5th Grade World Language Selection Due by April 10th
Dear 5th Grade Students and Parents/Guardians,
I hope this letter finds you and your family well. It is this time of the year when your child needs to select their language of study. However, I want to stress that the need to be able to communicate in at least one language other than English is more than a requirement for our learners. It is a 21st-century skill that every student needs to possess to succeed in this global and multicultural world. That's the reason why in Nyack, we make language learning one of our priorities. We want to equip our students for the future.
We offer world language classes starting in 6th grade. Therefore, all 5th graders are required to select the world language they wish to study in 6th grade. We currently offer two (2) different languages at the Middle School: French and Spanish. Our French and Spanish programs are designed for students that have had little to no exposure to these languages. They will be able to gain a strong knowledge of the language selected and develop proficiency in this language.
Your child, in consultation with you, needs to fill out the selection form by clicking this link: https://forms.gle/TLg7qeFZ3tHz8Do39 by April 10, 2025. This will allow us to proceed with our scheduling process. This year, your child will have the opportunity to experience firsthand a language class taught by the World Language students during their visit to the elementary schools. In addition, I have attached the following video and PowerPoint presentation to help you in selecting a language:
Choosing carefully is very important, as switching languages is not possible. New York State guidelines require students to study a language for at least two years at the middle school level and two more years at the high school level for an Advanced Regents Diploma. Students interested in more than one language can always learn another language when they enter our high school, where we offer ASL as a world language for four years in addition to French and Spanish.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions and/or concerns.
Sincerely,
Elcie Douce, Ed. D.
World Language Department Chair
Nyack Public Schools
(845) 353-7173