School Committee updated on surge of English language classes

By Barbara Taormina

REVERE – Jennifer LaBollita, director of the Multilingual Learners & World Languages Department, met with the School Committee this week to update them on the program. LaBollita began by giving the committee a little data about Revere’s multilingual learners.

“We have about 2,500 students at this point this year,” said LaBollita, who expects that number to exceed 2,600 by the end of the school year.

“English language enrollment is driving the growth of the district,” she said.

LaBollita went on to explain that 50 percent of students in Revere’s elementary schools are learning English, while one quarter of middle school students and a quarter of students at Revere High are learning English.

According to LaBollita, 72 percent of school families are multilingual.

Assistant Department Director Chelsey Bencks noted that that statistic reflects Revere’s rich linguistic community. Bencks went on to tell the committee the other side of the story. She outlined the World Languages Program, which offers courses in French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese. Bencks said an Arabic language and culture course will begin next year as well as a course on the fundamentals of translation taught with the help of the UMass Translation Center. There are also plans for middle school Spanish.

LaBollita and Bencks also explained assessments and schedules for English as a Second Language students.

Committee members asked what schools were doing, beyond language instruction, to help those who are newly arrived in the area. Bencks said they are being referred to appropriate agencies and organizations.