EVENING NEWS Education: the eight new features for the start of the school year

« The context is rather favorable. Resources are increasing, announces Sophie Béjean, head of the Montpellier academy, this Friday 30 August. We had 100 more jobs in secondary education, 10 in primary education and 127 more AESH “. Even if the new government has not yet been appointed, even if certain measures are pending, the rector is looking forward to returning to the school with serenity: ” It is an academy that we are very attached to and that is very accommodating. » Surprisingly, what will change at the beginning of the year for Gard students?

1. Mobile: six Gard centers are taking a “digital break”

What do the colleges Doumergue in Sommières, Diderot in Alès, Lapierre in Saint-Jean-du-Gard, Trintignant and Lou Redounet in Uzès have in common? The five volunteered to distract the students from their smartphone screens. They join the Lucie-Aubrac high school in Sommières, the first to test this digital breakthrough last year. This year, 200 French high schools and high schools will test the system.

Ideally, students will leave their cell phones when they arrive. They find him at the exit. ” The law prohibits the use of cell phones in school and college except for educational purposes, specifying the rector. Children have cell phones in their bags and, unfortunately, we know that they take them out at times when they are not visible. » This digital breach is not a very simple ban but ” real project education », “a real school climate project » : « we have to offer other activities to students like what was done at Sommières high school. It also means educating people about media and information, social networks, protecting personal images, etc. » Families and students will be involved.

2. Need for groups in sixth and fifth grade

Gabriel Attal called them “level groups”. Nicole Belloubet, who followed him at the Ministry of National Education last February, talks about “need groups”. This measure applies to all colleges. Students 6^e and 5^e are divided into groups, according to their difficulties, to teach French and mathematics. There are 45 full-time equivalents dedicated to implementing this reform in the academy. Each center organizes groups according to its specifications. ” Din a small college in Lozère, in the center of the city, in priority education… The problems are not the same, analysis by Sophie Béjean. It is the responsibility of institutions to organize these groups as best as possible to help our students move forward.”

3. New second year prep class at Hemingway high school

Gabriel Attal intended to reform the patent and make it mandatory to advance to the second stage. Text frozen due to government resignation. On the other hand, preparatory classes are being established in the second year on an experimental basis. There are five in the academy, including one at the Hemingway high school in Nîmes. With a capacity of 25 places, it accommodates voluntary students who failed the qualification. ” The aim is both to provide reinforcement lessons and also to prepare them for the professional guidance. », summarizing the legislator.

4. Option “Ambition health studies” in Alès

How can we fight against medical desertification and encourage future doctors to settle in rural areas? The Jean-Baptiste-Dumas high school in Alès is experimenting this year with an “Ambition health studies” option. It is for first and final year students who live in rural areas with a deficit in medical demographics. Built in partnership with the University of Montpellier, hospitals and nursing training institutes, this option will only be implemented in three academy high schools: in Mende, Alès and Limoux.

5. Step up the fight against harassment

Preventing and combating harassment and cyber is a “top priority” at the academy. Before the All Saints’ Day holiday, the rector wants 100% of the centers to have the PHaRe label, a program to prevent and combat harassment. Before the December holidays, the goal is to train 50% of employees on this subject to reach 100% of employees trained by 2026. The rector also calls for triple prevention actions . Academic coordinator, regional project managers, etc. Six positions were created and 142 volunteers were recruited. Another step that applies everywhere in France: all primary school students have empathy lessons.

6. Feeling of mental health

17 academic trainers train 800 adults “mental health relay”. The mission: to identify students who show discomfort, welcome their words, warn them and direct them to the right people. They also have to form bonds with families.

7. Priority education colleges will be open till 6 pm.

Priority education middle school students will be able to stay in their center until 6pm. They will not have more lessons but will benefit from extracurricular activities: homework help, cultural or sports activities, digital workshops, civic activities, etc.

8. Protection service and academic security

It will be created in 2024 and will bring together all academic initiatives related to the security of school premises. There will be four coordinations: prevention-safety, security, sectarian abuse-segregation, cybersecurity and digital.

A few days after the attack on the Grande-Motte synagogue, the rector recalled that the school ” more than ever must defend its values: the fight against discrimination, against Semitism, against racism ».