Principal's WelcomeWelcome and thank you for your interest in Rockford Spanish Immersion! At Rockford Spanish Immersion, students learn the district’s core curriculum through Spanish rather than English. In other words, students are “immersed” into the language and study the same content as other students, but while doing so, naturally learn to read, write, and speak in Spanish. Spanish is the means of content instruction, not just a subject of instruction. There are approximately 200 school districts across the USA that offer similar immersion options for their students, with the majority of these programs being in Spanish, French, or German. Rockford Spanish Immersion follows a 90/10 immersion model and is intended for non-native speaking Spanish students and families. No Spanish knowledge is required for students entering at kindergarten. Rockford Spanish Immersion is located on the Roguewood Elementary campus and is growing each year. Currently 300 students are enrolled K-5th grade for the 2010-11 school year.
With solid research to support its effectiveness, the four main goals of immersion education are for students to:
- gain mastery of the district’s grade level curricular objectives and required benchmarks
- develop strong English literacy skills
- develop a high level of proficiency in second language literacy
- acquire a knowledge, understanding and appreciation of other world cultures and people.
All Rockford Spanish Immersion teachers are highly-qualified and Michigan-certified early elementary educators. Additionally, all teachers have had overseas experience either studying, living, or working in the various Spanish-speaking countries of Costa Rica, Colombia, Spain, Venezuela, Paraguay, Guatemala, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.
For parents who would like to provide their child with the opportunity to become functionally proficient in both English and Spanish during their elementary years, and provide them with the skills to interact competently in an increasingly interdependent world, immersion education is a viable option. Because of the nature of immersion, starting early is critical. Therefore, students are only admitted at the kindergarten level each year. If you are interested in enrolling your future kindergartner in Rockford Spanish Immersion, contact Roguewood Elementary at 616.863.6374. An immersion information night prior to enrollment is held each year in January. Applications for kindergarten are distributed and accepted during the month of February prior to each school year. Watch this website for specific dates and times regarding enrollment procedures for the 2011-12 school year starting February 2011.
More information on immersion education can be found at the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition website: http://www.carla.umn.edu.
Gracias,
Michael J. Hibbeln, Principal
Rockford Spanish Immersion
Announcements & InformationWhy consider Rockford Spanish Immersion for your child?
Staff WebsitesUpcoming Events- August 17 - Class Lists Posted (Outside of school)
- September 7 - First Day of School