SAVE THE DATES

November 2nd and 6th – Campus LPAC Folders/eSTAR Audits

November 2nd - 13th – Secondary TELPAS Writing Collection- Volunteering campuses participating

November 9th - District Elementary Bilingual/ESL Grade Level Teacher PLCs 4:15-5:45 p.m.

November 11th - District Secondary ESL Reading Teacher PLC 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

November 13th - Module 2 of Sheltered Instruction and ELPS Instructional Tool Modules Closes

November 16th - January 15th Module 3 of Sheltered Instruction and ELPS Instructional Tool Modules Opens

Dear Administrators, Teachers and Parents:

We are already in the 2nd six weeks of school. I want to dedicate this section of the newsletter to the LPAC administrators on campuses. The work of the administrators with the LPAC (Language Proficiency Assessment Committee) process does not go unnoticed. Our district appreciates their patience, flexibility and hard work with the process. We know that establishing strong systems to monitor progress of our bilingual/ESL students is something that will pay off.

In this newsletter we showcase best practice found at the different feeder patterns. Please share pictures of the great things happening in your classroom with our Bilingual/ESL Department Team.

Sincerely,

Pilar Moreno-Recio

Director of Bilingual/ESL Education

Bilingual/ESL Department E-Newsletter

Message from the Bilingual/ESL Director Issue # 8, October 2015

Mr. Valdes, 5th grade bilingual teacher at Carver Elementary, shares his ideas on how to teach force and motion using hands-on learning, science journals and technology with other 5th grade bilingual teachers at

the bilingual/ESL district PLCs every six weeks.

Pilar Moreno-Recio, Bilingual/ESL Director, and her team welcome parents of bilingual/ESL students at the informational breakfast and dinner held at the Goose Creek Administration Building and Peter E. Hyland Center.

Ms. Sandoval models how she implemented WACA the

“Write” Way with her students during social studies.

Elementary

STERLING FEEDER PATTERN

I am excited to be visiting campuses and seeing the wonderful things our students are doing! Take a peek at what the teachers at Clark

Elementary are learning. The bilingual/ ESL team at Clark is participating in a series of trainings on how to help our students advance in their writing

skills in math, science and social studies, also known as W.A.C.A. (writing across content areas).

Keep it up, Clark Cowboys! I look forward to visiting other campuses to

showcase their work with our ELLs.

-AHIMÉ ORNELAS Bilingual / ESL Specialist

Ms. Dominguez shares how she used the strategy Pass

the Plate to engage her

students in writing.

Teachers at Clark learn about Talk, Read, Talk, Write by Nancy Motley.

Teachers of ELLs show different strategies used to integrate writing in content areas.

Writing Across Content Areas (W.A.C.A)

Second six weeks is now in session!

Due to restructuring I will be primarily working with junior high

schools: Cedar Bayou Junior, Highlands Junior, and Gentry Junior.

-Joseph Rodriguez

Teachers at Highlands Junior School utilize technology and interactive discussions to engage students in learning.

Teachers at the Secondary Newcomer Academy integrate technology to assist in English language development.

The second six weeks has been a great success! I am excited to be in the

classrooms and experience first-hand all of the hard work our students are

producing. Take a moment to see all the great things that are happening in our

feeder pattern. -Araceli Garcia

Harlem Elementary bilingual teachers are hard at work learning about how the ELPS can enrich instruction and help students achieve academic and linguistic success.

Hopper Elementary hosts Bilingual Parent Night to inform parents about the bilingual services their children receive and how they can support their child’s learning at home.

Elementary Secondary

Secondary Newcomer Academy At Peter Hyland

GCM FEEDER PATTERN

Students and teachers are hard at work in the second

six weeks! I’ve enjoyed being able to visit different

classrooms in my feeder pattern and seeing all the

wonderful things happening! I look forward

to visiting more and featuring other schools soon! Take a peek into

some of the classrooms at San Jacinto and the

presenters for the 2nd grade bilingual PLC.

~ Susie Castro

Elementary

Laraina Hunt provides numerous anchor charts and an academic Word Wall for her writing students. Jamey Pulcher has an academic Word Wall and a variety of manipulatives for her math students.

My focus school for this month is Baytown Junior. The Baytown Junior team has been working hard to set up word walls, anchor charts, and improve language objectives. They are also focusing on many hands on activities and trainings. All of these decrease the language barrier for ELL’s and increase their comprehension and subsequent success in the content areas. Thank you, BJ! -Jennifer Fierro

LEE FEEDER PATTERN

Secondary

Students in Ms. Crow’s class are using a pumpkin to count and measure!

Left: Students are excited to order

numbers correctly and create displays of work

they can wear.

Right: Ms. Harding’s students are hard at work during their social studies class.

Teacher are hard at working learning from each other and Mrs. Harding and Ms. Morales!