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In one of the Petite section classes at the Gustavia school group, the pupils have fingers full of glue. With the help of their teacher and the AESH, the little ones insert aluminum foil into their astronaut drawing to add relief. Over the past few weeks, the classroom has taken on a stellar look. Colorful, glittery headbands litter a table, while planets hang from a line that crosses the classroom. "The theme of this year's carnival is between space and sea," explains Agnès Combin, headmistress of the Gustavia school group. But the new headmistress knows no more about the various costumes that will be worn by the pupils: "We're leaving it up to the teachers, so we can have a surprise on the big day. "
A carnival committee
Often, teachers have been thinking about this for weeks, if not since the beginning of the year. In Gustavia, carnival is no laughing matter. A carnival committee exists within the school group. It is made up of 4 teachers who take care of carnival logistics for the whole school. Creating costumes for 400 children, then managing their parade through Gustavia, takes a lot of organization. Morgan Farina is determined to keep smiling despite the enormity of the task. Carnival is a very important event," insists the PS 2 teacher. It always brings a burst of joy and good humor. "The teachers can also count on the help of parents, who are called on to create the float. Previous Saturday mornings were devoted to transforming a shopping cart into a flying saucer. It's a great way to see parents outside the school environment," enthuses Morgan Farina, "and some of them even bring their big brothers and sisters.
At the Lorient school, a new method is being tested: making parents responsible for carnival preparations. A call for collaboration that went unheeded, with only a handful of parents taking part.
Parent collaboration
Amandine Gouineau, a seamstress in her spare time, threw herself heart and soul into the project: "I'm really happy to be able to do this for children, and for my own daughter too. "As early as November, the mother of a little-section pupil began to think about the costumes they could make to match the theme.In November, the mother of a little-section pupil began to think about the costumes they could make to match the Asian theme followed by the Lorient school, and the sub-themes chosen by each class. For the kindergarteners, I made a lot of costumes using sewing," explains Amandine. For the older children, I made more prototypes, which they were able to make themselves or with their parents. "All costume-making costs were covered by the Parents' Association. They are also in charge of decorating the float, which will accompany the students with music throughout their parade. "As soon as the music starts, everyone will stop and dance," explains Lorient school principal Laure Gaborit. This year, the schools will be able to enjoy good sound quality, as the loudspeaker will be placed on each truck, rather than along the route. At Colombier, the choreography will be provided by the elementary school pupils. The kindergarteners will be able to save their strength to try and make it to the end of the parade. The Sainte-Marie school will take spectators on a trip back in time with its theme: a chronological frieze. The youngest children will be dressed as Cro-Magnon man, while the older ones will be sporting futuristic outfits. "The costumes are lovely, and there's been a lot of motivation behind this year's carnival," says Laurence Rebatel, the school's headmistress. See you this Friday, February 21 at 2.30 p.m. in Gustavia to admire all this work.
