October 23, 2009
By LISETTE VELASQUEZ
It was International Unity Day at DiLoreto Magnet School Friday, highlighting an ambitious goal to transform its multicultural students into high-achieving future ambassadors through the school’s dual-language program.
DiLoreto School has become one of the district’s most sought-after schools because of its dual-language curriculum. Developing fluency in reading, writing and speech in both English and Spanish, students alternate weekly with a teacher in each language. All subjects are taught in one language one week, then the other language the next.
Not only do students seemingly have twice the work load, but teachers have twice as many students. Yet, according to Principal Marina Perez Taverner, the school has made adequate yearly progress of at least 10 percent in all categories of the No Child Left Behind Act, thus earning the status of safe harbor. Two years ago, that was not the case and the school district was forced to launch a restructuring plan which helped convert DiLoreto into the first pre-kindergarten to grade eight all dual-language school.
Along with that change came Perez and the merging of three schools — Slade Middle School and elementary schools Smalley Academy and DiLoreto, which had dual language components.
“The challenge was to unify the staff, teachers, students and families into one strong DiLoreto family,” Perez said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but today we really are one family.”
Staff developments and school-wide student projects about what their ideal school would be still decorate the school halls — a reminder, Perez said, of how the three schools are, like pieces of a puzzle, “a perfect fit.”
With an enrollment of a little over 800, its Latino population is about 75 percent. However, Perez said the school is rich in its diversity among teachers and students of 51 ethnic backgrounds, including Coasta Rican, Argentinan, Cuban, Spainish, Irish, Italian, Polish, Jewish-American, Russian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican.
Perez does not hesitate to brag about her staff from the maintenance workers to its veteran teachers. It is the teamwork within the school walls, coupled with parent and community involvement that is helping students achieve, she said.
“We have the best. We hired the best! We are so lucky to have the highly qualified professionals that we have. I have no doubt we will make [adequate yearly progress] next year,” she said.
Alexus King, 13, has been in the dual-language school for eight years. King chuckles as she talks about how people are surprised when she, a Jamaican, speaks fluent Spanish. More so, she said is how surprised people are of her extensive knowledge of Latin culture.
“The greatest benefit of being in a dual language program is knowing that in the future I will be more marketable because I can speak more then one language,” King said. “Sometimes I can be at the store and somebody who doesn’t speak English is having trouble and the store people can’t understand them. I’ve been able to step in and help because I speak Spanish. That feels pretty good to help, but people are usually very surprised when they hear me speak because they don’t expect it.”
Perez said there are many examples of the importance of being multilingual both as a liaison within the community or on a global economic scale. Many parents agree with Perez and hope that with the addition of the middle school, students will continue to receive a quality education, equally in both languages.
“I want (my daughter) to keep her own language and be proud of her culture and still be fluent in English,” Denisse Camacho, a parent said. “It’s important for all children to know more than one (language).”
Since including the middle school grades, Perez said she is well aware that resources for the middle school students have to improve. Space for the middle-schoolers is problematic and better technology and art equipment is needed.
“When I was in Puerto Rico I didn’t learn as much. I knew a little bit of English from the cartoons and a lot of Spanish,” said 4th grader Deangelisse Cancel. “But now that I’m at DiLoreto, I’ve learned a lot. I like science and all the clubs and the family stuff. I like the new principal. She is making a lot more activities at the school and my parents like that.”
Third-grader Kayla Walker may struggle at times with her dual-language assignments, but she said her Spanish-dominant friends help and she helps them with English.
“I like my school because we do fun work, like this puzzle thing and you have to find the words,” Walker said. “I think its important that I am learning Spanish because I can talk to my Spanish teachers and my friends in Spanish instead of English. I can kinda understand them when they talk to me, but I’m getting better.”
Throughout the school year, various multicultural-, health- and literacy events are planned that not only encourage family and community involvement, but also aim to high student achievement.
“The work is hard but the rewards are insurmountable,” Perez said. “We will continue to do our best and grow as a family.”
Source: New Britain Herald
By LISETTE VELASQUEZ
It was International Unity Day at DiLoreto Magnet School Friday, highlighting an ambitious goal to transform its multicultural students into high-achieving future ambassadors through the school’s dual-language program.
DiLoreto School has become one of the district’s most sought-after schools because of its dual-language curriculum. Developing fluency in reading, writing and speech in both English and Spanish, students alternate weekly with a teacher in each language. All subjects are taught in one language one week, then the other language the next.
Not only do students seemingly have twice the work load, but teachers have twice as many students. Yet, according to Principal Marina Perez Taverner, the school has made adequate yearly progress of at least 10 percent in all categories of the No Child Left Behind Act, thus earning the status of safe harbor. Two years ago, that was not the case and the school district was forced to launch a restructuring plan which helped convert DiLoreto into the first pre-kindergarten to grade eight all dual-language school.
Along with that change came Perez and the merging of three schools — Slade Middle School and elementary schools Smalley Academy and DiLoreto, which had dual language components.
“The challenge was to unify the staff, teachers, students and families into one strong DiLoreto family,” Perez said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but today we really are one family.”
Staff developments and school-wide student projects about what their ideal school would be still decorate the school halls — a reminder, Perez said, of how the three schools are, like pieces of a puzzle, “a perfect fit.”
With an enrollment of a little over 800, its Latino population is about 75 percent. However, Perez said the school is rich in its diversity among teachers and students of 51 ethnic backgrounds, including Coasta Rican, Argentinan, Cuban, Spainish, Irish, Italian, Polish, Jewish-American, Russian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican.
Perez does not hesitate to brag about her staff from the maintenance workers to its veteran teachers. It is the teamwork within the school walls, coupled with parent and community involvement that is helping students achieve, she said.
“We have the best. We hired the best! We are so lucky to have the highly qualified professionals that we have. I have no doubt we will make [adequate yearly progress] next year,” she said.
Alexus King, 13, has been in the dual-language school for eight years. King chuckles as she talks about how people are surprised when she, a Jamaican, speaks fluent Spanish. More so, she said is how surprised people are of her extensive knowledge of Latin culture.
“The greatest benefit of being in a dual language program is knowing that in the future I will be more marketable because I can speak more then one language,” King said. “Sometimes I can be at the store and somebody who doesn’t speak English is having trouble and the store people can’t understand them. I’ve been able to step in and help because I speak Spanish. That feels pretty good to help, but people are usually very surprised when they hear me speak because they don’t expect it.”
Perez said there are many examples of the importance of being multilingual both as a liaison within the community or on a global economic scale. Many parents agree with Perez and hope that with the addition of the middle school, students will continue to receive a quality education, equally in both languages.
“I want (my daughter) to keep her own language and be proud of her culture and still be fluent in English,” Denisse Camacho, a parent said. “It’s important for all children to know more than one (language).”
Since including the middle school grades, Perez said she is well aware that resources for the middle school students have to improve. Space for the middle-schoolers is problematic and better technology and art equipment is needed.
“When I was in Puerto Rico I didn’t learn as much. I knew a little bit of English from the cartoons and a lot of Spanish,” said 4th grader Deangelisse Cancel. “But now that I’m at DiLoreto, I’ve learned a lot. I like science and all the clubs and the family stuff. I like the new principal. She is making a lot more activities at the school and my parents like that.”
Third-grader Kayla Walker may struggle at times with her dual-language assignments, but she said her Spanish-dominant friends help and she helps them with English.
“I like my school because we do fun work, like this puzzle thing and you have to find the words,” Walker said. “I think its important that I am learning Spanish because I can talk to my Spanish teachers and my friends in Spanish instead of English. I can kinda understand them when they talk to me, but I’m getting better.”
Throughout the school year, various multicultural-, health- and literacy events are planned that not only encourage family and community involvement, but also aim to high student achievement.
“The work is hard but the rewards are insurmountable,” Perez said. “We will continue to do our best and grow as a family.”
Source: New Britain Herald
