ESL DEPARTMENT

Email: tstaples@mcssk12.org

Website: https://www.mcssk12.org/department/federal-programs/english-learners

Phone: 256-852-2557 ext. 62245

October has arrived!

Having grown up and lived the majority of my life in northern Maine, October brings memories of cool days, crisp leaves, frost on the pumpkins (and car windshields!), and beautiful fall foliage. I saw the statement, "Fall is proof that change is beautiful," and it made me think of the work we do every day as educators. Just as autumn leaves change and transform into brilliant colors of red, yellow and orange until they eventually let go and float to the ground, we need to embrace change, to see the beauty in the process of transforming into something new and the freedom in letting go of the old. Our ESL students are also going through a significant amount of change during these first few months of school. They are learning not only a new language, but a new culture. As they learn and acquire new literacy skills, their educational journeys are becoming more colorful and brighter. Through all of this they are also letting go of old ways of doing and thinking to make room for all the new they are learning. It can be a challenging time for teachers and for students...change is hard and new is hard, but it can also bring something beautiful to the forefront if we're willing to see it through.

I encourage you to take a moment to read through our newsletter this month to find strategies you can try with students to help them transform into a beautiful array of learners. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need assistance. I am always here to help!

Tanya

We are THRILLED to share that one of our very own ESL Specialists, Mrs. Heather Ray, has been named Teacher of the Year at Buckhorn High School! Mrs. Ray's dedication to our ELLs is evident in every interaction she has with students, colleagues and parents. She is innovative in her approaches to teaching ELLs and is a true support to her teacher colleagues and to her ESL Specialist colleagues. The MCSS ESL Department is so proud of Mrs. Ray's accomplishments and her receipt of this award. CONGRATULATIONS, Mrs. Ray!!

We are proud to celebrate a recent grad from Buckhorn High School, Ainah Doblada. Ainah was one of only ten students in the Huntsville area to receive the prestigious Monarch Scholarship from the Junior League of Huntsville. This $8,000 award recognizes Ainah’s outstanding academic achievements and resilience in the face of significant challenges. Ainah moved to Huntsville in 11th grade from the Philippines and quickly overcame the many hurdles faced by English Learners, including language barriers, cultural adjustments, and new educational expectations. Despite these obstacles, Ainah thrived academically, maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA while enrolled in rigorous courses such as AP Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus BC, Honors Biology, and dual enrollment English classes through Calhoun Community College. Her dedication extended beyond the classroom. Ainah was an active member of the National Honor Society, where she tutored peers and volunteered in community events, exemplifying leadership and service. She utilized every available resource to further her education and personal growth. Ainah began her studies at Calhoun Community College this fall and will later transfer to the University of Alabama in Huntsville to pursue a career in nursing. Her story is a powerful example of determination, responsibility, and ambition, inspiring both her classmates and teachers alike. We congratulate Ainah on this well-deserved scholarship and look forward to seeing all the great things she will accomplish!

This Ellevation Strategy is designed to assist students with reflecting on what they learned through the use of a graphic organizer. At the end of a lesson, they will note three things they learned, one thing that is confusing and one thing they find interesting. If used as an exit ticket for formative assessment, teachers can review in order to gain feedback about students' understanding of the material presented.

Three of our teachers were recently honored at the September 11th School Board Meeting for being recipients of a Project Dial scholarship towards earning their Master's Degree. Project Dial has been providing scholarships towards ESOL education for the past few years and we are thrilled to be continuing this partnership with them and UAH. Our three recipients this year are Renee Quaife from Sparkman High School, Keri Vogel from Buckhorn Middle School and Matthew Duncan from Buckhorn High School. Congratulations to all of you!

Our EL Advisory Committee, made up of stakeholders from our district and community, met on September 15th to review the 2025-2026 MCSS English Learner District Plan and FY26 Title III Budget. Tanya Staples, ESL Resource Specialists, shared professional development goals for the year, data from the 2025 WIDA ACCESS test, and details of how funds from the Title III grant will be allocated to support students, families and teachers this school year. We appreciate those who were able to give of their time to come and provide valuable input as we seek to provide ESL instruction of the highest quality to our students. If you have any questions about the District Plan or how our Title III funds are spent, please email Tanya Staples: tstaples@mcssk12.org for more information.

Curious to see how you can apply an Ellevation Activity in your classroom? Join Ellevation on October 21st to see one in action! In this session, you will learn how to implement an engaging Ellevation Strategies activity in the classroom, gaining practical insights and actionable steps to support multilingual learners effectively. You can register for this free webinar using the link below!

Are you looking for a translated document for your parents or students? Click on the picture below to access multiple documents that have been translated into several different languages in our shared MCSS Translated Documents folder. If you don't see what you need, please reach out to Tanya Staples at tstaples@mcssk12.org with your request.