The second installment of this month’s Knight Insight features Mrs. Mackenzie Leonard, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Program Coordinator, as she shares how the program supplements other educational offerings at Van Buren Local Schools.
Van Buren Families,
Another population that is growing at Van Buren is students who speak English as a second language (ESL). There are currently 51 K-12 students in the program ranging from those who know no English to those who have reached English language proficiency based on the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA), the state assessment ESL students take each February to gauge their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
I previously serviced Van Buren ESL students as an employee of the Hancock County Educational Service Center but have joined the Van Buren staff in a full-time capacity this year to best meet the needs of our fantastic students.
In our TESOL program, we do everything we can to help our students integrate into our school. Working to learn English in my classroom obviously plays a big role in helping students feel comfortable so they can continue growing academically. Students are typically grouped by grade level, but because of different levels of proficiency, differentiation is necessary. Some ESL students are brand new to the language, so the focus when working with them is on building their social language. Others are further along in their language acquisition and are ready to work with written language. In ESL, we also use a variety of texts to grow vocabulary and reading skills. What is most important is that the books are multicultural so the students can see themselves represented and feel connected to the stories. All of this works together to keep students growing and learning.
Another way we have helped with families’ transitions to the U.S. has been the development of a Care Cabinet in both the elementary and high school buildings. The cabinets were made possible after the school treasurer’s office applied for and received a federal grant to provide this resource. Those funds allowed me to make visits to my families in our district this past summer to deliver food items, hygiene products, and laundry detergent. Now that school is in session, all students—whether they have attended Van Buren throughout their school years or are new to our district—can use the Care Cabinets to meet any need that arises during the day. This ensures small issues they face don’t become larger distractions for them.
A different method we have developed to continue to integrate the ESL students and their families into our district and help our native families learn more about the ESL students and their cultures is International Knight. The third annual International Knight will be held on March 20, 2025, from 5:30-8:00 P.M. in the high school gymnasium and cafeteria. Van Buren students and their families will share their cultures by offering food, crafts, and performances exhibiting their traditions. With the increased number of students from around the world, nearly 40 countries will be represented this year. If you have a chance to join us at International Knight, students would love to share their cultures with you.
As you can see, my position as TESOL Program Coordinator keeps me busy, but I love helping my students access the English-speaking world around them and seeing the impact that can have on their futures. Thank you for always welcoming my students and me to the school–it feels good to be a Black Knight!
Sincerely,
Mackenzie Leonard
Our district appreciates the work Mrs. Leonard does to support the growth of all of our students, and we look forward to the continued impact she will have on the success of Van Buren Local Schools.
To learn more about what is happening at Van Buren Local Schools, visit our website at vbschools.net.
Check out some of our other recent articles:
November Knight Insight: Fostering Growth Through Gifted Education
October Knight Insight: Investing in Student Safety Through Grants
Van Buren Agriculture Education Department Receives $8,000 AgCredit Grant