French American International School (San Francisco)

For other French-American International Schools, see French-American School.

French American International School (Lycée International Franco-Américain)
Location
San Francisco US
Information
Type	Private
Established	1962
Head of School	Melinda Bihn, Ed. D.
Website	[1]

The French American International School is a PK-12 independent school in San Francisco, California. The lower school (PK-8) is known as "French American" or simply "FAIS," FAIS is a bilingual French-English school from PK to 8th grade. The high school, International High School, referred to as "IHS" or "International", has its own identity and French is not required to attend. IHS is currently the only school in San Francisco to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Over half of the incoming freshman class at IHS comes from Bay Area middle schools outside of FAIS, including, Chinese American International School (CAIS), Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, International School of the Peninsula (ISTP), Live Oak, San Francisco Day, Presidio Hill, SF Friends, Adda Clevenger, Brandeis, Children's Day, Katherine Delmar Burke, Marin Country Day, St. Paul Episcopal, Alice Fong Yu, and Everett, among others. A small number of students enter from schools abroad.

Academics

The lower school (FAIS) follows a bilingual curriculum in French and English. The high school (IHS) offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) degree as well as the French Baccalauréat ("the French Bac"). Around three-quarters of the students graduate with the IB degree. Knowledge of French is not required for the IB degree.

The International Baccalaureate is a renowned and rigorous curriculum recognized by universities around the world. Students who are bilingual in French or Chinese can graduate with a "bilingual" IB degree. And when sufficient demand exists, the bilingual Spanish IB degree is also offered.

The French baccalauréat program is based on the French national curriculum augmented by courses in English in American History, American and English literature and Visual Arts. All other subjects are taught in French. International High School currently offers two tracks for its students to choose from: the baccalauréat scientifique or the baccalauréat sciences economiques et sociales.

Students in their freshman year who are bilingual in the French language and who have studied in a French immersion program throughout middle school have the opportunity to pass the Brevet, a French national diploma which acknowledges the successful completion of middle school by French national standards.

All the classes taught in French, Chinese, Spanish, or Italian at IHS are taught by native speaking teachers.

See also

• Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger
• Education in France

External links

• Official site of French American International School of San Francisco