Parents press Greenfield USD for more in‑person language support as district lays out translation and SEL services

Parents and community members urged the Greenfield Union School District board of trustees to provide more in‑person language support, culturally relevant programs and improved special‑education access during public comment at a board meeting that also featured a district presentation on interpretation services and social‑emotional learning.

Speakers at the public‑comment portion, which focused on Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) outreach, told trustees that families are having trouble understanding school communications and conference materials and asked for in‑person staff who speak indigenous languages as well as Spanish. “We want community workers who can understand and will be able to, speak to them in their language,” said Feliciana Cruz, a parent organizer who said the committee she represents has pressed the district for monthly meetings and more direct support.

Other parents described practical barriers: a parent said a child with autism had not been receiving speech therapy regularly; Manuela Martinez said she repeatedly could not get an interpreter at high‑school conferences and at one point was told an interpreter would be on site for only two hours. Erlita Galindo asked for interpreters at school offices to explain documents she had been asked to sign.

Interim Superintendent Cortez responded with a district report on language access and related supports, saying staff now have access to an on‑demand interpretation service for oral languages and that on‑site translation and interpretation are scheduled at community events, LCAP meetings and a Family Resource Center (FRC) staffed in‑person weekly. Cortez said the district has published audio versions of flyers and is using school messaging (ParentSquare) to distribute them in parents’ preferred languages.

The presentation included usage data the district said it has begun collecting: 19 in‑person interpretation instances reported, and 28 on‑demand interpretation requests across languages including Spanish and indigenous languages. Cortez described a preferred‑language survey the district plans to push during parent‑teacher conference week to improve its records of which families need which services.

Cortez also listed non‑translation steps aimed at student well‑being and inclusion: two counselors and one social worker are assigned to each school site; the district uses daily SEL check‑ins that flag students who may need follow‑up; middle‑school students can file anonymous bullying reports via an app; and several after‑school clubs focused on indigenous culture, beadwork and traditional cooking are operating at three campuses, with efforts to expand.

Principal Maribel Barba of Amarillo Cycle Academy delivered a school site presentation immediately after public comment, highlighting reading and STEM activities, field trips and new extracurriculars. Barba told the board the school started a French class this year, expanded girls’ soccer, and has seen gains on Accelerated Reader participation.

The board did not take a formal vote on the interpretation or SEL programs during this meeting; Cortez said the presentation reflected ongoing work and invited continued parent input for LCAP planning. The superintendent’s office and the Family Resource Center were identified as contact points for families who need help completing the LCAP survey or accessing district services.

Trustees who spoke later in the meeting praised the district’s outreach and encouraged continuing collaboration with parent groups and local partners. Several trustees asked staff to ensure meeting locations and posted materials make it easy for parents to attend and participate earlier in the agenda.

The district did not present contract details, staffing changes or new recurring budget allocations for the interpretation services at the meeting; Cortez said the district is collecting data and refining processes to determine longer‑term staffing and resource needs.

Looking ahead, the district said it will publicize LCAP meetings in multiple languages, make interpretation available at those sessions, and offer assistance at the FRC for families who need help completing surveys or forms.