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Now enrolling: RISE International School opening in Paris by fall, 2017

Parents in Paris … you have a new international school option for your middle schoolers. 3_16_16_upton_paris_720_405_s_c1_c_cEnrollment for the 2017/2018 school year is now open at RISE International School of Paris, a private, non-profit bilingual middle school (ages 11 to 15).

The school is scheduled to open in September in Mareil-Marly, just northwest of the center of Paris

RISE is a new innovation-based bilingual middle school meant to create a smoother transition for students, preparing them for an American, British, or French secondary school, said co-founder Janine Springall.

(Editor’s note: Students do not have to be fluent in French to apply.)

RISE DIRECTOR MICHELE SILVESTRI

RISE DIRECTOR MICHELE SILVESTRI

Co-founder and Director Michele Silvestri is the former head of history in the American Section at the prestigious Lycée International School in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

“Michele feels strongly about how important middle school is,” Springall said.

Middle school can be demanding, because students are coming out of the one-classroom environment of elementary school into middle school and its multi-classroom schedule. Middle schoolers also are coming into puberty, so RISE will address the social aspects of education as well as scholarship, Springall said.

“We want to deal with the social child as well as the academic.”

Springall and Silvestri created RISE in response to a growing demand from French and anglophone parents living in Paris and the western suburbs.

They see a growing demand for a bilingual middle school education that fits the individual needs of students, preparing them to succeed in a rapidly evolving global community, Springall said.

IMG_7643-1490712134 janine rise small picture

RISE CO-FOUNDER JANINE SPRINGALL

This philosophy extends to children who have needs that often aren’t met by conventional schools. “The reason we’re going down this road is to accommodate everyone, not just those who fit neatly in the box,” she said. “My eldest son is dyslexic and doesn’t fit in the box, but he’s a sharp guy.”

At RISE, teachers act as facilitators while students take an active role in the classroom. With a focus on project-based and cooperative learning, students examine and explore real-life challenges within an interdisciplinary curriculum, according to school materials.

One of the biggest departures from larger schools is that RISE administrators are making home visits, allowing potential students to meet a staff member and to become better acquainted with the RISE program.

It also allows the RISE staff member to evaluate the student’s French language proficiency.

“Instead of children coming to us and testing in an unfamiliar environment, we’re doing home visits to determine levels,” Springall said. “If we come into a home, speaking in an informal way, the children will be more relaxed and we can make a better evaluation.”

Another plus is that in coordination with another international school, RISE will offer bus service, she said.

In our research across Europe, including in our headquarter city of Eindhoven, Netherlands, we’ve found there is more demand for international schools than capacity. Springall also confirmed a lot of the middle schools in Paris have wait lists.

So, as we always say in our international school posts, don’t wait to apply.

Silvestri and Springall are planning an open house next month. The location will be announced soon on the RISE International School website and Facebook page.

The details: 

First year enrollment: The goal is 14 students, building to 56 within five years.

Tuition: 15,800 euros per year. A non-refundable mandatory application fee of 150 euros will be paid at the time of application. A 650 euro deposit is due within two weeks of being accepted at RISE.

Programs: Depending on the language proficiency of each child, RISE offers two distinct language programs. Students with a strong background in both English and French may opt to enroll in the 50/50 Program where children are taught both math and science in French. Other students have the opportunity to be a part of our 80/20 Program where 20 percent of instruction is in French. Regardless of each students’ bilingual ability, however, French culture and history will be an integral portion of the educational experience at RISE.

In addition to a strong emphasis on core subjects (English and French Language Arts, mathematics, and science), the RISE program offers a unique selection of classes taught in a multiage classroom:

• Global Structures (history, geography, civics)
• Global Citizenship (non-academic skills)
• Global Challenges (interdisciplinary project-
based learning)
• Global Discovery (technology, fine arts,
physical education)

Application requirements:

  • copy of the student’s identification (passport or French carte d’identité)
  • copy of the parents’/guardians’ identification (passport or French carte d’identité)
  • two passport size photos of the student
  • completed Medical Information Form 1
  • letter of recommendation for the student
  • letter of recommendation for the family
  • application fee
  • development fee

Contact: Michele Silvestri at [email protected] or call cc33 -6-28-37-83-84

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Co-CEO of Dispatches Europe. A former military reporter, I'm a serial expat who has lived in France, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands.

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