Hollister School District officials established two new special academies last summer to cater more specifically to some kids' needs, and parents like Rochelle Fischer have seen the results.
"I couldn't be more pleased," said Fischer, who has a first-grader at the Dual Language Academy and another child enrolled for kindergarten next year.
Her son hadn't known how to speak Spanish, but learned the language and now can converse fluently with other kids. The mother noted how a community formed at the academy in its first year.
"Everyone knows everyone here," she said.
The district's newly formed Dual Language Academy and Accelerated Achievement Academy are nearing the end of their first school year, and Superintendent Ron Crates said the programs are performing well beyond expectations.
The Dual Language Academy is a K-1 school with 80 students, while next year it's set to also offer second grade and expand to 120 students. The academy located at Gabilan Hills Elementary School teaches in both English and Spanish and strives to get kids speaking a second language regularly in the classroom.
The district created the program with the idea of having one-third of the students English speaking, one-third Spanish speaking and one-third bilingual. Students learn in English for half of the day and Spanish the other half. Each student has two teachers, each fluent in both languages.
"It's been amazing seeing the progress of the kids," said first-grade teacher Carolina Gomez. "Parents are happy to have them in the program."
The district's goal is to have the school expand to offer K-8 education, said Dual Language Academy Principal Delia Gomez. In the classroom, the goal is to have all the kids fluent in both languages, she said.
"We've been well supported by the district and parents," Gomez said.
Student Andres Fernandez has enjoyed the school so much, he doesn't seem to want to leave anytime soon.
"I want to stay here until I go to high school," Fernandez said.
Because it's a school to which parents decide to send their kids, the academy holds a lottery if more than 40 students have applied for one grade.
The Accelerated Achievement Academy, meanwhile, has scholastic standards that must be met to attend the school and, for now, is offered for grades three through six. Enrollment is weighed on report cards, a nonverbal intelligence test and a survey.
Assistant Principal Laurie Forrest said the academy's first year has gone extremely well and parents are happy with the program.
Forrest said many students came from other schools and were apprehensive about attending, but have adjusted well. One of the challenges was that the school recruited children until the end of last summer and parents were still applying in August, she said.
Parent Chuck Spandri has a daughter in fifth grade, and he said the experience has gone well. He saw an opportunity to get more out of his daughter by having her attend.
One of his concerns was not having athletic teams offered like at other schools, but he noted how the academy plans to have a basketball squad next year.
Fifth-grade teacher Tiffany Bianchi said the kids feel secure about going to the school and it's a welcoming environment - passing one of the academy's biggest tests, helping students who sometimes get left behind in other classes because they don't get enough attention.
Kristen Tolleson Kristen Tolleson covers San Benito County and education for the Free Lance. Contact her at ktolleson@freelancenews.com or (831) 637-5566, ext. 335.
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