DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM

The following information is compiled by Stocktrail Bulls PTO for general informational purposes only. Please contact Campbell County School District or Stocktrail Elementary to verify the information, or if you have any questions.

DLI INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS

The district schedules DLI informational meetings in LATE FALL EACH YEAR for parents of incoming kindergarten children who are interested in learning more about the program.
The presentation is held in the Aspen Room at Lakeway Learning Center (525 West Lakeway Road). The presentation is the same each night.

2023Information presented in English & Spanish
November 7, 2023, 6:00-7:00pm
November 9, 2023, 6:00-7:00pm
November 14, 2023, 6:00-7:00pmNovember 16, 2023, 6:00-7:00pmDecember 5, 2023, 6:00-7:00pmDecember 7, 2023, 6:00-7:00pm

WHAT IS DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION (DLI)?

Dual language immersion is an opportunity for students to absorb a second language in school through a rich bilingual experience at a time when their minds are more flexible to learning.
Beginning in kindergarten, students enrolled in the Campbell County School District (CCSD) Spanish Dual Language Immersion program learn academic content (math, science, social studies, language arts) while also learning to speak, listen, read, and write in two languages - half of their day of academic content is taught exclusively in Spanish and half of their day is taught in English.
Students who enter the program do not have to understand or communicate in both languages but in order to benefit from the program, students need to participate all through elementary school.
This is a parent/guardian choice program so you must put your student on the district's DLI program interest list to have the opportunity for placement in the program.

BENEFITS

Research and results of DLI programs have shown dual language immersion students profit from many advantages. They:

Achieve high proficiency in a second language while learning the same academic material as non-immersion students
Perform better on standardized tests
Show higher levels of engagement including better attendance and fewer behavioral problems
Demonstrate increased attention control, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills
Learn subsequent languages easier and gain enhanced knowledge of native language
Develop a better understanding and appreciation of different world cultures
Become better prepared for the job market and the multilingual / multicultural world
Contribute to economic development statewide, nationally, and internationally
Delay the onset of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia

GOALS

The goals of Campbell County's Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program are:

Bilingual / Biliteracy

Students not only speak fluently in English and Spanish (bilingual), but are proficient in all four areas of each language: speaking, listening, reading, and writing (biliteracy).

High Academic Achievement

Students achieve academically at or above grade level in English and Spanish

Cultural Awareness

Students develop a global mindset, engage more with those from different cultures, and appreciate other ways of life through the diversity of our teachers (Peruvian American, Puerto Rican, Columbian, Mexican, Spanish), the study of various customs, and the celebration of art, music, dance, and traditions from other parts of the world.

HISTORY IN CAMPBELL COUNTY

In the fall of 2016 Campbell County School District implemented its first Dual Language Immersion Program (Spanish) at Stocktrail Elementary for 50 kindergarteners and 50 first graders. The following year (2017), the program expanded an additional 25 kindergartener spots to Rawhide Elementary. In the fall of 2018 and continuing through the fall of 2021, there were 50 kindergartners starting in the DLI program each year, at each school (100 DLI kindergarteners total).Begining in the fall of 2022 all DLI students will attend Stocktrail Elementary, making it a full (and the only) DLI elementary school in the district. There will be 4 sections (classes) for each grade. Also in the fall of 2022, the highest grade of DLI students in our district will continue their education in the two languages in 7th grade at Twin Spruce Junior High.

PROGRAM

The Campbell County DLI program uses the successful Utah Model as the foundation of its curriculum plan with changes made, as needed.
The first DLIs in Utah started in 2006, and they have grown exponentially, expanding their program statewide with legislative support.
The current CCSD elementary plan is a 50/50 model.

50% of the day that students learn academic content they are with a teacher that uses English language

50% of the day that students learn academic content they are with a teacher that uses Spanish language only (no English translation)

Classes switch between both teachers daily after lunch, as well as daily alternating which teacher they begin with since mornings are the optimal time for learning when children have more energy.
While the Spanish teachers speak completely in Spanish, they also use a range of non-verbal communication to help convey their message, including body language, expressions, pictures, songs, games, pantomime, etc. Studies have shown that children are more adept at picking up language when words are used in distinctive ways or in specific routines rather than when words are said more frequently.
The Spanish language teacher is responsible for teaching language arts, math, and science in kindergarten-4th grade. The English language teacher teaches English Language Arts, social studies, as well as reinforces math and science content by planning collaboratively with their partner teacher. The main switch in 5th & 6th grades is that social studies is taught in Spanish instead of science.
Dual Language Immersion students follow the same standards-based curriculum in all content areas that non-immersion students follow.

CCSD continues to work at generating options for students to carry their DLI learning into secondary school, and at creating a language roadmap for Wyoming dual language immersion programs statewide.When CCSD DLI students move on to 7th & 8th grades at Twin Spruce Jr High:

they will have 5 required courses (math, science, social studies, language arts, physical education) and 2 electives, like all students
their social studies class (World Geography - in 7th, American History - in 8th) will be taught completely in Spanish
1 of their electives will be a Spanish language arts course (Spanish 3 - in 7th, Spanish 4 - in 8th) where they could earn 3 college credit hours for each course*

*Current regulations give an age minimum for receiving community college credit hours but CCSD is hopeful to get this changed statewide by 2022-2023. If it does not get changed by then, the first class of DLI 7th graders will have the option to take the CLEP exam (College-Level Examination Program) at the end of the year and receive up to 9 hours of college credit.In high school, immersion students are well-positioned to take the AP Spanish course in 9th grade and then participate in concurrent or dual enrollment/dual-credit courses with local universities.
Wyoming Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Student Handbook

PARENT COMMITMENT

WHAT TO KNOW

It takes extensive time to fully develop second language proficiency and academic success. Please be aware of this and be willing to commit to the entire elementary school seven year language immersion experience to reap the rewards.
In the first stages of learning a new language, students may speak few, if any, words in the partner language. Don't worry if your young one doesn't report back to you with everything they have learned. They are immersed in the second language, absorbing it, making connections, and their development will get to the expressive stage.

Everyone has a passive (receptive) vocabulary and an active (productive) vocabulary. ⇢ Passive vocabulary consists of the words we understand and recognize as we listen and read (receiving words).⇠ Active vocabulary consists of the words we can readily use acurately while we speak and write (producing words).Naturally, learning language begins with receiving words, building our passive vocabulary. With time, comprehension of the language becomes stronger, but we may have a difficult time finding the words to express what we understand. Words in our passive vocabulary need to travel to our active vocabulary, in a file-sharing of sorts, to express our knowledge through speaking or writing, and this takes time and practice.

Students' brains are engaged at all times adapting to and learning a new language in this program. Expect your student to be exhausted the first months of school.
Spanish teachers will only speak to you in Spanish in front of children to maintain that immersion relationship with them.

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT

Be an advocate for your child learning a second language
Commit to long-term participation in the language immersion program
Develop an understanding of language immersion education
Read with your child (in English) 20-30 minutes daily
Encourage the use of Spanish outside of school (e.g. watch cartoons or listen to audio books in Spanish)
Make sure your child gets plenty of rest
Reassure your child through the process

LEARN MORE

Utah Model of Dual Language Immersion
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (University of Minnesota)
Center for Applied Linguistics

INTERESTED? : PLACEMENT PROCESS

ATTEND DLI INFO MEETING (late fall, year before kindergarten or sooner)

These meetings are a great chance to get a plethora of information, ask questions, and meet other families who are learning about the program.

SUBMIT INTEREST (before January to get into the lottery)

If you are interested in your child participating in this program, make sure you add your child's name to the list as soon as possible by completing the CCSD DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM INTEREST FORM.

LOTTERY (mid-January)

When there are over 100 students' names on the DLI kindergarten interest list for a given year, automatic admission is granted to siblings of current DLI students, and a random lottery will take place in January of the year the students start kindergarten (age 5 on or before September 15) to determine the remaining slots.

PLACEMENT LETTERS (late January)

After the lottery takes place each year, the district will send letters to all parents/guardians who were on the list to let everyone know of their student's placement, whether they are in the DLI program or will be attending their neighborhood school.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION (full week in early February)

Complete registration forms at the school your child will be attending any day during the week-long registration period (check your school's office hours). You may download and complete the forms HERE, but they can only be submitted to your school during the week of registration. You must bring your child's shot record and birth certificate at this time, and you will sign up for a date and time to have your child screened (for all children, not just DLI).

DLI WAIT LIST

If positions open up in the kindergarten DLI program, the district keeps a wait list and will offer that spot to the first on the list. So even if you missed the lottery cut off date, complete the interest form to get your name on the wait list.

CCSDDual Language Immersion (DLI)Program Interest Form

TRANSPORTATION will be provided to CCSD students attending the DLI program regardless of their neighborhood attendance area.

OLDER SIBLINGS who are not in the DLI program but have a younger sibling in the program may request to change schools so students attend the same school, as long as the older sibling is attending 5th or 6th grade in 2022-2023 (the only grades with neighborhood classes). If the request is approved the older sibling will be placed in the neighborhood class which is taught completely in English, however they will be exposed to the second language through announcements, recess, specials, etc.

Info on Stocktrail Elementary