About Us

Introduction

The school system, in “The Most Cajun Place on Earth,” has taken a step to keep the French language alive.  In 2019, Vermilion Parish became home French Immersion Education!  

Soon after the Vermilion Parish School Board approved the motion in April of 2018, the curriculum department began the task of determining which school would become “L’école d’immersion française.” After multiple meetings and numerous conversations, it was decided that the school best suited for French Immersion was LeBlanc Elementary.  This school is large enough to support French Immersion Education without being so large as to not have room to house the program.  The community has openly embraced French Immersion and the students who have joined the program, from across the district. French Immersion Supervisor, Rachelle Brown stated, “Because of my love for French culture and the French language, I could not be prouder to host such a culturally enriching means of educating our students! At LeBlanc Elementary, we have a student population that is filled with both Cajun and Creole ancestry, and we cannot wait to get started!” LeBlanc Elementary principal, De Ette Bigot, shares these sentiments and displays continuous support of the French Immersion program housed on her campus. 

French Immersion Education began with one kindergarten section at LeBlanc Elementary, during the 2019-2020 school year.  Each year, a grade level has been added.  In six years, each grade level at LeBlanc Elementary has added one section French Immersion Education. This school year, for the first time ever, French Immersion will be fully implemented in grades K-5! 

According to CODOFIL, Vermilion Parish was the 17th parish in the state to offer French Immersion and the LeBlanc Elementary Immersion students are among more than 5,000 Immersion students in more than 30 schools statewide.  Both CODOFIL and the Louisiana Department of Education provide resources, professional development, and assistance with finding teachers who meet the qualifications to teach in French Immersion Education.

What is French Immersion Education?  

Imagine going to school as a young child and your teacher is from another country. He/she speaks to you in French only.  You learn Math, Science, and Social Studies all in French. Your tests are even in French!  Yes, you do learn English, but the majority of your day is immersed in French.  French Immersion Education develops a student’s communication skills in French and also fosters early development of responsibility, heightened social and problem solving skills, and higher academic achievement. We have seen these results as our program has grown and our French Immersion students have outscored their counterparts on the LEAP test.

Vermilion Parish School System Mission Statement

The mission of the Vermilion Parish School System is to work together to provide learning opportunities for all children, which will enable them to function competently as effective, productive, responsible, and thinking citizens who will make needed contributions for life-long excellence in a rapidly changing world.

LeBlanc Elementary School Mission Statement

LeBlanc Elementary is committed to challenging ALL students, everyday, to achieve high standards and become global leaders.