April O'Neil / news@whmi.com

Howell Public Schools is expanding its educational offerings for elementary families with the launch of a Spanish dual language immersion program starting in the fall of 2023.

Academia Billingüe at Three Fires Elementary is an optional program that families can choose for their children next year where instruction is provided in both Spanish and English. Students will complete the same coursework as their peers in a traditional classroom; but in a multi-language setting.

The program will consist of one kindergarten and one first-grade classroom for the 2023-2024 school year.

According to a press release, Howell’s instructional model has students in lower grades receiving the majority of their classroom instruction in Spanish and as they progress, instruction will shift to include more time learning in English. By fifth grade, students will learn equally in Spanish and English and should be proficient in both languages.

Superintendent Erin MacGregor is hopeful the program will immerse students in an environment of biliteracy and cross-cultural awareness. He said, “Imagine a child finishing elementary school and being fluent in another language and more aware of the world around them; that’s future-ready.”

To learn more about Academia Billingüe at Three Fires Elementary, visit the provided link.