Harlem 5th grade bilingual students enjoyed the active and engaging STAAR preparation lessons taught
by Janie Jimenez, Bilingual/ESL specialist. Students answer questions about drama in a carrousel format
in pairs. Students had to choose and agree on the best answer and explain why using text evidence.
Issue # 5, May 2015 Message from the Director of Bilingual/ESL Education
June 9th-30th- Bilingual/ESL Pre-K-K
summer school
June 9th- 26th -Language Acquisition
Camp 3rd-5th
June 9th-22th -Language Acquisition Camp
for newcomer students in grades 6th-8th
June 11th July 1st -Language Acquisition
Camp for newcomer students in grades
9th-12th
Important Dates:
Dear Administrators and Teachers:
Welcome to the fifth issue of the Bilingual/ESL department E-
newsletter. We are one week away from the end of this 2014-2015
academic year. We look forward to the exciting work of the upcoming
summer schools.
This month’s newsletter showcases the Goose Creek CISD winners of
the district HAABE (Houston Area Association for Bilingual
Education) bilingual/ESL teacher of the year competition. We share
with you how Banuelos teachers get together to ensure their LPAC
folders contain all documentation impacting decision of English
language learners at end-of-the-year. Do not miss the pictures of the
TELPAS data analysis done at our bilingual/ESL PLC at Alamo May
18th. Our curriculum writing cadres had an opportunity to network in
an open lab session at Bañuelos May 19th to work diligently to finalize
the Spanish language arts (SLAR) and English as a second language
(ESL) scope and sequences for next school semester. We share
information and pictures about our newcomer program. Thank you for
sharing pictures of best practices you observe in your classrooms.
Sincerely,
Pilar Moreno-Recio
Bilingual/ESL Department E-Newsletter
2
Goose Creek CISD HAABE
Bilingual/ESL Teachers
of the Year Banquet at the
Hilton University of
Houston
Goose Creek CISD Bilingual Elementary Teacher
of the Year, Ms. Fabiola Avena, and ESL
Secondary Teacher of the Year, Ms. Natalia
Heckman, posing with the gifts presented to
them at the May HAABE Bilingual/ESL Teacher of the Year banquet.
Thank you to Ms. Beatrice Baca, principal at Hopper Primary School and Mr. Kevin Foxworth,
principal at Ross Sterling High School, for their attendance to the HAABE Bilingual/ESL
Teacher banquet and support to their teachers. Ms. Avena’s family attended the event to show their support.
OUR LPAC FOLDERS ARE ALL READY!!
Bañuelos Elementary bilingual teachers get together
after school to ensure LPAC folders contain all
documentation pertaining decisions about English
language learners in preparation for end-of-the-year
LPAC annual review. Way to Go, Bulldogs!
WE LOVE OUR LPAC ADMINISTRATORS!
.
Thank you for your hard work to make all
decisions impacting our English language learners
a success. Ms. Gonzalez, LPAC administrator at
San Jacinto Elementary, always ensures her
paperwork is ready prior to LPAC meetings,
which guarantees a smooth process and time for
quality instructional decision-making.
4
District Bilingual/ESL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY AT ALAMO
Elementary
Bilingual/ESL Teachers met at the last PLC of this scholastic year to analyze TELPAS data. Teachers
wrote individual instructional goals for the next academic year to support English language acquisition
and shared those goals with colleagues.
Heather Witcher, Imagine Learning Educational
Consultant, recognized top campus Imagine Learning
program users. Ms. Walmsley, 2nd grade bilingual
teacher, from Travis was the top user with more than
40 hours of students’ program use.
Ms. Ana Carlson and Marcia Walmsley, present
at the last bilingual/ESL PLC, will be retiring
this year. They were recognized for their work
with Goose Creek CISD. Thank you for your
contribution to the education of our English
language learners.
Thank you Alamo Elementary for opening the doors of the campus to
host the District Bilingual/ESL Teacher PLC Meeting!
We wish you well !
5
Curriculum writing Cadres Below Cadres of writers sharing their progress on their SLAR and ESL scope
and sequences. PEER review and constructive feedback ARE making the
curriculum documents powerful
PURPOSE OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE ARTS SCOPE AND SEQUENCE WRITING
Provide bilingual students with foundation in first language so that they can build on the
transfer of skills in their second language. Establishing connections with their first language
to help them acquire English easily.
Provide teachers with an opportunity to master and own their own created curriculum.
PURPOSE OF THE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CURRICULUM WRITING
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE.
Teach/reinforce English language arts skills during the ESL block of time. The ESL block of
time is a component of the Bilingual/ESL program necessary to expose bilingual students to
English language arts skills and thus closing the gap with requirements of early transition into
a second language.
Daily ESL Framework (45 minutes) in the Bilingual Classroom Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Word
Study/Grammar
and Phonics
Reader’s
Workshop
Mini-lesson
Small Group
Instruction/
Independent
Work
Small Group
Instruction/
Independent
Work
Writer’s
Workshop
6
-
-
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
NEWCOMER ACADEMIES
GOOSE CREEK CISD NEWCOMER ACADEMIES
-Developing Scholars-
’ 1 —2nd year
in U.S. schools
HLS indicates language
other than English
OLPT is administered
(IPT II)
-
-
Student* exits Newcomer Academy and returns to home campus upon reaching Advanced
on TELPAS Reading OR after a maximum of two years
*In order to exit ELL (LEP) status, students must meet all state exit criteria. For the purposes of this chart, exiting only refers to Newcomer Academy placement, not bilingual program placement.
After year 1 in US, newcomer students are
scheduled in ESL English classes and
Sheltered Instruction teams.
Ms. Emilee Morales and Ms. Michelle Hicks, Baytown Junior School newcomer academy teachers, use
technology during direct teaching. Newcomer students interact with technology to provide text evidence.
7
.
Ms. Hernandez, Prek bilingual teacher at Banuelos
Imagine Learning Forum 2015, Provo, Utah
-A Learning Experience-
Pilar Moreno-Recio, Director of Bilingual/ESL
and Ahime Ornelas, Bilingual/ESL Specialist at
the Imagine Learning Headquarters learning about
the research and benefits of the Imagine Learning
program.
Howard Stephanson, Utah State
Senator, and Pilar Moreno-Recio,
GCCISD Director of Bilingual/ESL
Education, at Utah State Capitol
after speech on the importance of
digital learning and Utah’s
commitment to support ELLs in the acquisition of English.
Goose Creek CISD district representatives, Pilar Moreno-Recio and Ahime Ornelas, were
able to see the Imagine Learning team in action behind the scenes. Above, the Production
and Art Drama/Video Departments explaining what is takes to create a research-based quality digital program that students enjoy.