Robbinsdale Area Schools

Language Immersion Options

 

Robbinsdale Area Schools has been a pioneer in offering dual language immersion learning opportunities to students for more than 30 years.  Our district was the second district in Minnesota to offer the opportunity for students to be immersed in a second language.  Since welcoming our first immersion kindergarten class in 1986, Robbinsdale Area Schools has remained a leader in language immersion education, offering comprehensive programs to support students' academic and language development from Kindergarten through 12th Grade.  In our programs, students learn the same rigorous Robbinsdale Area Schools curriculum while gaining advanced levels of proficiency in both Spanish and English.

Contact

Julie Sonnek
Multilingual Coordinator
Julie_Sonnek@rdale.org

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Goals

  • Become bilingual and biliterate, developing high levels of proficiency in two languages.
  • Perform at or above grade level in academic areas in both languages.
  • Demonstrate positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors.
     

Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion School

  • Open to all students via application and lottery at Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion Elementary
  • School-wide program
  • Focus on growing bilingual and biliterate students.
  • District resident students receive transportation

Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (RSI) is a 85/15 Dual Language Program in which students are immersed the majority of their day in Spanish. Students progressively receive more instruction in English.  By the time they are in 5th grade, half of their instructional time is in Spanish and half of it is in English.

After RSI, students can attend Plymouth Middle School to continue their Spanish instruction. Students take three classes per day in Spanish at each grade level: Science, Social Studies and Spanish Language Arts.

In high school, students take one course per day in Spanish at each grade level. Armstrong High School offers Advanced Placement courses in Spanish; Cooper High School offers International Baccalaureate Immersion courses. Upon graduation, students can earn one or more of the Minnesota Bilingual Seals available from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). Learn more about MDE Bilingual Seals on their website.

Northport Elementary Dual Language Program

  • Open to students at Northport Elementary. Families complete a program preference form and will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.
  • Classrooms balanced between native speakers of English and native Speakers of Spanish
    • students support each other as both models and learners of language
  • A program within a school
  • Transportation provided to students who reside within the Northport attendance area

In this program, students from different language backgrounds learn together while instruction is systemically delivered in two languages.  Students read, write, listen and speak in both languages becoming bilingual, biliterate and bicultural while working toward grade level academic achievement.  There is currently one dual immersion class per grade level in grades K-2, with the addition of 3rd grade for the 2023-24 school year, 4th grade for the 2024-25 school year, and 5th grade for the 2025-26 school year.

Frequently Asked Questions