Start an EFNY French Program at Your School

The best way to learn French is through rich, consistent language exposure, and EFNY helps make that possible in NYC schools.

The first EFNY French program was started by parents—just like you—who wanted their kids to stay connected to the French language and culture while attending NYC schools.

That same spirit continues today.

EFNY now supports families and schools across the city in offering after-school French classes and in-school French-English dual-language programs—two proven paths for learning French, building confidence, and becoming truly bilingual.

If you’re interested in starting a program at your school, EFNY will guide you through every step.

Bring After-School French Classes to Your School

How It Works

Find at least 10 francophone families in your community who are interested in participating. Don’t limit yourself to just one school. Many EFNY sites operate as hubs that welcome students from multiple nearby public and private schools.

You can also include non-francophone families whose children want to learn French as a foreign language. EFNY offers two curricula—one for francophone students and one for beginners.

EFNY will provide marketing materials and review your student list with you to determine the most appropriate class groupings.

Because EFNY is a nonprofit, volunteer-led organization, parent participation is essential. This is also a great moment to identify any parents who may want to help you with outreach and logistics.

What You'll Need to Get Started

Information to Collect

Parent contact information
Children’s names / grades
Their current schools
Their level of French (understands / speaks / reads)

Talking Points for Families

As you build interest, let families know that EFNY programs are:

Academic and structured, but still engaging and age-appropriate
Organized by age and language level
Focused on group interaction (not one-on-one tutoring)
Taught by native or bilingual French teachers
Affordable and community-driven

Once you have a group of interested families, the next step is to make sure the school you have in mind can host the EFNY program. Check with the school to see whether they are open to welcoming children from other schools in the neighborhood.

Arrange a short meeting with the school’s principal to introduce EFNY and request classroom space for after-school classes. If you’d like support, an EFNY representative can join the meeting with you or provide a simple list of benefits for the school.

At this stage, your role becomes community outreach—sharing the news through school newsletters, local groups, and your parent network.

Then, when September arrives, your students will begin their journey—learning, laughing, and connecting in French right after the school bell rings.

Why Schools Choose EFNY

No cost to the school to host the program
Access to French-as-a-foreign-language classes for non-francophone students
The well-documented academic and cognitive benefits of learning a language
Added cultural enrichment that strengthens the school community

What Schools Need to Confirm

They can provide classrooms after school
Whether there is any fee for using the space
They can welcome students from outside their own enrollment (if needed)

EFNY’s Role Once a School Agrees to Host

Hiring teachers
Providing curriculum and materials
Securing insurance and DOE permits
Managing registration, tuition, and teacher payments

Start a French-English Dual-Language Program

If your goal is to integrate French-English bilingual education directly into the school day, EFNY can help your school explore creating a French-English dual-language program.

These programs deliver instruction in both French and English across academic subjects, and are one of the strongest models for building true bilingualism.

If you are interested in starting a dual-language program in your school, please contact us.