October 2008Spanish Immersion Program at Daniel Webster Elementary School Launches Ahead of ScheduleBy Dena FischerDue to an overwhelming demand for Spanish Immersion Programs at San Francisco’s public schools, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) fast-tracked the opening of Daniel Webster Elementary School’s Spanish Immersion Program (SIP). The program, which was originally slated to start at the school in 2009, began this academic year with two kindergarten classrooms, both of which consist of the optimal 50-50 mix of native Spanish and English-only speakers. Daniel Webster has hired two highly qualified teachers to kick-off the program. With seven years experience teaching Spanish Immersion, Katina Strong moved from Chicago to join the team at Webster. Sunshine Suit, a 20-year San Francisco resident, transitioned to Webster from teaching high school-level Spanish. Fluent in Spanish and Italian, Suit is also an accomplished Flamenco and West African dancer. The new teachers join a dedicated Daniel Webster staff, many of whom – including Principal Moraima Machado – are bi-lingual in Spanish and English. The new program has been designated a top priority for SFUSD’s Multi-Lingual Department, with significant resources being made available to Daniel Webster under the supervision of Kevin Chavez. The school is also being supported by Parents for Public Schools, San Francisco Advocates for Multi-lingual Education, The Potrero Residents Education Fund and the pioneer SIP kindergarten parents. In addition to SIP, with support from the Louise and Claude Rosenberg Jr. Family Foundation funding has been secured for campus mentors to serve as recess and lunch time supervisors at the elementary school. The mentors have been trained at San Francisco State University’s Pacific Leadership Institute in leadership, team/community building, conflict resolution, and violence prevention, and will be present daily to engage with the students and initiate all-inclusive cooperative games. |
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