First Year of SEI Vanguard Learning Group Brings Empowerment to Educators, Students
Educators enhance confidence, make in-roads with multilingual learners
SALEM (June 10, 2024) – One of the core principles of the Salem Public Schools 2023-26 Strategic Plan is to empower educators.
A small group of educators who met bimonthly in a Collins Middle School classroom throughout the 2023-24 school year embodies that principle entirely.
The Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Vanguard Group was created following the 2022-23 SEI Review revealed that few SEI practices were happening in classrooms across the District. In order to ensure that educators know how to engage in SEI strategies and to get consistent practice in implementing these strategies in their classrooms, Andre Fonseca, Director of Multilingual Learning at SPS, founded the SEI Vanguard Group and secured funding to provide twice-a-month training for dedicated educators to become experts in these strategies and pass their knowledge on to their peers.
Based on the feedback in the Group’s end-of-year meeting last week, it was a profound success. Educators spoke of making connections with the most difficult and vulnerable students and feeling significantly more confident in working with multilingual learners.
Other observations included:
- The importance of making time for multilingual learners
- The effectiveness of guided reading groups and encouraging multilingual students to read aloud
- Encouraging and listening to multilingual learning students to share personal experiences
“With the support of Kylie Felix as the group facilitator, the SEI Vanguard Group has been a huge hit, with 10 educators completing the program in year one,” said Mr. Fonseca.
Perhaps the most rewarding element of the Group was that the entire cohort will serve as ambassadors and advocates while a new cohort is expected to form this fall.
“I’m amazed and impressed at the dedication of the teachers in the Vanguard group to show up twice a month, desiring to learn more strategies to support their multilingual learners,” said Ms. Felix. “Everyone who attended the meetings was engaged in the SEI strategies that week, and continuously sought advice from others to improve their practice.
“As the facilitator, it was an honor to support a group of educators who were invested in improving their own practice to give our MLs what they need to be successful,” she added.
Members of the Group include:
- Yamilis Cruz, Collins Middle School, Literacy Coach
- Maddy Claffey, Collins Middle School, Humanities
- Kylie Felix, Facilitator
- Carolyn Goto, Collins Middle School, Grade 6 Math
- Michelle Grundy, Saltonstall School, Grade 1
- Kate Milano, Collins Middle School, Grade 6 Social Studies
- Joe Muratore, Collins Middle School, Grade 6 Math
- Mary Beth Smith, Collins Middle School Librarian
- Melinda Tetreault, Collins Middle School, Grade 6 ELA
About Salem Public Schools
Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Our leaders and our teachers are all passionate about education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement with equity and social-emotional needs as the lens we view all of our work through. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. Salem Public Schools staff serve all of our students, regardless of ability or language. Salem Public Schools enrolls approximately 4,000 students across its eleven schools.
