Fund for the Future: Lycée Cantine

Fund for the Future is a thematic, actionable fundraising initiative that directly impacts student experience and is implemented over several years.

Thanks to our incredible community, during the March 22, 2025 Auction Gala we raised an outstanding $400K dedicated to the Lycée Cantine Project!

You too can be part of the success.

DONATE

Fresh, Healthy, and Culturally Inspired Meals for Every Student

This year, the Fund for the Future is focused on the Lycée Cantine project. This two-year initiative aims to provide all students at all our campuses with access to fresh, healthy, and culturally inspired meals available for purchase. This will allow us to celebrate French and International gastronomy and use the teaching kitchen to incorporate nutrition and science into our pedagogy.

What we envision

Scratch-cooked meals: Offer daily delivery of nutritious and diverse meals to all three campuses, emphasizing fresh, whole ingredients.
Cooking classes: Teach students to cook and inspire a love for healthy, diverse foods.
A Chef-in-Residence program: Collaborate with chefs to inspire students and enrich the Cantine experience.
Local food industry partnerships: Work with producers and culinary experts to enhance the quality, appeal, and sustainability of meals while providing benefits for students, the community, and the environment.

What it takes

At the heart of this initiative is a professional-grade scratch-kitchen at our Ashbury campus.

Design, plans, & permitting
Modern equipment
Refrigeration, storage, wash stations
A dedicated delivery system
A skilled chef and their staff

This scratch-kitchen will allow us to prepare meals from locally sourced ingredients - including fruit, vegetables, legumes, meat, and fish – that are fresh and flavorful, as well as affordable.

Your support matters

Achieving this transformative goal requires the collective effort of our entire Lycée community. With your generous support at the 2025 and 2026 Auction Gala, we aim to raise $800K over the two years and make the Lycée Cantine a reality for all students.

Financial goal

The total cost of the Lycée Cantine project is estimated between $800,000 and $1 million.

2025 Fund for the Future: Raise $400,000
- to build the professional grade kitchen
2026 Fund for the Future: Raise $400,000
- launch and run the program until it is self-sustaining.

With your support only, we can reach these milestones.

Questions about the cantine?

FAQ

You can also email us at advancement@lelycee.org

Interested in becoming the Lycée Cantine Chef?email your proposal to cantine@lelycee.org

All are welcome to submit a proposal.

RFP

DISCOVER "PAST" FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE

2023-2024 LA VIE EN VERT: Sustaianable Development

ith this accomplishment, the LFSF Sustainable Development Program will empower every LFSF student to understand how our actions affect our environment, with a clear sense of how we can make a positive impact.

To this end, the LFSF continues to create, develop, and disseminate a sustainable development curriculum in the classroom and throughout its institutional practices with a school-wide sustainability plan.

We believe students need to see the LFSF as a role model institution for addressing sustainability issues by visibly demonstrating solutions. To this effect, the sustainability committees composed of students, faculty, staff, and parents have identified and are implementing Green Projects across campuses, grade levels and classrooms:

We are converting to LED lighting with sensors in all campus classrooms:

Impact: optimizing lighting with a dual focus on health and energy efficiency to lead to a more conducive and sustainable learning environment, benefiting the well-being of occupants and the school's operational efficiency with saving at a minimum 82% of power.

We have solar paneled aquaponics aquarium

Impact: a visual and hands on sustainable and self contained ecosystem

We have water cisterns

Impact: reducing water consumption, alleviating strain on local water sources, and serving as an educational tool for students to learn about water conservation.

We have greenwalls

Impact: improving indoor air quality, reducing noise levels, and creating a more pleasant and calming atmosphere

We are improving the Sausalito Garden
We have Class, Group, and Club on going projects
- Partnerships with Matter of Trust, Ridwell, SF Environment, Zero Waste from Marin
- Stationary Bike to generate energy
- Sample Solar panels
- Plants in all classrooms
- We have secured Green Certifications such as Labellisation EFE3D (établissements français de l'étranger en démarche de développement durable) and California Green Ribbon.
  - The EFE3D (Établissement Français à l'Étranger en Démarche de Développement Durable) is an AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) program that promotes sustainable development in French schools globally. It aims to integrate sustainability into school culture, operations, and education, encouraging eco-friendly practices, student education on sustainability, and community involvement in sustainability initiatives.
    
    The LFSF was awarded the Level 3 EFE3D label, the highest recognition within this program. Congratulations to the students, teachers, staff, and parents for this outstanding achievement!

Ultimately, the LFSF aims to improve our ability to empower students at all grade levels over the course of their education as empathic and informed citizens who act on solutions big and small to address sustainable development.

2022-2023 Faites de Musique, the LFSF music program

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FAITES DE LA MUSIQUE !

Why is music education so important?

There are almost as many reasons to learn music as there are types of music to love. Nearly everyone enjoys music, whether by listening to it, singing, or playing an instrument.

At LFSF, music teachers, true professionals, are passionate and recognize the many benefits of music in the development of their students.

Each donation helps

Purchase instruments
Equip the music rooms with storage and sound systems
Offer more classes: Youth Ensemble, Music Composition, Musique et Paroles
Support Choirs on all campuses
Underwrite Student Performances such as musicals, bands, and band touring
Expand AES musical extracurricular activities
Take students to shows

In depth look : so many reasons for our kids to learn music

1. Musical training helps develop language and reasoning: Students with early musical training will develop the brain areas related to language and reasoning. The left side of the brain is better developed with music, and songs can help imprint information on young minds.

2. A mastery of memorization: Even when performing with sheet music, student musicians constantly use their memory to perform. The skill of memorization can serve students well in education and beyond.

3. Students learn to improve their work: Learning music promotes craftsmanship, and students learn to want to create good work instead of mediocre work. This desire can be applied to all subjects of study.

4. Increased coordination: Students who practice with musical instruments can improve their hand-eye coordination. Just like playing sports, children can develop motor skills when playing music.

5. A sense of achievement: Learning to play pieces of music on a new instrument can be a challenging but achievable goal. Students who master even the most minor goal in music will be able to feel proud of their achievements.

6. Kids stay engaged in school: An enjoyable subject like music can keep kids interested and engaged in school. Student musicians are likely to stay in school to achieve in other subjects.

7. Success in society: Music is the fabric of our society, and music can shape abilities and character. Students in a band or orchestra are less likely to abuse substances over their lifetime. Musical education can greatly contribute to children’s intellectual development as well.

8. Emotional development: Music students can be more emotionally developed, empathizing with other cultures. They also tend to have higher self-esteem and better cope with anxiety.

9. Students learn pattern recognition: Children can develop their math and pattern recognition skills with the help of musical education. Playing music offers repetition in a fun format.

10. Fine-tuned auditory skills: Musicians can better detect meaningful, information-bearing sound elements, like the emotional meaning in a baby’s cry. Students who practice music can have better auditory attention and pick out predictable patterns from surrounding noise.

11. Music builds imagination and intellectual curiosity: Introducing music in the early childhood years can help foster a positive attitude toward learning and curiosity. Artistic education develops the whole brain and develops a child’s imagination.

12. Music can be relaxing: Students can fight stress by learning to play music. Soothing music is especially helpful in helping kids relax.

13. Musical instruments can teach discipline: Kids who learn to play an instrument can learn a valuable lesson in discipline. They will have to set time aside to practice and rise to the challenge of learning with discipline to master playing their instrument.

14. Preparation for the creative economy: Investing in creative education can prepare students for the 21st-century workforce. The new economy has created more artistic careers, and these jobs may grow faster than others in the future.

15. Development in creative thinking: Kids who study the arts can learn to think creatively. This kind of education can help them solve problems by thinking outside the box and realizing that there may be more than one correct answer.

16. Music can develop spatial intelligence: Students who study music can improve the development of spatial intelligence, which allows them to perceive the world accurately and form mental pictures. Spatial intelligence is helpful for advanced mathematics and more.

17. Kids can learn teamwork: Many musical education programs require teamwork as part of a band or orchestra. Students will learn how to work together and build camaraderie in these groups.

18. Responsible risk-taking: Performing a musical piece can bring fear and anxiety. Doing so teaches kids how to take risks and deal with fear, which will help them become successful and reach their potential.

19. Better self-confidence: With encouragement from teachers and parents, students playing a musical instrument can build pride and confidence. Musical education is also likely to develop better communication for students.

(from the National Association of Music Education)

LFSF music teachers are all music professionals. In their classroom and outside, they make sure students have access to musical instruments and have many opportunities to discover, explore and enjoy music.

2021-2022 - INNOVATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

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Thank you to all of our generous donors! Parents, local businesses and organizations, teachers, grandparents and friends.

You helped raise $272,524 in 2021-2022 for the Innovative Learning Environment Project.

The 2021-22 Fund For the Future seeks to expand the positive benefits of Innovative Learning Environments (ILE).

An ILE is the creation of a physical learning space adopting new, creative, and interesting teaching strategies that aim to provide students a better environment to learn and enhance their capabilities. The idea is to redesign the physical classroom elements and the teaching practices to enhance the delivery of the LFSF educational vision and mission.

LFSF EDUCATIONAL VISION AND MISSION

The narrative of “21st Century Learning” has led the LFSF to further explore innovative learning environments as it supports student acquisition of creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. Indeed, by emphasizing these skills, the LFSF helps all preschool through 12th-grade students build confidence and adaptability so they can realize their potential and positively impact their world.

PHYSICAL ELEMENTS: Flexible classrooms, Ortega Library & Common Areas

The physical environment supports learning. Flexibility in the learning environment captures attention, provides visual stimulation, and increases student engagement. The average cost of equipping a flexible classroom is $10,000.

Benefits: facilitates collaboration and promotes sustained attention, promotes movement improving certain mental processes that regulate alertness and motivation.

TEACHING PRACTICES: A dynamic teacher-student connection

More personalized teaching addresses each student's interests and needs. ILE practices increase the teacher’s capacity to work one on one with each student. Students can work at their own pace, no one is bored, no one is left behind.

In 2021-22, 5th-grade teachers and students successfully followed ILE practices, reporting greater motivation and satisfaction while accomplishing the French National curriculum. As 6th-graders they will have their own flexible classrooms on Ortega Campus.

Benefits: Autonomy, responsibility, and self-confidence are developed. This leads to curiosity, better academic achievement, and a love for learning.

Together, let's expand meeting the diverse interests and needs of learners, their overall success, and wellbeing at school.

Research references:

Byers, T., Imms, W., & Hartnell-Young, E. (2018). Comparative analysis of the impact of traditional versus innovative learning environments on student attitudes and learning outcomes. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 58, 167–177.

Byers, T., Mahat, M., Liu, K., Knock, A., & Imms, W. (2018). A systematic review of the effects of learning environments on student learning outcomes. Innovative Learning Environments & Teacher Change.

Hardiman, M., & Denckla, M. B. (2012). The brain-targeted teaching model for 21st-century schools. Corwin.

Sakiz, G., Pape, S. J., & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2012). Does perceived teacher affective support matter for middle school students in mathematics classrooms? Journal of School Psychology, 50(2), 235–255.

Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Damasio, A. (2007). We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(1), 3–10.

2020-2021 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

FUND FOR FUTURE 2020-21 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

2020 set us back, but sometimes one step back allows for two steps forward. The LFSF recognizes that achieving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) requires constant and consistent efforts because “change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” - Martin Luther King.

This is why the LFSF Board of Trustees set out to actively make DEIJ a priority and make them the pillars of our school's culture. We aim to dismantle inequality on a systemic and systematic level.

Research shows, and we know in our hearts, that greater DEIJ is critical to children being happier, open-minded, respectful, empathetic, and more curious and successful in their lives. It helps them build confidence and adaptability in their ever-changing environment and prepares them to realize their potential and positively impact their world.

Accomplishing this tenet of the LFSF Mission is a true gift that we wish to offer to all of our students, our school, and our community.

Fund for the Future is a live auction fundraiser that takes place during the gala. It funds a specific project with the goal of providing long-term improvements to existing or new programs.

2019-2020 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Strength lies in differences, not in similarities’ - Stephen R. Covey

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are at the heart of the LFSF Mission, where future generations are empowered through a multilingual and multicultural education that emphasizes intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, integrity and compassion to make meaningful contributions to our increasingly globalized world.

The LFSF believes that living together is better when we understand and value our differences, treat each other equitably, and everyone has a seat at the table. The National French Education curriculum and Social-Emotional programs like Madame Pacifique and Living Together; events like Diversity Week; or student training such as the Student Diversity and Leadership Conference, all build DEI into the daily life of our school.

Yet, the LFSF recognizes that achieving DEI requires constant and consistent efforts because “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” - Martin Luther King.

This is why the Board of Trustees has chosen to set the promotion of DEI as a Strategic goal for the next five years. We will, therefore, deepen our commitment to embed and sustain DEI in our students’ learning experience at LFSF.

With your help the 2020 Fund for the Future will:

Integrate DEI into the curriculum across all grades and campuses;
Fund more frequent training for all staff, students, and parents;
Create new partnerships with organizations focused on these topics;
Support campus initiatives to incorporate DEI into their daily activities.

As research shows and as we know in our hearts, greater DEI is critical to our children being happier, more curious, open-minded, respectful and empathetic, and more successful and effective in their careers and lives. It helps them build confidence and adaptability in their ever-changing environment and prepares them to realize their potential and positively impact their world. Accomplishing this tenet of the LFSF Mission is a true gift that we wish to offer to all our students, our school, and our community.

2018 -2019 From Innovation Labs to Innovative Classrooms, Highlighting Social Emotional Learning

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin.

In 2016, the LFSF launched Innovation Lab on each campus to foster creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.
In 2019, we sustain the Innovation Lab and expand to the Innovative Classroom for the Whole Child.

Sustain. We provide students, teachers, and staff the opportunity to work on collaborative projects, with a purpose, as all learn and improve hard skills in our Innovation Lab. Our students have had access to coding and entrepreneurship projects where they have proven themselves. Guided by our Innovation Lab Coordinator, we seek to update our iLab with tech materials and continue participating in workshops and competitions.
Expand. We develop the Design Thinking process to encompass social emotional learning, through continued involvement in experiential learning activities. This, to help students develop their soft skills such as self-awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.

It starts with:

Our teachers and staff attending workshops, the LFSF hosting specialists in social emotional learning and following up with support materials and resources.
Physically improving classroom spaces where students empathize, define, ideate, explore, and test their creativity as social, emotional, and naturally curious beings.

2017-2018 Sports Enrichment Program

This school year Fund for the Future is going to enhance our Sports Enrichment Programs.

Sports and games enhance children's mental and physical growth as well as strengthen their social assets. Sports are all about discipline, responsibility, self-confidence, accountability, and teamwork.

On the Ashbury and Sausalito campuses, each class level will follow a specific program:

ASHBURY

PS - MS | Biking – Mindfulness - Swimming
GS | Swimming - Circus Acrosport
1^st Gr. | Swimming - Judo – Racket Sports
2^nd Gr. | Swimming - Judo - Climbing - Dance
3^rd Gr. | Nautical Activities - Dance
4^th Gr. | Nautical activities - Tchouk Ball
5^th Gr. | Circus – Biking - Rollerblading
Resurfacing of the play yard and tracing courts.

SAUSALITO

PS – MS – GS | Biking
^st Gr. | Tennis - Mini Golf
2^nd Gr. | Kite - Climbing
3^rd Gr. | Sailing - Kayaking
4^th Gr. | Rowing - Rollerblading
5^th Gr. | Mountain Biking - Ping-Pong

ORTEGA

Climbing Wall
CIF: Membership and participation in the California Interscholastic Federation which governs interscholastic athletics, promoting equity, quality, character and academic development.

Two of the priorities of the AEFE's sports policy are the APPN (outdoor physical activities) and membership in sports leagues. Climbing is part of the APPN and is becoming a priority.

Climbing is a vector for the development of logical, psychological and physical abilities. It allows work on projection in space, anticipation, decision-making, confidence in oneself and in one's partner, responsibility, commitment while safe, flexibility and coordination while providing adrenaline.

DONATE to the Fund for the future

2016-2017 Performing Arts

In 2016 the Fund for the Future focused on strengthening our outstanding cultural program by emphasizing performing arts. Theater, Dance, Music, Circus, Choir, TLF- Théâtre du Lycée Français de San Francisco renovation! Performing arts inspire children to express their creativity.

CELEBRATE PERFORMING ARTS netted over $214,000! DONATE NOW!

$100,000 DEDICATED TO LYCÉE FRANÇAIS DE SAN FRANCISCO THEATER :

It is a fantastic tool for our students and our community. It will benefit from re-upholstering, sound and lighting upgrades, wing separators, a new technical booth, and is on track to host a ciné club with a new projector and screen.

THE MUSIC ROOMS

at the three campuses are receiving enhanced equipment such as instruments, ipads and headphones, music stands, stack chairs with tablets and sound/playback equipment.

ARTISTIC PERFORMANCES OF STUDENTS FROM PRE-K TO 12TH GRADE

will benefit from additional music, dance, and theater programs, from cinema class options for all grades, to circus arts activities and on-site theater workshops.

THE LOWER CAMPUSES WILL BENEFIT FROM A COMBINATION OF INFRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES

to ameliorate current performance spaces, including curtain separations, set material, new stage platforms and a mobile sound system. They will also receive mobile theatre sets with additional costumes, portable props and set material to enhance classroom-based performances.

Did you know the FACTS?

A 10 year National Study conducted by Stanford University found that children involved in highly effective performing arts programs were:

400% more likely to win academic awards and be on the honor roll.
800% more likely to receive a community service award.
400 % more likely to score higher than peers on the SAT's
400% more likely to participate in a science or math fair.

2015-2016 Innovation Lab

Click here for the video

LFSF recognizes the challenges and opportunities of preparing our students for a world, which will be shaped by careers, circumstances, and technologies, which have not yet been initiated LFSF recognizes the challenges and opportunities of preparing our students for a world, which will be shaped by careers, circumstances, and technologies, which have not yet been initiated or even envisioned. LFSF is looking to the future and preparing our students to develop their curiosity and creativity while honing their critical thinking and collaborative teamwork skills.

The "21st Century Innovation Labs" auctioned at last year's gala made this fund a huge success - a combined total of $265,000. It has allowed for a complete renovation in the school's robotics program. All three campuses have benefitted from the fund, including infrastructure changes, steady supplies for tinkering and design, and new robots and their respective programming materials.

It has allowed camps and after-school programs at all three campuses to reap the benefits of this new space and materials with new classes scheduled.

The Ortega campus has had several new elements to support the middle and high-school classes. The lab space is accessible to all teachers, and has allowed for inter-disciplinary collaboration. High-school students used the newly decked-out lab space for this year's Lycée StartUp Project and are looking forward to working on videos and movies with the new green screen. High-schoolers are now well-equipped to tackle and find creative solutions in the Google Technovation and Verizon Innovative App Challenges.

Ashbury

The Ashbury and Sausalito campuses now have special work tables and stools in their new Innovation Lab spaces allowing for teamwork, building, and programming. New robots are ready for use, to be programmed by the lower school grades. even envisioned. LFSF is looking to the future and preparing our students to develop their curiosity and creativity while honing their critical thinking and collaborative teamwork skills.