I-SS board OKs Dual Immersion pilot

By: Chyna Broadnax | Mooresville Tribune
Published: January 06, 2009

Fresh off the holiday break, Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education members spent Monday's meeting catching up on a slew of issues.

The board's agenda included policy changes for staff, immunization requirements for students, and the Union Grove construction project.

Perhaps the most essential and time sensitive issue facing the board was the proposed Dual Immersion Program at East Iredell Elementary, in which students would be taught Spanish and English in the same classroom.

The board voted unanimously to pilot the program at the school as part of the district's plan of providing school choice to parents.

"We need to do something to make schools within the city unique and offer innovative programs to help attract students," said Chairman David Cash.

The district is offering this and its other options because it wants to be on a "competitive playing field" with charter schools, Superintendent Terry Holliday said.

With the board's approval, administrators can roll out a marketing plan to target families interested in attending the school.

District officials want to know how many students are interested in the program by March, Holliday said.

In the Dual Language Immersion classrooms teachers will teach the North Carolina Course of Study, but in two languages to help students become fluent in both languages.

Participating students will be more competitive, have an edge in high school, college, and the work place; be more likely to get high SAT scores; and have increased performance in English standardized testing, according to North Middle Teacher Kristi Martin.

Cash said this and other school options provide a chance for the schools to show what they can offer students.

"It's an opportunity to make each school shine by having their own identities," he said.

Outfitting the elementary school with DIP equipment, including anything from iPods to Smartboards in Spanish, could cost more than $130,000. That money will be taken out of capital outlay funds.

If the program turns out to be successful, N.B. Mills and Third Creek Elementary could be next in line to offer the program, Holliday said.