DELAWARE

IRSD board takes no action on Spanish immersion program, admits new students

The Daily Times

Indian River School District offices located in Selbyville, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2016.

Faced with a difficult budget, the Indian River School District has had to make choices about which programs to keep.

At the May 22 Indian River School District Board of Education meeting, backers of the Spanish immersion program were out to show support, fearing it will be among those cut.

According to Indian River School District Public Information Officer David Maull, eight parents, students and teachers spoke out in favor of the program at the meeting.

However, Maull said that the board took no action regarding the matter.

But he did say there were incoming kindergarten students who were admitted into the program.

"The board approved all the school choice applications for Spanish immersion, so that means it will proceed as planned for 2017-2018," he said. "There were 52 applications for East Millsboro Elementary School and 65 for John M. Clayton Elementary School, 117 total. All in kindergarten."

The decision came after discussion in executive session, Maull said, with the vote coming in a reconvened open session.

One parent who spoke during public comments was Dana Probert, who has two sons involved in the program.

Probert and her husband had plans on building a house in another school district, but when her son was accepted into the Spanish immersion program at East Millsboro Elementary school, the couple changed plans.

She spoke because she was nervous about the program's future.

"As we meet here tonight, there are 120 rising kindergarteners that do not know if there is a program for them next year," she said during public comments. "For the cost of two teachers, we can send these children on the course to improve problem solving, flexible thinking, higher test scores, and of course the very marketable skill of learning a language itself."

rghughes@delmarvanow.com

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