Who Are the Visionary Founders of Lycée International de Los Angeles (LILA) ?

“In the 1970s, a group of visionaries felt that the Los Angeles community needed a school that would prepare children for life in an increasingly international environment. In 1978, they decided to make their vision a reality and to open a school, using the proven French educational system as the foundation for their school’s curriculum.

It all began in a small house on Victory Blvd in Van Nuys, California with seven students. Some of the founders’ children were among these first students, and they worked hard, alongside their parents, to prepare for their new school LYCÉE INTERNATIONAL DE LOS ANGELES ( LILA) which was originally named Collège d’études françaises (CEF) School and later The French American Schools of Southern California before it was named LILA or Lycée International de Los Angeles and then International School of Los Angeles.” The school rebranded and changed its name in 2016 to International School of Los Angeles.

The original founders of the International School of Los Angeles are Monique and John Mickus and Pierrette and Jacques Gaspart. Other parent volunteers joined the efforts with their children as well. Madame Christiane Bayet was the heart and soul of the school.

1978CatherineMickusGuylaineGaspart — In 1978 Catherine Mickus and Guylaine Gaspart entering their new school Collège d’études françaises (CEF)

1978SettingUp — 1978 CEF – Collège d’études françaises- Christelle Gaspart and Francis Mickus working on the roof

1978ChristelleGaspartVictoryLocation — Christelle Gaspart, working on the grounds of the new school

1978ChristelleGaspart — Christelle Gaspart, painting windows

1978FrancisMickus — Francis Mickus, working on the entrance of the new school

1978GuylaineGaspart — Guylaine Gaspart, working on the windows

1978JacquesChristelleGaspart — Jacques and Christelle Gaspart at work

1978BreakTime LILA — Taking a break: Pierrette Gaspart (left) with John Mickus, Catherine Mickus, and Christelle Gaspart.

1978AfterADayOfWork LILA — Relaxing after a hard day of work in the Mickus’ yard roasting marshmallows

Madame Christiane Bayet, educator, philosopher, author

1984MmeBayetBoardOfTrusteesWithStudents — Mme. Bayet and LILA Class of 1981

Mme. Christiane Bayet, Monique Mickus’ mother was the heart and soul of the school. She came from a long line of educators, philosophers, and authors. Her grandfather was French historian and author Alphonse Aulard (1849-1928), who held the chair of Professor of History of the French Revolution at the Sorbonne. He was also a co-founder of the Ligue des droits de l’homme and was president of the Mission Laïque from 1906 to 1912. Her father, Albert Bayet(1880-1961) was Professor of Sociology at the Sorbonne and at the École pratique des hautes études. He too was a member of the Ligue des droits de l’homme and was president of the Ligue de l’enseignement from 1949 to 1959. He was president of the Fédération nationale de la presse libre during World War II and president of the Fédération nationale de la presse française following the war.

We often heard Madame Bayet quote Victor Hugo among others: “Open schools and you will close prisons.” An educator, philosopher, and author, Mme. Bayet taught French, Latin, and Philosophy when the school first opened in 1978.

The students worked in small classes or even one-on-one with Mme Bayet and other teachers in the other basic subjects such as math, history, English, and Spanish following the official French national correspondence courses National Centre for Distance Education (Centre national d’enseignement à distance or Cned . I was privileged to have Madame Bayet and Monique Mickus as my teachers on a one-to-one basis when the school first opened and I graduated with a French Baccalaureate in 1981.

1994MoniqueMickus — LILA Founder Monique Mickus

LILA Founder Monique Mickus came from a long line of educators and was one of the first teachers in 1978 when the school opened. Her great-grandfather, French historian and author Alphonse Aulard ( 1849-1928), held the chair of Professor of History of the French Revolution at the Sorbonne, succeeding Michelet. He was also a co-founder of the Ligue des droits de l’homme and was president of the Mission Laïque from 1906-1912. Her grandfather, Albert Bayet ( 1880-1961) was Professor of Sociology at the Sorbonne and at the L’Ecole pratique des hautes etudes. He too was a member of the Ligue des droits de l’homme and was president of the Ligue de l’enseignement from 1949-1959.

On December 31^st1978, co-founders Pierrette Gaspart and Monique Mickus celebrated the completion of the first term of their new school.

FirstNY1978 — December 31st, 1978, Pierrette Gaspart and Monique Mickus celebrate the first term of their new school.

1993Accounts — Pierrette Gaspart and Monique Mickus Co-Founders of LILA

While Monique Mickus may have had a clear vision for the school, nothing put her in a bad mood more than going over the paperwork and bookkeeping. Co-founder Pierrette Gaspart found a way to put a smile on her face as they went over the dreaded task in this photo taken in 1993. Pierrette first opened her business doors at her language school in Westwood, California to host the first classroom in Los Angeles for the school.

Co-FoundersJacquesGaspartJohnMickus — Two of the original LILA co-founders, Jacques Gaspart and John Mickus.

MOVE TO VAN NUYS METHODIST CHURCH in the 1980’s– First formal school buildings. As the school grew out of its original cramped quarters, it was moved briefly to shared grounds with a Methodist church in Van Nuys.

MethodistChurchVanNuys — LILA sharing grounds with Methodist Church Van Nuys

MethodistChurchVanNuys3 — Playing outside at recess

MethodistChurchVanNuys2 — LILA Teaching Team

1993 – LOS FELIZ CAMPUS – The first graduation ceremony at the Los Feliz campus

1993FirstLFGraduation — Pierrette Gaspart and Elizabeth Chaponot, daughter of co-founders Monique and John Mickus. Los Feliz Graduation 1993

1993 – An outing of students with (from left) co-founder Jacques Gaspart, teacher Sam Donlavy, Woodland Hills campus director Shahin Partiyeli, Los Feliz elementary campus director Giselle Mancheva, and co-founder Pierrette Gaspart.

1993Outing — School Field Trip Outing in 1993

1995GraduatingClass — The graduating class of 1995

CentenaireCDG1990 — LILA students at an event celebrating the centennial of Charles de Gaulle / centenaire de Charles de Gaulle, 1990

35th LILA ANNIVERSARY

LILA35Jacques — Co-Founder Jacques Gaspart at LILA 35 – 35th Anniversary

Thank you Ai-lin Grison, LILA Public Relations for this wall display of the “Origins of LILA in 1978 ” during the 35th LILA Anniversary at the Burbank Campus.