San Leandro USD

English Learner Newsletter, Winter 2023: See what's happening in our multilingual programs!

Doris Castillo Shadic Tuesday, Mar 7 at 10:00 AM San Leandro USD

Welcome to the English Learner Winter Newsletter! Here we provide our multilingual families with resources and information on English Learner (EL) programs. We also highlight how we foster multilingualism throughout our schools and diverse communities.

Click on a school site below for information on their DLI programming:

Dual Language Immersion Expansion

We are thrilled that our Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programming is expanding across the district this fall!

Washington Elementary, our original DLI site, has Spanish DLI classrooms from K-5th grade. As these students transition to 6th grade next year, Bancroft Middle School will be home to our new middle school Spanish DLI program.
Jefferson Elementary, which currently has Spanish DLI classrooms from K-2nd grade, will expand to 3rd grade next fall.
Halkin Elementary will begin transitioning its Spanish Bilingual Pathway to a Spanish DLI program starting with kindergarten in the fall of 2023.
Madison Elementary will open a Mandarin DLI program beginning with a Kindergarten class this coming school year.

Jefferson Elementary DLI Program featured on Univision

We are pleased to share a beautiful story on inclusive classrooms that was featured on Univision and highlights the work Jefferson Elementary is doing around creating classrooms that reflect the diversity of the students through classroom library collections, toys, and materials. Look at one of the Kindergarten DLI classrooms highlighted in the video here.

Spring 2023 ELPAC Testing in SLUSD

The testing window has opened for the Summative English Language Proficiency Assessment of California (ELPAC), which all students designated as English Learners take in the spring of every year. The ELPAC, administered at school sites, gives teachers, students, and families information about providing support in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English. Families are such essential partners in preparing for this assessment! Please use these links for more information and ways you can practice with your children!

Parent Guides in Multiple Languages

Spotlight on Reclassification

In keeping with the district’s vision to prioritize bilingualism and biliteracy, over 260 students have been reclassified as Fluent English Proficient this year. We are proud of these scholars who worked hard to attain high academic rigor and meet English proficiency standards! Students and families across the district were recognized and celebrated for their accomplishments at school reclassification ceremonies. San Leandro Education Fund (SLED) partnered with SLUSD to provide gift certificates to Books, Inc. for all reclassified students!

We invite you to watch the video below to hear stories and advice from a few parent leaders on the importance of being bilingual and how to support your child in reaching reclassification.

ELPAC Support at the Middle Schools

English Learners (Scholars) at Muir and Bancroft middle schools had the opportunity to participate in an afterschool intensive review in preparation for the Summative ELPAC. Students reviewed questions and practiced strategies for the four areas in the Summative ELPAC: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. Group administration for Listening, Reading, and Writing for the Summative ELPAC will be in their ELD classrooms the week of March 13th-17th. Speaking will be done individually through May 31st. Encourage your child to do their best and ensure they attend school on time, are well rested, and are ready to do their best. If your students missed any parts of the Summative ELPAC, they can make up any missed sections.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year, which originated in east Asian countries, is an important holiday for many of our San Leandro families. Celebrations began this year on January 22nd, filled with rich culture and tradition centered around the hope for good fortune and prosperity. Many countries celebrate this year as the year of the rabbit, while Vietnam recognizes the year of the cat. Many schools throughout the district held celebrations to honor this vital celebration. San Leandro High School returned to an in-person community celebration on the evening of January 27th, with an incredible turnout of students, families, and community members. SLHS World Langauge Department Chair Jonathan Fall spearheaded the event with support from the ASA (Asian Students Association), staff, and administrators, including food, traditional games, a photo booth, Karaoke, and more.

PIQE: Parent Institute for Quality Education
San Leandro Unified continues to partner with PIQE to offer families throughout the district the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills to support their student’s educational success. After resounding positive feedback from parents after the launch at SLHS in the 2022-23 school year, this fall, SLUSD provided families from Madison Elementary, McKinley Elementary, and Bancroft Middle schools the opportunity to be trained by the bilingual PIQE team. This winter, families from Roosevelt Elementary, Monroe Elementary, Muir Middle, Lincoln High, and San Leandro High are participating in the 10-week course. SLUSD is bringing PIQE to Halkin, Jefferson, and Washington Elementary schools this spring. At each school site, the parents celebrate their learning journey from the ten weeks with PIQE in a special graduation ceremony, sharing their certificates of completion with pride and being honored by Keynote speeches from participating parents and community members.

Get involved!
You can help plan and support English Learner programs at your child’s school by joining the next English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) meeting. This is a great way to learn about multilingual programs and advocate for multilingual support. Get involved and get connected!

Questions from our Community

Let us know what you would like to see in future newsletters or parent learning series! We know you are the most crucial support for your child’s education, and we want you to have all the tools and resources you need.

Email us at communications@slusd.us.