities, connections and friends. I hope you set aside your iPhone briefly to read the horizon. Just kidding. Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley and the parents in the room, we are happy to have provided you with intercultural understanding and respect: true wealth in this world. Tonight is a celebration. We toast your growth and your journey. You have journeys and challenges yet to come. And you have the stamina, determination and strength of character. You have the knowledge and character to act more freely and responsibly. The class of 2016 has been a little goofy at times. You’ve been hardworking and you have nourished incredibly close and inclusive friendships. You’ve supported each other in ways that have raised each other’s confidence, respected differences and inspired ideas. Tonight we will view Noémie Hansen’s slideshow. It had to be a little longer because it’s hard to let go of these students’ positive energy. Noémie, like the students here tonight, knows how to collaborate and work with patience towards a creative end. She, like our graduates, edit with critical thinking and attention to detail. I am grateful to her for how freely she has given of her own time to support the students in the room and EB. There have been many times that I have thanked her for previous slideshows and support when her graduate was not in the room. I am also grateful to Erin McCormick. Who came through on numerous

occasions when the going was rough. Erin rounded up carpools, teacher gifts, did more lice checks than any other parent in the room. More importantly, she crafted communications that brought out the best in you and organized fun events that keep us solid! Thank you, Erin for your kindness and generosity. Jennifer Villarina, a parent of a graduate tonight is also still a grade 7 parent, so she and Noémie participated in room decorations. Jennifer did the tables displays and Noémie the portraits. So many parents have helped along the way! There is yet one more very special person here tonight, and that’s Awatif Chirar who singlehandedly rounded up the best chef in San Francisco, Lamia Spohn, and enlisted Devyani Jain to make the most delicious gauffres, chocolates and guimauves I’ve ever tasted so that we have a seriously sweet endowment gift for EB from the graduates in this room. Thank you, Awatif. This evening has become a tradition with our alumni parents here to serve dinner to you tonight. Thank you for your generosity and for being strong pillars of the EB community. This evening we have Anne Brandon, Vivian Lopez, Vicki Schumb, and Karoline Robbins. I also thank the administration and building/maintenance crew for their help. Let’s celebrate teamwork: that amazing knit of individual talents to bring effort to completion. Around us are the graduates we honor. Their portraits attest to their greatness. Their uniqueness. The class of 2016 are only a few steps away from adventure. They are equipped for travel, with skills, savoir faire and knowledge because you placed their education with our expert faculty. Please recognize the faculty’s commitment to your children tonight.

Like you, they have traveled far with your children. Like you, they have placed cairns as these graduates have become trailblazers. And Douglas Gostlin has placed another milestone by helping them find a destination for the next four years. The greatest achievement is yours, EB families. Parents and EB graduates are resourceful, clever, caring, intuitive learners. Thank you, EB families, for giving us the opportunity to care so deeply about your children. We have enjoyed and appreciated the trust you have placed in us as additional guides for your children. Class of 2016, stay bilingual! Take on challenges. Run the mile. Don’t forget your shoes. Go up, go down, meander, marathon. Make EB proud, your parents, and most of all, yourselves as you work towards greater good. I have to live up to the “community moment” coming up in the Memory Movie. We are here for you Class of 2016. We know you and we believe in you. Journey far! Congratulations! l

Mathieu Cladidier’s Graduation speech, continued from Page 5 as much part of a team as I have felt here at EB. And it started four years ago when I arrived at SFO International airport from Paris on a Friday. It was August 11, 2012. It all started with Frédéric Canadas who trusted me to handle the job and who came to pick me up at the airport. Let me tell you a short story about my arrival which illustrates, in a funny way, how I discovered the strong meaning of the word community. After a long flight from Paris, 11 hours, where I left my family behind, crying and saying good bye, I arrived at SFO and I faced for the first time the endless immigration line designated to us, “aliens”... visitors. It took me 2 hours to go through customs that day. It’s late, I am exhausted, I don’t know where I’ll be sleeping this night and my dog who traveled in a cage is waiting for me wondering probably what is going on. I finally pick up my dog who refuses to come out of his cage and I find out that... they’ve lost my luggage, my single and only baggage. Of course, we are Friday and the airplane company guy, with a big smile, just tell me to come back on... Monday! No luggage, no place to stay and 10,000 km (6,000 miles) from home. You really start to wonder what you’re doing here! And then, Frédéric brought me back to his own home. Offered me a nice dinner with Odile and told me I have a place to stay at Thierry’s for the night. But still no luggage… I am too tired to worry about that… I just want to fall asleep like a rock… Then, when I am about to give up … I see Frédéric coming back from his bedroom and looking at me with a big and friendly

smile... handing me... one of his own pairs of underwear!!! True story. Can you believe that? I know… I know. And all of a sudden, this guy, head of school that I just met three hours ago at the airport gives me his underwear! Come on, this place can’t be a bad place when your boss gives you his underpants, right? And it was just the beginning of what I’d call the chain of kindness, the introduction to EB community. So, community is the first word I’ll take with me on my way to Sydney, Australia. The second thing I’ll remember will be “At Home In the world”. I know that leaving EB is not really leaving, and you graduates know it better than me. It’s a place we will always call home. There is always sadness when something ends, always this feeling that the unknown is scary but what I learned here, with you, is that home is not only a place to come back to but it’s also a state of mind, a spiritual refuge where I can run away sometimes and feel comfortable when needed. It’s, for instance, the thought of my family in France, or the memory of my grandpa playing soccer with me on a summer night, it’s our endless bike rides with my brothers around the lake where we lived our childhood, it’s, of course, the taste of my mom’s “mousse au chocolat” ...and now I can add to that all the memories of these 4 years among you, right here in Berkeley. That is home for me too now. That’s why tonight I want to thank all of you, parents, colleagues and of course you graduates to allow me to belong to this community and to make this school feel like home to me. I want to especially thank some of you, I am truly grateful that I had a chance to work with all of you. Thank

you Frédéric for trusting me in the first place, and to renew this trust all along my years at EB, you’ve been a great Head of School and a respected mentor. I want to give a special thank you to Stacy Chandler, Head of the Middle School and true friend, who worked with me and accepted my French moody side with kindness, my constructive criticisms with understanding and humor. I’d like to thank Sue Campbell, my evil twin, coordinator partner and surfing buddy. A big thank you, as big, I mean strong, as he is, for Coach Jeffrey Rodriguez with whom we lived a perfect “bromance” as co-advisors for 4 years. Thank you to my French colleague Valérie Bishop with whom I worked with respect and professionalism. A “grand merci” for Corinne Pluche, Parisian roommate, “chouquettes aficionados”, dear friend and extraordinary colleague. A real and deep thank you to all my colleagues at the Middle school particularly and to my colleagues from the Lower School. It’s time to leave now, it’s time to leave for new adventures. Good luck to all of you guys, and just remember that starting from now on... you will never walk alone. Au revoir. l

42 Monique Jonath and Diego Salgues’ Graduation speech, continued from Page 6

que chaque élève dans cette salle peut se rappeler une experience à l’Ecole Bilingue quand un professeur a eu un grand impact sur leur vie. Les professeurs à l’École Bilingue ont offert une multitude de bons souvenirs aux élèves que nous garderons avec nous jusqu’à la fin de nos jours.

We’d first like to speak on behalf of the 8th grade class by sharing how grateful we are to our parents for giving us this opportunity to attend a multicultural school. Having the opportunity to go to school with people from all over the world is an experience not many get to have. With this, you get a glimpse of people outside your local community. The fact that we have had this style of learning at EB has opened our eyes and our minds to many possibilities.

For some us, our lives at EB date all the way back to Maternelle where our biggest moments were when we napped and maybe sustained an injury from the see-saw...which is now gone because of several split chins.

Tout d’abord, nous allons parler au nom de tous les 4èmes en remerciant nos parents de nous avoir donné la chance d’aller dans cette école. Avoir l’opportunité d’apprendre dans un endroit avec des gens qui viennent de partout dans le monde est une chose très rare. Le fait que nous avons eu ce style d’apprentissage à l’École Bilingue nous a ouvert les yeux et les cerveaux à beaucoup de possibilités. We’d like to thank the EB teaching staff for having the passion, patience and drive to teach all of us with care. We believe that every student in this room can recall at least one time in their experience at EB when a teacher of theirs had an extraordinary impact on them. The hardworking staff at EB has offered to its students many memories we may hold dear to us for the rest of our lives. Nous voulons aussi remercier tous les professeurs de l’Ecole Bilingue pour leur passion, patience et leur dynamisme qui nous ont permis d’apprendre avec soin. Nous pensons

Pour quelques uns d’entre nous, nos vies à l’Ecole Bilingue ont commencé en Maternelle, où les choses les plus importantes étaient la sieste ou peut-être une plaie quand nous étions tombés de la bascule… qui tristement, n’existent plus à cause de plusieurs mentons blessés. Kindergarten was a start for many and that was when we were introduced to “Tatou Le Chat”. I’m sure all the students can remember the details of bringing Tatou home for the weekend. I’m sure Tatou’s memories are that he needed a bath after all of his visits. La grande section était le commencement pour plusieurs autres et c’est aussi quand nous avons rencontré “Tatou le Chat”. Je suis sûre que vous vous rappellez des détails quand vous l’avez ramené chez vous pour le weekend. Je suis aussi sûre que Tatou se rappelle de vouloir un bain après les visites. As we moved from 1st grade, into second and then into third, we began to have more distinct personalities and formed unbreakable bonds with each other. EB became an extension of home. Although some of us have spent 10-11 years together, it feels so short, because it was only at this time that we really clicked.

Quand on est arrivés en CP, puis au CEI et finalement en CE2, nous avons commencé à devenir de vraies petites personnes avec nos propres personnalités et nous avons formé des liens incassables. L’Ecole Bilingue est devenue une extension de nos maisons. Même si plusieurs d’entre nous ont passé 10 à 11 ans ensemble, ça a l’air si court, comme sic’était seulement en CE2 que nous sommes vraiment devenus amis. We learned the hit single “Miners dig down into the ground” on our trip to Coloma in fourth grade. In fifth grade we went to France where we learned about French culture on our own so we could understand why our parents wanted us to learn French. Those amazing trips are unforgettable experiences. Nous avons appris la chanson incroyablement populaire “Miners dig down into the ground” pendant notre voyage à Coloma en CM1. En CM2, nous sommes allés en France où nous avons eu une véritable expérience de la culture française et nous avons mieux compris pourquoi nos parents voulaient qu’on apprenne le français. Ces voyages incroyables étaient des expériences inoubliables. During the transition from elementary school to middle school, there are those that left and those who remained to go on to the middle school. If you remained at the middle school, well here we are now. The EB middle school has offered us a selection of athletics, student-run clubs and government that most of the 8th grade class made good use of. We were given more freedom to explore our interests in a whole new environment. The middle school also pushed us to think of ourselves as truly international people, and to receive a stellar and global education.

43 Pendant la transition entre l’école primaire et le collège, il y a des gens qui sont partis, mais la plupart sont restés et ils ont continué jusqu’au collège. Si tu es resté, bah, tu es ici ce soir. Le collège de l’École Bilingue nous a offert une sélection de sports, clubs et un conseil des étudiants dont la plupart des 4èmes ont bien profité. On nous a donné la liberté d’explorer nos intérets dans un nouvel environnement dynamique. Le collège nous a poussé à nous considérer comme des citoyens internationaux, et nous a permis de recevoir une éducation remarquable et globale.

skill we’ll take on to high school, college and the working world later on in their lives. Thank you, “Incoming Freshmen” for being there for the highs and lows. You are the best classmates anybody has ever known and good luck to all of us in our new chapters in life.

Pendant toutes les années que j’ai passées à l’École Bilingue, j’ai observé que mes paires sont des gens flexibles quand il y a du changement ce qui est une bonne capacité que nous amenerons avec nous au lycée. Merci Another thing that EB has offered to beaucoup, “nouveaux troisièmes” d’être it’s 8th grade class is opportunity. It resté ensemble pendant toutes ces années. has appealed to the diverse student Vous êtes les meilleurs camarades du monde body which is composed of makers, et bonne chance à tous dans ces nouveaux math geniuses, language experts, mov- chapîtres de nos vies. ie buffs, musicians, artists and much Thank You very much and good more. A few of the many opportunievening! ties we have had are : after school sports, a TedX event, the Mathcounts Merci beaucoup et bonne soirée ! l Competition, The Maker Faire, NHD (National History Day). We also can’t forget that we have picked up a third language whether it be in the Spanish class with Señora Camacho or in the Mandarin class with Mr. Choo. Une autre chose que cette école a offert aux 4èmes, ce sont des opportunités. Cela a créé un groupe d’étudiants divers qui est composé de créateurs, génies des maths, experts de language, cinéphiles, musiciens, artistes et beaucoup plus. Quelques unes des nombreuses opportunités que nous avons eues sont : les sports, un événement Tedx, la compétition Mathcounts, la Maker Faire, et la Journée Nationale d’Histoire. Une autre chose importante est la troisième langue que nous avons apprise, que ce soit dans la classe d’espagnol avec Señora Camacho ou le mandarin avec M. Choo. In all the years that I have been at EB I have observed that my fellow peers are very flexible when it comes to change and that will be a great