Porepunkah Primary School students immersed themselves in French culture on 26 July.
French teacher Madame Kathryn Rupp, dressed in a head-to-toe costume as the Mona Lisa, again excelled organising the big day, with the help of the school's wonderful teaching staff and parent volunteers.
In mixed age groups (F-6), all students rotated through eight different activities which included: making crepes, building an Eiffel Tower, croissant rolling, Brittany dancing, delving into the world of French cartoons with Asterix and Obelix, playing Pétanque (boules) ball game, engaging in a French language and culture quiz, and drawing their own French street art scene.
Many staff commented on how wonderful it was to see the students so engaged.
The day's event culminated in a whole school fashion parade on the basketball court in which students and teachers voted for the best dressed students.
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There was a French tour de France rider, an inventor of the parachute, many mimes, the Mona Lisa, le chat noir, Emily in Paris, a giant packet of French fries and plenty of moustaches and berets on show.
Selected students won prizes for the effort they had put into their costumes as well as prizes for students who were noticed by staff and parents for helping others, being patient, looking after the younger students and who excelled in a certain activity etc.
When asked about her plans to make it bigger for next year, Madame Rupp said that she would love to try out some new activities, perhaps bring in some wider francophone culture from other countries such as Belgium or Madagascar, as well as engage some local French speakers to assist on the day too.
While the school's focus has been France and French to support language and cultural learning at school, there is huge potential to draw on the local heritage languages and the diverse community to run an international day in the future.
