School Within a School is a pilot program for non- or limited-English speaking students new to Clark County School District to facilitate their assimilation into mainstream English-speaking classes. The program will be sited at Von Tobel Middle School for the 2013-2014 academic year.
A structured School Within a School Newcomer Model will become an integral component of CCSD’s educational program. The program will recruit 5th and 6th grade students new to the District or having attended a CCSD school for one year. The program will also establish a newcomer 4th grade transitioning model in the elementary feeder schools that tie into Von Tobel Middle School. Students enrolled in the Newcomer Model program will be tracked as they transition into mainstream classes and their academic and social development followed all the way through high school graduation.
To be compliant and aligned with the new framework for English Proficiency/Development Standards, the Newcomer Model program will use a sequenced curriculum that develops and refines listening comprehension, oral expression, writing and thinking skills appropriate for grade level academic work. In addition to presenting Common Core subjects, the program will emphasize support for student performance and mastery of English in academic and social contexts.
The Newcomer Model allows students to enter a welcoming environment that will provide them with a learning experience tailored to meet their needs. Teachers will use students' home language, in addition to English, for instruction. This program is designed to help children acquire the English skills required to succeed in an English-only mainstream classroom. In the long run, it also serves as an equalizer, giving students from all backgrounds the basic skills needed to function at the grade level appropriate to their age after transfer to a regular program.
The program will begin student recruitment the first week in October, and classes will begin immediately after.
