Our Philosophy
The philosophy of St. Louis King of France School is the foundation upon which our educational program is built. We strive to educate and develop the whole child: physically, intellectually, emotionally, morally and spiritually.
We recognize the child as a unique individual possessing human dignity, personal integrity and having the right to full human development. We strive to foster in each individual, through his daily experiences, a respect for himself, his peers and for all the significant adults involved in his life.
St. Louis King of France believes self-discipline and academic achievement go hand in hand. In order to experience educational, social and emotional growth, children need to be in an environment in which there is a concerned teacher who will set firm, consistent, positive limits while providing warmth and support. A St. Louis teacher uses Christ as his/her model in shaping this nurturing climate.
St. Louis King of France utilizes a traditional approach to education. We believe such an approach provides the student with the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and experience to progress successfully through the various levels of education to be a successful citizen of our community.
Our Mission
Our ultimate goal is to prepare students for a Catholic secondary education as well as preparing them for life. This encompasses intellectual, moral and Christian maturity, including the value of service to others. Catholic doctrine serves as a framework in forming this Christian maturity. We share skills with our students that are essential in life including the ability to think analytically and to make decisions. We want our students to have a conscientious attitude, one that is attuned to listening, growing and contributing to society.
The mission of St. Louis King of France School, in coordination with the Church and home, is to provide a Catholic education for its students in an environment that fosters academic excellence and Gospel values. St. Louis King of France School seeks to educate the whole child in preparation for a Catholic secondary education and life’s daily experiences.
Our History
St. Louis King of France Parish was established on June 21, 1947. The first pastor was Fr. Patrick Cunningham. Msgr. Marion Reid replaced Fr. Cunningham in 1952 and received permission to build a school the following year. St. Louis King of France School opened with 40 students in first and second grades on September 8, 1953. The school grew and under Msgr. Reid, the three school buildings: Little Crusaders Building, Blanche Hall and Marion Hall were constructed. The student population grew to almost 1,500 before the parish was divided with St. Angela Merici Parish.
Msgr. Joseph Lorio came to St. Louis King of France in 1973. Under his guidance, the parish and school flourished. In 1990, our parish added the Lorio Center, which houses a gymnasium and performance center. Reverend Mark S. Raphael, Ph.D., resided as SLKF Pastor from 2017-2025. Reverend Colm Cahill is currently Pastor of SLKF and is continuing the tradition of excellence here at St. Louis King of France Catholic School.
Today, our school includes a 6-week-old Nursery Program (“Little Crusaders”) through seventh grades. Our students represent six civil parishes and thirty-eight different zip codes.
Message From Our Head of School
I welcome this opportunity to introduce you to St. Louis King of France Catholic School. Located in Metairie, St. Louis King of France Catholic School has been a beacon of Catholic education for students since 1953. We are a co-educational school serving students from 6-week old infants (“Little Crusaders”) through the 7th grade. St. Louis King of France is a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. We have a comprehensive curriculum that includes Spanish, Computer, Physical Education, Library, Art, Speech, Debate, and Music, which features a piano lab. At this time, I would like to share with you my personal philosophy on education.
I believe education is a process presenting a unique experience for each individual. The process should be as challenging as possible in order to fulfill the academic, spiritual, social, emotional, and physical needs of the students here at St. Louis King of France Catholic School. Because each student learns differently, not all methods of teaching will work for every child. Therefore, it is important to employ techniques suitable for students that will enable them to be successful in the classroom, as well as later in life.
Meeting Student Needs
St. Louis King of France Catholic School seeks to provide opportunities for all students through the use of various methodologies, programs, activities, interventions, and assessments.
Teachers utilize the most current and effective trends in teaching strategies. Due to the increasing diversity of students in the classroom today, the shift in education has moved from how teachers should teach to how students can learn. The trend in recent years is toward a heterogeneous grouping of students with a curriculum including activities that promote learning through a multi-disciplinary approach. SLKF strives to keep classroom sizes small so that teachers are able to present information to students in ways that best suit their learning needs. SLKF teachers may teach the same lesson in smaller groups of auditory learners, visual learners, etc. Differentiated instruction is a key component of SLKF’s curriculum.
Support SLKF
St. Louis King of France is small by design. We believe education is a process presenting a unique experience for each individual. Every child at SLKF has a close connection to the faculty members. Our method of teaching speaks to individual attention that depends on small class size and a low student-to-teacher ratio. It is important to employ techniques suitable for students that will enable them to be successful in the classroom, as well as later in life.
The cost of the quality of education that St. Louis King of France School provides each student is not completely covered by tuition. Annual donations and fundraising subsidizes tuition and helps fill the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating each child at St. Louis King of France School. Giving back is a great way to help SLKF! Any gift makes a difference – whether big or small – and it shows your trust in us as a school worthy of your support.