SAN MARCOS — Six years ago, a pioneering group of kindergartners became the first class to experience a new dual language program at Twin Oaks Elementary School, spending half the school day learning in English and the other half in Spanish.
Those original kindergartners are now getting ready to graduate from fifth grade, and the program has grown so that all grade levels are learning in dual-language classrooms. Posters, flashcards, and books in Spanish and English fill classrooms, morning announcements are made in both languages, and school staff speak to students in both languages.
Now, in the fall, the San Marcos Unified School District is expanding the program to Woodland Park Middle School. There, the original dual language class and the students after them can continue learning in an immersive dual language environment.
Students told the district board at its May 8 meeting that they consider bilingualism and biliteracy their superpowers.
“I hope many more kids will get the opportunity to learn in two languages at our school, because all kids deserve to have the new possibilities open to them like I did,” said fifth grader Audrey Black, who learned Spanish for the first time at Twin Oaks. “It’s great that being bilingual and biliterate will allow me to help a lot more people.”
Fifth grader Aileen Garcia Martinez, who grew up in a Spanish-speaking home, said she enjoys learning various subjects in both languages.
“I am very proud of my school for having this program. When I am in Spanish class, I enjoy that everything is in Spanish and I can practice the language that I know,” Martinez said.
Multicultural and Multicultural Education Director Silvia Ventura-Jacobsen, the principal at Twin Oaks when the dual language program was first implemented, said it was always the plan to expand to Woodland Park.
This continuity will allow students to continue into high school for further Spanish study, where they can earn a California State Seal of Biliteracy on their diploma. It also lays a foundation for high school students pursuing the Translation and Interpretation Pathway.
Families from other feeder elementary schools for Woodland Park are also excited about the dual language opportunity.
“This is an incredible achievement and milestone which ensures continuity of dual language, strengthening student pathways to earning that prestigious California state seal of biliteracy and beyond,” Ventura-Jacobsen said.
In response to feedback from families over the years, Woodland will offer three options for students: an immersive model with two classes in Spanish, the applied model with one class in Spanish, or only English-language classes.
Twin Oaks Principal Angelica Barragan-Su said the school’s program is built on three pillars — bilingualism and biliteracy, high academic achievement, and sociocultural competence.
Along with immersing non-Spanish speaking students in a new language, the curriculum allows newcomer students — those arriving from Spanish-speaking countries to U.S. schools for the first time — to continue learning in their native language.
“The program uses a fifty-fifty model with clear language goals. This balanced approach supports growth in both languages and helps students succeed academically,” Barragan-Su said.
The third pillar also translates into events and initiatives that focus on diversity and student wellbeing. The school celebrates Día del Niño and Día de los Muertos, and every two months, families gather to read books in Spanish and English together on Family Fridays.
Ventura-Jacobsen said creating a program of this caliber takes a lot of work, including training and hiring bilingual staff who can provide support in both languages.
The hard work over the years has established Twin Oaks as a pioneer in dual language education. Earlier this year, the San Diego County Office of Education recognized Twin Oaks Elementary as a regional leader in biliteracy.
“It’s amazing to see the impactful work that has taken place, and it takes a lot of time to design a program this high-quality. Teachers and support staff work beyond their hours to make sure their students are getting a top-notch learning experience,” Ventura-Jacobsen said.
The district school board expressed its excitement about the program’s progress and its expansion to the middle school.
School board member Lena Meum, whose two sons attend Woodland Park, said the school is abuzz with excitement about the program
“It’s rolling in, and that’s just fantastic,” Meum said.
