Authentic American education
within a top French public school,
from pre-K to 12 (MS-Terminale)
Our graduates attend the world’s
top universities, with 100%
success on the coveted OIB diploma
Bilingual and bicultural: rigorous
native English instruction
alongside a full French curriculum
14 international sections in
the French Lycée, creating
friendships to last a lifetime
A full range of co-curriculars and
community service to build
the whole person
The American Section
of the Lycée International
Welcome To
The Lycée International, established just outside Paris over a half-century ago by Dwight D. Eisenhower, offers a unique approach to bilingual and bicultural education for children ages 4 to 18.
Students learn from native English-speaking faculty in the American Section. They also follow a full French curriculum within the Lycée International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a public institution ranked among France’s top schools. With 99–100% success on the prestigious OIB diploma (baccalauréat avec option internationale), our graduates go on to the world’s finest universities. Students with limited French can join Français Spécial for one year of language immersion.
The Lycée unites students from 14 international sections. The result is a true multilingual, multicultural experience, with friendships that span the globe and last a lifetime.
University Admissions
Our Third, Fourth, and Fifth graders on both campuses welcomed author Elizabeth Eulberg this week.She discussed her journey to becoming a published author and walked the students through her writing process. She also shared tips on how to develop interesting characters and also where she gets her inspiration for her books.
On February 4, delegates from four different schools arrived for the first MUN hosted in the Lycée since COVID hit. Over 55 people attended the day long event that had been so carefully planned by the MUN team over a few weeks. The delegates were separated into four committees dealing with various international subjects, including the question of returning national patrimony, the status of refugees at the border of the the European Union, encouraging economic development in Africa, and the rising tensions in between Taiwan and China.
Congratulations to the American Section team for winning the first place in Middle School Division at the International History Bowl Regional Competition! The American Section's International Geography Bee Club participated in the event took place at École Jeannine Manuel in Paris.
Things were a little bit different in Upper School this week, as all students were treated to a session with alumna Sanaë Lemoine '07, our Upper School Visting Author. Students participated in a creative writing workshop, and listened, entranced, as Sanaë shared her journey from Lycée International student to published author, and gave insight to how she approaches the writing process.
Over 240 members of the American Section community gathered in the Lycée's Upper School dining room last Friday night for one of our most beloved traditions, the Potluck. Participants enjoyed an enticing variety of delicious food, and most importantly, we enjoyed being together and building connections.
Thursday morning's in-person Early Years Information Session, held in the Agora on the Lycée campus, was a great success. Over fifty prospective families attended. A special thanks to our current parents for helping out with the event.
Over 70 alumni joined us on Tuesday evening for a long-awaited alumni reunion, which included members from the classes of 2012 to 2022 and one representative from 1999!
It was gratifying to see the sense of belonging our former students have with the American Section, and the camaraderie and common bonds they share from their years here.
H eralding in the new year
A merican Section wishes you
P henomenal luck
P lenty of laughter
Y outhful enthusiasm
N umerous new friendships
E xciting adventures
W onderous discoveries
Y ear-long happiness
E xceptional serenity
A bundant good fortune and
R obust health in 2023
Our 5th Graders took part in the “31 Days of Giving” challenge. They were given one month to complete as many of the activities listed on the challenge calendar as possible. The way they jumped enthusiastically into helping and honoring others before themselves is a beautiful reminder of the true reason for the season.
Our Troisième classes recently spent the day at the Musée de la Grande Guerre in Meaux. Students learned about the history of WWI propaganda, and created their own pamphlets using various pictures. The final results spoke to how broad the range of interpretation can be, especially when groups used the same pictures to convey completely different, sometimes even opposing, messages.
We were excited about MUN's strong presence in the first local conference that we attended this year at Ermitage. Four of our members received best delegate for their involvement. We have lots of new students joining us this year and are also welcoming members from the Chinese, Italian, and Spanish Sections who are contributing thoughtful and enthusiastic presentations in our weekly meetings.
The Lycée International community came together for a fantastic holiday sale this weekend. On offer were food specialties from the school's 14 international sections, as well as typical crafts and holiday treats. The American Section's decorated gingerbread houses were once again a hit, as was our newest offering... s'mores!!
We celebrated Thanksgiving this year with thankfulness trees, recitations of songs and poems, a Pre-K pagent, and the sharing of special sweets with our French and section colleagues at the Lycée International, Colèège Marcel Roby, and Ecole Schnapper.
Mr. Vachon's Secondes wrapped up their study of A Streetcar Named Desire this week. Instead of the traditional end of book test, student groups wrote an additional concluding scene to tie together the play's abrupt ending. On Tuesday, the class took to the stage in the Agora to act out their interpretations.
4èmes enjoyed a wonderful three-day trip to Amsterdam. Based on the principles of tolerance, sustainability, and diversity, the trip featured visits to the Anne Frank House, the Zaanse Schanse, and the Van Gogh museum. The trip was all about learning, experiencing new things, and having fun with friends, both new and old!
American Section Halloween parties are much anticipated and highly appreciated! Lower and Middle School students enjoyed spooky celebrations before the Toussaint holidays, complete with elaborate costumes, scary decorations, and lots of delicious treats. Boo!
We wrapped up the first part of our India Exchange this week, with a joyous celebration of Indian culture: the Soirée Indienne. The Indian exchange students treated the audience to a presentation of dance and musical numbers. It was a wonderful way to end the two week exchange, which also included classroom visits to teach our students about Indian traditions and culture.
Congratulations the two second grade students who created the cover art for this year's family directory. The boys worked like real artists, accepting a commission and submitting drafts for approval. The result is fabulous!
Our Upper School team spent much of last week meeting with peers from around the world to discuss planning for this year's set of OIB exams, as well as the progressive implementation of the BFI. AAMIS (the association that regroups schools with the American option) meetings took place in Paris, which APEDESI (the association of international French schools) meetings took place on the Lycée International campus.
Over 25 members of the American Section community (including three of our Exchange students) joined the Opération Forêt Propre effort last Saturday morning. Reuniting some 250 people in all, Forêt Propre teams took advantage of some beautiful weather to clear our forests of 2.4 tons of trash while enjoying each other's company.
Jon Boafo ’03
Grace Baghdadi ’18
Graham Speier
Kim Murphy
Jonathan Whitney ’97
Thomas Perkins, 1ère
Jaade Husson, CM1
Elena Auroy, 5ème
Voices of the American Section
- Alumnus
Jon Boafo ’03
“The American Section taught me the importance of having the right people around you. To this day, classmates from the Lycée are among my closest friends. American Section faculty were rock stars - they did everything to ensure that we had the best environment to grow. And I’ll be forever grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to immerse myself in other languages and cultures.”
- Alumna
Grace Baghdadi ’18
“The American Section provided the best preparation possible for college in the US. Not only was it an excellent academic foundation, thanks to our English and History classes, but it also allowed me access to American culture through various extracurricular clubs and the community. The French system also supplied me with the rigor necessary to succeed at a challenging place like Yale.”
- Faculty & Parent
Graham Speier
“It's a pleasure to teach tomorrow's leaders at the American Section. Our student body, composed of nationalities from all over the world, continue to impress me with their keen minds and curious spirits. I love guiding my students on the path to excellence, and take pride in helping them grasp the complexities of modern history. Students here are among the best minds out there today, making my job at the Section that much more engaging and enlightening.”
- Parent
Kim Murphy
“I chose the American Section of the Lycée International for my children because I wanted them to grow and learn in an environment similar to that of my own childhood in the United States, with the added bonus of learning with students from the other international sections of the school. In addition to learning an American curriculum, my children share American culture and traditions with their classmates. I’ve also become an active volunteer, which allows me to interact more with the faculty and staff as well as the other Section families. This community has become our children's American family in France.”
- Alumnus
Jonathan Whitney ’97
“Some of my closest friends, almost 25 years on, are people I met at the Lycée. Despite being separated over long distances we remain in close touch and try to see each other when we can. Having this core group of friends has been a great constant over a period of a lifetime that involves continuous change. Through college, starting out in the professional world, and eventually starting my own family, it has been wonderful to continue to grow up with some of the same people and see how all these different phases link together.”
- Student
Thomas Perkins, 1ère
“As an American Section student, I can take advantage of a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, as well as a wonderful and engaging academic life. In both the classroom and the podium during MUN, or working as a photographer during a yearbook photoshoot, the American Section gives us the ability to grow and learn skills, and helps us find who we are and who we’ll become after we leave.”
- Student
Jaade Husson, CM1
“I love the American Section. We don't just study grammar, spelling, sciences... but we also have time for art and library, amazing class projects and a lot of fun activities such as theater, community service, robotics, and Irish dancing. In the American Section I feel just like in my old school in the United States, but here my friends are from around the world.”
- Student
Elena Auroy, 5ème
“What I really love most about the American Section is the atmosphere: it is always cool and calm and you are always welcomed. It really makes you want to learn. Our teachers help us and joke with us, and they always find a way to make the lesson interesting. What I also like about the American Section is that they organize and truly put hard work into the dances and trips.”