The Bainbridge Island School District (BISD) piloted the Spanish Immersion program in the 2012-13 school year. The El Velero Immersion Program, located at Ordway Elementary School, now has classes from Kindergarten through 4th grade. A 5th/6th grade El Velero class is hosted before school at Sakai Intermediate School.
The four primary goals of immersion education are to:
- Produce students who are bilingual and bi-literate;
- Create a keen awareness and appreciation of different cultures;
- Increase overall student achievement; and
- Produce students who can be competitive in the global marketplace.
For more information on the El Velero Spanish Immersion Program - https://www.bisd303.org/domain/1906