Families from across the Umatilla School District gathered at Columbia Vista Intermediate on February 25th for Dual Language Family Night. The event welcomed families with students in the bilingual program from kindergarten through sixth grade and provided an opportunity to learn more about how students develop skills in both Spanish and English.
Throughout the evening, families listened to a series of presentations designed to support student learning and strengthen connections between school and home, while students participated in fun activities of their own.
Teachers shared strategies families can use at home to build routines that support learning. For example, families learned how third grade students are introduced to multiplication and how those strategies can be reinforced at home, and how to modify them for other grade levels. Together, teachers and families discussed how to build habits for having fun together, reading, and celebrating bilingualism in school and at home. Teachers also presented district data to celebrate student progress, achievement and success in the program.
The evening also featured a short video highlighting how second grade students in the dual language program learn by building strong foundations in Spanish while connecting their knowledge across languages and developing confidence in English. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/proWM62DHIE
In addition to hearing from teachers, families heard from a parent who spoke about the importance of advocating for their children at school and maintaining strong communication with teachers. The evening concluded with representatives from Oregon Rural Action sharing information about community and family preparedness in the event of an emergency.
Dual Language Family Night provided families with an opportunity to learn more about the program, connect with other families, and gather ideas for supporting their students’ learning at home. Thank you to all the families who attended and helped make the evening a success.