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Muncie Receives State Grant To Continue Kindergarten Dual Language Program

By Stephanie Wiechmann, IPR News | Published on in Education, Local News
West View kindergartners learning in Spanish and English. (Photo: Tony Sandleben)

A Muncie elementary school has received more money from state grants to continue its dual-language immersion program.  IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports.

Some kindergarten students at West View Elementary currently learn both Spanish and English.  Program teachers say the students learn in Spanish 80 percent of the time.

Now Muncie Community Schools has received $50,000 in state grant money to continue the effort.  It’s the same grant program that funded the first year of the dual language immersion.

West View Principal Eric Ambler says the dual language program has impacted more than just the students in the program.

“Our music teacher is incorporating Spanish-Latin music into her curriculum just to support and enhance the program for dual language kindergarten. Our art teacher is also doing the same thing.”

MCS officials have said the plan for dual language is to expand it year-to-year as the inaugural class goes through elementary school.  They say 38 students signed up for the dual language program during this year’s kindergarten enrollment fair.

Nine other Indiana schools will use state money to continue or start their own dual language immersion programs.

Tony Sandleben contributed to this report.