Bend‑La Pine details language and cultural services: dual‑language, newcomer and family liaison programs highlighted

Kinsey Martin, Bend‑La Pine Schools' executive director of policy and advocacy, told the board Sept. 9 that the district’s language and cultural services team supports a substantial multilingual student population and is expanding programs and curriculum.

"We have over 1,300 students who have been identified as English language learners," Martin said, adding that the district identifies 37 home languages this year and that ‘‘recent arrival’’ students — those in their first three years in U.S. public schools — number about 290.

Martin described four program areas: the K–12 dual‑language (dual immersion) program, the newcomer program, family liaison services and ELD curriculum and partnerships. Staff leaders detailed program scale and work:

- Dual‑language: Stephanie Bonnie, elementary dual language coordinator and teacher, said the district now runs dual‑immersion at four sites (Bear Creek Elementary, Jewell Elementary, High Desert and Caldera) and that the district has graduated its third dual‑language cohort from Caldera High School. The program's goals are to produce students who are bilingual, biliterate and bicultural.

- Newcomer program and Fuerte: Chelsea Jennings, newcomer program specialist, described services for recently arrived students including field trips, college and career connections, academic supports and tailored interventions. George Perez explained the Fuerte program, a social‑emotional curriculum that lets newcomer students share experiences, build peer support and access school and community resources — a classroom therapy‑informed group that staff say aids healing and adjustment.

- Family liaisons and outreach: Liz Vargas and Carol Cruz described their work helping families navigate district apps, sign students up for sports and activities, enroll in supports such as OHP and connect with community services. Staff emphasized in‑person support for parents at PTO meetings and enrollment activities.

- Curriculum and professional development: Liza Hewitt, director of multilingual services, said the elementary team has completed two years of curriculum design and is auditing and revising materials; middle and high school teams are in design years. Hewitt highlighted community partners including the Bend Science Station, KTVZ and the district production kitchen that helped design hands‑on units tied to language instruction.

Martin and staff told the board that nearly 900 students participate in native‑language instructional models and that the district is piloting co‑teaching models, professional learning (SIOP and SIOP Intensive), and partnerships to provide classroom‑level sheltering of instruction. Staff invited board members to visit programs in person and emphasized the labor required to sustain the work across the district.

Board members asked about measurement and outcomes. Martin said the district slices outcome data but is fixing a technology bug before publishing the most recent analyses. Board members also asked about linkage to community mental‑health resources; staff said they use local partners, OHP enrollment assistance and services such as Care Solace to connect families with counseling and health services.

Why it matters: staff described sustained growth in multilingual populations, the labor intensity of programming and the need for continued district and community support. Administrators said the scale is large — staff noted that if dual immersion were a standalone district it would be larger than many Oregon districts — and asked the board to continue public support for staffing and partnerships.

Ending: Staff asked board members to visit programs and told the board they will return with ongoing curriculum and outcome updates as the teams complete auditing and data work.