The school founder and Director, Véronique Liebmann, is a native of Annecy, France.

Véronique moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1993 with her nine-month old son. While raising her young child, Véronique developed a keen interest in Early Childhood Education.

In 1995, she was certified as an Early Childhood Montessori Teacher by the American Montessori. In 1996, she visited several Francophone Schools in Canada, and an immersion preschool program in the Chicago area. She was, at this time, convinced that she could benefit the community best by teaching in her native language.

In September 1996, she introduced a French immersion program for preschoolers at Sunny Hollow Montessori in St. Paul, MN. She quickly found out that the Montessori approach had several limitations when it came to learning another language; the individual approach would only allow the teacher’s interaction with one or two children at a time. The whispering atmosphere in respect of children’s concentration on their individual activity would also not allow the children to hear the music of the language.

After extensive research on different Early Childhood Education models, Véronique chose to follow the path of the unique Ecole Maternelle française, while maintaining a Montessori inspired classroom setting and activities. In France, public school starts at two and a half years old, with a structured curriculum providing the foundations to prepare students for elementary school.

In September 1998, Véronique founded her own French Preschool & Kindergarten program in Eden Prairie, MN: La Maison des Enfants, accredited by the French Ministry of Education (AEFE). Over the years, La Maison des Enfants became The French Academy of Minnesota, the French American School of Minneapolis, and finally, The French Académie at our current location in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

The French Académie expands upon Veronique’s original vision, which combined Montessori education with the French Maternelle curriculum, by incorporating inspirations from the Reggio Emilia approach.

Come experience the unique educational atmosphere at The French Académie, where Oui Play, Oui Sing, and Oui Learn!

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About The French Académie of Minnetonka, MN

The French Académie is accredited by the French Ministry of Education (AEFE) and licensed by the state of Minnesota. We are also affiliated with the Mission Laique Francaise (MLF) and the Association of French Schools in North America (AFSA).

One of the primary ways young children learn is through play. With a Montessori inspired classroom setup, different games and activities are kept accessible for children to explore, and are set up in a neat, organized, and sequential manner. There is structured time during the day for children to play. Play activities help children learn and develop spatial awareness, creativity, and interpersonal skills. For these reasons and many more, we believe that play is one of the most important and innate methods of instruction.

Music is a part of every culture around the world, and is an integral part of the curriculum at The French Académie. You may even say that we speak not just two languages in our school, but three! Our curriculum incorporates the Music Together In School program, which is an internationlly recognized play-based program, providing developmentally appropriate lessons in a musically rich environment. Engaging with music is also an integral piece of exploring a new culture and new language, and children are able to gain a comprehensive understanding of the French language by its expression through song.

We believe it is our responsibility to encourage the entire development of our students. In addition to providing children with a strong foundation of knowledge in science, math, language, music, and art, our academic curriculum is designed to teach children independence and social skills, and incorporates French culture and manners into our daily routines. Children spend much of their day in school, and we believe that it is vital for our program and our staff to help them learn and develop into responsible, well-rounded, respectful, and creative students.

Meet Our Teachers & Staff

Enchanté! We are delighted to partner with you and your children

in their growth and development.

La Maternelle Teacher

Adeline

Adeline just moved from France with her husband Paul-Marie and her 2 teenage daughters. She comes from Bordeaux in the southwestern region. Adeline holds a "Professeur des Ecoles" degree (French Preschool & Elementary Teacher Degree) and has 20 years of experience from preschool to grade 5.

"La Maternelle is a specialty of the French school system that I am happy to pass on to the children of the French Academy with my 20 years of experience! As a French teacher, La Maternelle is an essential step in the student's journey to ensure their academic, emotional, and personal success. My main mission is to give children the desire to go to school, the pleasure to learn, and the ability to flourish. In preschool, children learn through play, manipulation, artistic creation, and discovery of the world around them. The link with the family is also an essential element of my vision of school.”

Le Tout Petit Programme Teacher

Claude

Claude is originally from Nice and has lived in Minnesota for almost 30 years. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and has been teaching at The French Académie for 23 years. Thanks to her experience and expertise with young children, Claude initiated and developed the Tout Petit Programme that flourished over the past 8 years.

"I believe that all children bring their personalities into the school and that makes it a unique and extraordinary place. The school caters to everyone’s needs in a safe and happy environment that is conducive to learning. I see the school as a place to interact with each other, so that children gain confidence and self-esteem. I see the school as an active learning place where the learning process is as important as the result. I see the school as providing many activities to better respond to children’s diversity."

Assistant Teacher

Fabien

Fabien just moved from Normandy, France. He holds a Master Degree in Education. He has two years of teaching experience.

“Teaching is a vocation. I knew since I was fourteen that I wanted to work in the educational system. I believe that there is no greater feeling than the transmission of knowledge and to help the young children to become independent and guide them to form their own opinion. I consider that Preschool is the place where young children are discovering socialization which is also a means of introducing children to community life. Those early life periods are decisive for adulthood as being the basics of mankind’s development. By working with children, I guarantee their safety and well-being by being aware of their sensibilities and personal needs. My empathetic and caring attitude quickly allows me to build trustful relationships. Working with children is also a way to learn every day because children have always something to offer and to teach.”

Le Tout Petit Programme Teacher

Mariia

Mariia moved from Ukraine to Switzerland in 2021, and to the United States last April. Mariia speaks Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Russian, French and is learning English language. Mariia holds a Master Degree in Education. She has 5 years + of teaching experience to young children.

« Children are a source of inspiration and motivation for me as a teacher. They are a blank canvas on which the story of their lives is written, and I feel responsible for the colors and lines with which this story will be drawn. Each child is unique, with their own dreams, talents, and prospects, and my task is to help them reveal this potential and give them the self-confidence and skills that will be useful to them in the future. Children remind me of the importance of sincerity, curiosity, and the joy in each day. They teach me to look at the world with a fresh eye and see in it what we, adults, sometimes miss. Ultimately, children for me are the meaning of my work. They give me the feeling that what I do is truly important and useful. Seeing their successes, their joy of mastering something new, and their sincere smiles is the best reward and confirmation that I am on the right path. »

Director

Véronique

"In 1998 The Little School That Could was born. Inspired at first by Maria Montessori, my vision of the school evolved, year after year. My passion for education and French language is a continuous commitment to engage children from the youngest to the oldest, to the fascinating path of discovery and learning.

A school is a partnership between a team of staff, parents and students. Each play an important role and contribute to its success. Educators instill knowledge while respecting the child as a unique individual. Administrators are a constant link keeping
an eye on the birds and their nest. Parents give their faithful and unconditional support. Children develop independence, and their natural curiosity to learn and discover the world shape them, step by step, year after year, to become students, active learners and ready to fly as citizens of the world."

School Mascot

Tootsie

“It is quite a responsibility to be a school mascot. My chocolate eyes hiding behind my long and silky hair often raises the question “Does Tootsie have eyes?”. Indeed, worthy of being called a Havanese, I capture the best smiles and jump on every opportunity to be loved. I exhibit unconditional patience with children, including clumsy toddlers. Because people, young or grown up, make my day when they give me attention. My mission at The French Académie is to watch over the Director to keep her happy and focused. I also try hard to teach dog language to the children, but they are far too busy learning the French language to make significant progress. Woof woof.”

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