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WCS Announces Dual Language Immersion Program

Dual Language Immersion Presentation size
Tori Peterson

Washington Community Schools will soon be taking applications for a Dual Language Immersion program that will begin in the fall of 2023.

RSVP for the parent meeting on January 30, 2022 to learn more. 

Washington Community Schools is deeply committed to serving the needs of all our students. This includes preparing students for high-wage, high-demand careers in an ever-changing world. Local and regional employers recognize the importance of a diverse workforce. To meet these demands and to grow and strengthen our community, Washington Community Schools will soon be taking applications for a Dual Language Immersion program that will begin in the fall of 2023.

This program will be open to all WCS students entering Kindergarten in the fall of 2023. Students will receive approximately half of their instruction in English, while the other half of instruction will be in Spanish. Parents who wish to voluntarily enroll their children in this program will need to maintain a commitment through Upper Elementary School, as each year the program will expand.

"English Language Learners will benefit from dual language instruction because the program gives the opportunity for ELL students to increase their grade-level academic achievement in their native language while learning a second language promoting bilingualism, biliteracy and multicultural competence for all students," Elementary ELL Teacher Mary Sacarello.

Schools across the nations and within Indiana have been instructing in a Dual Language environment since the 1990’s, and the evidence is fairly overwhelming. Students who complete a multi-year cohort DLI program and become bi-lingual, often excel in a variety of cognitive categories. 

“We are excited to start a dual language program with implementation in Kindergarten in the 2023-2024 school year. It is the district's goal to grow the program with this first cohort of students through 6th grade over the next 7 years. When this group enters junior high, our goal would be to offer Spanish as an elective in junior high school and increase the number of students capable and eligible to receive the Seal of Biliteracy when they graduate high school,” Superintendent Kevin Frank.

 

Parents who want to learn more about this opportunity are encouraged to visit the school website at: www.washingtoncommunityschools.org/academics/dual-language-immersion. There is a Parent Meeting scheduled for Monday, January 30, 2023; they can sign up to attend through the website. Districts similar to WCS have experienced such a high demand they’ve had to resort to an application and selection process. We expect the interest at Washington Community Schools to be high as well. More information about the application process will be available at the Parent Meeting.

  • Dual Language Immersion