ESL Bilingual

STUDENT SUPPORT

ESL-Bilingual

The English as a Second Language (ESL)/Bilingual Services Team will continue to work with English learners (ELs) and families regardless of the instructional model children are participating in.

The ESL/Bilingual Services Team is focused on a couple of areas to start the school year:  Revising the EL screening process for incoming kindergarten and transfer students to involve a virtual screening option that is in line with guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design & Assessment).  Revising family notification letters (always sent to families of all ELs every fall) to be aligned with the current virtual environment as well as updated federal notification requirements.

The ESL/Bilingual Services team members continue to support the District's English Learners in the following ways:  ESL/bilingual resource teachers: meet weekly with classroom/content teachers to ensure linguistically attentive instruction is happening universally for our ELs and serve as case managers for ELs.  ESL/bilingual resource teachers and bilingual paraeducators: meet individually and with small groups of students to support identified language learning needs, and serve as points of contact for individual families in navigating the District.  Bilingual paraeducators: support monolingual staff in making connections with families needing interpretation by providing support with brief translating and interpreting support.  Bilingual Student and Family Engagement Specialists: support our Spanish-speaking families in understanding District systems and ensure school staff are hearing the voices of Spanish-speaking families.  District translator/interpreter: ensures that large-scale communications, pre-scheduled meetings and events, and legal documents are accessible to our families who need translating/interpreting support.

FALL PLAN: STARTING THE SCHOOL YEAR 12