ST. LOUIS 鈥 Rhonda Broussard, the visionary who founded the cluster of charter schools where students receive instruction in other languages, will no longer be president of 50度灰视频 Language Immersion Schools.
Parents learned the news Saturday through an email sent by David Luckes, president of the schools鈥 governing board. His email doesn鈥檛 state whether Broussard left voluntarily, or whether the board forced her out. It does, however, state that she has been replaced with a temporary leader until a permanent one is found. That leader is William Rebore, a former superintendent of the Francis Howell School District. The change took effect immediately.
鈥淭he transition has been under consideration for some time,鈥 Luckes wrote.
Broussard could not be reached for comment.
Signs in protest went up at the Spanish School on Papin Street.
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鈥淭he idea that they could remove her as president, when she was the one who made this happen is unconscionable,鈥 said Susan Herzberg, who has a third-grade daughter at the Spanish School.
Broussard began developing 50度灰视频 Language Immersion Schools in 2006, and opened the doors to the French and Spanish schools in 2009. The schools are of the city school system. The language immersion schools consist of three elementary schools 鈥 a French, a Spanish and a Chinese school. All instruction is in the immersion language. An International School for middle schoolers opened in 2014. It offers an International Baccalaureate curriculum.
Budget constraints have been a challenge for 50度灰视频 Language Immersion Schools for years. The four schools operate at two locations, on Papin Street and on Marine Avenue. In March, the board weighed whether to close the International School, but chose to keep it open.
The schools enroll around 1,000 children from the city and parts of 50度灰视频 County. This past year, some parents have expressed dissatisfaction with management and budget decisions.
Broussard responded to that dissatisfaction in a letter to them in March. 鈥淎s the founder of our school community, I began with the unique position of envisioning these opportunities for my children, for your children, for all of our children,鈥 she wrote. 鈥淲hen I hear the comments of disappointed parents, it is clear to me that their disappointment is so strong because they believe intensely in the SLLIS vision for their children.鈥
鈥淜now that, since July 2006, I wake up every day in service to our children and our long-term vision for who they will be in the world,鈥 she went on to write. 鈥淢y commitment to our children is unwavering.鈥
On Sunday, teachers expressed anxiety about their own jobs. They have not been given letters of intent to return next year.
Parents expressed a range of emotion. As the founder, the language immersion schools reflected Broussard鈥檚 vision and passion, and her personality was often what hooked parents into enrolling their children.
On , Loletta Zasaretti questioned the board鈥檚 decision.
鈥淚 am speaking for myself, I know, but there needs to be more transparency or expect an eventual exodus of at least my child, who has been there since first grade,鈥 she wrote.
Erin Malone, another parent, said in an interview that the announcement was unsettling.
But nevertheless, she and her husband, Mike, have no reservations about sending their children back this fall.
鈥淗earing the news yesterday, we were both very shocked,鈥 she said. 鈥淎t this point, we are not terrified that everything is going to go downhill.鈥