“I am very proud to be an SDFAS parent. Both of my children started their bilingual education at SDFAS in PK2. My oldest son completed middle school last year and is currently in ninth grade at The Bishop’s School. My daughter is now in third grade at SDFAS. As I watch my children grow and progress through their primary and secondary education, I never cease to marvel at the incredible educational work that goes on at SDFAS.
We were first drawn to the school by our desire for our children to be bilingual, and we have certainly been very pleased as our children have indeed grown equally proficient in both French and English. The level of language sophistication developed in our children during their years at SDFAS is simply phenomenal. As a world languages teacher myself, I can attest to the quality of language development at SDFAS – it is without a doubt first class and without any close peer in San Diego.
Although language is the most evident benefit of study at SDFAS, there are other equally important, though more subtle benefits, that my children and their classmates receive that I also highly value. Our children develop their memories as they engage in French poetry, they develop their fine motor skills and an appreciation for fine penmanship under the high standards of their French teachers, they read great literature in two languages in their dual American and French coursework. Perhaps most important is the sense that our children develop in being members of a community that is much larger than the rather small worlds of family, friends, and neighbors. Through years of exposure to and participation in the sights, sounds, ideas, and people from all over the world that comprise our community at SDFAS, their horizons have expanded and their view has grown longer. Whether through speaking a common language with their diverse group of friends or through recognizing their common humanity with a new classmate from a distant land, they come to see that there is nothing that is foreign to them, just different and interesting.
We are fortunate to live in a beautiful city with many wonderful educational opportunities to choose from as we seek the best education for our kids. SDFAS’s combination of dual-language acquisition and cultural education is truly unique. The education we have received at SDFAS is a gift to my children for which I will always be grateful.”
Ian Hayden, father of Sebastian and Sofia, “lifers”
“At La Jolla Country Day School, we greatly value the preparation that students who have matriculated from the San Diego French American School bring to our campus. We have found the SDFAS students to be well-prepared, mature and eager to take part in the rigor of our college preparatory curriculum. Both LJCDS and SDFAS share a similar goal of developing students into global citizens. The skills that accompany a student who is multilingual equip that student to perform at the highest levels across the disciplines, whether in math, science, or history.”
Inez M. Odom, former Director of Admissions
La Jolla Country Day School
“I speak French at home and my husband speaks English so our son already knew some French before going there but a lot of families at the school don’t speak any French and their kids seem to be doing great. We are very impressed with my son’s French teacher. She has a blog about what they do in the classroom where you can see pictures of the kids, the songs that they sing, and what they do in class. They learn some cool things like recycling and composting. They also learned some African dances, some French songs, and they cook French food in class.“
Genevieve W, mother of a PK1 student
“Your child will not only develop the ability to read, speak, and write in French, one of the world’s most widely spoken native and second languages, but he or she will also acquire all the other benefits of second-language instruction: tolerance, respect, and love of other cultures; the aptitude to acquire even more languages with greater ease; the ability to easily access the higher «executive function» of the brain, which multi-linguals possess, and which sharpens problem-solving across various disciplines; and the advantage of linguistic and cultural fluency that is crucial to the next generation’s success in the global economy. As a bonus, your child will love the small, intimate nature of the school and will benefit from the extra attention the teachers can give to all students in their small-sized classes.“
Jennifer, mother of Sacha
“We have been very happy with SDFAS and for the fabulous teaching staff, who not only maintain very high academic standards, but who also continuously instill a genuine love for learning in students of all ability levels.“
Azita, mother of Vincent
“None of our children spoke English when we arrived in California, but thanks to the help of the other students and the patience and understanding of the teachers (assigning English homework to match their abilities), they quickly adjusted.“
Frédérique, mother of Annabelle, Thomas, and Mathieu
“We greatly value the education that our children have received at San Diego French-American School. By learning in both educational systems, our children have been well-prepared and have acquired skills that allow them to be versatile and flexible in other endeavors. In addition, they have learned in an environment that emphasizes a world perspective that relates to the individual. We couldn’t be more pleased with the educational journey we started with our children ten years ago.“
Minerva and Andy, parents of Justin and Seth
“As Expats one of the great advantages for our family in choosing a French education, is getting accepted at other French international schools worldwide, which otherwise have waiting lists for new students. Having been in the French academic system in San Diego we were shown preference at another school in the network when we moved abroad. This combined with the consistency in the curriculum made our children’s transitions in another country much easier.“
Denise, mother Roman, Gavin, and Tristan
“Like many families at SDFAS, we are multicultural. We chose the school not only because of the French language, which is a big part of our heritage, but also because the school is international, just like we are. We strongly believe in the value of the French educational system and the unique way it teaches young minds to be independent and critical thinkers. In our opinion, the dual curriculum is the key to developing global awareness and to help in paving the way to future accomplishments.“
Frida LeBreton, mother of Ella, Max, and Léo
“Why do we love SDFAS? We are grateful to have found the SDFAS family. Clearly, bilingualism is an amazing gift to give to our children. But the value of this school goes much beyond that. The strong sense of community, the active role the parents and the teachers take, and the exposure to many cultures has been a huge reason we have been so happy. But mostly, we have watched our daughter blossom and learn through the holistic approach to education.“
Kim Goodwin, MD and Aaron B, parents of Olivia
“Research shows that achieving fluency in two languages results in higher IQ scores, greater academic achievement in English-language subjects such as reading and math, increased problem solving abilities, greater cognitive flexibility, increased ability to focus, and even increased resistance to dementia in old age! What is more remarkable still is that children who become fluent in a second language have increased facility in learning a third or even fourth language. Children who enroll in dual-language education programs also show benefits socially, having increased ability to form relationships with peers from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We are indeed very fortunate to have SDFAS in our community which offers children the opportunities to realize all these amazing cognitive, academic, and social advantages.“
Deborah Pontillo, PhD, Pediatric Psychologist
“Our daughter is just completing her second year of pre-school at SDFAS. Even though the French language is not fluently spoken in our home, we can confidently say that she has not only developed the ability to speak and understand the French language, but she has developed her ability to express herself verbally and artistically through frequent performances involving song and dance. Furthermore, she has developed excellent pre-math and pre-reading skills, all while being fully immersed with the French language. We are very excited about her transition into kindergarten at SDFAS next year and feel that the curriculum, language (dual-immersion) and diversity of the student population at SDFAS create a superior educational experience that uniquely prepares young people for the future opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the increasingly diverse society and marketplace.“
Zorana and Justin, parents of Lola
“For any English-only speaking parents (like my wife and me) considering a bilingual education for their child, I wholeheartedly recommend SDFAS. The school is growing but remains small. (Our daughter’s average class size through the years was 12 students). The program, the teachers and the environment are amazing and we especially enjoyed the fact that our daughter had as many male as female teachers. I cannot encourage parents enough to consider this education. The long-term benefits to give your child a second language is the gift of a lifetime and specifically the SDFAS immersion program and the overall French education system allowed my daughter to be fully fluent (with no American accent) in the French language by 2nd grade and she is now taking Spanish and accelerating very quickly. Thank you to you and the entire SDFAS staff for a job well done. “
Marty and Eileen, parents of Genevieve in 5th grade
