Omaha schools expand dual-language program
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By The Associated Press
OMAHA— Omaha Public Schools will expand its dual-language immersion program this fall, making it one of 10 public school districts nationwide to offer it to all grade levels.
“It’s pretty special,” said Susan Mayberger, director of English as a second language for the Omaha district.
Classes offered through the dual-language program are comprised of a mix of students who mostly speak English or whose first language in Spanish. Instruction is given in both languages.
On the elementary level, most classes are assigned two teachers — one teaches in English; the other in Spanish.
Achievement results recently presented to the OPS school board showed that elementary students who were enrolled in the program scored better in reading and math than students who were not.
Ten-year-old Brian Palomares, who speaks Spanish as his first language, participated in the program at Spring Lake Elementary Magnet School and will continue taking the classes in the fall at Marrs Magnet Middle School.
He said he likes speaking both Spanish and English, and the dual-language courses help him read and write in both languages.
His mother, Teresa Palomares, said the program is “a wonderful thing for the kids — for their future.”
Brian’s brothers also take the courses and his sister will start with the new school year.
The district estimates 950 students will be enrolled in the program in the fall.
The dual-language program was first offered in 2000 at Marrs Magnet — then an elementary school. Since then it’s been expanded to seven other schools, with it offered at all grade levels beginning in the fall.
Further expansion of the program is planned in the coming years.
Rocio Majica, a 17-year-old who will be a senior at Omaha South in the fall, has been taking dual-language courses since her freshman year. She’s taken history, math and science classes in both languages, but will be limited to one — American government — next year.
She said she hopes more courses will be offered for future students.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” Rocio said. “I would love to take more classes in dual language.”
Only nine other U.S. public school districts will offer a dual-language immersion program for all grade levels during the upcoming school year.
Mayberger said educators are surprised when they learn that the program is being offered here.
“People are not expecting it in the middle of the country,” she said.
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