Mendon-Upton Regional School District Shares Success of Spanish Immersion Program
MENDON – Superintendent Maureen Cohen wishes to provide the school community an overview of recent learning highlights in the District’s Spanish Immersion program.
Students enrolled in the Immersion Program are taught entirely in Spanish in Grades K-2, with curriculum parallel to English-language instruction. Bilingual instruction begins in Grade 3, with increasing instructional time in English as students progress through the program.
Earlier this month, program Coordinator Meagan Pike, assisted by students in Grades K-8, presented to the School Committee highlights of their immersion experiences from recent classroom observations across grades K-8. The presentation began with two kindergarten students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish for the Committee. Other highlights included students from Grade 1 singing a song about autumn as part of their lessons on seasons and Grade 2 students who wrote a class book, “Existen Los Unicornios” (“There are Unicorns”). The presentation also outlined recent applications of learning in Spanish Immersion classes such as grade 4 math lessons, grade 5 circuit design, and grade 6 geology lessons. Finally, student representatives in grades 7 and 8 exhibited their increased fluency skills in their presentation on the positive impact of multilingualism.
With the recent addition of Mrs. Pike as program coordinator, the Spanish Immersion program benefits from leadership from an experienced and dedicated Spanish Immersion instructor. “This program has been my passion for so long,” said Pike, who has taught in the Immersion Program since 2005. “I am so proud of everything accomplished on a daily basis, and look forward to hopefully many years of careful maintenance and improvement upon an already outstanding Spanish Immersion program.”
Under Mrs. Pike’s leadership, the Spanish Immersion Advisory Board recently held a parent information and outreach night in December, as well as a Board meeting focused on increased outreach, programming improvements, and upcoming events. On February 2nd, at 6pm, there will be a Spanish Immersion Virtual Information Night to learn more about our program.
To learn more about the Spanish Immersion Program, click here. To view the School Committee presentation, click here.
“We are deeply proud of our unwavering commitment to our innovative Spanish Immersion Program. Not only does the Spanish Immersion Program expose students to another language and culture, it also sets a foundation for global citizenship and opportunities,” Superintendent Cohen said. “It is exciting watching our student skills and curiosity grow as they develop into well-rounded citizens of the world.”