BILLINGS - Billings Public Schools officially cut the ribbon for the Billings Multilingual Academy on Tuesday night, one of three new charter schools in the district.
It’s a first-of-its-kind school in Montana that offers students the opportunity to receive instruction in their native language while learning English at the same time.
Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia calls the new school a great thing for the community.
“We have a number of people that come to our community—nurses, civil engineers and others who come to Billings for a better future and sometimes their kids don’t speak the language, and we want to make sure we give them an opportunity to learn the language and learn about American culture, so they can be active members of society,” Garcia says.
There are currently 40 students enrolled in the academy, which is located on the fourth floor of the Lincoln Center. Many of the students are Spanish speakers, but there are also Haitian, Crow, Chinese and Vietnamese speakers.
“We want to be a place that is an opportunity for families and not just a place that they might pass through, but a place that they might see themselves as welcomed and seen as an asset,” says Dr. Chris Olszewski, assistant superintendent of curriculum.
Leissmar Bracho is one of the students enrolled in the new school. She is from Venezuela.
“This project started from a dream that people from other countries can make their dreams come true. It’s very exciting to be in because you can get to know more people and meet new friends. You learn new things every day and all of the teachers are very nice,” Bracho told the crowd before taking up a giant pair of scissors and cutting the ribbon to officially open the new school.
Garcia says it can be difficult for students who don’t speak English as a first language to keep up and expects the academy will make a real difference in helping them become successful.
“With no linguistic support, the challenge is that most kids will drop out, and that is something that is not good for our community,” Garcia says.
The academy also provides a space where students and their families can come together to explore community resources.
