PRACTICE:
P.S. 255 Barbara Reing School
Creating a Welcoming Environment
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Shared by Naira Vaganyan, ENL Coordinator of P.S. 255 Barbara Reing School
At P.S. 255 we have students and parents that speak over 37 languages and dialects. As challenging as that may seem, we create a warm and welcoming environment for our families.
All Language Access Kit materials are utilized in our school. We also create our own, as well as use other available resources.
When families walk into the lobby, we have many of our notices and postings in a multitude of languages. Already, they can feel a sense of comfort.
Our staff is as diverse as our community, speaking more than 18 languages. A list of stuff members is posted in the main office, as well as distributed to personnel to use. There is someone readily available to help with translation. The over-the-phone interpretation services provided by the DOE are utilized.
Parents know they can come into our school and attend parent meetings and feel comfortable. We offer translation for our parent workshops and have a workshop series specifically for families whose children receive ENL services. The topics of the workshops are: School Survival Skills, Reading and Literacy, Math, NYSESLAT Prep, Arts and Writing.
Translation availability blurb is put on all important letters that are sent home.
Our pupil accounting secretaries are utilizing Phonetic Spelling of Frequently Used School Words and Phrases chart to get the message across to parents. At time of registration, Home Language Identification Survey is filled out with the child’s as well as parents’ preferred language and put in the ATS for future use. Important documents and phone calls are provided in the parents’ preferred language, as it may be different from the child’s. Also and Oral Interview is conducted to determine the languages spoken in the family.
ATS reports are checked periodically for updates in our school data.
Our school website has translations to 103 languages.
We are striving to provide everyone according to their needs. EQUITY vs EQUALITY
Another valuable resource utilized in our school is DIAL-A-TEACHER, homework help provided by the UFT in many languages. Information about this resource is posted in school lobby and distributed to parents and students in a form of a poster, a bookmark, and stickers.
Our school compiles and distributes a list of recommended and helpful websites and apps available for use to our students and parents.
At P.S. 255…every child is a star… come watch us shine!
If you have any questions about the Brooklyn South Advisory Board, please contact Elena Cunneely at Brooklyn South NYCDOE Borough Office at ECunneely@schools.nyc.gov.