FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What type of school is École Saint-Landry?

École Saint-Landry is a Type 1 charter school in Sunset, Louisiana. It is a French immersion elementary school, which means that all courses will be taught in French, with the exception of the English Language Arts class.

What exactly is a charter school?

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools of choice that are independently run by a nonprofit community board and authorized by an elected board, either a local school board or the state board of elementary and secondary education. In the case of École Saint-Landry, we are a Type 1 charter school in Saint Landry Parish.
As a public charter school, we are responsible for every single dollar of our start-up costs, which include facility rental and renovation, student books and curriculum, furniture, administrative salaries, and more.
For more information, see this site from the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools.

Is there tuition?

Kindergarten and up are tuition-free. There are additionally no fees, though students are responsible for purchasing their own uniform and school supplies. Pre-K, when we add it, will be charged tuition.

Which grades will the school have?

Where will the school be located?

École Saint-Landry is currently in the renovated former First Baptist Church at 671 Napoleon Avenue in Sunset.
École Saint-Landry plans to move into the historic Sunset High building, located at 223 Marie Street in Sunset, before the 2024-2025 school year. Pre-K and Kindergarten will permanently be located at the campus at 671 Napoleon Avenue in Sunset.

What makes École Saint-Landry different from schools with immersion programs?

The biggest difference is that we are a French immersion school, not an English-speaking school that offers a French immersion pathway. We will have completely bilingual staff, and all courses (including PE and art) will be taught in French. The only exception will be English Language Arts, which will, of course, be taught in English.

Why should I consider French Immersion for my child?

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: French immersion students consistently achieve higher results on standardized tests than their non-immersion peers, regardless of socio-economic status. Immersion students typically develop greater cognitive flexibility, demonstrating increased attention control, better memory, and superior problem-solving skills as well as an enhanced understanding of their primary language. • HERITAGE: Immersion pathways are an essential element in the restoration and development of Louisiana’s primary heritage language; they provide access to further educational, economic, international, cultural, and professional opportunities in French that valorize all Louisianans in their linguistic and cultural identity. • GLOBAL COMPETENCY: Immersion students are more aware of and generally show more positive attitudes towards other cultures and an appreciation of other people. • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Immersion students often are exposed to languages that are represented in today’s global economy, better preparing them for life beyond the classroom. (Language Immersion in Louisiana)
You can also refer to this list of benefits of immersion that was published by an immersion school in Canada.
You may also find interest in this article on French immersion in Louisiana that was published in August in the New York Times.

Does my child need to speak French in order to attend AFS?

Not at all. Students will learn to speak French in the immersion setting each day. Starting in 2nd grade or later, any student wanting to attend our school must know some French already and must attend an immersion summer camp.

Do parents need to speak French for their children to succeed?

Absolutely not, but if parents are interested in learning French, we can point them in the right direction. Future plans include French workshops for parents and community outreach with French speakers.

What type of students can attend École Saint-Landry?

École Saint-Landry accepts students of all abilities. École Saint-Landry does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, national origin, disability or gender in its educational programs and activities (including employment and application for employment), and it is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of gender by Title IX (20 USC 168) and on the basis of disability by Section 504 (42 USC 794).
The students at École Saint-Landry will be representative of the students of St. Landry Parish. As per state charter law, our student population must strive to match the socioeconomic status (SES) of the rest of the public schools in St. Landry Parish. (Socioeconomic status is determined by free/reduced lunch eligibility.)

How are students selected?

As per state charter law, if we have more applicants than spots available, we must have a lottery to fill the spots available.
Only students who live in Saint Landry Parish are eligible to apply for the lottery.
If you live out of the district, contact us directly to see how you may go about asking for a waiver for your child. *Waivers are rarely given, but we're happy to let you know how to go about asking.

What are the age requirements?

Following the same requirements as Saint Landry Parish, kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 30 of the school year.

What’s your average class size?

What about transportation?

École Saint-Landry will provide transportation for any student who lives 1 mile from the school. Transportation will be covered by using designated satellite stops within 5 miles of a student's home. Parents must submit transportation requests at the school when enrolling student(s). Prior to the first day of school, parents are encouraged to check with the school to ensure their student(s) are appropriately tagged as bus riders.

How can I contact École Saint-Landry if I have more questions?

You can send an email to info@ecolestlandry.org or send a direct message on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ecolestlandry/. If you’d like to talk to a member of our team, you can call the school at 337-510-3022 or text our school Google Voice number at 337-359-2268.