Did you know that Albemarle County Public Schools has processes for interpreting and translating that can help staff bridge the gap with parents whose primary language is not English? Check out our Communicating with Multilingual Families: A Guide for Teachers & Staff (ACPS login required) to access helpful online resources, learn how to get started with (and pay for) interpretation and translation services, and get the help you need. Continue reading
Thursday, April 2 | 8 to 10 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. | Northside Library
Are you a bilingual ACPS employee? Have you been trained as an interpreter? Would you benefit from a refresher?
The ESOL Office will offer an Interpreter Training for Bilingual School Staff on Thursday, April 2. Sessions will be offered from 8 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. in the PD Room on the 3rd Floor of the Northside Library. Please contact Linette Hillman to RSVP or ask questions: 434-296-6517, ext. 50560. Continue reading
As a continuation of our interpretation/translation training series, the ESOL Office is hosting Interpretation “Refresher” (Level 2 Training) sessions for interpreters. Being an interpreter involves a level of responsibility beyond language proficiency, and there are best practices and a code of ethics that will be reviewed and discussed during this training.
Upcoming Level 2 Training Dates:
Are you interested in being immersed in a different culture for two weeks? Are you interested in improving your Spanish-speaking skills? Would you like to have a deeper empathy for what our English Learners experience on a daily basis? Then this trip is for you!
ACPS teachers and administrators with ANY level of Spanish proficiency are invited to partake in a two-week authentic language and cultural experience with Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI), June 16-29, 2019, in Costa Rica. View a detailed itinerary »
Learn more by attending an informational session on Tuesday, October 2, at 4:30 p.m. We’ll meet in the ESOL Office located on the 3rd floor of the Northside Library at 705 Rio Road West. Continue reading
Suppose one of your students has been coming to school late and her grades are starting to slip. You call home to discuss with the parent, but it is clear that the woman who answers the phone speaks a language other than English. You hang up and wonder how you can best engage with your student’s family. Then you remember that Albemarle County Public Schools has a number of protocols and resources in place to help bridge the school-to-home gap! Continue reading
The ESOL Office is offering its annual Interpretation/Translation Training to all teachers, teaching assistants, office associates, and any other school personnel who interpret in another language as part of their job duties. Past participants have reported that the brief training enhanced their skills in communicating with families. There are three options for this training: Continue reading
Teachers: Interested in learning more about working with English Learners? Check out these opportunities: Teaching English Learners and Students with Learning Difficulties in the Inclusive Classroom, Sep. 26-27; Introduction to Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Learners, Aug. 29 – Dec. 12; and Differentiated Instruction for English Language Across the Curriculum, Sep. 5 – Dec. 11. Continue reading
In response to the volume of questions and concerns received about issues related to immigration, Albemarle County has compiled a brochure outlining the County’s current policies and practices as they relate to immigration status: Factual Information Related to Immigration Status, Services, and Enforcement in Albemarle County. In an effort to ensure wide accessibility, these materials are being translated into Spanish and Arabic, and translated versions will be available at the same link when complete.
The International & ESOL office has officially moved to its new location at the Northside Library! The International & ESOL Welcome Center welcomes new international families to our schools and programs, registers families for school, provides language interpreters and translation services, and facilitates professional learning. You can assist us with spreading the word about our new location by sharing this flyer with families who come in contact with or ask about our office. We always recommend that families call our Welcome Center (434-296-6517) prior to dropping by, since staff may be out at schools or assisting other families.
The ESOL Office is excited to offer a special one-hour training to comply with state and federal guidelines to ACPS employees who wish to support ESOL families through occasional interpretation and/or translation during the school day. Interested staff members should contact Elaine Cecelski-Ayala, Family Engagement Liason, about scheduling and receiving payment for the training (ececelski@k12albemarle.org or 434-973-7921 | 434-465-0776).
Questions about interpretation and/or translation? Please call the ESOL Office at 434-296-6517 or contact Elaine.