Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Marianne Litzman gave an overview of the proposed implementation of an integrated co-teaching program in the high school at the Feb. 4 board of education meeting.
The proposed teaching program for the high school includes an Algebra 1 Bilingual Co-Teaching course with a Spanish speaking math teacher with bilingual certification and an ESL co-teacher. Also included in the plan is a Living Environment course with Spanish speaking science teacher and ESL co-teacher, as well as a Global 9 and Global 10 certified Social Studies teacher with Spanish speaking teacher’s assistant.
“With the students having the support of the ESL instructors, it will help them to be college and career ready as well as gaining the necessary requirements to graduate,” said Litzman.
Supervisor of Social Studies, Home and Careers Dr. Rose Borda, added that the advantage of having a Spanish speaking teacher’s assistant in the Global 9 and 10 courses, “would help keep students on task, help them differentiate the material and if they needed extra help, could help translate something into Spanish.”
At the meeting, the board of education also discussed the kindergarten bilingual program. In order to determine a student’s eligibility into the kindergarten bilingual program, students must first take the New York State Identification Test of English Language Learners (NYSITELL). Supervisor of Modern Languages, ESL and Activities, Robin Throne gave some insight into the NYSITELL Assessment.
“For the NYSITELL, administrators interview students, ask them basic questions and then determine if additional testing is needed for placement,” said Throne.
The NYSITELL testing takes place between April 16 and May 15 and there are four levels of NYSITELL labs for the kindergarten class, grades 1-2, grades 3-4 and grades 5-6.
She added that there were approximately 100 students enrolled in the ESL program.
Once the testing is completed, parents are notified of program eligibility in writing and individual parent meetings are scheduled for opting into or out of the program. This process begins in June.
District registration for incoming kindergarteners begins the week of Feb. 23 and ends the week of March 16. The kindergarten bilingual program would begin in September.
Facilities Update
Assistant Superintendent for Business Marcy Tannenbaum gave a brief update on the district’s facilities.
The high school, middle school, Woodland, Fork Lane, Old Country Road, Lee Avenue and East Street were all included in the facilities projects which range in date from 2015-‘16 priorities to 2019-‘20 priorities.
The costliest projects for the high school are the athletic field/extra bleachers at a cost of $700,000 and the cafeteria, kitchen and small gym roofs and skylights at $944,000. These projects have been prioritized for the 2019-‘20 school calendar year.
Woodland, Fork Lane, Old Country Road and Lee Avenue are set to get updated interior doors, lockers, ceilings and tile flooring in the 2018-‘19 calendar year.
