Frequently Asked Questions

Spanish Immersion means that your child will be immersed in (surrounded by) the Spanish language during their preschool day. They will experience all the joys of "regular" preschool - all will be presented in Spanish. Our unique Spanish language immersion program gives children the invaluable skill of comprehension and use of the Spanish language while preparing them to excel at Kindergarten in the Cherry Creek School District.

We don’t “teach” Spanish to the children. Language is not the content of instruction but the vehicle for it. We have an emergent curriculum, with themes and topics like any other school, but we speak Spanish. Spanish is everything we do! Our books are in Spanish, we do circle time in Spanish, we sing in Spanish.

Our program is designed for children who do not yet understand or speak the Spanish language. (We do, however, welcome and encourage children who already use the language in their homes to be a part of our school!) As a method of making sure the children understand what the teacher is saying, our teacher dramatizes and "acts out" what they are saying. The kids really enjoy this and love to join in. If the teacher ever doubts the children understand something, she will briefly explain in English and then repeat it in Spanish. Therefore, a child will never be "lost" or “confused"in the classroom. Our teachers encourage the love of the Spanish language and will ensure that the children feel comfortable and secure in the environment of the school.

There is often the fear that children won’t get the English skills they need. With our program, this is not the case. Children will get English from their peers, in their environment, from the media, at home, and in every other aspect of their lives. They are constantly exposed to it, and living in an English-speaking environment is enough for the children to be bilingual in both languages. Part of the curriculum is also taught in English throughout the week.

Children don’t have the hesitations or fears about language like adults do! To them, it is fun, a game, and it just is. They absorb language incredibly quickly and that’s true for one, two, or three languages at a time - especially during the early years when language is so easily absorbed.

All of our teachers are fully fluent in both languages. Because we want the language that is spoken at our schools to be effortless and fluid, we seek native speaking teachers or teachers who learned the language abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. This makes the immersion experience real and organic.

Class sizes depend on the age of the children. Our Infant/Toddler classroom has a ratio of 2 teachers to 5 children, with a total of 5 children in the class. Our Preschool 1 classroom ratio is 2 teachers to 11 children. Our Preschool 2 classroom has a ratio of 2 teachers to 20 children. Our
P3 classroom has a ratio of 2 teachers to 24 children.

There are several public and private language immersion Elementary schools in the Denver Metro area if you choose to continue a bilingual education that go all the way through middle school. Also, many television stations broadcast children's shows in Spanish. Children's music in
Spanish isalso available in music stores. Therefore, your child's Spanish acquisition never needs to end! Think of the endless possibilities…

Each month you will receive a newsletter with various themes and key vocabulary. We encourage you to ask your child for more information about themes, whether in English or Spanish! They will often be happy to teach you, especially the songs they have been singing. Reading English books on related topics is another way to share in their learning. Additionally, most public libraries have Spanish books with CDs for you and your child to learn together. Encourage your child to use his/her new language when eating out, at the store or when making new friends who are Spanish speakers.

All children develop and learn at different rates. In general, the pattern is similar to how the child learned their first language. During the first year, the child builds a base of vocabulary, learns the patterns of the language and understands 80-100% of the spoken language. They may begin using single words and short phrases and will likely sing the songs they have learned in school. During the second year, children add vocabulary and begin to use the language naturally, responding and participating in class in Spanish. After two to three years of exposure, they typically begin to think in Spanish without translation, communicate their thoughts, and carry on conversations in Spanish with a native accent.

Yes! As much as we believe in the importance of Spanish language acquisition, we realize that many of our students' elementary schools will be English-based. To ensure their success, a daily "English class" for three and four year olds is built into the preschool curriculum. This curriculum allows children to experience and learn English letters and sounds, develop pre-reading skills and enjoy the many wonderful books and stories the English language has to offer. Surveys of our students who have graduated to elementary schools show that they are both academically and socially prepared for kindergarten or first grade. If your child is able to attend a dual-language elementary school, he or she will be prepared in both languages!

We encourage our families to keep the language learning alive! Dual-language programs in public schools are gaining in popularity, and many of our families take advantage of these programs. Other opportunities for learning include Spanish television programming, and a wide variety of websites and apps.

If your child arrives at school with symptoms of illness or disease, they will be sent home. We rely heavily on all parents to exercise good judgment in this matter. Should a child become ill at school, a parent or back-up person will be notified and the child will be isolated from the other children. They will be made comfortable with quiet activities and under the supervision of a staff member at all times, until they are picked up.