Spanish program coming to Cedar Rapids elementary schools

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Community School District will introduce an Elementary Spanish Program during the 2011-2012 school year in all kindergarten and first grade classrooms.

One additional grade level will then be added each subsequent year, with kindergarten through fifth grades included in the program by the 2015-2016 school year.

Mary Ellen Maske, executive administrator of elementary education, said the district started exploring the possibility of adding Spanish to the elementary curriculum a few months ago.

Superintendent Dave Benson's previous school district, the Blue Valley school district in Overland Park, Kan., has had an elementary level foreign language program since the 1990s.

“It's something he's very proud of and asked us to look into it,” Maske said.

District administrators and teachers also visited existing programs in the Des Moines, Cedar Falls and College Community school districts.

Cedar Rapids is modeling its program after Blue Valley.

Students will participate in 30-minute Spanish language sessions every three days. Foreign language teachers will deliver the research-based curriculum to homerooms with the classroom teacher present.

Four teachers will provide instruction at the district's 24 elementary schools. Two of the teachers were hired within the district, the other two were hired from outside the district.

Maske said the curriculum will be designed this summer. The district has not ruled out adding additional languages to the program, but Maske said it is not a focus at this time.

“We believe students will be more comfortable and confident in a multicultural world as a result of this program,” Maske said. “Research shows that study of a second language results in cognitive benefits, gains in academic achievement, and positive attitudes towards diversity.”

She added that because many students in the school district come from dual language homes, the program will help students address community challenges, as well as prepare them for their future.