Kindergarten classes in both English, Spanish due this year at Niños

This fall, parents with kindergarten students enrolled at Kyrene de los Niños Elementary School will have the option of placing their children in a first-time dual language program, where classes will be taught in both English and Spanish.

“Our program here at Niños is known as a College Bound Dual Language Academy,” said Niños Principal Ana Gomez del Castillo, Ed.D, who learned English as a second language.

Niños is one of four schools in Arizona recognized as a “No Excuses University,” with an overall goal to create a culture of universal achievement. Gomez del Castillo said the school utilizes powerful symbolism to encourage the belief that any child can aspire to a college education.

“Our whole goal is that our kids are ready for college,” she said. “Learning a second language also begins at an early age, so the dual language program seemed like a natural thing for Niños.”

Throughout the elementary school’s hallways, university flags drape over classroom doorways in recognition of colleges throughout the United States.

“Each classroom has adopted a university,” Gomez del Castillo said. “We have made a commitment to talk about college readiness as soon as children enter elementary school.”

This fall’s kindergarten dual language program will offer a 50/50 English and Spanish dual language model. Students will receive instruction in both languages for equal amounts of time. The same textbooks will be used, but in two languages instead of one.

“We have two teachers, Lori Burger and Patricia Fernandez, who will be teaching the program,” Gomez del Castillo said. Lori will be providing the instruction in English, and Patricia will be the Spanish teacher.

Each teacher will begin the day with a full class of 18 to 22 students, Gomez del Castillo said. After lunch, the students will move to the other teacher’s classroom and spend the remaining school day with instruction in the other language.

“It’s a great experience,” Fernandez said. “It’s an intense program, but the kids benefit greatly by absorbing another language.”

Fernandez was born in Peru, where she received her education degree. She also taught a dual language program at Keller Elementary in Mesa.

Only one partnership class will be offered this fall in the dual language program; so far, 11 of those openings have been filled.

“We are going to be sending out postcards to all families who have enrolled in kindergarten here to provide information on the program,” Gomez del Castillo said.

Parents attending a public meeting with school staff earlier this month were enthusiastic about the new program. Some who do not speak Spanish were concerned over the amount of support they will be able to offer their child.

Referring to dual language programs in other districts, Gomez del Castillo said they plan to develop a network of parents as a support center for parents with children in the program.

Tatiana Ward, a second grade teacher at Brisas Elementary School and a social worker at Niños, said:

“I’m hoping to get my own kids into this program; it’s such a great opportunity to become bilingual and have that motivation to achieve a college education.”

Kids who complete the program will be able to continue first and subsequent grades with the same regimen, Gomez del Castillo said.

“The program could end up becoming school-wide, but at this point we don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” she said. “We are staying open to what that vision could be.”