Welcome to the ESOL Program at James Mastricola Upper Elementary School and Mastricola Elementary School.

In the Merrimack School District (MSD), our mission is to provide a high-quality education for all students. The ESOL program is designed to support multilingual learners as they develop the language skills needed to succeed academically, socially, and in future career settings. We value and celebrate the cultural and linguistic diversity of our students and strive to create an inclusive learning environment where every child can thrive.

We believe that strong partnerships with students and families are essential to success. We are committed to providing meaningful support and resources and look forward to working with you throughout your child's ESOL journey.

All students who qualify for the ESOL program based on their initial language WIDA Screener are required by federal and state law to participate in the annual WIDA ACCESS testing. The testing window runs from January through mid-March, and families will be notified before their child's assessment.

The WIDA ACCESS measures English language proficiency in four domains: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Students who earn an overall proficiency score of 4.5 or higher exit the ESOL program and enter a four-year monitoring period. Students who score 4.4 or below remain eligible for ESOL services, which are provided one to two times per day based on their proficiency levels and state requirements.

Eligibility results from the initial language screener from WIDA are shared with families shortly after testing is completed. Annual WIDA ACCESS assessment results are shared with families in early June each year. 

Click HERE for information on the initial WIDA Screener.

Click HERE for more information about the WIDA ACCESS test.

Click HERE for New Hampshire Department of Education (DOE) testing information.

NH DOE state guidelines for Initial ESOL Identification and Placement.