Welcome Center FAQ
What is the Welcome Center?

The Welcome Center is a transitional program designed to meet the needs of students from any country who have recently arrived in the United States and have little or no literacy skills in English or in their native language. There are three Welcome Center Level: One at the middle Schools ant two at the high school Level

Who can go to the Welcome Center?

Students who have lived in the US for less than one year Students arriving from a refugee camp or country torn apart by war or natural disaster Students with little or no formal education Students with little or no literacy in their native language or English

How long do students stay at the Welcome Centers?

    Students may attend the Welcome Center for two years before being placed at a traditional middle or high school with an ESL program.

 

 

What does the research say about ESL?
Researchers in the area of Second Language Acquisition have found that students acquire the social language skills they need in six months to two years. However, the academic language needed to be successful in the classroom and on standardized tests can take between 5-7 years or longer to acquire.

Students left to "sink or swim" without the support of an ESL program frequently become frustrated in school and have a high drop-out rate.

Where are the program locations?

 

 

How is the Welcome Center designed?
Students at the Welcome Center receive ESL support in all content areas (math, science, social studies). The level of instruction is adjusted to meet the needs of the students enrolled. Instructional assistants, who are fluent in another language, assist teachers and work one-on-one and with small groups of students. In addition to academic support, an emphasis is placed on the development of social skills and familiarity with school routines.

The Welcome Center staff speaks ten different languages, which facilitates communication with parents and community members. In addition to English, which all staff members speak, other languages spoken include Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Tigrinia.

How many students are enrolled at each Welcome Center?

    Enrollment at the Welcome Centers varies depending on immigration trends. The program is designed to accommodate an average of 100 students at each site.