Founded by a group of parents intent on giving their children a “good head start”, the River East French Exposure Nursery School has been educating three and four year old children in preparation for kindergarten for more than 40 years.
In the beginning, this wonderful idea of a French based Nursery School was located in Neil Campbell School. It was known as the French Immersion Nursery. Over the years, it has called many schools home. At one point a move was made to Salisbury Morse Place School, where REFENS was located until June of 2000. Michelline was hired to teach the program in September of 1994 and in these past 20 years has had the opportunity to teach close to 1000 children - most of whom have gone on to a River East/Transcona school and many of those children have enrolled in the French Immersion program. In September of 2000, REFENS took up residence in Sherwood School who, in our time of need, offered us space. We are the only Nursery School program that offers an initiation to the French language in the North/East Kildonan area and we have even had some students who have travelled from as far away as St. Vital and Fort Rouge to attend our classes.
Over the years, our students have had many wonderful opportunities. We have visited out local Library and Fire Stations. We have taken in activities at The Festival du Voyageur and the Winnipeg International Children's Festival. Most recently our students have been the invited guests at the KidsFest Opening Ceremonies and have performed on stage with Jacques Chénier and Fred Penner.
The children who go through our program are prepared to face Kindergarten in either French or English. Our program teaches not only numbers, letters, colours and shapes but also the skills necessary to be part of a group. We learn that there are times when we must listen and learn, there are also times to play and enjoy the company of your friends but also how to share those precious toys and books even when you don’t want to. We follow the school schedules and procedures: we are quiet in the halls and respectful of other classes, we do fire drills and respect the playground rules.
We follow a routine that emulates one found in a kindergarten setting. We have circle time, we learn about the weather and the days of the week and during our daily lesson we learn not only vocabulary we also practice the fine motor skills we will need to succeed in our future endeavours. Every month we have a science lesson and have Show and Tell presentations, we celebrate birthdays and Christmas and Halloween and Easter and, at the end of June, even rejoice in the fact that we have learned so many new things that we are ready for Kindergarten and therefore, must leave each other. The friendships that are started in Nursery School last for many years. Each Spring, we host a Family Fun Night to which we invite all REFENS Alumni. It is wonderful to see so many former students and their parents come out a enjoy an evening of re-discovery and a stroll down memory lane!
We left Sherwood School in 2003 and headed into Transcona where we landed at Joseph Teres School - our current home. We have felt very much at home in this space and have made many wonderful connections with the staff and students. We have created opportunities to work together - we collaborate with the kindergarten class when we make paper and have had grade 4 students who have begun their basic French program come into our class and work with us.
Our program has a wonderful reputation in the RETSD just ask the kindergarten teachers in both the Immersion and English schools. The children who graduate from REFENS are ready and anxious to take on the challenges that the education system has in store for them.
At River East French Exposure Nursery School, we strive to provide a safe, caring, learning environment for the children, staff and families. We believe in equality and respect diversity.
The following people are expected to behave in a respectful manner and comply with this code of conduct:
Be Respectful We are respectful of ourselves and other people. We are respectful of the ideas and feelings of others. We are respectful of the environment, equipment and materials. Be Safe We work and play safely to help keep ourselves and others from getting hurt. Be Cooperative We solve our problems by talking and listening to each other respectfully to find a solution. When we cannot solve a problem ourselves, we ask for help. Be Supportive of Learning We learn to the best of our abilities and support the learning of others.
The following behaviours by children, staff, parents and others involved in our centre are unacceptable:
We actively strive to create an environment that support the health, safety and well-being of the children by:
We will consistently respond to inappropriate behaviour by children, parents, staff and others involved in our centre by:
In extreme cases, we will take additional steps such as:
Opening Date and Time: March 5/23 @ 12:00pm
Closing Date and Time: Monday March 6/23 @ 12:00pm click on “RESERVE SPOT”
IMPORTANT
Date: Monday April 27/22
Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm
Where: Virtual Online Meeting via Teams
How to join the AGM
Original copies of background checks OR receipts for any family member that will be a class helper must be recieved by REFENS by the AGM.
You will be informed on how to fill out the helper calendar for your class, as well as, participate in nominations and voting for positions on the Board of Directors. If you are interested in being a Board Member please look through the parent handbook as it has information about each position.
Joseph Teres School
Room 104
131 Sanford Fleming Rd.
Winnipeg, MB
R2C 5B8
Class spots available for CURRENT School Year
T/TH 3 year old AM class - FULL (Class size 12)
T/TH 3 year old PM class -3 Spots Vacant (Class size 12)
MWF 4 year old AM class - FULL (Class size 15)
MWF 4 year old PM class - FULL (Class size 15)
For more information regarding program content