Community Spotlight: The McBride Family

At French International, we are proud to have a vibrant community dedicated to shaping our school and enriching the lives of our students. The McBride family joined French International in 2019, and Sam is now in sixth grade. Carrie and Charlie have been very involved in the community since they started. Read on to learn more about their love of FI! 

What’s a tradition, big or small, that makes this community feel special to you? 

FI has great traditions. Our favorite so far has been the fifth-grade graduation walk up the street and into the gym, with parents, teachers, siblings, and administrators lining the street, clapping in sincere congratulations.

What’s something your child has said or done that made you think: “This school is right for us”?

Although we had no prior connections to France or the French language, we took a chance based on the tour and excellent pre-enrollment meetings. After nervously dropping off our child at his kindergarten class for the first time, we were met on the path by the Head of the Lower School, who greeted us with, “Bonjour, I was just on my way to check on Sam.”

How do you see your child growing, academically or as a person, in this environment?

The school’s blend of academic rigor and cultural exposure has prepared our son for a globally connected future. We have loved watching him embrace new perspectives and grow into a confident, bilingual individual.

What is your favorite way to give back to FI? 

Our favorite way to give back to FI is to support the teachers. It all comes down to them.
Effective administration is key, but the entire foundation of the French International School rests upon strong, confident, and effective teachers who have earned our support. We’ve been impressed by the teachers every step of the way.

Why is it important to you to be involved on campus?

Our strength is in our community. Our involvement on campus as parents, along with our fellow parents, is a notification to our child and to the FI community of students that we are engaged and have an interest in their success.

Anything else you’d like to share?

We’d like to send a shout-out to the FI parent (and physicist!) Kerryann Foley, who has volunteered many hours of her time organizing math competitions and holding small group sessions on the weekends to boost our kids’ math skills. Thanks, Kerryann! We’re so lucky and grateful to have you in our FI community!