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Central SD 13J students demonstrate Independence Elementary two‑way immersion reading program
Summary
Independence Elementary students and staff presented the district board on a two‑way Spanish-English immersion program that begins with 90% Spanish instruction in kindergarten and shifts toward a 50/50 model by upper grades.
Independence Elementary Principal Dr. Nicole Smith and staff spoke to the Central SD 13J Board of Education on March 3 about the school's two‑way Spanish‑English immersion program and gave classroom demonstrations by kindergarten through second‑grade students.
The program, Dr. Nicole Smith said, begins with 90% of kindergarten instruction in Spanish and 10% in English and “that shifts every year until we get to 50% of the instruction is in Spanish and 50% of the instruction is in English.” She added the classes intentionally mix native Spanish and native English speakers so students “are each other's language examples and models for one another within the classroom.”
Teachers and support staff described classroom practice and early literacy instruction. Bilingual assistant Anna Gill said she works in reading intervention and outlined the program's phonics progression: students learn letter sounds, then blend syllables, and then “we begin to read.” Kinder teachers Gina Davis and Dona Seuss introduced classroom activities, and second‑grade teacher Daniella Martinez said students had been practicing “the little I mean, the multi lobes and the gray bears,” and then read to the board.
The presentation included live student demonstrations of syllable work and reading; staff introduced themselves and their roles onstage. Board members recessed briefly after the report and returned to regular agenda items.
The presentation did not include formal board action or a vote. The demonstration was presented as an informational student report and program overview for the board.
