Spanish
Immersion students read in Spanish as they follow a video presentation. Mansfield City Schools’ Spanish Immersion School is one of only three schools in the state to earn dual recognition as a School of Promise and a High Performing School of Honor for 2017-18 by the Ohio Department of Education.
Both honors come on the heels of Spanish Immersion’s designation last fall as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
The School
of Promise and High Performing School of Honor recognitions are based on a
number of academic achievements, including closing the learning gap among
students who are economically disadvantaged, those with disabilities and
racial/ethnic groups.
Spanish Immersion School earned A’s in achievement, gap closing and progress components of the 2018 state report card. Recognized by Spain as an International Spanish Academy, the school has an enrollment of 251 in kindergarten through eighth grade.
“Again, these recognitions from the Ohio Department of Education are a testament to the hard work that our overall staff, students and parents put into student success,” principal Gabe Costa said Friday morning.
“There is accountability at home for our students, an emphasis on the need to take school seriously. That involvement by parents is very important.”
The state
also recognized Spanish Immersion as a School of Promise in 2014 and 2015 and
an Ohio High Performing School of Honor in 2017. This is the first time both
honors were received in the same year.
“We are especially proud of the closing the learning gap,” Costa said. “This is a school of choice for everyone here – staff and families. We are a free public school that teaches to the state standards while students learn a second language.”
Paolo DeMaria, state superintendent of public instruction, said Spanish Immersion is among recognized schools who “are creating the right conditions to close achievement gaps and address the issues that sometimes prevent students from taking full advantage of educational opportunities. Congratulations to these schools, their teachers and administrators for making a real difference in the lives of their students.”
Costa said Spanish Immersion, located at 240 Euclid Ave., is offering registration for its 2019-2020 kindergarten classes. Parents may complete an application form available on the school’s website or call the school at 419-525-6321 for more information.