Obsidian Middle School sixth graders trail blazed a new program this year, as the Redmond School District expanded its dual-language program to the middle school.

The program offers instruction in both Spanish and English to kindergartners through sixth graders. Assistant Director Trevor Flaherty is the product of such a program himself, and knows how culturally and linguistically enriching it can be. So far, he said, the new school year is going well.

Flaherty said, “So far what I can tell from all vantage points, I guess, we’re looking like we’re off and running in a really good start to the year with the program.”

Start of dual-language

Dual language began with two kindergarten classes during the 2017-18 school year. It later moved to Hugh Hartman Elementary, which is the host elementary school. By adding a class each year, the dual-language program will reach kindergartners through 12th graders by the 2029-30 school year, according to the school district’s website.

This year, sixth graders are given half of their instruction in Spanish, which includes math and Spanish language arts/social studies. The latter is more of a humanities class with components on history and culture, said dual-language teacher Chelsea Gordon, who teaches both sections.

Gordon said her students are ready to learn. They are starting the year learning Spanish capitals and countries on a map, which she wants to serve as a foundation. She set up a classroom library of novels in Spanish, and hopes to hold field trips to Bend and possibly Portland.

This is her 10th year at Obsidian Middle School, where she has primarily taught math. Due to her background in Spanish, she said she occasionally taught math bilingually for Spanish-speaking students who would have an easier time learning in their native language.

Gordon said she wants her students to have “confidence in whatever they’re learning,” and she’s excited for them to learn more about culture and history. She’s looking forward to bringing everything in her career together to teach humanities, which is a new experience for her.

The program is a great opportunity for students to learn and preserve their culture, she said.

For their other classes, students in the dual-language program are mixed with their peers, and classes are taught in English.

There are 33 sixth graders in the program this year, said Gordon. Next year, the program will likely look to hiring additional staff.

“We are just in the process of creating, at some point in time, a seamless K-12 program,” said Flaherty. Two years ago, program officials worked with teachers, parents, community members and administrators to create a path for the program to go forward. They eventually decided on Obsidian Middle School as one of the host schools. Ridgeview High School will be the host high school in a few years, he said.

Dual-language’s future in Redmond

Program officials are working ahead to hire and train teachers so the program won’t have to scramble to find qualified teachers as it gets larger, Flaherty said. The district has partnerships with the Oregon Department of Education’s Visiting Teachers program, and is looking to bring teachers from Spain or Mexico to Redmond. The district’s human resources office is working on hiring biliterate staff overall, but with particular focus on hiring for the dual-language program. Flaherty also said the Grow Our Own program is a priority, where organizers are identifying biliterate instructional assistants or parents already in Redmond and advising them to get a teaching license.

“It’s been a challenge,” Flaherty said. “(We’re) trying to find highly qualified individuals who are not only great teachers but also have that biliteracy component as well. They not only need to be high quality in English, but they’ve gotta know their stuff, so to speak, content-wise, in the target language too, which is Spanish for us. We know that as we get further down the line in the program, as well, that becomes even more challenging.”

Dual language program’s first grads

 

First class of 27 seniors to graduate from dual-immersion program

 

The program is fully staffed at this point, but that doesn’t mean Flaherty isn’t still looking for more teachers.

“We always have our ear out there for potential for the future,” he said.

Community support

The community has embraced the dual-language program, said Flaherty. Even with a lottery process, there are 50 native English-speaking families and 10 to 12 native Spanish-speaking families on the waitlist right now.

Families who want their children to transfer into the program after kindergarten are considered on a case-by-case basis, because they need to pass certain proficiency standards first. Space is also a factor.

Every grade level has a 50/50 learning model split between material taught in English and Spanish. Program organizers are examining different models as well to ensure students spend more time speaking the target language, Flaherty said.

“I’m a product of a dual-language program experience, and I’ve seen firsthand what it’s done for me as far as being a biliterate individual in our world today,” said Flaherty.

“The access it provides me to be able to communicate with people across the board has been tremendous. I just am a firm believer that expanding opportunities for our kids, allowing them to be part of a program that will culturally enrich them, that will linguistically enrich them, these are all just…pieces of that puzzle.”