Bienvenue
Growing minds, cultivating language.
About Us
Welcome to La Petite Forêt Preschool of Gig Harbor, a French bilingual, play-based program founded to create a nurturing place where young children can begin learning a second language from an early age. We offer a half-day program for children aged 2.5 to 5, with flexible options to attend 1, 2 or 3 days a week. In our small, supportive preschool children receive individualized attention as they explore, create, and play.
Our curriculum is designed to immerse children in the French language through play, circle time, and daily routines. We believe young children learn language most naturally when it is part of their everyday experiences. By surrounding children with French in meaningful and joyful ways, we support their language development, cognitive growth, and cultural awareness while also nurturing social, emotional, and physical development.
Our Philosophy
We see each child as curious, capable, and full of potential. In our program, French is not taught as a separate subject, it is the language of our classroom community. Children hear and use French in greetings, songs, stories, games, and routines, allowing them to absorb the language naturally. This approach not only builds bilingual skills but also strengthens memory, problem solving, and creativity.
We are committed to creating a safe, nurturing environment where children gain confidence, independence, and a love of learning through bilingual exploration.
Meet Our Teachers
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Cassi is the owner and teacher at La Petite Forêt Preschool. A former kindergarten and preschool teacher with over ten years’ experience working with early learners, she brings a deep passion for the French language and for early childhood education. Her experience teaching has been in public and private school settings, with several years teaching in a French immersion school in Washington. Cassi created La Petite Forêt so that she could share her love of learning the French language, and offer a bilingual preschool program to the Gig Harbor area.
Cassi holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Washington, with teaching certifications in K–8 and English Language Learners, along with a Washington State teaching license, and a bachelor’s degree in French.
Her teaching philosophy combines play-based learning, bilingual education, Montessori and nature-inspired exploration.