June 2024 EL Summit by Natallie Liz

Stakeholders who support EL's directly outside of School Counselor at KWHS:

2024-05-28 14:06:45 UTC

Lydia Estenoz, Marc Pierre, and Ileana Garcia, Yanelys Ballard, Maggie Quintana, Karen Castro, and Annie Rojas.

These individuals show care and compassion for students at KWHS. They seek to understand the full picture, regardless of the reason they may become involved, and I have witnessed EL students open up and feel supported. There is also an element of responsibility and follow-through with students when these individuals are involved. These colleagues are highly respected and an incredible support for communicating with students, families, and the greater community.

2024-05-28 14:10:34 UTC

We are currently utilizing our parent educator to help parents understand the process of our schools. For our newcomer students we are utilizing programs such as imagine learning or learning a-z to help students learn English.

Connecting EL students with peers.

2024-05-28 14:11:14 UTC

We are working to connect our EL students with peers who have common interests or language-supports on campus. Spanish-speaking students are typically the most connected EL student. I believe we would benefit from an increase in Haitian/Creole and Uzbek-speaking faculty, as the element of face-to-face connection can be difficult outside of a language line interpreter when communicating with families and students.

Enrollment Process

2024-05-28 14:13:53 UTC

At the beginning of the year, I streamline my enrollment process using Ellevation. I complete group batches instead of individual students. For the newcomers I receive through the year, my data entry staff member gives me the Home Language form and I go from there. The first thing I see is if the student has been enrolled in another school in the US so I can get the information from that school, if not, I create a new file.

Exemplars at CSHS

2024-05-28 14:16:46 UTC

Mayredys Gonzalez, Brittany Poelma, and Clara Rife.

These ladies (including myself), go above and beyond to build a relationship and support our EL students and their families inside and outside of the school enviroment.

Newcomers

2024-05-28 14:20:50 UTC

At CSHS, we make sure our newcomers are supported. This means we make sure the student and family applies (I help them if needed) for free lunch. We make sure they are in our food assistance program if needed. We speak to all their teachers and make sure they have their EL accommodations. We use all our available resources (i.e. iLitELL, Read180, summer school) to help them begin to understand and gain the English language.

3rd Grade Data

2024-05-28 14:21:31 UTC

For 3rd grade I use ISIP monthly data, weekly spelling, comprehension, and grammar assessments to help me plan and drive my instruction.

Data

2024-05-28 14:22:58 UTC

At CSHS, we use the student(s) WIDA scores, screeners, EL contact, teacher input, student input, and WIDA Can Do Descriptors to guide our instructions.

Enrollment Process

2024-05-28 14:27:36 UTC

When EL students enroll at our school, after the school year has begun, our data entry will put the paperwork in a folder on her desk for the EL contacts to get. One of the EL contacts will then test the students and put the required info in Ellevation and print the necessary paperwork.

Enrollment Process

kdalbury — 2024-05-28 14:47:24 UTC

As part of our school’s ESOL program, it is crucial that the ELL Contacts promptly receive the Home Language Survey (HLS) forms for all new students. Unfortunately, we have noticed delays in the distribution process, which impacts our ability to adhere to the 20-day rule.

According to the ESOL handbook, HLS forms should be provided within 5 days of a student’s enrollment. To ensure accurate identification of newcomers, we have been relying on the FOCUS Newcomers report, and the ELL tab. However, this workaround is not ideal, as it may lead to missed opportunities for timely language assessment and support. We then notify the registrar that we do not have the HLS form and we also send a copy home with the student.

kdalbury — 2024-05-28 15:58:38 UTC

Here at HOB, Nerse Menses and I are the exemplars who manage the ELs at our schools. Other exemplars are some of our ESOL teachers—Cicley Holliman, Katarina Kostadinova, and our guidance counselor, Mr. Robinson. We also have quite a few teachers who manage our EL students well within the classroom. They use peer mentoring, different accommodations, small groups, read-alouds, and scaffolding. Before giving the WIDA Screener, Nersa and I spend a few minutes talking with our new students via translation. This helps to put them at ease, and we ask them questions about them and their families, and then they usually want to ask us about us and our families. It is a great way to get them at ease to take the WIDA Screener.

Newcomers

kdalbury — 2024-05-28 16:12:47 UTC

Here at HOB, most teachers assign peer mentors when available. While we do tell them to practice their English within the classroom setting, we also encourage them to speak in their native language during lunch and recess as we want to encourage our students to retain their first language and not lose it altogether.

We also have the following programs: Imagine Learning, IXL English, Duolingo, and Reading A-Z. Students in grades K-2 also use the iStation program. All of these programs give teachers good data as long as the student has been taught how to use the program.

A lot of teachers have put words up around the room to help students learn what different this are in the classroom.

Instructional Data for EL's

kdalbury — 2024-05-28 16:39:06 UTC

Here at HOB, we use WIDA Screener Scores, and WIDA Can Do Descriptors to help guide instruction. Imagine Learning Data (has lessons that teachers can use for the standards that EL students are not proficient in) and IStation data will give you data on how well the students are performing and recommended lessons. Student work in the classroom.

Enrollment of ELL students

2024-05-28 18:05:21 UTC

The process begins with our Registrar initially. Names and contact are taken for step 1 which is to set up an appointment. If the person has any relevant documents, they are copied and held. The Registrar coordinates with grade counselors and the ELL Interpreter to set up a meeting time and next steps, and then contacts the student family. In-take meetings are held with Registrar and counselors and students are enrolled.

Management of ELs

2024-05-28 19:02:20 UTC

At Coral Shores, Mayredys Gonzalez greets all new families and goes through an orientation with them. She assists with choosing classes and follows them throughout the year.

POI:

tara_whitehead — 2024-06-03 14:56:04 UTC

The entire school is well trained and accountable for our EL students however this is a list of designated staff members that work as part of our EL team.

Ariel McCauley - EL Contact

Erica Gates - EL Contact

Alex Dorisca - Parent Educator (EL)

Marie Michelin (Flore) - EL Parapro

Clara Gonzalez - EL Parapro

Elizabeth Liz - EL Teacher

Data Registrar

POI:

tara_whitehead — 2024-06-03 14:58:05 UTC

WIDA, Imagine Learning, STAR, FAST, Individual assessments specific to the structured literacy programs.