Secondary Newcomer Programs in the U.S.

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Salina Intermediate Newcomer Center
Program Address:
2623 Salina
Dearborn, MI 48120
Phone: (313) 827-6600
Fax: (313) 827-6605
FadlalM@dearborn.k12.mi.us
http://salina-int.dearbornschools.org/
Contact Person:
Jamal Lawera
Principal
(313) 827-6604
LaweraJ@dearborn.k12.mi.us

  • Program Information
    • Information provided for school year: 2010-2011
      Year Program Started: 2005
      School/Grade Levels: Middle school site(s)
      Program Description:
      Our newcomer center program is a full-day, program-within-a-school model that provides students with intensive instruction at their English proficiency level while using their native language to assist in English language acquisition. It also helps students understand the public education system in the U.S. Students receive larger blocks of instruction in self-contained classrooms at Salina Intermediate School in Grades 6–8. The goals of the program are 1) to assist students and their families in adjusting to the new U.S. culture while maintaining their own home culture; 2) to accelerate their English language acquisition; 3) to provide integrated content and language instruction using the SIOP Model; and 4) to assist students in their transition to the mainstream setting. Students generally remain in the program from 1 to 1.5 years. There is also a self-contained newcomer classroom for students in Grades 4 and 5.
      Newcomer Student Definition:
      Based on their date of entry to the United States, students who have been in the country for less than 1 year are assessed with a language assessment and academic formative assessments to identify their strengths and needs. Students who have a low level of English, scoring at level 4-5 basic in the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) in Michigan are eligible for the program. The students must also have been in the country for no longer than 1.5 years.
      Aspects of Program Working Well:
      The newcomer center provides our students with a secure self-contained environment that affords them the time to acquire English language skills while at the same time becoming aware of school processes in the United States. We have highly qualified faculty that work with our students in order to provide them with the best learning opportunities. Our goal is to move students into a transitional ESL program within 1 to 1.5 years of entrance into the school but under no circumstances more than 2 years.
      Type of Language Program: ESL
      Type of Community: Suburban
      How Families Learn of Program: When they enroll in the school, the program is made available to them.
      Students Assigned From:
      • One school
       Funding Sources:
      • Federal: Title III
      • Other: ESL
       Other District Language Support Programs:
  • Program Design Features
    • Program Location:
      • Program-within-a-school
       Length of Day:
      • Full-day Program
       Length of Program:
      • More than 1-year program: 4 semester(s)
       Average Length of stay: 3 semester(s)
      Maximum Length of stay: 4 semester(s)
      Average Class Size: 15 student(s)
      Entry Criteria: English learners who have been in the U.S. for less than 1 year. Students in this center scored 4 or 5 on the ELPA and have zero or low English proficiency. There is a maximum of 2 years in the center. When students achieve a DRA level of 12 through 20 (prior to being in the newcomer center for the maximum allowable time) along with other data, they are recommended for exit from this program. They will subsequently be placed in the Transitional Bilingual model at the middle school level with ESL or Bilingual endorsed teachers who provide appropriate language accommodations. The 4th and 5th Grade students who exit the program will be placed with a certified Bilingual or ESL teacher.
  • Newcomer Student Demographics
    • Number of Newcomer Students in Program: 65
      Age Range of Students: 9–13
      Number of Countries Represented: 4
      Most Common Countries:
      • Yemen
      • Iraq
      • Lebanon
      • Pakistan
       Number of Non-English Languages Represented: 1
      Most Common Student Languages:
      • Arabic
       Percentage of Students with Interrupted Formal Schooling: 70%
      Percentage of Students with Free or Reduced Lunch: 97%
  • Instruction
    • Languages Used for Instruction: Arabic and English
      Courses Provided by the Newcomer Program:
      • Sheltered content in English
        • math
        • science
        • social studies
        • language arts
      • Content Instruction in native language(s)
        • math
        • science
        • social studies
        • language arts
      • ESL or English language development
      • Reading intervention
      • Other courses: Technology
      Typical Newcomer Student Schedule: 6th -8th grade: 8am-10:35am Literacy block with content focus in Social Studies; 10:35-11:15am Computer intervention class; 11:30-noon Lunch; 12-12:50pm Physical education or another elective in the mainstream; 12:50-2:55pm Literacy block with content focus in mathematics and science. 4th and 5th grades remain in one class for all content areas. They participate in electives that are spread out throughout the week.
      Literacy Development Practices: The Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy Model based on research by Dr. Linda Dorn. This includes Guided Reading, Shared Reading, and Guided Reading Plus. Response to Intervention Process is now being implemented. Students also received Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) lessons.
      Literacy Materials Used: It is a whole language model with several materials including National Geopraphic, Treasure Chest materials, and several small group guided reading materials.
      High School Courses Receiving Core Credit: N/A
      High School Courses Receiving Elective Credit: N/A
      Credit Recovery or Online Learning Courses: N/A
      Additional Learning Opportunities: Yes, summer school and after school programs
      Ancillary Services Offered Students:
      • Title I
      • Special Education
      • Tutoring
       5- or 6- Year Program Available for High School Newcomer Students: N/A
  • Assessment and Evaluation
    • Placement Measures
      Reading:
      Oral assessment by a teacher
      English language proficiency:
      English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) and the Language Acquisition Scale (LAS)
      Content:
      Common assessments
      Progress Measures
      Reading:
      Development Reading Assessment (DRA), running records, and formative classroom assessments.
      English language proficiency:
      ELPA (English language proficiency assessment)
      Content:
      Common assessments
      Achievement Measures
      State standards tests:
      They are exempt from the English Language Arts if they are in the country for less than 1 year. They must take the science, social studies, and mathematics state tests with accommodations plus the ELPA.
      Other assessments:
      Formative assessments by teachers
      Program Evaluation: Yes. Teachers are evaluated for their effectiveness in their regular teacher evaluations. Student progress is continually evaluated by examining the assessment data that is gathered: MEAP (state assessments of math, science, social studies, language arts); district assessments in the core areas; writing assessments (prompts three times per year); DRA and SRI scores. Students progress is evaluated along with a review of teacher recommendations.
  • Student Transition and Monitoring
    • Type of Program Students Exit Into:
      • ESL
       Exit Criteria: We use multiple sources of data but they are generally moved out of the center after a maximum of 2 years. If they reach a DRA of 12, they are then moved into a transitional ESL program.
      Measures to Facilitate Student Transition Out of the Newcomer Program: Students are in their home school. They regularly mix with mainstream students in classes like physical education while they are in the newcomer program. Gradually, students make the transition into the mainstream, class by class, as they are ready.
      Newcomer teachers and the ESL transitional teams assist the students in making a smooth transition. ESL certified transitional teams receive the students.
  • Program Staffing and Professional Development
    • Total Number of Program Administrators: 1
      Full Time in Newcomer Program: 1
      Total Number of Teachers: 6
      Full Time in Newcomer Program: 3
      Criteria to Teach in Newcomer Program: Yes, ESL or bilingual certified
      Total Number of Paraprofessionals: 1
      Total Number of Resource Teachers: 0
      Total Number of Guidance Counselors for School:
      Social Worker/Family Liaison: Yes.
      Guidance Counselors for Program: No
      Total Number of Staff Who Speak in One of the Student Native Languages: 5
      Languages that Staff Speak in Addition to English: English, Arabic
      Professional Development Topics for Teachers and Staff: Literacy across the curriculum, SIOP Model, Technology Integration, Professional Learning Communities, Assessment, Thinking Maps
  • Connecting Families and Social Capital Networks
    • School Services Offered to Parents and Families:
      • Parent outreach
      • Adult ESL courses
      • Information sharing with community organizations
      Newcomer Program Partnerships:
      Yes, the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS).
      Social Services for Families:
      ACCESS provides social services for families including immigration, job referral, food and shelter, health, ESL, parenting, and youth academic services.
      Methods to Inform Families of Services Available:
      The ACCESS facility is in very close proximity to the school. A community liaison works with the students and their families. Generally, students and their families have already been to the ACCESS facility before being enrolled in the newcomer program.
      Methods to Inform Service Agencies of Newcomer Program:
      ACCESS works closely with the school. This community center offers an after-school program, in which some students from the Newcomer Center are involved.