L'Ecole Francaise Du Maine

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L'École Française du Maine is a bilingual co-education Pre-K through 6th grade, private school in Freeport, Maine. L'École Française du Maine is located 15 minutes north of Portland, Maine’s largest city. It is the only French immersion school north of Boston. All academic subjects are taught in French by native speakers of the language, and the Preschool through Grade 6 programs follow the directives of both the Ministere de L’Education Nationale and the educational guidelines set by the State of Maine.The Pre-K, or the Maternelle program, consists of three sections: a Petite Section, a Moyenne Section and Kindergarten section. The Pre-K, Elementary and Middle School levels, are all housed in a renovated historic building situated in the heart of the South Freeport fishing village.With approximately 75 students from various countries, this diverse school attracts students from both French backgrounds and families that are native English speakers who want to provide a bilingual education for their children.Mandarin was formerly taught as a second language.HistoryL'École Française du Maine was founded by Elizabeth and Willy LeBihan in May 2002. It is a non-profit organization providing a bilingual education for children from preschool through middle school. Recognizing the numbers of Franco-American citizens concentrated in this area, the founders hoped to create a French learning experience for the children of people who grew up with French-speaking parents and grandparents, thereby passing that cultural heritage to the younger, English-speaking generations.Originally located in Winthrop, Maine, the school relocated to Freeport in the fall of 2004 to accommodate the high demand for bilingual education. The rigorous academic program contributes to the renaissance of the French language in Maine, and to the development of students into ambassadors of acceptance and independence. The Middle School was added on in 2008.