January 2015 GET TO KNOW SUNSET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1/12 January 2015 2012 National Winner Elementary School of Excellence Award
2013 Magnet Schools of America School of Distinction
2014 Magnet Schools of America Merit Award School of Excellence
Winner of the Five Star School Award
Winner of the Prestigious Goldman Sachs Price for International
Education
Florida Sterling Quality Achievement Recognition
2/12 January 2015 Table of Contents 1. Introduction: The Sunset Elementary environment a) Magnet school b) International Studies c) Certification 2. Content of French IS in Sunset Elementary a) Schedule b) Pedagogical team c) ESOL 3. Examinations and results a) Grades b) French Exams c) American Examinations d) Sunset’s performance 4. After Sunset a) The student wishes to continue studying in the USA b) The student returns to France before 5 th grade 5. Registration at Sunset a) Registration documents b) Admissions during the school year: 6. Cost of tuition at Sunset Elementary 7. Good to know… 8. Q&A 9. Directory a) b) c) d) e) Administrative team Faculty French Department Parents association More contact information : 3/12 January 2015 1. Introduction: The Sunset Elementary environment a) Magnet school Sunset Elementary is an American magnet school. A magnet School is a public school that offers
programs specializing in a particular discipline (foreign language, fine arts / drama / music, technology,
science, etc.). The term "magnet" refers to the fact that these schools have been designed to attract
students from all over the county and do not depend on a principle of geographic boundaries. Students are therefore required to undergo an admission process. Like any public school, Sunset must
teach the curriculum approved by the State of Florida and it is accountable to the Florida Department of
Education. b) International Studies An international studies program was established at
Sunset Elementary in 1987. It provides several
language curriculums from 1st to 5th grade, among
which is the French Program which is the focus of this
guide. The French IS program consists of the French National
Education curriculum in core subjects in addition to the
American curriculum as defined by the Florida
Department of Education. Because of the American component, the overall
curriculum is very different in nature from the one
taught in a traditional French Elementary School.
c) Certification
In 2003, an agreement was signed between the education authorities of Miami-Dade County and France.
Their collaboration was formalized by creating a dual curriculum international studies program which
received approval by the French Ministry of Education. This certification allows students who plan to
return to France to follow the French curriculum while in the United States and then continue their
education once in France without any interruption.
For more information on certifications by the French Ministry of Education, visit the AEFE: www.aefe.fr 4/12 January 2015 2. French IS in Sunset Elementary a) Schedule
Monday – Tuesday – Thursday – Friday First grade- 8:30-3:05 2nd grade – 5th grade -8:35- 4:05 Wednesday First grade- 8:30-2:05 2nd grade – 5th grade -8:35- 3:05 Holidays are observed according to the American calendar. Calendar : http://www.dadeschools.net/calendars/ Projects: An American curriculum frequently requires that students work on projects. They look like
“exposés” in France but require more research from students than in the French system. Projects might be
related to sciences or language arts or history. They teach students how to work in a team. Projects are
always graded and are taken into consideration in the student’s final grade. d) Pedagogical team American subjects are taught by American teachers who have been certified by the State of Florida.
French subjects are taught by French teachers who can be categorized as shown below: Teachers certified by the French Ministry of Education and hired locally by the school. Certified
by both the State of Florida and France, they have also been trained to teach in an international
environment. Local teachers. Teachers who have been hired by the school and have a French diploma in their
field but are not certified by the French Ministry of Education. e) ESOL ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages; it is a program to help children adjust to
English as a foreign language. When a student arrives in the US system, he/she is tested in order to measure his/her academic level and
proficiency in the English language. These tests are administered by the Miami-Dade School System and
are very different from other English tests a student might already have passed (TOEFL, Cambridge,
etc.). The results range from 1 (lowest) to 5 (best). Students continue to be tested each year until ESOL studies are no longer required. When enrolled in ESOL, the child will have an increased exposure to English in order to allow him/her to
make fast improvements. Some subjects are also graded considering the level of English language these
students have attained. Nevertheless, because of these extra hours of English studies, ESOL students
are not able to participate in non-academic activities such as art, music and physical education. 5/12 January 2015 3. Examinations and results a) Grades Students are assessed according to the American grading system ranging from A + (excellent) to F
(failure). Grades apply to homework, tests or class presentations. The grade conversion table below
compares the American system to the French system. Students receive report cards quarterly. An essential component is the GPA (Grade Point Average). It is
calculated by dividing the total points earned by the
total of "credit hours". The GPA is 0 to 4: A = 4, B = 3
C = 2, D = 1 W or F = 0. The GPA is an important
criterion for U.S. college admission. Miami-Dade provides parents and students a useful
website: www.dadeschools.net where parents can
access various resources and monitor their child’s
grades and attendance. Parents must request their login
and password information from the school
administration. f)
French Exams Students are tested in 2nd and 5th grade in math and
language as part of the French national evaluation
(http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid262/l-evaluationdes-acquis-des-eleves-en-ce1.html). The results of
those examinations do not prevent a student from
passing to the next class but provide a proficiency level indicator. g) American Examinations FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) : This State standardized test - primarily in
mathematics and English - is taken each year by students. Its results count toward the performance of the
student (curved according to the material and class). This test is very important for Florida’s public
schools and teachers because it is used to not only measure students but also teacherq and administrative
success in each public school in the State of Florida. School rankings, some budget decisions and part of
teachers’ compensation are calculated based on FCAT test results. ! Caution if the student does not attain the required grade “3”, they will not pass to the next grade
without a secondary assessment. 6/12 January 2015 h) Sunset’s performance Sunset was selected as being the top Magnet schools in the US in May 2013 by Magnet Schools of
America. 4. After Sunset a) The student wishes to continue studying in the USA At the end of 5th grade, Sunset students may choose to continue their studies in a number of different
programs based on their interests and their academic objectives. If the student wants to continue in a
French IS program, 2 middle schools currently provide this type of program while being certified
(homologous) by France: ● GW Carver Middle School :
magnet middle school located on 4901 Lincoln Drive, Miami FL 33133 http://gwcm.dadeschools.net/
Students from Sunset are almost automatically admitted in Carver. ●
●
ISCHS :
charter middle and high school located on 2480 SW 8 th Street, Miami FL 33135
http://www.ischs.net For further information on these schools, consult their websites or the FIPA brochure for each school
(available www.fipamiami.org in both French & English). b) The student returns to France before 5 th grade As the student has completed a program recognized by the French Ministry of Education, re-entry in a
French public elementary school will transpire without any additional procedures. The acceptance in a
grade at the same level (for departures during the school year) or in the next grade (for departure at the
end of the school year) will be “automatic” (providing that the student’s grades allow moving up to the
next grade). The student must present his/her official transcript including American subjects (it helps
explain why the student does not have a full French curriculum, and that he/she has received part of the
curriculum in English on the basis of the French European sections). 5. Registration at Sunset Sunset Elementary, as a magnet school, is not subject to the neighborhood boundaries criteria, which
means that the student does not need to reside within a specific perimeter from the school to be eligible to
apply. To enter the program, new students must fill out the Magnet School Application with the Miami
Dade County Public Schools between October 1st and January 15th for the following school year.
http://choice.dadeschools.net/sub-ms.asp At the same time, you must apply in the International Office at the school. A test will be taken to make sure your child has the required competencies in French. a) Registration documents ●
Visa or USA residency document, 7/12 January 2015 ●
Medical Forms (from a Miami-Dade doctor) as follows: o
Student Health Examination – DH 3040 yellow form Health examination performed
within one year prior to enrollment. o
Florida Certificate of Immunization – DH 680 blue card from a private doctor or local
health provider* ●
Proof of address - 2 documents (Title/ lease + utility bill (FPL/telephone/internet-cable, etc.) ●
Birth certificate * These documents are required if the child was previously schooled in France or outside Florida. To
obtain these mandatory documents to attend any school in Florida, make sure you make an appointment
with an accredited pediatrician or a doctor as early as possible before school starts. Your previous medical
records (including contagious diseases) signed by your previous healthcare provider helps to avoid
duplicate immunization. You can contact the pediatric unit at the American Hospital in Paris to obtain the
names of the equivalent vaccines. The Miami Accueil association (http://www.miami-accueil.org/) also
keeps an updated article on the subject. i)
Admissions during the school year: Rarely, Sunset Elementary school accepts admissions during the school year, depending on availability.
For any questions, please contact the International Office at (305) 661-8527 6. Cost of tuition at Sunset Elementary Sunset Elementary is a public school; therefore there is no registration fee. Furthermore, textbooks are
loaned free of charge to the students. This curriculum is financed by public money from Miami Dade Public schools system and the
French Government and also by money raised by FIPA, a non-profit organization. Your support of
FIPA is key for ensuring the continuity of the program. 7. Good to know… The school: Sunset is a large school (1200 students in 2014/2015 including about 311 in the French IS
program) which allows students to benefit from a personalized environment and from strong links
between teachers, students and their classmates. Located at the edge of Coral Gables and South Miami,
Sunset is easily accessible. It offers a multicultural and multi-ethnic environment with all its international
programs (French, German and Spanish) as well as its characteristic "magnet" profile, which attracts
students from the four corners of the County. After school: before and after school hours your child may benefit from extra curricular activities offered
at Sunset. They are called “C.A.M.P. at Sunset” and their costs vary depending on the activity. For more
information, please visit the school website (http://sunset.dadeschools.net/Camp_1.htm ). 8/12 January 2015 Pangea: Sunset Elementary also offers a gifted program called “Pangea” in math and science. Children
with an IQ of over 127 are allowed to apply to enter the program. For additional information please
contact the school main office (305) 661-8527 Cafeteria: Sunset has 1 cafeteria. Students often bring their own lunches but also have the choice of
purchasing a hot lunch in the cafeteria. They can pay for the meal in cash ($ 2.25 per meal) or replenish
their account by check or even online. Transportation: Sunset students may utilize the free school bus system. As for any public school,
admission in this system depends on geographical criteria (you must reside in the geographical area of the
school but more than 2 miles away). If you do not qualify for school transportation, there are also many
private bus companies (with additional cost). You can get more information from other parents in your
area or the school PTA. Uniforms : At Sunset, like many public schools in Miami, students must wear a mandatory uniform (polo
shirt in selected colors) embroidered with the school logo. For more information on the school uniform
policy
and
other
school
rules,
please
check
the
school
website
http://sunset.dadeschools.net/Uniform_Policy.htm Homeroom parent: he/she has volunteered to help your child’s teacher. If you’d like to volunteer contact
the school’s PTA. 8. Q&A Can my child enter Sunset if we do not live in the school’s boundaries? Yes, Sunset is not a boundary school but a magnet school. Magnet admissions processes are mandatory.
Your child will also be tested in French in order to enter the French IS program. What is the difference between IS & IB?
IS is the only bilingual curriculum taught in Miami-Dade. French is not considered a foreign language
since French content is also taught there. At the end of the IS program, the student will have both French
and American diplomas which will allow him to enter an American or European university. The IB curriculum, or “International Baccalaureate” is sometimes called “Geneva Bac”. It is a full
American program in which French is a subject among others (world history, world literature, sciences,
math and 1 elective which may vary from one school to another). This is also a very rigorous curriculum
which is highly appreciated by American universities. It is not recognized by French universities and if
the student wants to continue education in France, he/she will have to pass exams to be eligible to enter
one. However, the IB program is recognized by Germany, Italy and other European countries. Our son is in third grade at Sunset and we are going back to France next year. What will happen?
Since your child has completed a program approved by the French ministry of Education, he/she will be
admitted into any French public school without any particular adjustments. He/she will enter “CM1”, the
equivalent of 4th grade, assuming grades are satisfactory. Make sure to inquire about the registration
process in your future hometown. It is December and we have just learned about our transfer to Miami in February. Will our
daughter (currently in CP in France) be able to enter Sunset in February?
9/12 January 2015 Sunset Elementary does not usually consider admission for the on-going year. For further information,
please contact the school administration. 10/12 January 2015 9. Directory a) Administrative team Principal: Dr Leyte Vidal Assistant Principal: ● Dr. Gigi Gilbert - 305-661-8527 ext. 118 - [email protected] b) Faculty Lead Teacher: ● Tere Pujol-Burns- 305-661-8527 ext. 139 - [email protected] For registration: contact the Lead teachers. c) French Department Lead Teacher: Virginie Llano - (305) 661-8527 - [email protected] French department website: http://teachers.dadeschools.net/mclark/versionfr01.htm d) Parents association As in every American school, Sunset Elementary has a parents association called PTA (Parent Teacher
Association). The PTA is a non-profit organization which works to enhance the educational experience
for all of Sunset’s students, their families and the school. . Another active association within the school is FIPA (French International Program Association) which in
involved with the French IS programs in Miami (see following page). Contact within FIPA at Sunset
Elementary is: FIPA Sunset Liaison : Françoise Perez & Denise Lambert- [email protected] e) More contact information : Dadeschool’s Information Page
http://www.dadeschools.net/schools/schoolinformation/school_details.asp?id=5401 11/12 January 2015 This guide has been created by FIPA with the help of the French Consulate in Miami in order to help
parents and children to better understand Sunset Elementary. This guide is yours. Do not hesitate to send us your comments to [email protected] FIPA is a non-profit organization. Since its creation in 1986, it played a double role in Miami. One action
was to serve "citizens" as a liaison between French authorities, parents and the education authority
of Miami Dade, as well as an operational roll in the French IS program. Eventually, the FIPA financed
international professors, along with the purchase of educational materials, textbooks and school supplies.
It also collects funds for the establishment of training courses for teachers Today, FIPA plays its role in 4 public schools: Sunset and Coconut Grove (Elementary schools), Carver
Middle School and ISCHS (middle and high school). For more info on FIPA or to become a member please visit fipamiami.org 12/12