Special to the Reporter

Mercer Island’s French American School of Puget Sound (FASPS) is proud to announce that it has been unanimously selected by its Board of Trustees to serve as the new North American headquarters for MLF America, effective July 1. This milestone marks a major step forward for FASPS, strengthening its position as a leader in bilingual and international education while deepening its ties to the global Mission laïque française (MLF) network.

MLF America is the regional branch of the Mission laïque française, a global non-profit educational network founded in 1902 that today operates 108 French international schools worldwide, serving tens of thousands of students and employing more than 4,000 faculty members. Since its creation in 2012, MLF America has brought together 32 schools across North America, supporting them through accreditation, faculty recruitment, professional development and educational innovation.

The decision to establish its North American headquarters at FASPS reflects the school’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, its highly qualified faculty and staff and its deep engagement in both local and international educational partnerships. FASPS’s existing collaborations with institutions such as Seattle University, francophone organizations and global student exchange programs demonstrate its ability to serve as a hub of innovation and cross-cultural learning.

“This partnership reflects the remarkable work happening at FASPS and the strength of our faculty, programs and community,” said Eric Thuau, head of school. “Serving as the headquarters for MLF America will bring expanded opportunities for professional development, increased visibility on an international stage and new avenues for sharing educational best practices across North America and beyond.”

Central to the partnership will be the creation of a new training department, led by senior MLF educational leaders, which will design and implement innovative professional development programs that can be adapted and shared across the entire MLF America network. These initiatives will be grounded in FASPS’s hands-on educational experience, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of schools throughout the region.

Importantly, the agreement was carefully structured to be financially neutral for FASPS, with all additional staffing and operational costs fully covered by MLF America. Safeguards have been established to ensure that day-to-day school operations remain uninterrupted, protecting the learning environment for FASPS students and families.

“This is a true win-win for both organizations,” said Thuau. “It allows FASPS to help shape the future of French international education while continuing to provide the outstanding bilingual, multicultural education our families expect.”

With this new role, FASPS will help strengthen the cohesion of the MLF America network, foster educational innovation and serve as a center for training and leadership development that will benefit teachers, administrators and students throughout North America.