École Pointe-au-Chien

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École Pointe-au-Chien
Address
1558 LA 665

Montegut
,
Louisiana
70377
Information
Established2023
PrincipalChristine Verdin
GradesK–1
Enrollment9 (2024)
Language

École Pointe-au-Chien is a public French immersion elementary school in Pointe-aux-Chenes, an unincorporated area in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. It has a Montegut postal address, but is not in the Montegut census-designated place.[1] The Louisiana Legislature created the school, which is governed by a board of trustees appointed by various entities.

The school teaches the French of France and Cajun French, but also "Indian French", meaning the varieties of French spoken by indigenous communities in southern coastal Louisiana. It is the first school to teach Indian French.[2]

The chief executive officer of Télé-Louisiane, Will McGrew, described it as the first such school in several categories: the first French immersion school in its parish, the first local French dialect immersion school, and the first French immersion school with a majority of Native American students.[3] As of 2023, McGrew is the president of the appointed board of directors that operates the school.[4]

History[edit]

The school was established after the Terrebonne Parish School Board closed Pointe-aux-Chenes Elementary School.[5] Most students were Cajun and Native American and came from French-speaking households.[6]

A lawsuit contesting the school closure prompted members of the Louisiana Legislature to consider authorizing a French immersion school.[6] The bill to do so, HB 261 (Act 454),[3] was filed by Tanner Magee, a Republican legislator from Houma.[7] This bill set aside $3,000,000 to establish and fund the institution.[3] The Louisiana House of Representatives approved that proposal, with all members voting in favor.[8] John Bel Edwards, then Governor of Louisiana, also approved the proposal.[6]

The new school opened in 2023.[6] Its initial location was in Bourg, in the Vision Christian Center.[4] Christine Verdin became the first principal; she is an enrolled member of the Pointe-au-Chien Tribe whose first languageis French.[9]

Activists also created a proposal for a charter school,[7] but the school district rejected the charter application. The rejection occurred on the day the Louisiana House voted to approve the proposal.[8]

The school had plans to relocate to the former Pointe-Aux-Chenes building, which needed renovations as the building had been affected by Hurricane Ida. In the meantime, it used a facility owned by the Knights of Columbus.[3] The plans to move to the former public school grounds were realized after the district sold the school building for one dollar to the Pointe-au-Chien Tribe.[6] In November 2023, Edwards attended the opening of the permanent facility of school.[10]

In 2024, the enrollment was nine students, with Native Americans being the majority.[2]

Governance[edit]

The school is operated by a board with 13 members, with the Consulate-General of France in New Orleans, Native American tribes, and state agencies of Louisiana appointing the board members.[3]

The only governing authority of the school is the appointed board. The Louisiana State Superintendent of Education has no direct say over the school, nor does any school district or any other educational authority.[8]

Admissions[edit]

The school gives preference in admissions to students who have been forced to move from their original residences due to Hurricane Ida, and to residents of Pointe-aux-Chenes and Isle de Jean Charles.[11]

Curriculum[edit]

As of 2023, the school administration intends to have formal coursework in local French dialects, but uses informal methods of teaching local French dialects while using formal materials in the French of France. This was due to a lack of formal teaching materials and lesson plans for these French dialects.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Home". École Pointe-au-Chien. Retrieved 2024-02-15. 1558 LA 665, Montegut, Louisiana 70377 - Compare to the map of the Montegut CDP from the 2020 US Census. The City of Houston stated: "The U.S. Postal Service establishes ZIP codes and mailing addresses in order to maximize the efficiency of their system, not to recognize jurisdictional boundaries."
  2. ^ a b Holmes, Brandon (2024-02-14). "'Preserving language, reinforcing communities': the school saving one of Louisiana's oldest dialects". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  3. ^ a b c d e Olivier, Jonathan (2023-05-30). "In August, École Pointe-au-Chien to Open Kindergarten, First Grade". KRVS. Télé-Louisiane. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  4. ^ a b Olivier, Jonathan (2023-08-18). "École Pointe-au-Chien opens as first French immersion school in Terrebonne Parish". Télé-Louisiane. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  5. ^ Setyawan, Kezia (2021-04-13). "Terrebonne School Board votes to close Pointe-aux-Chenes Elementary starting next school year". The Houma Courier. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Juhasz, Aubri (2023-09-21). "State's first Indigenous French immersion school now has a permanent home". WWNO. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  7. ^ a b Setyawan, Kezia (2022-03-17). "This state bill hopes to establish French immersion program at closed Pointe-aux-Chenes school". WRKF. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  8. ^ a b c Setyawan, Kezia (2022-04-08). "Pointe-aux-Chenes French immersion school proposal passes through state House legislature". WWNO. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  9. ^ "Christine Verdin named Executive Director and Principal of École Pointe-au-Chien". Houma Times. 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  10. ^ "John Bel Edwards inaugurates new home of École Pointe-au-Chien". Télé-Louisiane. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  11. ^ Brooks, Jesse (2023-04-19). "Louisiana's newest French immersion school in Pointe-aux-Chenes enrolling elementary students for August". Fox 8 Live Gray Media Group, Inc. Retrieved 2024-02-17.

Further media[edit]

External links[edit]

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