EABJM’s mission is to develop international understanding through education. Students and teachers from more than sixty-five countries, representing every major religious and cultural tradition, learn to communicate with each other and live together in harmony. One third of our students are French, one third are bi-nationals, and one third come to the school without a French language background.

Each year, more than a hundred students come from all over the world. The Parents Association takes an active role in welcoming the families. Non-French-speaking students enroll in “adaptation” classes, where they follow a French immersion curriculum corresponding to their achievement levels, as well as an individualized English curriculum. They are closely followed by a senior advisor and, the following year join the bilingual mainstream where they continue to be supported through a “special French” program.

At EABJM, bilingualism means early exposure to both languages, but also a cultural immersion that is inherently present in the school’s curriculum as well as among the international students and their families. Each student learns spontaneously to enjoy communicating and working both in English and in French. Using educational tools ranging from the Knock-Knock™ multimedia language program to British and American teaching aids, the curriculum is tailored to each age group and achievement level.

From the nursery years to the beginning of high school, the sciences, history, and geography are taught in English (while adhering to the French national curriculum). In high school, students choose languages according to their educational goals (French Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate with “Option Internationale”, or International Baccalaureate).

To learn is, above all, to discover. This principle applies to fundamental skills as well as to scientific and mathematical concepts, and to the great themes of the humanities. The goals of an “active” education are to engage students in formulating their own learning experience, to develop curiosity, and to stimulate creativity. This entails starting from what one knows, and then to experiment, exchange, observe, describe, listen, analyze, debate, work with teammates, write, create, present, and convince. It also involves proposing interdisciplinary projects that are coordinated by teachers who contribute diverse perspectives and enrich the learning experience.

But learning is also reaching outside the academic experience. This is why, each year, EABJM offers a broad range of school trips and extra-curricular activities managed by teachers or professionals selected by the school. These activities are designed to encourage students to explore and discover their own talents and to broaden their horizons. They also often involve opportunities for a cultural immersion that will nourish and reinforce their language skills (theater, musical comedies, yearbook, varsity sports, debating club, Model UN…).

The key elements of an EABJM education are coherence and innovation. Each month, multi-national teams of teachers, led by coordinators, hold department meetings and develop interdisciplinary projects. These meetings provide the ideal forum to stimulate new ideas that lead to creative and pioneering teaching while preserving the overall coherence of the curriculum.

From pre-K through high school, students are followed by educators who, while keeping regular contact with the student’s parents, monitor their academic progress and social development. In high school, a college counselor advises students wishing to attend college or university in America, Canada, or the United Kingdom. The college counselor is in touch with the admissions officers from a broad range of educational institutions and provides much-needed assistance to students and their families with respect to options, tests, community service requirements, and college applications. For French studies, a counselor meets individually with students to help them determine which course of studies they intend to pursue.

Effectiveness is measured, in part, by our students’ academic achievements:

• EABJM ranks at the very top of French schools in terms of success rate as well as “mentions” (honors) at the Baccalaureate.

• Admission results to the highly selective French “classes préparatoires” as well as to the most demanding colleges in America, Canada, or the United Kingdom are consistently excellent.

And effectiveness also means:

• Children who are happy, open, and intellectually engaged.

• Students who, if they need to move during their school years, can adapt to local school systems and excel.

• Alumni who can study or work anywhere in the world.