This article was written for the February edition of the Community Compass newsletter.
Students in MCPASD’s Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program are excited for the expanded communication, career development, and friendship opportunities that will come with being bilingual throughout their lives.
“I like speaking in both languages because I can communicate with other people who don’t speak English,” said Liza, a kindergarten TWI student at Sauk Trail Elementary School.
“If you learn another language, you can explore and travel and talk to people,” added Madeline Alamilla, an eighth-grade TWI student at Kromrey Middle School. “You can make a bunch of new friends.”
The TWI program brings together students who speak in English and in Spanish to learn in both languages. Sauk Trail Elementary School offers the classes in kindergarten through fourth grade, while Kromrey Middle School offers the classes in fifth through eighth grade.
MCPASD uses the 50-50, two-teacher model for TWI. Students at each grade level receive half of their academic instruction in English and half in Spanish, and they switch teachers partway through the school day.
“I think that really helps with our adaptability, which is part of our Cardinal’s Journey,” said Kari Buer, a kindergarten TWI teacher. “I think they have to be really creative in figuring out what’s going on.”
The program also is approaching an important milestone in 2026. MCPASD’s first-ever TWI students, who started kindergarten in the 2017-18 school year and are now in eighth grade, will make the transition to high school. Then, they will engage in additional multilingual classes and programs to expand their learning.
“You can learn new languages, and at the high school you can get the Seal of Biliteracy,” said Isa Chacin Villegas, an eighth-grader. “That is really important for many careers.”
Older TWI students said some of the most important advice they have for younger TWI students includes participating in class, speaking Spanish as much as possible, and collaborating with their classmates.
“It’s okay to make mistakes,” said Arantza Dominguez Zuno. “When I first got here, I was really scared to speak English because it’s not my first language. There are a lot of people who are here to help you and support you.”
“If you talk to other people who speak Spanish, that can help you,” added Alamilla. “If they know other words that you don’t, it can help you learn.”