ALHAMBRA – The historic All Souls School is getting a makeover this year, opening the first dual language immersion program in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.The school first opened as a traditional K-8 private Catholic school 90 years ago, but closed its doors in 2010 due to low enrollment and budget problems. The school is making a comeback this fall with a new program offering dual language immersion in Spanish and Mandarin.

Head of Schools Anne Bouvet said this new program is an ideal way for the school to make a comeback.

“Like the phoenix rising from the ashes, we are reinventing the Catholic school education,” Bouvet said.

The school will start this year with kindergarten and first grade and plans to expand by one grade each year to eventually offer pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

Once open, the school will be the first Catholic school in the nation to offer two languages simultaneously, Bouvet said. Though there are about seven other Catholic immersion schools in the nation, she said All Souls is a pioneer program in its area.