French Academy

I agree with the review below. We are Americans and our child did not speak any french but the teacher worked hard and the difficulty was overcome. We are very happy to be at the French Academy. It is an outstanding value and my special thanks to the director for her vision. The after school programs are helpful for our busy lifestyle. I feel like the director always listens and responds fast to the concerns. The French Academy will teach parents french too, I am going to learn so I can be bilingual like my child! Good education, reasonable tuition, and a gifted director! The only choice.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter started at French Academy in the middle of her kindergarten year. She knew only a few words in French. The other students in her class were, of course, way ahead, and she had trouble communicating at first. She would end up being physical, and causing trouble. The teacher knew to expect this and handled it expertly. Before long she was speaking well, and getting along much better. She also went through a time of requiring attention for ADD. French Academy's small class sizes are a huge benefit, because the teacher has the time to deal with difficulties that come up. We were kept informed all the time, and effective behavior programs were put in place. The single most helpful attribute is the genuine caring of the teachers and Veronique for each individual student. Our daughter was/is inspired and motivated to do her best, largely because of her great relationship with her teachers. Veronique cares very deeply, for the school, that she started in her basement, and for the students and families. She recently commented that she loves to listen to audiotapes of the children singing, and can pick out individual voices! Sound education, welcoming atmosphere! Wonderful!
—Submitted by a parent

We have had three children attend FAM, and we have been very, very happy with the school. The atmosphere is warm and loving, and the academic standards are high across the board. The French that is spoken is impeccable. Two of my children attended Concordia language camp during the summer, and the native French-speaking staff actually thought that both of our children grew up in France. We had the same reaction when we traveled with our children to France. You can imagine how happy this made us as parents (neither of us speak French to any degree). Our two children who have graduated have done very well in middle and high school. The school prepared them well in English, science, and math. Another thing that I like about the school is that the children are taught to be very courteous and well-mannered. You can point out the kids who go to FAM at a birthday party - they are generally the ones who nice to each other and the parents. I wouldn't hesitate recommending this school to any of our friends who are interested in an immersion education!
—Submitted by a parent

Our son has attended FAM preschool for a short time (a few months at the end of last year, and this year). I'm writing because it's a shame to have a few reviewers give a negative impression of this school. Our son's primary teacher was new last year and has returned for her 2nd year. We could not be more delighted by her skill in managing the children through engagement, her perfect diction, and her flexibility in adapting the set curriculum to make it work for the young children. We have not observed the associate teacher as long (though in our first meeting we were impressed by her calm competence), but she is a former FAM teacher who returned to Minnesota to take the position at the beginning of this year, which contradicts the idea that it is such a terrible place to work. Yes, the director comes across as rigid and is not the best communicator. People with strong vision are often like this. The newly promoted associate director more than compensates and is doing wonders to improve communications. FAM is good for our whole family, as their expectations for timeliness, consistency and manners begin to shape our days and our child.
—Submitted by a parent

You really need to talk to parents of recent former students before choosing this school. Be very careful trusting the director. The school 1 through 5 grades has never been Accredited by The French Ministry of Education as is infirmed by the schools website. Only the preschool is accredited or at least it was accredited. The problems with the school mainly start after preschool. They have no systematic way of dealing with children performing above or below other children, a cause of many students leaving. Interactions between parents and the director even for things such as fund raiser activities make parents question placing their child s education in the hands of the director. At first you think it s a cultural or language barrier, but over time you realize there is something wrong here. You will never find a more controlling person than the director; she even tried to replace all elected Parent Teacher Origination officers. The school survives by bringing very low cost teachers over from France every year; half or more are replaced each year. Only once in 4 years has a teachers expiring 3 year Visa been an issue, most teachers last only 1 or 2 years.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a former teacher at The French Academy of Minnesota and do not recommend it. The students and parents are outstanding but it is a risky choice. It is a Dickensian work environment, reflected by the chronic teacher turnover. The long-term mismanagement of the school has resulted in increasing instability; you may suddenly find that your child's grade is being combined with one or two others. As a reviewer below pointed out, this school is not accredited by the French Ministry of Education (only the daycare is accredited) nor by the State of Minnesota- I would ask yourself why this is the case. Your child s experience at this school will vary greatly from year to year. There are several better local choices; stable, accredited schools that offer more variety and resources, consistent delivery of curriculum, and a demonstrable commitment to improvement. Your child will develop an excellent level of French at this school but at the opportunity cost of a better overall education.

An immersion education is a long-term commitment. Rather than detail my opinion, I suggest that you thoroughly research this institution and decide if it s right for you. Objective information is hard to come by because this school is not accredited by either the state of Minnesota or Education Nationale (French government). The child care/pre-school, however, is accredited by the French Government and regulated by the MN Department of Human Services. There are nine violations from 2011 on the DHS website, but little other information. This school, like all others, has strengths and weaknesses which can be difficult to discover. My advice to anyone considering this school is to ask detailed questions, and to request unchaperoned meetings with teachers and parents of your choosing before making a decision.

If your educational goal is to ensure that your child speaks fluent French, then this is the only school for you. It is lightyears ahead of other French schools in the area. If you would also like your child to develop the math and composition skills to easily transition to another school when FAM ends (sixth grade), then you will need to look elsewhere. Likewise, don't come here looking for a nurturing environment. There is a lovely group of families here, but the teachers come and go at an alarming rate. More than once, a teacher has had to be fired during the school year.
—Submitted by a parent

I've been very happy with the education my child is receiving at the French Academy. Through the 5 years my child has been at this school, she has received a level of education and personalized attention she would not have received at any other school. The teachers and school administration have always addressed any concerns and have taken care of them promptly and to my satisfaction. The school has grown over the years and has suffered some minor growing pains as all organizations do, but FAM continues to work at keeping the small nurturing atmosphere and high quality education. If you are interested in having your child learn a second language through immersion, there is no other choice than the French Academy.
—Submitted by a parent

The level of French at this school is excellent. The teachers are wonderful, the parents are amazing. Small class sizes mean excellent attention, but somewhat less variety than might be available at larger schools. The challenge is that the director is not well-liked. Her vision is deeply respected, but her management approach is not. Each year at least one staff member has left "abruptly." Meetings that involve teachers and the director are very strange -- none of the teachers ever say anything.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers at the French Academy are what I dreamt teachers would be -- intelligent, interesting, funny, exciting, and able to figure out ways to get the students to learn. The supportive environment helps the kids at the French Academy feel comfortable as they learn a language and learn the curriculum. This is our son's second year and we consider ourselves fortunate to have found the school. The size allows personalized teaching, and I love that it's a community. There is more going on here than just a first-rate education -- we (the whole family) experience many cultures in a positive way. The families are from all over the world. It's an amazing experience.
—Submitted by a parent

The French Academy is an outstanding immersion school for youngsters to learn French and the structured European education system. The teachers are all native speakers and are fully licensed instructors. However, due to the nature of the school, there is a lack of continuity because all assistants and some teachers are on limited visas. The school offers several enrichening arts/music programs but otherwise has limited resouces . In paticulare, it has little experience with gifted childen or special needs students. Parental particpation is very high.
—Submitted by a parent

What made me choose the French Academy as opposed to other private and French programs that are available in the Twin Cities is above all the high level of quality. No other program can compare in my opinion. From teachers and assistants that are well trained and french-natives, to a curriculum that reflects both the best of the American and French early school programs, and to the care and attention the children receive from the staff, the French Academy does it all. Small classes, individual attention, strong emphasis on academics and results, and a very safe environment make this school a top choice for any family that wants to prepare a child to our global world.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a very special school. It has complete French immersion: native French is spoken at all times, and homework is in French. Our three children are becoming completely fluent in native accent-less French. Also, the school is intimate: there are two instructors in each small class, the children are treated like family, and the Directrix and instructors know all the children's names. The cirriculum is French: strong basics are taught in the French manner, with discipline and an emphasis on correct answers, excellent handwriting, and memorization, as well as analytic problem solving. FAM is top-shelf, and for a private school, it's an excellent value.
—Submitted by a parent

When we relocated to Minnesota a little over 2 years ago our daughter was 3 (she has life-threatening food allergies) and I was primarily looking for a safe environment in which she could prosper. It was an extra challenge to find a preschool that would/could accommodate us properly. From the first conversation with Madame Liebmann, I knew my concerns would be taken very seriously. This is our unique situation that led us to the French Academy and I feel so fortunate that it did. The school is indeed a very special place. Our daughter has LOVED all of her teachers (she's attended three grade levels now) and I have had the pleasure of making some wonderful friends. Lastly, as a mixed race family in the middle of Minnesota we were delighted to find an unexpected level of racial, as well as, cultural diversity. Challenging curriculum, fantastic staff, nurturing faculty.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter is in kindergarten and has been at the French Academy since age 3. We couldn't be happier with the experience she has had. She loves the French language, loves to learn and loves to go to school. We were concerned that her English reading skills would be slow to develop but we have been pleasantly surprised that she is right on target with English in addition to learning to read and becoming conversational in French at such a young age. The curriculum is academically rigorous with an emphasis on individual progress in a setting that our daughter enjoys and is thriving in. We also love the diversity of families and the strong sense of community at the French Academy!
—Submitted by a parent

The first time we visited FAM being relocated from France, I met some French 4th graders in the hallway and talked to them in French for a while. I had at that time a huge pre-conceived concern that the level would be lower in a French school full of English-speakers because of the language issues I thought you cannot expect the same from a native French child and from a child in early immersion 98% of my fears vanished when I realized the French kids I had spoken to were 100% English speaking American without any French background in their family! Their accent was as good as mine, born and raised in France! I no longer have any worry about the level being behind the French standards, the one my kids would have kept if they were still in France.
—Submitted by a parent

We are a French-American family living in MN and as such live within two cultures. Being a French teacher myself, I pay close attention to the quality of the curriculum and the way it is delivered. The French Academy is to me the best program when it comes to elementary education in French in the Twin Cities. The strong points of the program are its consistency(all teachers are truly gifted and passionate about what they do, so there is no surprise from one year to the next), its authenticity (French curriculum and French teachers), and the nurturing environment (my kids have always being enthusiastic about going to school). We are so happy our kids attend the French Academy. It totally meets our expectations, it just feels RIGHT.
—Submitted by a parent

We are an American family with no french spoken at home. We have two children at The French Academy, they both started at age 2-1/2, they are now 6 and are completely bilingual. Having a second or third language it truly a gift. The staff exceeds our expectations in every way. Our kids both look forward to going to school everyday! We highly recommend the school!!!
—Submitted by a parent

We have three children who have attended or are currently attending the French Academy. One graduated with the first class of 5th graders last year and the other two are still there. Each started at age 3 in preschool, and we have yet to experience anything but the highest level of instruction, of teacher quality (only native speakers), of leadership, and a positive learning environment for each and every one of them. They are completely bi-lingual and love going to school. They feel valued by their teachers and by their classmates. And most of all, we have witnessed the results of the careful planning that is given to the curriculum and in the preparation of making the students mindful citizens of the world. Our eldest has seamlessly assimilated into one of the top local schools, fully capable of assuming the academic rigor and the appreciating the diversity of her classmates.
—Submitted by a parent