The Íæż½ã½ã School Íæż½ã½ã’s approved curriculum for the SPARKS/CHISPA program aligns with the New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core Learning Standards.
The Íæż½ã½ã School Íæż½ã½ã’s SPARKS/CHISPA program has its roots in the district’s decades-old Dual Language Program. The SPARKS/CHISPA program presents a bilingual education in which students learn in two languages. This benefits the students cognitively, socially and economically.
The SPARKS/CHISPA program is an additive program. Students learn in their home/native language (English or Spanish) and add a new language (English or Spanish). The students are enriched, challenged and rewarded by learning two languages.
Students in the SPARKS/CHISPA program learn the full curriculum of the New York State Core Learning for UPK. They will acquire basic interpersonal communication skills and academic content knowledge in both languages. Students learn in either 90% English and 10% Spanish or 80% English and 20% Spanish.
The Spanish class and the partner English class are magnet classes. A partner class of English-speakers will receive a 40 minute period per day, at minimum, of Spanish and vice versa. The classes enjoy combined activities throughout the year. English-speaking students will learn social Spanish and communicate with their peers.
Students whose parents express interest in having their child in the program at the SPARKS/CHISPA meeting and whose Brigance screening score are on-level and above are placed in a lottery. Families are notified in July of whether their child will be in the SPARKS/CHISPA program.