ESL Facilitator Jenny Wenner reviews the school calendar with families and their interpreters.
On Monday, August 11, Westerville City Schools hosted an informational meeting for English as a Second Language (ESL) families new to the district. It took place in the Media Center at Westerville North High School. In attendance were people from many different countries, and speakers of nine different languages. Interpreters were provided for as many languages as possible. As families arrived, they were treated to a classical piano presentation by Westerville South student Terra Carr, and a ballet demonstration from Straub Dance Center performers.
The theme of the meeting was “Tools for Success in School.” Each family received a toolkit to help students do their best in classes. It was comprised of healthy snacks (stay healthy for good attendance), pencils (take good notes in class), erasers (make mistakes and learn from them), bookmarks (read to succeed), and M&Ms of different colors (embrace our diversity). A raffle was held, offering a basket full of school supplies, to encourage attendance at future meetings.
Monday’s meeting covered important topics such as the school lunch program, transportation, immunizations, dress codes, report cards, and an introduction to upcoming events like open houses and curriculum nights.
At the close of the general meeting, attendees broke into small groups and district employees assisted with online transportation and lunch information, as well as answering individual questions about the schools. The next meeting will be held on October 21 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Location will be announced at a later date.