French Immersion

Teachers: Monsieur Guibert, Madame Dahim, Madame Mathis

World Languages Content Specialist/French Immersion Coordinator: Sarah Gizaw

Overview

MCPS offers a number of Language Immersion programs across the county. Acceptance into the Immersion program is based on a lottery system in the elementary years. Gaithersburg Middle School has been home to the up-county French Immersion program since 2001, with 19 years of providing continuance in Immersion Education for students interested in the continual development of their French Language and Literacy skills. The French Immersion program at Gaithersburg Middle School is partial-immersion, with students completing a Language Arts and World Studies course each of their three years in French. Each course counts for 1 high-school credit through the World Languages Department.Along with numerous local and international field trips, activities, contests and opportunities to develp French speaking, reading and writing skills, students in the Immersion program are also invited to participate in an International Exchange with our sister school in France, Collège de Notre Dame (http://www.notredamedefrance92.fr/).

Most students in the French Immersion program have participated in French Immersion since kindergarten at Maryvale Elementary School. Students who are interested in Immersion at GMS and who are not continuing from Maryvale may test into the program pending available seats. For more information, contact GMS World Languages Content Specialist Christine Rizkallah

For more information about Immersion Programs in MCPS visit: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/specialprograms/admissions/0695.17_ImmersionProgramsLotteryProcessFAQs.pdf .

Transportation

MCPS provides limited transportation to and from central stops from the areas that the program serves. Stops may be several miles from the student’s home*. Parents/guardians are responsible for arranging transportation to and from the central stops. Bus trips are usually significantly longer than local school transportation and vary by program or location. It is important to consider transportation options and responsibilities.
*The Maryvale stop is for students whose home address is within the boundaries of Maryvale Elementary. If your child has previously taken the Maryvale bus to and from school and does not live in the boundaries of Maryvale, your child will no longer be permitted to ride this bus due to our growing enrollment. Please utilize the central stops closest to your home as the MCPS transportation department uses the registered address for your child to make routes each school year.

French Immersion Transportation Information am routes and pm routes

French Immersion Transition to Middle School Meeting

If you have missed our October 18th meeting, please join our Listserv to receive updates and hear about our 5th grade Transition to Middle School Meeting for all of our feeder schools.  

GMS/NDF French Exchange 

Students in the French Immersion Program at Gaithersburg Middle School have the wonderful opportunity to participate in a French exchange with our sister school in France, Collège de Notre Dame (http://www.notredamedefrance92.fr/). GMS students both travel to France and serve as hosts to our French visitors. On these trips students live with the host families and accompany guest students and teachers on local trips throughout France and the US. 

From September 16th, 2017 - September 26th, 2017, Gaithersburg Middle School students visited with our sister school Collège de Notre Dame.  Check out the experience on 2017 GMS French Immersion Trip Blog.

We look forward to our 2018 trip to France this fall and our visit from our friends in France Spring 2019.  In France our students spend time as students at our sister school and have visited many sites including: Normandy, Notre Dame de Paris, Versaille, Musee de L'homme, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Montmortre, Musee du Parfum, In the US, students in exchange program have visited multiple historical and cultural sites including: US Capitol Building, Air and Space Museum, Natural History Museum, Princeton University.

Local Field Trips and Events

Join Our Listserv

To join our listserv, email "Join" to Sarah Gizaw