Vannoy Launches Dual Language Immersion Program
Vannoy Elementary School has begun a new Spanish Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, and the staff and students are excited about the results so far. Its goal is to provide the opportunity for children to be fluent in both English and Spanish — bilingual, bi-literate, and bicultural.
Principal Doris De La Torre is particularly enthusiastic about this program.
“I grew up in Castro Valley, and Spanish is my first language,” she told the Forum. “In the 1980s there wasn’t much support for students like me. Now I work in the district and have become very passionate about helping children. My focus is on how we can empower them. Speaking another language is an asset.”
De La Torre has been prepping for the DLI program with Nia Rashidchi, Castro Valley School District’s Director of Elementary Curriculum. Preparations included visiting numerous school sites with similar programs, partnering with Santa Clara University for course design, and coordinating Spanish classes with Castro Valley Adult and Career Education.
“The Board of Education has been wanting to start a program like this for years," says Rashidchi.
“We know it will really benefit our kids and community. We did a lot of research to see what works and what pitfalls to avoid. What’s great about the Dual Language community is that everybody shares their findings.”
Vannoy’s first Spanish-English immersion classes, which started last month, are a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and two regular Kindergartens. In each class, half the students already speak Spanish, and half speak English. Each year more Kindergarten classes will be added. Hopefully, the children will continue with the DLI program through high school. Planning has already started to build the program in the higher grades.
Participation in the DLI program is voluntary and is open to all families in the district. Although De La Torre and Rashidchi were unsure about community interest in this kind of program, they needn’t have worried. At their first orientation meeting in May, Vannoy’s large amphitheater was packed with eager families.
“The young children are fearless about learning a new language,” says De La Torre. “The Kindergarteners in the program are already rolling their ‘R’s. The kids are engaged and ready to learn.”
To make the DLI program even more engaging, the principal’s daily morning Zoom greetings to the students feature the school mascot, a cougar — puma in Spanish. The cougar, a stuffed animal named Posey, is now joined by a Spanish-speaking puma named Luna.
Both De La Torre and Rashidchi say that the Vannoy community is like a family that has embraced this new program.
“Our school is a hidden little gem. It’s like a warm embrace,” says De La Torre.
Vannoy School is located at 5100 Vannoy Ave., Castro Valley.