Families in River Road/Howard neighborhood can choose between Spanish immersion and technology immersion programs
Great things are going on in River Road neighborhood schools! A new Spanish/English dual immersion program at River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary School is thriving in its first year. A mile away, Howard Elementary School offers an integrated technology immersion program with a laptop computer for every child.
In a novel approach to school choice, families within the two-school superboundary can choose between the two innovative programs and receive bus transportation to either school. The schools work collaboratively to manage enrollment through a modified neighborhood hybrid enrollment process.
One goal of the new partnership was to attract more area residents to enroll in their neighborhood schools. Two months into the first year, there already are signs of success. While the number of kindergarten students is down this year in the district overall, kindergarten enrollment is strong at both involved schools. River Road/El Camino del Río has enrolled 81 kindergarteners, a 20-year record, and has 50 more students on the waiting list. At Howard, 63 kindergarten students have enrolled — a five-year high. Neighborhood residents make up the majority, with 89% of Howard kindergarteners and 93% of River Road kindergarteners residing within the two-school superboundary.
The dual-immersion model at River Road/El Camino del Río strives for a blend of fluent Spanish speakers and English speakers, and core academic instruction is provided to students in both languages. With the new technology immersion program, Howard will continue to be a national leader in integrating technology as an instructional tool through project-based learning, and will help close the digital divide for students and families in poverty.
