Growing Together: Multilingual News

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Dear Families,

The Multilingual Department is dedicated to supporting students who speak languages other than English, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities needed to succeed academically. The purpose of the Parent Newsletter is to keep families informed about important updates, upcoming events, and available resources, fostering a strong partnership between the school and parents to support student growth and well-being.

FEBRUARY 14 & 17: NO SCHOOL/STUDENT HOLIDAY

MARCH 7: 3RD NINE WEEKS END

MARCH 10: 4TH NINE WEEKS BEGIN

MARCH 17-21: SPRING BREAK

List provided as a courtesy and in no way constitutes an endorsement of relationships between CFBISD and the service provider. Updated on 5/10/24 and subject to change

Assessment Window: Feb. 17 - March 28, 2025

Students in grades K–12 that have been identified as an emergent bilingual (EB) student are required to take TELPAS. This includes EB students whose parents have declined bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) program services.

In grades K–1, TELPAS includes teacher evaluations of students in listening, speaking, reading, and writing based on ongoing classroom observations and student interactions. In grades 2–12, TELPAS includes online listening and speaking tests and reading and writing tests.

TEA's Texas Assessment website allows parents to view past test scores and provides answers to common questions. There is a page of frequently asked questions about the TELPAS and other helpful links.

We recommend that parents log in to see their child's TELPAS testing history and talk to your child's teacher about progress in English language development. (Source: TEA)

In preparation for the TELPAS assessment in February, we encourage activities that support language development in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Below are some suggested activities you can do at home to help your child strengthen these skills. (Source: TEA website)

Valentine’s Day Storytime

• Activity: Read a Valentine’s Day-themed book in English (or bilingual if available), like “The Day It Rained Hearts” or “Guess How Much I Love You.” After reading, ask children to retell the story or talk about their favorite part.
• Language Focus: Listening, speaking, and comprehension.

Valentine’s Day Word Family Activity

• Activity: Focus on words that belong to the same word family (e.g., love, loved, loving). Have children come up with sentences using these words, then share them aloud with the family.
• Language Focus: Word families, sentence structure, and speaking.

Valentine's Day Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt

• Activity: Create a list of Valentine's Day-related words (e.g., affection, heart, cherish, admire) and ask students to find examples of these words in newspapers, magazines, or online articles. They can also create sentences using the words and discuss their meanings.
• Language Focus: Vocabulary expansion, reading comprehension, and sentence formation.

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the District's Spanish Spelling Bee on January 30th! Below are the winners, along with those who earned top placements.

3rd Grade

1st Javier Rodriguez (McStrick Elem.)

2nd Emily Arenado (Davis Elem.)

3rd Jeremias Murillo (Farmers Branch Elem.)

4th-5th Grade

1st Scarlett Gonzalez (Farmers Branch Elem.)

2nd Lucia Fuenmayor (McWhorter Elem.)

3rd Fabian Reyes (McStrick Elem.)

6-8th Grade

1st Laurie Willhite (Perry MS)

2nd Mateo Rojas Amora (Polk MS)

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Regular attendance is crucial for high school students as it directly impacts their academic success and overall learning. Missing school can lead to gaps in knowledge, making it harder to keep up with coursework and assignments. Consistent attendance helps students stay engaged, build strong study habits, and ensures they are prepared for future academic and career opportunities.

During dinnertime, ask your children about their school day and future career interests to stay connected with their academic progress. This helps them think about their goals and the skills needed to achieve them.

Is your child struggling with coming to school or with homework? Here's how we can help:

• Reach out to your child's school and schedule a meeting with their teacher to discuss any challenges.
• Explore tutoring or after-school support programs that can provide additional help.

• For questions on parent engagement, contact Carolina Christiansen @christiansenm@cfbisd.edu
• For questions on Multilingual resources, contact Olivia Perez @perezo@cfbisd.edu or Tuyet Huynh @huynht@cfbisd.edu

January Multilingual Newsletter

Learn more about the Multilingual Program Department by clicking the link:

https://www.cfbisd.edu/departments/teaching-and-learning/multilingual-programs