The Ladue School District is pleased to become a member of the Saint Louis Mosaic Project Ambassador School Program. The Saint Louis Mosaic Ambassador School Program provides partnerships with schools throughout the region that are committed to fostering an internationally welcoming and inclusive culture. 

“We are thrilled to partner with the Mosaic Project Ambassador School Program to further assist in advancing our district’s mission, engaging parents and the community in the success of our students,” Dr. Jim Wipke, Ladue Schools Superintendent, said. “We strive every day in our school community to see, serve, and connect with our students to ensure they have a sense of belonging, and sometimes that means joining with community partners to serve them better.” 

Ladue School District is a culturally and linguistically diverse community representative of families with more than 60 primary languages. Intentional efforts are in place to nurture connections with families, such as maintaining a district website with embedded translation capabilities and sending school communications through a platform that can translate information into a family’s preferred language. The English for Students of Other Languages (ESOL) team hosts district-wide events, such as the annual ESOL Fall Brunch and Spring Picnic, to facilitate building relationships and provide opportunities for families to share feedback on their children’s educational experiences. Ladue School District promotes the value of learning multiple languages to students across all grade levels, from a universal Spanish program in kindergarten through fifth grade to awarding high school graduates with the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy. 

Betsy Heller Cohen, the Executive Director of the St. Louis Mosaic Project and a prior honored alumna of the Ladue School District, adds, “While I was a student at Ladue Horton Watkins High School, I studied French, which opened doors for me to live with a French family as a summer exchange student. This added to my interest in international issues and multicultural opportunities. It makes me especially proud to have Ladue Schools as the 167th member to join the St. Louis Mosaic Project Ambassador School Program.”

The Ladue School District community is invited annually to participate in cross-cultural learning opportunities and school-based events such as Passport Nights and Rams Around The World. These events allow students, families, and staff to showcase information about their culture and learn from one another. In recent years, the district launched the One Book, One Community book club. The book club is open to everyone: students, families, and other members of the community. Participants read books about different cultures and engage in open dialogue in an effort to connect their diverse community and build relationships. 

“As the 167th St. Louis Mosaic Ambassador school to join the program, this ensures that each Ladue Schools student will have more equitable access to supports and resources necessary for success,” said Ladue Schools Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator Dr. Jennifer Riesenmy. “We value partnerships with organizations like the Mosaic Project because we have a unified goal of welcoming diverse families to the St. Louis community.”            

About Ladue School District

Ladue School District consists of eight school campuses: Ladue Horton Watkins High School, Ladue Middle School, The Ladue Fifth Grade Center, four elementary schools (Conway Elementary School, Old Bonhomme Elementary School, Reed Elementary School, and Spoede Elementary School), and the Ladue Early Childhood Center. The school district spans ten municipalities, including all or parts of Creve Coeur, Crystal Lake Park, Frontenac, Huntleigh Village, Ladue, Olivette, Richmond Heights, Town & Country, Westwood, and Unincorporated St. Louis County. The district’s current student population self-identifies as 17% Asian, 15% Black, 5% Hispanic, 8% multi-racial, and 51% white. Ladue School District is grateful to the families who choose to be part of the Ladue Schools family. The district is committed to empowering students to become passionate learners and achieve their highest potential. 

About the St. Louis Mosaic Project

The St. Louis Mosaic Project was launched in 2012 in response to an economic impact report outlining St. Louis’s lagging immigrant growth and highlighting the economic benefits of increasing its foreign-born population. The Mosaic Project is a regional initiative that is professionally managed by the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, World Trade Center St. Louis, and a 32-member committee. The St. Louis Mosaic Project’s goal is to transform St. Louis into the fastest-growing major metropolitan area for immigration by 2025, design and support regional attraction strategies, and promote regional prosperity through immigration and innovation. For more information about the St. Louis Mosaic Project, visit the website or send an email.