This middle school and two organizations have started a multicultural center to help their students and families who do not speak English fluently. This will help them all the way through their lives. - - Donna Poisl
By: Lurdes C. Silva 05/01/2009
NEW BEDFORD - Roosevelt Middle School has partnered up with two local community organizations to stand up to one of its biggest challenges - language barriers.
Although 96 percent of the faculty does not speak any language other than English, about one fourth of the student population is enrolled in the Sheltered English Immersion program designed for pupils who are limited in English.
"Anyone that immigrates to our city at the middle school age passes through our doors," Roosevelt Middle School Principal Darcy Fernandes. "Approximately 160 students are English-as-a-second-language learners. We have 72 teachers and although many are certified to teach ESL (English-as-a-Second-Language), only one speaks Cape Verde Creole fluently, only one speaks Portuguese and only one speaks Spanish. It makes it difficult to service our students and their parents."
Fernandes said it's been a dilemma for Roosevelt to find ways to network with the limited English families. About one third of the students reside in homes where English is not the primary language.
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