Back to school in Provence

La rentrée scolaire at Rousset, in Provence

After the holidays, what will you do?

For my 3 children, it's back to school time with joy and great mood.

Summer holidays last 2 months in France.

In 2021, the holidays were from July 7th to September 1st.

The back-to-school day always takes place on September 1st. So, if September 1st is a Thursday. The children must take their schoolbag back on a Thursday.

It turns out that this year September 1st is a Wednesday. As there is no school on Wednesdays, schools reopened on Thursday, September 2nd.

My eldest son, Léo, moved to fifth grade. He's in elementary school, as is my youngest son, Tom, who moved to third grade.

The big change this year is for Lily this year moving to CP. This means that she changed of school. She says goodbye to nursery school. She will be in elementary school with her brothers.

How it works in France?

Here is how the education of our children in France has been organized over the years:

Schooling is done in 4 steps:

1. Nursery school (3-6 years): nursery schools are divided into 3 classes which are the small section, the middle section, and the large section

2. Elementary school (6-11 years old): these schools are divided into 5 classes which are CP, CE1, CE2, CM1 and CM2

3. Kindergarten and elementary school constitute the primary school (3-11 years).

4. College (=Middle school) (11-15 years old): middle school classes are an opportunity to deepen all the knowledge acquired.

5. Lycée (15-17 years old): there are 2 types of lycées in France: the general and technological lycée, which welcomes the vast majority of students.

The big questions...

The big questions as I write this back-to-school article are:

• Will children always have to wear the mask?

• Will the barriers in the playground still be in place?

Indeed, on October 29, 2020, the Prime Minister announced that wearing a mask was compulsory for all children from 6 years old. Since June 17, 2021, children are no longer obliged to wear the mask in the playground. However, it is still compulsory in classes. To be continued...

Since the arrival of Madame Covid, there have also been barriers in the playgrounds to prevent children of different classes from transmitting the virus to each other. To date, we do not know when they will be removed.

The answer to these questions is YES.

Yes, the mask must always be worn indoors.

Yes the barriers in the playground are still in place.

Is covid masculine or feminine ?

So yes... A question that everyone is asking:

Why is Covid feminin?

The Académie Française voted in favor of feminine.

Why ?

Covid is the acronym for "corona virus disease", and acronyms have the gender of the name that forms the core of the phrase (= group of words) of which they are an abbreviation.

However, the dictionaries have chosen to integrate the covid in masculine while allowing the feminine and removing the capital letter.

Our mind of spirit

We are more confident about this return to school given the reduction in restrictions. It is a period which, although busy, rhymes with the purchase of school supplies, news and new meetings for young and old.

In Rousset, we are also fortunate that the town hall will provide school supplies at the start of the year.

For my part, the borders being open again, I resumed my activity as an immersion teacher (@virginie_in_provence) in parallel with my well-being activity (@du_baume_au_corps_). I am really happy to resume my activity.

I wish you all a wonderful return to school and see you soon.

Virginie

If you come to my place for an immersion stay in Provence, I will make you discover the different aspects of Provence: the landscapes and the scents, but also the culture, the gastronomy... while helping you to improve your French. See you soon in Provence!

Virginie In Provence