International French School in Singapore opens green kindergarten

(CONNECT) In addition to lessons in English, French, and Mandarin, children attending kindergarten at the International French School in Singapore (IFS) will also receive an education in sustainability. In a January 22 ceremony, the school opened a new campus extension and green-oriented Villa Concept Kindergarten, said a January 28 LinkedIn post.

“This evening is far more than the opening of a new space. It marks the realization of a vision shaped by your shared beliefs in the future of IFS,” said the post. Designed to align with global sustainability goals, the villa is Singapore’s first zero-energy kindergarten. The building uses solar power to offset its carbon footprint. Its special windows repel heat and UV waves but allow light into the four classrooms that surround a central area called the agora. In the classrooms, where one adult oversees around nine students, according to the IFS website, lessons integrate sustainability principles and global citizenship into daily learning.

The president of IFS’s executive committee, Ludovic Mathe, and Principal David Binan celebrated how the new facilities reflected the school’s motto, "Celebrating the journey so far and opening the doors to the future." 

In addition to other student presentations, Head of Music Julie Olivia Demange-Wodtke led the IFS’s secondary student choir in a performance. The unveiling of a commemorative plaque was the event’s highlight. It concluded with a networking cocktail in the villa concept Kindergarten.

“This inauguration was not only a celebration of the school’s achievements to date but also a moment to highlight the uniqueness of this project and its promise for a bright future for our young learners at IFS,” the post said. ce/jd