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Souderton to add Heritage Spanish elective for native and heritage speakers
Summary
Souderton Area High School teachers proposed a Heritage Spanish elective aimed at native and heritage speakers to strengthen cultural identity, refine written and spoken Spanish, and support college and career readiness; the course will be prioritized for native/heritage speakers and move to the next committee for approval.
Christine Yardley, the high school’s world language coordinator, and two Spanish teachers presented a proposed Heritage Spanish elective to the Education Personnel Committee on June 11, saying the course is designed for native and heritage Spanish speakers and would begin next school year if approved. "We're excited about this course," Yardley said, describing four sequential units that emphasize culture and family, environmental stewardship, global citizenship and future planning, and applied language skills such as writing scholarship essays and job applications.
The presenters and board members said the course responds to an identified placement issue: several Spanish‑speaking students previously were placed in Spanish II and the class content did not meet their needs. Yardley and colleagues said Heritage Spanish would prioritize students whose first language is Spanish or who use Spanish at home while remaining an elective option for other students. Committee members discussed grade targeting and sequencing; presenters said the class is likely to serve mostly juniors and seniors and would build language expectations from unit one to unit four.
Board members and the public asked about prerequisites, sequencing with AP Spanish, and whether high‑performing English‑speaking students who completed Spanish IV could enroll. Teachers said the initial Heritage Spanish offering has no prerequisite but is prioritized for heritage/native speakers; the district also plans an honors/advanced Spanish option that could be taken before, concurrently with or after AP Spanish. Yardley said the district hopes for an initial section of about 20 students.
The committee noted the course would proceed to the next committee for formal approval and emphasized the program’s potential to improve cultural connection and academic outcomes for ESL and heritage students. The presentation was accompanied by Q&A from board members who encouraged outreach to middle schools so younger students learn about language pathways.
The committee did not take a final vote; presenters said the course will move through the usual approval process next month.
