All of the following entries were written by Darrell Hill and remained on the website for over four years at http://lyceela.org. The title links lead to the actual page. However, it should be noted that the content at these links may change according to the needs of the school.
Two career educators, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Kabbaz, founded Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles as a dual language, international school in 1964. To put this in historical perspective, in 1964 Lyndon Johnson had just stepped in the shoes of the assassinated John F. Kennedy as the President of the United States, the Beatles performed for the first time in America on the Ed Sullivan Show, Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Prize, and Goldfinger with a very young Sean Connery playing James Bond was featured in movie theaters. During this time of social change, the school's founders saw a tremendous need for a classical institution of learning in California that welcomed all children from all cultures around the world. Due to a law that prohibited teaching in California in a language other than English, the opening of this French school was delayed for a year as Mr. and Mrs. Kabbaz hired consultants and attorneys to lobby for a change in the education code in Sacramento. This historical change in the law not only paved the way for the opening of Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, but also for many other multilingual, international school, dual language programs and language immersion.
The school officially opened in 1965 with no outside financial help. The first campus was located on Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills. In 1967, the school moved to our present location at 3261 Overland Ave. The school quickly became well known for its quality of education., it devotion to the needs of students as individuals, and its "open arms" policy for pupils from all walks of life. The uniform with its classical and timeless style was established during the first year and has remained the same.
In those many and exciting years since, the school expanded to six campuses including two preschool and kindergarten campuses, a lower elementary campus, an elementary campus, and a middle school. In September of 2009, the much-anticipated new 96,000 sq. ft. Raymond and Esther Kabbaz High School opened, providing the school with a gymnasium as well as spacious classrooms, various state-of-the-art learning areas, and a well-equipped cafeteria. In 2000, the modern performing arts theater, Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, opened at the Century City Campus with professional quality facilities.
Sadly, Le Lycee's community lost the Founders of the school during the last decade. However, their values and passion have been passed on in the fundamental structure of the school. Many of the people they trusted and worked with over the years are still active in the school. The most notable is Clara-Lisa Kabbaz who has been associated with the school from the beginning (as a kindergarten student) and now serves as President of the school and Chairman of the Board, continuing her parents' work of providing a unique and outstanding international educational experience.
In the future, much will change, but the values and standards of Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles will remain the same. It will always be the top French school in Los Angeles with an exemplary English school prep program.
Over 40 years ago, Le Lycee's founders, Esther and Raymond Kabbaz, saw that to truly equip a child for the modern world, a school needed to provide each child with the ability to learn, to think, and to make decisions based on a sound foundation of logic, knowledge, and character. In this ever-shrinking world, they saw the advantage of teaching children within a microcosm of the worldwide community. They understood the value of a French school education adapted for a modern world. They viewed the children as not just students to process through an educational system, but as whole people in need of a life of purpose and meaning. The school continues their vision to this day.
While Le Lycee is proud of its mission to be a bi-lingual school, offering an international education, the school's philosophy is more about developing students who can excel in a modern world. Students will leave the school fluent in at least two languages. However, if the language emphasis was not there at all, Le Lycee would still be a preferred place for students to gain the tools they need for college and the world beyond college. The school's students often return and report that classes at any university are a "piece of cake" because they "learned how to learn at Le Lycee." The challenging discussions of college are on par with the challenging discussions in Le Lycee's high school classrooms. Le Lycee is not simply a language immersion school, but a rigorous college prep school with a deep respect for learning the languages and cultures of others.
It is also a mistake to think of Le Lycee as a school for French nationals or those of French ancestry only. Many of our students come from homes where French is not, never has been, or ever will be spoken. As part of the school's inclusive philosophy, there is an English School Program as well as a French School Program, so that Le Lycee can welcome people from all parts of the Los Angeles community and the world. Some like to say that Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles is "the most American French school in the world." Typically, 96% of Le Lycee students go to American colleges and universities upon graduation.
"Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire."
- William Butler Yeats
Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles is dedicated to lighting the fires of scholasticism in each student who enters its doors. Utilizing the rigors of European analytic thinking paired with the dynamism of American exploration, Le Lycee offers a unique educational opportunity to students who wish to develop the skills necessary to become serious lifelong learners. Students from all cultures and all backgrounds can benefit from the in-depth college prep curriculum we offer.
"Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results."
- John Dewey
As brilliant an educational thinker as Mr. Dewey was, there are many times when you just have to open a book and study. On the other hand, one can't get a complete view of the world from books or a computer. In this way, Dewey perfectly captures Le Lycee's campus life in this quote. Everything about life at Le Lycee is concerned with growth and learning. The six campuses and their programs are carefully designed to promote experiences that "demand thinking" whether it results in learning academics, proper social behavior, global awareness, creativity, sportsmanship, or organization and leadership skills. Le Lycee campus life is about nurturing students to enter the world and be the best they can at whatever they choose to do. This takes a special environment and Le Lycee provides it.
Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles has always been aware of the relationship between environment and learning. Each of our campuses is designed to welcome the student into surroundings that stimulate learning, provide comfort, and assure safety. The different common areas provide attractive places for collegial gatherings for the students and staff alike. Each summer the campuses are renewed with a fresh coat of paint, repairs as needed, and a variety of architectural and technological upgrades. it is always exciting to see the new changes upon returning to the campus each fall.
The Pacific Palisades campus of Le Lycee Francais Francais de Los Angeles is just a short 5-minute drive from the ocean. Established over 20 years ago, this campus is clearly designed to foster a child's learning and imagination. It houses preschool through 2nd grade and is like a small village for children with its many classrooms and activity areas. There is a very comfortable, child-friendly library that welcomes each to the world of reading and discovery as was as a computer room for more electronic learning. The kitchen has a unique counter that is just the right height for the preschool or kindergarten chefs as they explore food and cooking. The three well-equipped outdoor play areas are very pleasant., green, and safely enclosed so that children can play confidently in the fresh air and parents can enjoy peace of mind. To enhance exploration of nature and science, parents have planted a vegetable garden and fruit trees grow in one of the playgrounds.
The spacious Century City Campus is home to may Le Lycee's K2 and 1st grade students. Along with the bright classrooms, the Century City Campus houses an indoor gym, a large well-equipped art room, a comfortable library, and a computer lab with sixteen computers. Each classroom is also outfitted with a computer. The center of the school is a beautiful courtyard garden that not only enhances the inviting ambiance of the school but serves as a horticultural learning center. A full kitchen and dining area provides hot lunches and serves as a refreshment area during activities. The Century City Campus is known of its art shows and this is reflected by the paintings and prints that line the halls. The young child will fin d a lot to do in the playground with its recreational equipment and tricycle paths.
The Lower Campus, which is at street level on Overland Ave, is the home to the Middle School. While sharing many of the amenities of the Elementary School, the Middle school is a unique campus designed with the Middle School student in mind. Pained and mosaic murals created by the students flow along the walls throughout this part of the Overland Campus. Along with the many classrooms, the campus contains the school's main store, a science lab, a lecture hall complete with a Smart Board and other AV equipment, and a music room. A basketball court and many outdoor tables in various alcoves throughout the campus provide gathering places for a pick-up game or a chance just to hang out with friends.
Team spirit is alive and well at Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles. There are boys', girls' and co-ed teams in both the High School and the Middle School. The team sports program includes boys and girls basketball teams, volleyball teams and soccer teams. Individual ports include fencing, karate, and tennis. It is an important part of the philosophy of Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles that students learn to live balanced lives with an appreciation for both the mind and the body. Le Lycee students will learn the advantages and the social skills needed for teamwork. The sports program embraces the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of competitive training.
