Lycée Saint Joseph Public School

Lycée Saint Joseph Public School, recently renovated, is located in the small town of Oloron Sainte Marie (population approximately 12 thousand people). It is a cozy, charming little town near the Spanish border, next to the Pyrenees Mountains, which makes it a fairly lively center for tourism and skiing.

Lycée Saint Joseph accepts both French citizens and international students (aged 15 and over) for the program of the senior classes (10-12 years). All children (up to 300 people) study together: so foreign students can quickly develop knowledge of French, and overall progress becomes faster. Students are brought up valuable social qualities: responsibility, mutual respect and tolerance, independence, ability to defend their point of view. Students constantly interact with each other while engaging in various projects, research, major works: it helps to learn how to work with representatives of any nationality, to prepare for life in a single international community. School graduates are active and responsible citizens, real cosmopolitans, who successfully makes an international career.

The high school in France is divided into two levels:

• The College (grades 6-9);
• The Lycee (grades 10-12);
• The final step is the studying on the undergraduate program.

The main emphasis in teaching is made on the lessons of the French language, literature, science and economics. For foreign students, the assistance and support of a special employee and consul is provided. The list of subjects can vary depending on the chosen level of studying (from the class), but the basic, fundamental disciplines are generally the same:

• Mathematics;
• French;
• Physics;
• The first foreign language (usually English);
• The second foreign language (often Spanish or German);
• The art;
• Biology;
• Geography;
• Sport and physical culture;
• History.

Lycée Saint Joseph does not conduct activity on vacations, on public and national holidays - this is the time the students spend in host families. On weekdays (Monday - Friday) lessons start at 8 a.m. and end at 5-6 p.m. Some classes are conducted in the morning on Wednesday or Saturday. The hour break for lunch and short intervals between classes in the morning and afternoon block are provided.

Sports activities are not included in the compulsory curriculum - usually students take time to exercise during the weekend, when they are in the homes of host families, or in the evenings on Saturday or Wednesday.

Usual schedule for the day stipulates:

• 7:00 - start of the day;
• 7: 10-7: 45 - breakfast;
• 8:00 - residences stay closed for the daytime;
• 8:30 - 12:00 - morning block of academic studies;
• 12:00 - 13:00 - lunch;
• 13:00 - 16:00 - afternoon block of academic studies;
• 17: 00-18: 00 - free time, attending electives and student clubs;
• 19: 00-19: 30 - dinner;
• 20: 00-21: 00 - free time, independent work and study;
• 21:00 -22: 00 - free time for rest and entertainment, communication and games with friends;
• 22:15 - end of the day.

Lycée Saint Joseph operates on the basis of a five-day workweek: from Monday to Friday, children study and live in campus residences, and on weekends, holidays and vacations they go to the homes of host families. Each family is selected for each student individually, is constantly monitored and checked by the school staff - you can be sure that the schoolchildren are provided with the most comfortable and safe conditions. Family members provide students with cozy rooms, meals, laundry, have the right to monitor academic performance and achievements in studying. Also, the family helps to solve administrative and domestic issues, and in case of injury or discomfort, organizes timely medical assistance (visit to the clinic or call a doctor).

The school residence, where pupils live five days a week (Monday to Friday), provides cozy, fully equipped rooms for 1-2 people. Common rooms at the residence are: dining rooms, lounges and bathrooms. Meals are organized on a full board basis.

Subject list: biology, business, chemistry, design, drama, economics, geography, history, Information Technology, law, maths, music, physical education, physics
Activity list: badminton, dancing, football, mountaineering, music studio, theater workshop

In your spare time, you can learn ski or other sports, play music or drama, fine arts, learn cinematography and video shooting technology. In winter (subject to good weather), you can go to the ski resort.

Lycée Saint Joseph has a modern computer classroom, functional research laboratories for practical classes (there are also separate laboratories for biology or chemistry), equipped with classrooms; an extensive library, auditoriums for music or art. Also on the territory there is a general Student Center, two student's clubs, a diverse sports infrastructure, fields and grounds (including a modern climbing wall).

Trimester lasts from August 24 to December 18 (the required date of arrival for studying is indicated). The fall semester is from August 24 to February 12, and the full academic year is from August 24 to June 18.

Note the official and state weekend when the school is not working:

• Autumn holidays (two weeks from the end of October to the beginning of November);
• Christmas (two weeks, including Christmas and New Year itself);
• Winter Holidays (two weeks from mid-February to mid-March);
• Spring break (two weeks from mid-April to mid-May);
• Summer holidays (two months, start at the beginning of July).

Christmas holidays and vacations, as well as summer holidays are unified for all schools in France. The other dates of the holidays can vary depending on the location of the institution (zone A, B, C).

The cost of the program already includes:

• Administration fee;
• Accommodation in the school residence and the host family on weekends, holidays and vacations;
• 24-hour support and security, emergency telephone line 24/7.

Some services are paid additionally:

• Round trip airfares;
• Visas and fees;
• Medical insurance;
• Additional excursions, sports and creative entertainment;
• Additional language classes;
• Pocket expenses;
• Language Courses E-learning;
• Transfer in both directions;
• Teaching aids, books and materials.

• It is necessary to have a personal interview before you arrive in the country and school. Students must complete their studies in the last grades of the French school (level A2), demonstrate excellent academic performance and achievements, prepare a recommendation letter from the teacher of the French language.
• In order to begin studying in August, the application must be submitted before March 31, to begin classes in January - until October 31.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision