For the week of April 16 - 22, 2003

Dual Immersion program receives rave reviews

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

The Blaine County School District’s Dual Immersion program that teaches classes in both English and Spanish at two elementary schools received raves from parents and teachers last month at a school board meeting.

A three-year dual immersion grant was given to the district last year, and the first class in the program has moved up to the first grade, while a new kindergarten class has moved in.

Kathleen Diepenbrock, Heidi Copeland and Juan Salamanca are the program’s lead teachers. There are currently 120 students in the Hemingway and Bellevue elementary schools that participate in the program. An equal number of native English speakers to native Spanish speakers participate.

The presentation to the school board was made despite the fact there is "no possibility for further grants," Blake Walsh, special education director for the district, said. He explained that the federal No Child Left Behind Act effectively removed all funding for the former Title VII Bilingual Education Capacity and Demonstration Grants.

President Bush, through the NCLB Act, decided to make block grants on a per capita basis to all schools nationwide.

"That doesn’t mean the program will be abandoned at the end of the grant period," Walsh said. "The district will do everything we can to take up the slack and continue the program. We’re definitely committed to establishing a strand of dual immersion bilingual education K through 5, and if we can in the future, all the way through 12th grade."

At the presentation, Jim Lewis, school district superintendent, said, "The scoring levels stay the same or a bit lower until fifth grade. Then they sky rocket above their peers."

A homemade video was shown of the kindergarten and first grade classes at Hemingway and Bellevue elementary schools.

Parents spoke movingly of the changes in their households since their children began in the program. Francisco Gallardo said that he "loves this country more" because he knows more about it. His son shares what he has learned about the country’s history and its holidays, he said. He added that he wished his older son had had this chance.

Many parents said that when their children come home they teach them English and help them with pronunciation.

Another parent, Gary Schott said, "They get the languages without knowing they get it. Should we continue? It’s a no-brainer. It’s embarressing that a second language is not mandatory in this country."

Meanwhile Lewis said the district is actively recruiting bilingual teachers nationwide. The district has made a compact disc and brochure to help with the process.

"We need role models, especially native Hispanic speakers," Lewis said.

 

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