New French-Immersion School in Sunset Accepting Applications

This fall, Acadiana will have a new French -Immersion school in Sunset.  École St. Landry is a public charter school that will open in fall and registration is now open. They will offer 96 kinder and 1st grade students (48 K and 48 1st grade) a chance to be a part of the inaugural classes at the new school for the 2021- 2022 school year. The school will be free to attend and transportation will be provided for students.

The application process began February 1st and will continue through March 31st.  A lottery will only occur if more than 96 students apply by March 31. If that is the case, the lottery will be held the first week of April and applicants will be selected by a random computer drawing.  All applicants not selected will be placed on a numbered wait list.

Lindsay Smythe is the leader of École St. Landry school. Smythe is currently the French teacher at Lafayette High School. She is a 2020 Leadership Lafayette graduate and has been on a mission to create the new school for four years. They were actually ready to open last fall, but the pandemic put a hold on opening due to the fact that French-immersion teachers couldn’t travel.

École St. Landry is inspired and empowered by this region’s heritage and identity. We will use these strengths to prepare students for the future.  Sunset is the perfect place for this new school that we believe will create citizens who, as our vision statement says, ‘possess the knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors necessary to thrive in today's increasingly interconnected world.” - Lindsay Smythe

The mission of the new school is to prepare students from St. Landry Parish to be academically proficient, bilingual and globally competent. Smyth says École St. Landry’s rigorous programming will be guided by three pillars:  French-language immersion, extracurricular community engagement and a diverse student body.

The mascot will be the Lions and the colors will be kelly green and old gold, which used to belong to the former Sunset High School. The school has partnered with the City of Sunset to lease the old Sunset High building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Plans to renovate the building are underway. Until the renovations are complete, they will open in the old First Baptist Church of Sunset located at 671 Napoleon Ave.

To apply to École St. Landry, complete the school’s online application here.  You can also pick up an application at the St. Landry Parish School Board office at 1013 E. Creswell Lane, Opelousas.

They are hosting 'Meet and Greet' events to find out if École Saint-Landry is right for your family. Meetings will be COVID-safe. Follow them on Facebook for the dates and more information.

To learn more about École St. Landry, go to ecolestlandry.org.