Communities In Schools of Georgia in Henry County Continues Expansion at Stockbridge High School
Thursday, May 19th, 2022
Communities In Schools (CIS) of Georgia in Henry County plans to address academic engagement barriers for English Language Learners at Stockbridge High School.
Targeted resources and strategies are needed to teach, evaluate, and nurture English Language Learner (ELL) students, and, as part of a growth strategy aiming to increase graduation rates, CIS is up for the challenge.
In the wake of COVID-19 and virtual learning trends, students with academic challenges are still at risk of producing incomplete schoolwork, missing classes, and dropping out of school altogether, especially kids living in low-income communities, minority students, and students experiencing language barriers.
Due to an increase of non-native English speakers migrating to the United States, primarily from Spanish-speaking countries, these students must learn English to master the academic content needed for standardized testing and completion of graduation requirements.
Meeting the learning needs of ELLs is a big job that requires coordination and collaboration throughout the educational system. That is where Communities In Schools (CIS) of Georgia in Henry County can help by finding and addressing their unique academic engagement barriers and adding services to support the learning of ELLs.
At Stockbridge High School the odds are against many students: 50% of students are economically disadvantaged, 51% are proficient in reading, 26% are proficient in Mathematics, and 35% are proficient in Science. Thanks to a new source of funding from an innovative program, Georgia State of Hope (an initiative encouraging prevention of child neglect and disparities in education), CIS hired a part-time ELL Reengagement Coordinator, Diamond Gray, to support CIS site coordinators already working in Stockbridge High School to engage students in learning.
