What does Sylvie Michel’s arrival mean for Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice in Tournai?
Sylvie Michel has taken charge of École Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice in Tournai for the 2026-2027 school year, succeeding the leadership still shown on parts of the school’s website. Families should continue using the school’s established telephone number and general contact channels while checking directly which administrative details have been updated.
A director shapes staffing, school organisation, communication with families and the implementation of education policy. The transition is particularly relevant to approximately 447 pupils and their households, including newcomers who need dependable information on enrolment, language, meals and after-school care.
has taken charge of École Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice in as the 2026-2027 school year begins, according to reporting published on 25 August by La DH and . For parents, the immediate practical message is simple: the school remains at Rue Doublet 18, but families arranging an enrolment, meeting or after-school care should confirm the current contact person by telephone rather than relying solely on older webpages, which at publication still named Jennifer Robertson as director.
The appointment follows a formal search conducted by the school’s organising authority, . Its June vacancy notice anticipated that the successful candidate would enter the post on 24 August 2026. The document described the position as temporarily vacant but expected to become permanent, making Michel’s arrival more than a ceremonial change for the rentrée scolaire: she assumes responsibility for the daily management and longer-term direction of a sizeable fundamental school.
The same vacancy notice recorded 447 children on 15 January 2026: 172 in nursery education and 275 in primary education. It listed eight nursery classes, 12 primary classes and a wider team including language, physical-education and support staff. Those figures give Michel a substantial operation to manage, although the school or organising authority has not yet published a detailed programme setting out her priorities.
## A familiar educational landscape, but a different institution
Michel was already a school leader in . The official directory of , the secretariat representing French-speaking Catholic education, identified her as director of the , a specialised school in the city. A June 2025 recruitment document from that institution also named her as its director and contact person. That experience indicates familiarity with school administration and Tournai’s education networks, but it would be premature to infer a specific agenda for Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice without a statement from Michel or the school.
Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice is a French-speaking, Catholic, subsidised free school in the area. Its own presentation describes an institution with more than a century of local history. The school says the boys’ school and École de la Sainte Famille formally merged in 1970 to create the mixed Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice school. Today it provides both maternelle and primaire education on one site and teaches English and Dutch, according to its published staff information.
For newcomers to Belgium, “free” in enseignement libre does not mean a private international school or necessarily tuition-free in every practical respect. It identifies a school network run by a non-government organising authority and subsidised by the . Families are expected to subscribe to the school’s educational project and internal rules. French is the operating language here; parents who are not comfortable in French may wish to ask whether interpretation help is available and request written explanations of enrolment documents, meal arrangements and the règlement d’ordre intérieur.
## How to approach an enrolment
Wallonia’s official portal says enrolment in a nursery or primary school should normally be completed no later than the last working day before the school year begins. Families arriving after that point should nevertheless contact schools promptly rather than assume that admission is impossible. Availability, the child’s admission conditions and the timing of the request all matter.
Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice publishes the telephone number 069 22 84 58 and an online contact form for visits and enrolment enquiries. The and the Office de la Naissance et de l’Enfance also list after-school provision at Rue Doublet 18. Parents should ask separately about a classroom place, garderie, meals and any waiting arrangements because one service does not automatically guarantee another.
A useful first conversation covers four points: whether a place exists in the relevant year; which identity, residence and previous-school documents are required; the applicable timetable and costs; and what language or learning support is available. Families moving from Flanders should remember that the governing education system changes from the Flemish Community to the . Families arriving from abroad should provide previous school records where possible, ideally with a French translation, while asking the school whether any further administrative assessment is needed.
If an organised or subsidised school cannot accept a child, guidance says its management must provide an attestation de demande d’inscription explaining the refusal and identifying the service that can help find another place. Capacity is one permitted reason for refusal. Parents should retain that document and contact the relevant enrolment commission or the Direction générale de l’enseignement obligatoire rather than relying on an oral refusal alone.
## What the leadership change does — and does not — tell us
For the school community, continuity will matter as much as a new director’s plans. Published school information describes fixed rhythms including classes beginning at 08:30 and ending at 15:20, as well as meal, garderie and end-of-day arrangements. Those details should still be checked against the current school calendar and communications, particularly during a leadership handover.
The appointment also arrives amid a difficult policy climate for French-speaking education. In June, regional broadcaster notélé reported that school leaders in the area were seeking clearer information about reforms and their effects on staffing, pupils and classes. That debate is broader than Michel’s appointment, and no published evidence links her selection to a particular position on those reforms. It nevertheless forms part of the administrative environment she inherits.
Parents primarily need reliable communication during the transition. At the time of research, the school website’s team page still displayed the previous director, while press reports and the recruitment timetable indicated that Michel had assumed the role. Such a lag is unsurprising around a handover, but it makes direct confirmation prudent for time-sensitive matters.
The next meaningful information should come from Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice or its organising authority: an updated staff page, a formal introduction and any stated priorities for the school year. Until then, Michel’s appointment is confirmed, while her programme, the precise terms of the permanent transition and any operational changes remain unknown.
Impact
Regional — The change concerns a large fundamental school serving Tournai’s Faubourg Saint-Martin and surrounding communities. It also brings an administrator already experienced in the city’s French-speaking Catholic education network into a new local role.
Local — The appointment directly affects École Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice’s 447 pupils and their households in Tournai, particularly families in Faubourg Saint-Martin and surrounding communities. The director oversees practical matters including staffing, school organisation and communication with parents. Families seeking enrolment, school visits, meals or after-school arrangements should verify current details with the school. The City of Tournai separately lists after-school care at Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice, making the transition relevant to parents coordinating classroom and extracurricular provision.
What it means for you
Parents and prospective families should note Sylvie Michel as the director for the 2026-2027 school year and confirm that forms or correspondence name the current leadership. For visits and enrolment questions, use the published number, 069 22 84 58, or the school’s general contact channels. Because parts of the website may still show earlier information, verify administrative details directly before submitting documents or relying on online instructions. Newcomers should specifically ask about available places, French-language schooling, meals and after-school care; no new fee or cost has been reported.
Opposing perspectives
- Families prioritising continuity
Parents and guardians are likely to judge the transition chiefly through practical continuity: clear contacts, stable timetables, dependable garderie and meal arrangements, and prompt explanations of any changes. For this constituency, an updated website and direct communication may matter more initially than a broad strategic announcement.
- School leadership facing system reform
Directors and staff represented in Tournai’s wider education debate have argued that incomplete policy details make school planning difficult. That concern forms part of Michel’s operating environment, although there is no verified evidence that she or Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice has adopted every position expressed by other local school leaders.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
Walloon city where the school is located.
New director of École Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice for the 2026-2027 school year.
Tournai neighbourhood served by the school.
French Community authority whose education system governs the school.
School-year opening for which Sylvie Michel assumed leadership.
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New director of École Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice for the 2026-2027 school year.
Walloon city where the school is located.
Tournai neighbourhood served by the school.
School-year opening for which Sylvie Michel assumed leadership.
Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles circular providing fundamental-school enrolment guidance.
French Community authority whose education system governs the school.
French-speaking Catholic nursery and primary school undergoing the leadership transition.
Organising authority responsible for the school.
Municipal authority that lists after-school care at Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice.
Catholic education network represented among the article’s supporting sources.
Tournai Catholic education establishment cited as supporting network context.
Platform that published the June 2026 vacancy notice for the directorship.
News outlet reporting Sylvie Michel’s arrival as director.
News outlet whose report on the appointment was listed through Ma Presse.
Platform carrying the L’Avenir listing about the appointment.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceLa DH/Les Sports+Primaryprimary· dhnet.be· 25 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 38 days ago· Dated
- View sourceL’Avenir listing via Ma Pressecorroborating· mapressedujour.com· 25 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 38 days ago· Dated
- View sourceJobÉcole — direction vacancy noticeprimary· jobecole.be· 10 June 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 114 days ago· Dated
- View sourceWallonia official portal — fundamental-school enrolmentofficial· wallonie.beRetrieved 25 August 2026
Related topics
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Live connections from the Belgium Impulse ecosystem — not recommendations.
This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.