About us
Frenz is a not-for-profit organization helping public schools across New Zealand open and operate quality French-English bilingual programmes. The bilingual units are fully integrated within each school, with students participating in all aspects of school life.
Bilingual education offers children the opportunity to become proficient in all academic subjects in both languages.
How Frenz Helps?
Support
Our volunteers are parents of children in the bilingual programmes. They support your children by helping in the library, fundraising and finding stagiaires to come help teachers in the classroom
Partnership
We provide schools with:
-All the French-language learning resources
-A French library onsite
-Financial support
-Enrollment process support
Promotion
We maintain relationships with various embassies and promote bilingual education in New Zealand online and at events such as the French Festival
Helping units off the ground
We support parent groups
interested in opening a bilingual
programme in their community. We apply for grants to help schools set up new units.
interested in a bilingual programme in your school or community?
Seal of Quality
We help schools apply and maintain the LabelFrancÉducation, a seal of quality awarded by the French Ministry of Education that validates the French-language skills of children outside France’s school system
Meet The Frenz Committee
Frenz is governed by a committee, all elected from Frenz members for a mandate of one year, which can be renewed. The committee members are all volunteer parents and presently consists of a treasurer,
2 co-presidents and a representative from each school offering a bilingual programme. Frenz employs a
manager to run the association.
Elsa
Frenz Manager
Elsa was born in France to a French mum and a Kiwi dad.
10 years ago, she came for what she thought would be a gap year. But married a Kiwi and never returned to live in France!
She currently has 2 daughters at l'Archipel.
Estelle
Co-President
Estelle is one of the Frenz president. She has 2 set of twins, all currently attending L'Archipel at Richmond Road School.
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Melisa
Co-President
Melisa is one of the Frenz Presidents. She is originally from Strasbourg in France. Her love story with New Zealand started with a
Working Holiday Visa and a van, 20 years ago. She decided to come with her husband and live here permanently 6 years ago. Her daughter attends l'Etoile du Nord and she loves it!
Kristina
Treasurer
Kristina's son attends L'Archipel since January 2020. She calls her family "citizens of the world" as New Zealand is the 5th country her family has moved to for work. Kristina is originally from the Philippines and her husband Yvan is from Saint Etienne, France.
Richard & Elodie
La Découverte
Unit Representatives
Elodie grew up in Paris, while Richard's home was Auckland. They met while both working for Medicine Sans Frontiers MSF (Doctors without Borders). They came to NZ to start their family, and now their four children attend La Découverte in Christchurch.
Sophie
L'Étoile du Nord Unit Representative
Originally from France, Sophie lived in England for 10 years before moving to New Zealand in 2006 where she met her Kiwi husband, David, who is also a French speaker. Their twin boy and girl attended Les Petits Lascars for several years and are currently at l'Etoile du Nord on Auckland's North Shore.
Sarah
Kowhai Intermediate
Unit Representative
Sarah learned French at school and then as an exchange student in Champagne and later did her OE in Paris. She returned to NZ, met her Australian-born husband and when their daughters were born, decided to pass on her love for France and bring them up bilingually. The oldest is in La Grande Envolée and her sister is at L'Archipel.
Léonore
Ruru La Chouette Unit Representative
Léonore grew up in the French Pyrenees. She arrived in Wellington in 2005 on a working holiday visa and met Matt (a Kiwi from Whanganui). Their son Elio was born in 2015 and shortly after she got involved in the set-up of Ruru la Chouette at Ridgway School. Elio's first day at school was in March 2020 and he loved it immediately despite starting during lockdown! The family feels extremely fortunate to have a bilingual education a few minutes away from their home.
Nolwenn
L'Archipel Representative
Born and raised in France, David and I decided to live abroad after studying in Iceland, Finland and Canada. We moved to New Zealand for 2 years, 10 years ago! Long term planning is not our forte! Louenn and Elliot were born in Tāmaki Makaurau and are currently in l'Archipel. We are deeply grateful for FRENZ as we know its crucial role in keeping our children connected with our whānau in France.
Elodie
Preschool Development Committee
Andrew and I arrived in Auckland with our two girls in 2017 from Australia. Quickly we looked at French education options and discovered Les Petits Lascars and Frenz. So grateful that these associations exist we wanted to help and got involved in both ever since.
How it
started
Frenz has been making
French-English bilingual education
a reality in NZ since 1994.
