Sheridan Hills leaders tell Richfield board multilingual learners showing strong language growth; describe school supports for newcomers

Principal Stachel and Sheridan Hills MLL (multilingual learner) teachers presented to the Richfield Public Schools Board on April 7, describing instructional practices and student outcomes for the school's MLL population.

The presentation centered on language‑development measures and on-school supports for newcomers. Principal Stachel said the school has “approximately 93 MLL students,” including “14 of those students [who are] newcomers,” and reported Sheridan’s recent Access test results were well above the state average for language growth: Sheridan’s average progress‑toward‑target was reported near 77 percent compared with a state average of about 47 percent, and the percent of students meeting the Access target was reported near 51 percent versus a statewide average near 28 percent.

Those measures are the main state test designed to track English language development. Principal Stachel emphasized that the district still sees persistent achievement gaps on grade‑level tests (MCA, FastBridge) for some student subgroups, even as Sheridan’s MLL scores on the Access measure are comparatively strong.

Sheridan staff described a multi‑pronged approach to supporting language development and academic access. They said the school shifted from a primarily “push‑in” model to a pull‑out model that groups students across grade levels so MLL teachers can target instruction to the WIDA rubric (listening, speaking, writing, reading). Teachers said the pull‑out approach helps them meet specific language targets and that regular grade‑level collaboration (weekly Tuesday meetings) helps align pull‑out instruction with core grade‑level work. Principal Stachel said the schedule also builds flex time to serve newcomer students and center‑based special education students who are also MLL learners.

Staff described nonacademic supports as part of a “wrap‑around” approach: a Somali outreach worker, cultural celebration events, a multilingual book checkout program, an after‑school Spanish class and volunteer “lunch bunch” groups for older students. Principal Stachel said the outreach worker also helps with home‑school communication and small‑group work. Teachers noted they use Title I funds to buy multilingual books when literate students require them and that the school borrows materials from district libraries when needed.

Sheridan staff described efforts to place newcomers with at least one classmate who speaks the same language and gave a recent example: “We just had two new students come to us from Afghanistan. Pashto was a hard language to find. Right? And so we were lucky enough that they happen to be in the same grade level as two other students that we already had,” Principal Stachel said, describing how placement supported newcomer adjustment.

Teachers said professional development has been sustained around a small set of instructional strategies (named programs and consultants were referenced) rather than rotating through many different approaches. The presentation cited classroom practices such as sentence stems, visuals and consistent instructional routines tied to grade‑level standards while targeting WIDA language objectives.

Board members asked about collaboration, newcomer class placement, whether other elementaries use Win Time and how Sheridan supports students to enter the district dual‑language pathway later in middle school. Teachers said other elementaries use variants of Win Time and that Sheridan has had success preparing students to test into the middle‑school dual‑language program.

Principal Stachel and the teachers closed by highlighting the cultural pride work: students make a flag “hand” at the start of the year noting the languages they speak; staff said students and parents regularly point out those displays and that the activities help connect families to the school.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation; the item was an informational update.