DLI Program Begins At Leesburg Elementary SchoolLEESBURG – This school year marks the first year Leesburg Elementary School’s Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program is being implemented into the building.
There are two kindergarten classes in the DLI program. Each class spends half the day with Solemar Rosario in the Spanish room and half the day with Heidi Class in the English room. The students’ demographics include one-third native Spanish speakers, which allows the program to be a two-way program. Students are not just learning Spanish from Rosario, but also from their peers. This also allows native-Spanish speakers the opportunity to remain biliterate and bilingual.
Class, the kindergarten English teacher in the program, said, “Prior to DLI, many of our native Spanish speakers were not retaining their Spanish when they came to school. We value the opportunity for our students to be bilingual and have a vast understanding of academics in two languages. This is going to be an incredible program for everyone involved.”
Rosario, the kindergarten Spanish teacher, came to Leesburg after being a teacher in Puerto Rico for 18 years, 11 of which was in kindergarten.
Nate Polston, principal at Leesburg Elementary, said, “We are incredibly lucky to have Señora Rosario with us. It’s amazing to see her teach math skills in Spanish, and how seamlessly the kindergarten students follow along. Her enthusiasm for teaching and the Spanish language is contagious.”
Brent and Ashley Doty, parents of a DLI student at Leesburg, have felt very fortunate for this opportunity for their son to learn a different language by immersion, according to a news release from Warsaw Community School Corp.
“We felt this would open up so many more opportunities for him in the future and enhance his learning exponentially. We are excited to watch him grow and develop as he is challenged in a second language and given an opportunity we did not have access to as children,” they said.
Jose and Shelly Rosario wanted their son to be a part of the DLI program at Leesburg so he could connect more with his family.
“The opportunity for our son to learn a second language means so much to our family. My husband is bilingual and some of his extended family speaks mainly Spanish. It will give him a great opportunity to connect with his family in a more meaningful way through language. We are so impressed with how much he has already learned in the first four weeks of school. His enunciation of the Spanish words that he has learned is amazing. We are so proud of him and the program at Leesburg,” they said.
The DLI Program will add a grade level each year. The 2019-20 school year will include kindergarten and first grade.
If you are interested in your child being a part of the kindergarten DLI program at Leesburg next school year, contact Leesburg’s school office at 574-453-4121 to be put on the list.
