Why Attend École Saint-Landry Charter School

There are so many great reasons why!

Why École Saint-Landry

There are many great reasons why parents and students love École Saint-Landry charter school.

  • Private school education at a public school price
  • Small class size
  • Personalized attention
  • Diverse classrooms
  • Quality, certified French-speaking teachers
  • Regular parent communications
  • Secure and safe environment for students
  • Tuition-free

More About École Saint-Landry

École Saint-Landry is a tuition-free public French immersion charter elementary school located in the town of Sunset, Louisiana. We are open to all students entering Kindergarten and 1st grade from anywhere in St. Landry Parish, and free school buses are available from all towns and cities within the parish.


As a charter school, we accept applications each year for open seats. In the case where applications exceed available seats, a lottery will be conducted to select and place students from applications.


We’ll grow the school one grade per year until the 5th grade, plus we’ll add pre-K...with aspirations of growing to 8th grade.

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Academic Rigor, Heritage & Culture

At its capacity, the charter school will provide students in K through 8th grade with rigorous academic, linguistic, and cultural experiences while building upon the region’s French-speaking heritage. Students who graduate from École Saint-Landry will be globally competent, college-and-career bound, and bilingual, bi-literate French speakers.


École Saint-Landry Charter School also provides before and after care services as well as free school breakfast and lunch daily. 


Given the quality of schools currently available to our students and the heritage language loss that our region is experiencing, we believe École Saint-Landry Charter School will provide a long-overdue service to both our students and our larger community.

French immersion is a proven education model that has wonderful benefits that support the social and academic health of students.

  • High academic achievement
  • Improves cognitive ability
  • Positively influences achievement in other disciplines
  • Higher test scores in reading and math
  • High levels of bilingualism and biliteracy
  • Multiculturalism and interculturalism
LEARN MORE ABOUT FRENCH IMMERSION JOIN US FOR A MEET & GREET

Mission & Vision

Mission

The mission of École Saint-Landry charter school is to prepare students from the Acadiana region to be academically proficient, bilingual, and globally competent. 


Our charter school will close the gaps of academic achievement and support the local community in their efforts to preserve and revitalize at-risk cultural assets by offering an innovative, research-based French immersion education to students. 


Borrowing from the motto of Hawai’i’s immersion program, KaʻUmeke Kāʻeo, École Saint-Landry will be a charter school “inspired by our past, empowered by our identity, [and] prepared for our future” in order to play an important role in our community’s revitalization.

Vision

The vision of École Saint-Landry charter school is that graduates of École Saint-Landry will be citizens who possess the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors necessary to thrive in today's increasingly interconnected world. 


The students of École Saint-Landry will become cultural assets in their own right and will be ambassadors of global competency. Their successes will represent the effectiveness and power of biliteracy in our community and beyond.


In order to realize this mission and vision, our charter school, in addition to having a rigorous program guided by high expectations, is made unique by characteristics that are shown to be beneficial to all students as well as craved by our community.

Pillars of Differentiation

École Saint-Landry charter school is defined by the following differentiating pillars

Pillars of Differentiation

École Saint-Landry charter school is defined by the following differentiating pillars

Extended Care

École Saint-Landry charter school provides before school care and after school care programs to support busy families. Learn more about Lion Care, our extended care programs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EXTENDED CARE

Our Campus

École Saint-Landry charter school is on an epic journey to return to the historic Sunset High school building. Learn more about our temporary school campus and our quest to revive more than a language, but an iconic Sunset site as well.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CAMPUS

SCHOOL FAQs

For questions about applications and enrollment click here for Enrollment FAQs.

  • What type of school is École Saint-Landry?

    École Saint-Landry charter school is a Type 1 charter school located in Sunset, Louisiana. It is a French immersion elementary school, which means 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 charter school, we are a Type 1 charter school, which means we were authorized (approved) by St. Landry Parish School Board. 


    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?

    No, our school is tuition-free. There is a $20 annual materials fee per student, and students are responsible for purchasing their own uniform and some school supplies.

  • Which grades will the school have?

    We currently have grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade. We are authorized to grow to 8th grade.

    • 2021-2022: Kindergarten and 1st grade​.
    • 2022-2023: Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
    • 2023-2024: Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
    • 2024-2025: Kindergarten through 4th grade.
    • 2025-2026: Kindergarten through 5th grade.
    • 2026-2027 - Kindergarten through 6th-grades.
    • 2027-2028 - Kindergarten through 7th grades.
    • 2028-2029 - Kindergarten through 8th grades.

  • 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 grades 3 and up into the historic Sunset High building, located at 223 Marie Street in Sunset around year 4 or 5. The lower elementary grades 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) are taught in French. The only exception is English Language Arts, which is, of course, taught in English as well as SEL (Social Emotional Learning), which is taught once a week. 


    Additionally, there is over 50 years of data that supports the success of a French immersion education. 

  • 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 the New York Times or this article on our school that was published by Tele-Louisiane in 2023. 

  • Does my child need to speak French in order to attend École Saint-Landry?

    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. ​Contact the school for more information. 

  • 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).

  • 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 St. 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. 

  • What are the age requirements?

    Following the same requirements as St. Landry Parish, kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 30. Please contact the school district to find out more information about exceptions given to this requirement. 

  • What’s your average class size?

    Average class size is 20 students.

  • What about transportation?

    École Saint-Landry provides transportation from anywhere in St. Landry Parish via satellite stops, and no student will have to travel further than 5 miles from home to catch his/her bus. Transportation is not provided to students who live within 1 mile of the school.

  • 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. If you’d like to talk to a member of our team, you can call the school at 337-510-3022.