Foreign language teachers in the CHS cluster expect an increase in the number of students taking French next year after French teachers made significant efforts to encourage enrollment.

CHS currently has only one full-time and one part-time teacher, and while the number of staff positions may remain the same next year, Herbert Hoover Middle School, the main feeder school for CHS, has a significantly larger number of sixth graders signed up for French 1 next year.

“Ninety students signed up for French 1 next year, so Hoover will once again have four French classes,” Hoover French teacher Marianne Kabes said. “This will have a positive impact on the number of classes there will be at Churchill.”

The increased enrollment can be partially attributed to the work of CHS French teacher Bharati Umarji, who distributed a brochure to middle school students and parents explaining the benefits of the French language and its worldwide popularity.

An annual Francophone Festival, celebrating the culture of French nations and Cabin John Middle School’s yearly trip to Québec have also helped to maintain enrollment levels.

With the retirement of Latin teacher Robert Payne this year, CHS will no longer offer Latin at any level, which, according to French teacher Jeanne Touzeau, may result in more students signing up to take French 1 at CHS.