We look forward to welcoming your child(ren) for the new school year 2019-2020.
Once again for this new academic year, the whole team will do its utmost to provide your children with all they need to succeed during their time at La Garenne and beyond.
It is our pleasure to send you information for the Academic Year 2019-2020, and we thank you in advance for reading it carefully. We have updated the student handbook, extra costs, school trips, financial conditions, clothing list and extracurricular activities.
We had a very successful summer camp and now it is our turn to have a break. The office will be closed from Monday 12th August until Tuesday 27th August 2019.
We remain at your disposal for any questions you may have.
Kind regards from Villars,
Please read carefully the Student & Parent Handbook which includes all the information in regards to school life, academic programmes, extracurricular activities and communication with parents.
Find the updated version of theStudent and Parent Handbook 2019-2020.
This year at La Garenne, we have improved the structure within the school and in order to organise the students and the evolution of the school we now have three sections: Primary, Middle and High School.
Year 1 to Year 6 students remain Minis, the MYP 1 (Year 7), MYP 2 (Year 8) and MYP 3 (Year 9) are Juniors and MYP 4 (Year 10) is now Seniors.
The clubs and weekend activities will be organised by groups which will be more age appropriate. This does not though, affect the academic lessons which remain by Year group.
Minis: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Life outside the classroom is an important factor for a child’s wellbeing. At La Garenne we take a holistic educational view and offer a variety of activities, which are sure to appeal to all.
After-school clubs, private lessons and individual learning programmes provide the framework for extra-curricular activities, enriching each and every day. Club options reflect the children’s interests, providing opportunities to share passions as well as improve knowledge and skills.
From September:
the children will have the opportunity to choose between yearly & termly clubs
the clubs will start from the second week of term
the students will choose their clubs during the 1st week. However, we would like to remind the parents that they will need to register their child(ren) as soon as possible for the football & ski academy as we have limited places
the MYP 4 students will have to choose a minimum of 2 clubs
Throughout the school year, there are a variety of private lessons such as French or Japanese and additional options available such as the yearly photo album or health package.
If you are interested in any of the choices, please complete the form below and submit it.
Should there be no available places, as some choices are very popular, we will inform you.
We are very pleased to confirm the educational trips, which will take place during the year. We hope that you are as excited as the children will be about these fantastic opportunities that will happen next April. Such experiences will contribute to a truly holistic education going beyond the confines of the traditional classroom. The trips all combine exciting activities and learning experiences for each year group.
Please take a look at the photographs from last year's educational trip to Costa Rica:Costa Rica
The Discovery of the Western Mediterranean cruise will take place in October. Students in Years 6 to Year 9 will have the opportunity to travel on the magnificent MSC Bellissima, which has scrubber technology to neutralize carbon dioxide emissions and is water emission free. They will discover the wonders of the Western Mediterranean, an opportunity not to be missed along with the ships incredible features. MSC Bellissima features two new Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows, which were created exclusively for the ship. Bellissima also features cutting-edge technology which passengers can use to book spa treatments and speciality restaurants. It also debuts a cruise first - a voice enabled, artificial intelligence digital cruise "assistant" called Zoe, which will be placed in every cabin and is pre-programmed to answer 800 cruise-related questions.
This trip will take place during the October mid-Term break: From Sunday 20th to Sunday 27th October 2019. Limited places!
The Football Academy operates in partnership with CS Ollon, to provide our students with professional coaching in football. Alongside students from the local community, they train twice a week and participate in 20 to 30 football matches each season. They might also have an additional physical education session during the week if other sporting activities are not scheduled. Students will play matches against other Swiss clubs and local schools, which is a wonderful opportunity to mix with other students as they face the challenges of physical training and football matches. La Garenne School staff members supervise and are on hand to ensure each student receives appropriate support, ensuring their progress and welfare.
- Black Prince Ski Level
- 10 to 15 Ski Races
- Physical Training
- FIS Norm Races
- Ski Trainings prior to season (Sept - Dec)
- Alpine Community
Age starting at Year 4
Champion Group
- Red King Ski level
- 5 to 10 Ski Races
- Physical Training
- Free-ride and Freestyle
- Alpine Community
Following popular demand, this year the ski academy has separated into two groups. The Champions which incorporates skiers from a younger age, starting at Year 4, and Elite which is for the older more experienced skiers from MYP1 and above.
The start of the academic year is important, therefore please respect the days and schedules planned for the arrival of your child(ren). All the students will follow an induction programme on Monday 9th September 2019.
New boarders and new day students are expected on Friday 6th September from 09h00 to 17h30 (check-in, visit of the campus, uniforms, etc.).
Former boarding students are expected on Saturday 7th September from 10h00 to 17h30. Former day students will also be expected on that same day to pick up their uniforms.
On Sunday 8th September, an icebreaker will be organised for all the students.
On Monday 9th September, the induction programme, classes will begin at 08h00.
Arrival at Geneva Airport and Transport to La Garenne
If you are sending your child by plane, please provide us with the travel itinerary and the Unaccompanied Minor payment confirmation to info@la-garenne.ch as soon as possible (if required).
We remind you that all arrivals at the airport between 10:00 and 16:00 will travel free of charge to La Garenne. School transport is available only to students. Mr. Serafim Leite de Azevedo - the school driver - is responsible for meeting all the “UM” (Unaccompanied Minors) and other students arriving during the scheduled times mentioned above as long as their flight details have been sent to the school office prior to arrival.
Details for the “UM” (Unaccompanied Minor) forms are as follows:
La Garenne International School
Ch. des Chavasses 23
CH 1885 Chesières
Tel: +41 (0) 24 495 24 53
Your contact person is: Mr. Serafim Leite de Azevedo (Swiss Passport N°: X1105102)
Mr. Serafim Azevedo
For parents meeting us at the airport, the meeting point will be at a La Garenne individual desk in the designated area of the visitors' centre, on the arrival floor level.
Students Arriving With Parents
If you are accompanying your child(ren) directly to school on the arrival day, please send the estimated time of your arrival time to info@la-garenne.ch as soon as possible. Students arriving with parents are expected between 09h00 and 17h30.
Clothing list has been updated this year, please make sure to include the list, should this not be the case, school will buy for them and will be added to the parents account.
The clothes should have the student’s name and first three letters of their surname sewn on the inside of each piece of clothing.
Should this not be the case, it will be done for them on their arrival and the family will be invoiced. Example for: John Smith – Write: John Smi.
Thank you in advance for following the list and please do not add any other items. The school is not responsible for any items that have not been labelled.
Please find the list of stationery that we recommend for Junior and Mini students here.
A complete set of school materials can also be bought directly from school (CHF 250.-).
Students will be provided with all the necessary equipment for their classes apart from a pencil case, which we suggest they bring themselves.
The Direction declines any responsibility for money loss if it is not given to the school office where it will be kept safe. Parents are advised not to give the students more money than is authorized by the school. We remind parents that students are not allowed to have more money than is stipulated within the Student & Parent Handbook . Any extra money will be confiscated and held for the student in the main office.
For students celebrating their birthday during the academic year, do not hesitate to let us know if you wish us to organise a special celebration (cake, gift, drink, etc.). If this is the case, we thank you in advance for providing us with an additional amount of CHF 250.-
Prior to arrival at school, we ask that you check your child(ren) carefully for head lice. Please inform the school if lice are found and if a treatment is already underway. All children will be checked again upon arrival and treated if necessary.
Our school is passionate about ensuring all students receive supported in both their physical health and mindful happiness. For these reasons, the school offers the following health benefits:
Beauty session(beautician)
Termly naturopath (based on the personal assessment of each child by a naturopathic specialist. Natural medicines, vitamins and oils are prescribed accordingly, to reinforce the immune system and improve general wellbeing)
Osteopath session
Massage session (relaxing and sport massage)
Please contact the Health Centre for any further information at health@la-garenne.ch
A former pupil of La Garenne, our photographer Philippe Latour has been a professional photographer for over 10 years. He joined our team three years ago, as he wanted to offer our students unforgettable memories of their time at La Garenne. Philippe knows La Garenne extremely well and it is a genuine pleasure for him to capture the best moments experienced by your children over the course of the school year. The years will pass but their time at La Garenne will be preserved forever.
Options per term: Package 1: 20 photos during the term - CHF 350 Package 2: 30 photos during the term - CHF 450 Package 3: 50 photos during the term - CHF 650
Options for the school year: Package 4: 60 photos during the school year - CHF 900 Package 5: 90 photos during the school year - CHF 1'200 Package 6: 150 photos during the school year - CHF 1'800
The choice of this option does not mean that these pictures will appear with our daily photos on the school's website or the pages of various social networks such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. At the end of each term, you will receive a virtual album directly via a "Flickr" type Internet link. The photos will be in high definition.
Finally, this year we are pleased to announce a new option: an album called "My Year at La Garenne". This will be a high-quality paper album, designed and hand-made in Italy, featuring photos of your chosen option, placed inside a most elegant box. This will be a wonderful souvenir that your children will keep for life!
"My Year at La Garenne" CHF 900.- (including production, mounting photos from the file, printing and sending to your postal address) - (e.g. 60 photos + "My Year at La Garenne" = CHF 1'800.-)
Should any families wish to continue donating books or magazines in the student's own language, we thank you in advance. We strongly advise that all students bring with them, books to read in their mother tongue language.
