SPRINGDALE, Ark — For four hours twice a week, non-native English speakers visit certain Springdale elementary schools to learn English at no cost. The program starts every September and runs throughout the end of the school year in May.
Director of ESL Programming and Services for the Springdale School District Dr. Carrie Bradow said during those four hours, the visitors are taught English and work alongside their children in the classroom. "They also get a chance to meet with their teachers and set their own goals."
The program is available at seven schools:
- Bayyari Elementary
- Elmdale Elementary
- George Elementary
- Parson Hills Elementary
- Smith Elementary
- Tyson Elementary
- Westwood Elementary
The unique family literacy program is split into four components:
- Parent time
- Adult ESL
- Children learning
- Parents and child together time
"We want to make sure that we're supporting all of our kids in their learning. That means helping our teachers, as well as our parents, really know how to advocate and support our kids with all their unique needs. The second part of that is meeting with our parents and helping them learn English," Said Dr. Bradow. "We know if they're able to speak the same language the students are learning, that helps support the students academically."
Dr. Bradow also mentioned the district's emphasis on community connections. "We have outside community partners come in and share the different services available to parents and families. We really focus on making sure we have a connection between the students in their classroom and the parents."
Maria Morales has three kids at Tyson Elementary and has been in this program for the past three years. One of her goals is to communicate effectively in English with her kids. "It's important, so you can help the children."
This program is in partnership with Northwest Technical Institute (NWTI) and has been making a difference for Springdale public schools since 2006.
Dr. Bradow says the district relies on open house events to recruit parents. "Those open houses are usually the first connection point with parents, where we offer and let them know this is a service that's available to them for participation. and from there, we have other lists of names of students and of parents that have maybe voiced some interest in participating, and we reach out to them directly and invite them up to the school,"
Maria Silvia Arevalo was one of the first students of the pilot program back in 2008. She took the class for a little over two years where she learned English while building community relationships. "In the class, I felt so happy with my friends and the teacher, so we learned the ABCs to help my kids and I learned to read and the verbs in past and present."
Now, Arevalo has a job in the Springdale school district. "Before, I couldn't talk with any of the people close to me, and now I understand when people are speaking or when I receive emails from the school about my kids. I still miss some words but it's helping a lot."
Arevalo said her new job is a better, more fulfilling work environment. "I like spending time with my coworkers, preparing food for the kids ... I feel happy."
This program is doing more than helping parents learn English... it's also improving their families' quality of life in America.
Springdale has a large Hispanic and Marshallese population and this program isn't just for Spanish speakers. To keep improving this program Dr. Bradow says one possible step forward would be to offer additional flexibility for parents by adding night classes.
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