Knowing more than one language offers a way to deepen connections to the world around us and is an important part of 21st century learning. As a school we focus on developing children’s knowledge of Spanish because it is a vital part of the culture and development of the city in which we live.

Our dual language program is in a strand of classrooms throughout the school. Just as in the rest of the school, students in the program engage in hands-on, minds-on learning experiences that promote critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and language development. In addition, teachers in the program plan lessons using a variety of instructional strategies to maximize dual language development.

Goals for Students

• Demonstrate high levels of academic achievement
• Develop high levels of language proficiency and literacy in English and Spanish
• Develop an understanding and appreciation of languages and diverse cultures

Core Beliefs

• Being bilingual (or multilingual) and valuing cultural diversity is an advantage in our global society
• Children can best learn academic concepts and a second language in an integrated, experiential context
• Many language skills are transferable between English and Spanish
• Conceptual understanding is transferable between languages