Meet Gru-Gru and Minou

In Kindergarten, learning is full of imagination, joy, and meaningful first steps. This week, students proudly welcomed two new class mascots into their classroom community: Gru-Gru the frog and Minou the goat.

In Mme Victoria’s class, as a group, students voted on the mascots’ names, practicing collaboration and shared decision making. With excitement in the air, they learned that beginning now, one student each weekend will bring a mascot home along with a special journal.

At home, families are invited to help their child write one or two simple sentences in French describing what they did with their weekend guest. The sentences might be about reading a favourite book, going grocery shopping, or enjoying a family activity together. Students then add the sentence into the journal and add a drawing or photo to illustrate their experience.

On Monday, the mascot returns to school and the student shares their page during circle time. This simple routine creates a powerful learning moment. Students practice speaking in front of their classmates, build confidence, and strengthen their emerging French language skills in an authentic way.

In Early Childhood, language grows best when it connects school and home. This project supports our full French immersion environment while honouring the role families play in learning. It encourages independence, creativity, and pride in personal storytelling.

Most importantly, it builds community. Each child will have a turn. Each story will be celebrated. And each weekend adventure becomes part of a shared class memory.

We cannot wait to see where Gru-Gru and Minou travel next! In the meantime, enjoy a look at photos from their adventures in last year’s class, when they went by different names, along with some freshly taken pictures of Gru-Gru and Minou before their new journey begins with Mme Victoria’s class.