Running head: A FORAY INTO NEW TERRITORY: BRIDGING THE ELL ACHIEVEMENT GAP

A Foray into New Territory: Bridging the ELL Achievement Gap

Jessica Egger
William Paterson University

Running head: A FORAY INTO NEW TERRITORY: BRIDGING THE ELL ACHIEVEMENT GAP

The Foray School is a community based learning center that focuses on the 4 As: academic acculturation,
assimilation, and English acquisition for newcomer students in grades K-2. The unifying values and beliefs in the
school are that English acquisition is essential for successful academic achievement. The Foray School seeks to
serve as a bridge for youngsters learning English as a second language. Although The Foray School serves as an
alternative magnet school for non-native English speakers, our vision is to promote intensive phonemic awareness
and vocabulary development in English through both creative and authentic contexts. Native language is utilized as
a scaffold to support content area foci, and to build background knowledge. This vision is best actualized by creating
a collaborative environment within each classroom setting. Team teaching will occur among a native-Spanish
speaking teacher, an ESL teacher, and a teacher certified in Special education. Educators will have the autonomy to
implement curriculum, by using self created materials if desired. Curriculum implementation should occur in
creative ways that balance not only rigor, but also a whole-child approach. Students will engage in project based
learning that occurs in authentic contexts. In addition, students will be introduced to standardized testing concepts
and strategies that they will encounter throughout their academic journeys.
Staff will be hired based on a rigorous and non-traditional selection process. For this reason, all staff
members are considered teacher- leaders. Leaders are educators that have demonstrated active roles in school
transformation (professional development, grant procurements, advanced degrees, current social and/or extracurricular leaders, union leadership, etc). Staff members that have not actively engaged in leadership activities will
not be considered for employment. Currently employed district teachers must apply and interview to be considered
for teaching positions at The Foray School. General education, early childhood, bilingual, ESL, & SPED teachers
are in high demand for staffing at The Foray School. Educators with backgrounds in art, music, technology and
science are also needed to fill positions within the self-contained classroom settings.
The Foray School is a cooperative school that has a strong familial presence. The Foray School offers
various programs for both students and their families. The Foray School offers families opportunities to expand their

Running head: A FORAY INTO NEW TERRITORY: BRIDGING THE ELL ACHIEVEMENT GAP

own English, as well as the opportunity to become acclimated to a culture of American academics. Although all
final decisions can be promoted or vetoed by the tending Administrator, all staff members are encouraged to share
best practices, model for one another, and collaborate. Although teacher teams will have the autonomy to deliver
instruction as they see fit, curriculum mapping for K-2 will be provided by the Administrator of the building. We
believe deeply that all students acquire, retain, and transfer knowledge when given the opportunity to apply their
new language in authentic contexts that are safe and nurturing.
The foundational philosophies of The Foray School can be both compared and contrasted with the reality
in my current district. Like The Foray School, magnet schools for non-native English speaking students currently
exist here. However, they are not targeting students in K-2; only students in grades 3-8 are eligible for these magnet
schools. Furthermore, these magnet schools attract ELLs with the instructional philosophy of native language
instruction, rather than intensive English instruction. On the other hand, many schools have bilingual programs to
accommodate English Language Learners (ELLs). However, these programs also differ with the mission of The
Foray School because they are inconsistent in their instructional approach for second language learning. In my
current school, bilingual Kindergarten teaches phonemic and alphabetic skills solely in Spanish. By the time these
students reach first grade, they have acquired enough social and academic English that they no longer receive their
Language Arts instruction in Spanish. Thus, students are completely devoid of alphabetic awareness and sight words
in English upon exiting Kindergarten. By intensively focusing on phonemic awareness in English for newcomers in
grades K-2, and using native language to support content area instruction, bilingual students will be on par with their
English speaking peers by third grade. In my current district, CCCS are used to instruct bilingual students with the
help of a scaffolded framework to reduce the linguistic complexity. However, instructional materials are not only
prescribed by the district for various programs which do not accommodate the needs of ELLs, but are also
decontextualized due to a lack of authentic experiences for ELLs to use their newly acquired language. So there is
no alignment between the mandated curriculum and the materials provided by the district.
Although there are clear similarities and differences between The Foray School and my current district, The
Foray School seeks to build upon the foundation that has already been created to support ELLs. All of the moving
parts exist to make The Foray School model become a reality in my current district. This concept not only aligns
with the magnet mentality existent in the district, but also with the universally accepted need to close the
achievement gap of the ELL population. At the very least, it would keep the negative data of bilingual students

Running head: A FORAY INTO NEW TERRITORY: BRIDGING THE ELL ACHIEVEMENT GAP

contained in one location. The current native language philosophies of decision-makers prevent this dream being
actualized even at the school based level.

Running head: A FORAY INTO NEW TERRITORY: BRIDGING THE ELL ACHIEVEMENT GAP

We believe in.

Image
Lead learner
Creative visionary
Energetic risk-taker
Open & honest
Committed & consistent
Celebrates cultural & linguistic diversity
Hands-on team member
Incites intrinsic motivation within all stakeholders to participate and excel

The right of all students

to receive an equally
effective education
The right of all students
to learn in the way that
they learn best
The right of all students
to explore and expand
their world views
The right of all students
to be in a safe and
nurturing environment

Culture

Enrichment driven: afterschool and weekend programs for art, drama, dance, engineering,
technology, & athletics.
Whole Child Support Center: Adult ESL classes, Food Handler Certification, Early Literacy Outreach,
Food & clothing pantry, Christmas Eve & Thanksgiving Dinner, Family Fun Nights, & Student Teacher
Tutors in partnership with WPU.
100% staff retention rate

Systems

moved from a machine model to an open systems model

system of leadership evolved from transactional to transformational
system of capacity building among staff & administration
Accomplishments
2021 Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School Award Winner
2020 NJ Schools Public Relations Association (NSPRA) Gold Medallion Award (Public
Engagement/Parent and Community Involvement Programs and Initiatives)
2019 NJDOE Honors Recognition for Outstanding Second Language Program
2019 Governor's Educator of the Year awarded to 2nd grade teacher Belinda Casais-McBride

Strengths

Weaknesses

What do others need to know about us?

National model in bilingual and bicultural school

education
Shared vision & mission among school community
Experimental and creative curriculum
Embedded and participatory leaders
Culture of love, respect, and pride

Unable to accommodate newcomers that are nonSpanish speaking students

Excess of mandated state/district assessments
Budgetary constraints
Students may exit too quickly from Limited
English Profocient (LEP) status; Continued support
may be required beyond The Foray School
experience

Principal is instructional leader

Driven by Universal by Design methodologies
Data-driven instruction
Deep respect of native culture and language;
program supports language and cultural
assimilation into American ACADEMIC culture only
Does not support English-only initiatives, or native
language agendas; seeks to bridge academic
language and cultural differences

Running head: A FORAY INTO NEW TERRITORY: BRIDGING THE ELL ACHIEVEMENT GAP

References
Bridges, W. (2009). Managing transitions: Making the most of change (3rd ed.) Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press,
Perseus Books.
Owings, W. A. & Kaplan, L. S. (2012). Leadership and organizational behavior in education: Theory into practice.
Pearson Education, Inc.