Dear BRIS Families,

5015 Auto Plex Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 293-4338 | info@

April 11, 2022

Dear BRIS Families,

I am writing to you today with news that no community wants to hear, particularly one that is as dedicated and wholehearted as yours.

Before I continue, I want to make sure you all know how grateful I, on behalf of the entire ISP family, am for the efforts you have made under the tireless leadership of Dr. Price, and Ms. Jarell before her, to address the formidable challenges your school has faced. From hurricanes and floods to the devastating impacts of the pandemic across the geographic and socioeconomic spectrum, this community has been put through more in the last three years than most endure in a lifetime--your perseverance has been an inspiration to us all. Sadly, these challenges have had particularly significant financial impacts across education systems in Baton Rouge, and BRIS is unfortunately no different.

Despite the admirable efforts and good will of many people over the past several years, the school's position has continued to deteriorate. After last year's devastating decline in enrollment, our hope was to have enough students re-enrolled by the end of March to give us an indication of a better outcome for the 2022-2023 school year. Now well into April and more than 60% behind where we were at this time last year, we have come to the painful determination that the school is no longer educationally sustainable. It is therefore with deep and heartfelt sadness that I write to tell you that Baton Rouge International School will permanently close at the end of this school year.

I want to assure you that we looked strongly into all other possibilities to keep the doors open longer, including minimizing year groups and employing phased approaches to closing. Unfortunately, every route was fraught with potential operational and staffing issues that simply would not allow us to achieve the level and quality of education we see as our duty to provide. The overall reduction in the size of the school has already had detrimental impacts on learning and social experiences. As stewards of the school, we feel a deep responsibility to our students--and you, their families--to recognize when we cannot deliver what they need and deserve. Regrettably, that time is now.

You will undoubtedly have important questions around the closure process and what to expect in the coming days and weeks. We have attached an FAQ list to this letter that covers the more pressing items of concern and both Dr. Price and I will be available on campus to meet with you one-on-one, either in person or online, to address your family's specific situations if needed.

5015 Auto Plex Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 293-4338 | info@

Briefly, please be assured:

? We will do our very best to help every re-enrolled student find an alternative option for the next school year;

? Wherever possible, teachers and staff will be offered opportunities for redeployment into other ISP schools;

? And we will support all our current high school students in 10th and 11th grade with a scholarship towards next year's tuition at their next school.

We understand your child(ren) will have questions, and that parenting is personal. We will ensure that our school counselors are ready to support your children's emotional needs and answer any questions they may have. If you would like us to provide your child or your family any personal support during this time, please do not hesitate to email Dr. Price and she will arrange this for you.

BRIS has been a unique and innovative gem of a learning institution in Baton Rouge for more than 20 years. Hundreds of students have passed through its doors since its founding in 1999. Many former Falcons have already gone on to incredible accomplishments in their careers, with many more on similar trajectories right behind them. We have no doubt the positive impacts of their contributions to our world (and beyond) will be felt for years to come.

We will do our very best to make sure these last few months for BRIS and our students are full of everything that is good and beloved about the school, so that when they leave at the end of the term, they can look back fondly on all they achieved here. While this is an extremely difficult decision for all of us, we are hopeful that the lasting memories of our BRIS community can be of the joyous moments, personal growth, and enduring friendships that were made here.

Sincerely,

Sarah Graves

Sarah Graves Regional Managing Director, USCA International Schools Partnership

5015 Auto Plex Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 293-4338 | info@

School Closure FAQ

When will the school be closing? Are all grade groups, including ELIC, on the same timeline?

The school will close for all grade groups at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year. The last day of school for all students will be May 26, 2022.

I have already enrolled my child at BRIS for the 2022-2023 school year:

Will my registration and/or application fee(s) be refunded?

Yes. All fees paid toward the 2022-2023 school year will be fully refunded. Our finance team is already working on identifying those students and payments and will be issuing checks to be mailed within the next 10 business days. For questions on refunds and other financial matters related to your account, please reach out to Michael Wetzel, BRIS Finance Director, at mwetzel@.

How will BRIS and ISP help me find placement for my child at a different school for next year?

We have a great network of local schools, comparable to BRIS, that our administrators are actively working with to assess availability of seats, propose fee waivers and tuition matching arrangements, expedite processes, and quickly coordinate admissions events for our families. Details on all these initiatives be shared as they are finalized, some as early as tomorrow.

My child is currently enrolled in ELIC and paid in full through the summer. Will that money be refunded?

Yes. All fees paid toward ELIC tuition from May 27, 2022, through July 31, 2022, will be fully refunded. Our finance team has already identified these families and will be issuing checks to be mailed out within the next 10 business days.

5015 Auto Plex Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 293-4338 | info@

What kind of support will ISP provide to teachers and staff in light of this news?

Wherever possible, we will do our best to find opportunities for redeployment to other ISP schools for those individuals who are interested. We will also be leveraging our local network of schools to identify employment opportunities for those who would prefer to stay in the area and connect them with the appropriate contacts. All staff will also receive severance payment.

My child is going to be entering 11th or 12th grade next year, a high-impact time in their educational career. Comparable local programs in private schools are often more expensive than BRIS. How will ISP help make that transition accessible to our family?

At ISP, we fully understand how critical the last two years of high school are to your student's overall career trajectory and are committing to providing a scholarship, in an amount equivalent to what their tuition would have been at BRIS, to apply toward 2022-2023 tuition at any school that offers them a place. More information about this initiative will be shared directly with affected families this week.

I have questions and/or concerns about the specific impacts this closure will have on my family. Can I speak to or meet with an administrator or representative from ISP to have them addressed?

Dr. Tanya Price, Head of School, and Sarah Graves, Regional Managing Director for ISP's US and Canada region, will be available for one-on-one meetings either online or in-person at BRIS this week. Both have set up their availability on our booking system, Calendly, with 30-minute time slots available all day through Thursday, April 14th. Please use the links below to book an appointment:

Request a meeting with Dr. Tanya Price Request a meeting with Sarah Graves

Will there be a BRIS summer camp this year?

Unfortunately, we have determined that hosting a camp this summer is not possible under the circumstances.

5015 Auto Plex Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 293-4338 | info@

How is this news being communicated to students? What resources will be available for them to process the news and have their questions answered?

We understand your child(ren) will have questions, and that parenting is personal. We will ensure that our school counselors are ready to support your children's emotional needs and answer any questions they may have. If you would like us to provide your child or your family any personal support during this time, please do not hesitate to email Dr. Price and she will arrange this for you.

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