Who can participate?

1. All incoming kindergarten and first grade students (for the 2023-2024 school year) are welcome to apply.

2. Due to funding sources for this opportunity, requirements of home language and military connection will be considered in the lottery drawing. Maintaining percentages of Spanish/English home language students, as well as military-connected students is crucial for this program.

   1. Do students have to start Spanish Immersion in kindergarten or can they wait for first grade?

      • Students can start in kindergarten or first grade.  

   2. Can older students enroll in Spanish Immersion?

      • This program is only offered for kindergarten and first graders for the 2023-2024 school year.

Which D49 schools offer the immersion program?

1. Stetson Elementary School will have one section of kindergarten and one section of first grade starting in the fall of 2023. Each class can take 25 students max.

What if we don’t live within the Stetson school boundary?

1. The language immersion program is open to all students (even if they don’t live in the Stetson area). To be entered into the lottery, complete the School of Choice application.

2. Students who choice into a District 49 school outside of their neighborhood school will not have transportation available.

Is there an additional cost for parents/families wanting to join?

1. There is no additional cost for the immersion program beyond the yearly District 49 instructional fees (if applicable) that students pay.

Will transportation be provided?

1. Families must provide their own transportation to and from Stetson if they live outside of the attendance area boundaries and their student is selected from the lottery.

Does my child already need to know Spanish?

1. No. Due to the nature of the grant funding project OWL, many of the  students in our program will be coming from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. Our program is designed to bridge both English speakers who are learning Spanish with those already possessing some Spanish as they reinforce their literacy skills such as reading and writing in the target language.