Schools & Hispanic Resource Center Launch Expanded ESL

Nov 6 Fiesta to Raise Funds for Program to Benefit Children & Adults

by Harold Wolfson, photo by Myra Hafetz

(October 16, 2008) The Hispanic Resource Center (HRC) and the Mamaroneck School District have agreed to work together to launch an expanded evening English as a Second Language (ESL) program in the Mamaroneck Avenue School. It will benefit both children and a large group of local adult immigrants who have found it difficult to attend other ESL classes because of problems with child care, demanding work schedules and transportation.

The announcement came from Mariana Boneo, executive director of HRC, and Carrie Amon, principal of the Mamaroneck Ave. School. The news comes as HRC completes plans for its November 6th fiesta fundraiser at the Hampshire Country Club which will honor its ESL volunteers.

Mariana Boneo (left) , Hispanic Resource Center director, and Carrie Amon, principal of Mamaroneck Avenue School have begun planning for an expanded ESL program.

Ms. Boneo explained that one of the key goals of the upcoming fiesta is to raise money to pay for the new ESL venture along with other social services and educational work.

Ms. Amon said that there have been many joint ventures between the Mamaroneck schools and the HRC and was pleased to be working on the new program because, “It has always been our goal to engage our community in the educational process of our children"

She added, "What better way to demonstrate to our students the importance and value of education than by including their parents as role models both at home and in school.”

Under the program, a social worker at the school will contact parents, letting them know that the ESL program contains a new enriched education activity for their children that will include technology, literacy and math. For the children to be eligible, the parents must sign up and agree to attend ESL classes.

“The purpose is to foster learning within families,” Ms. Boneo said. Parents and their children attending other district schools will also be able to enroll in the program. In addition, it will be open to other adult ESL students.

The program, which is scheduled to begin in March of next year, will utilize a Mamaroneck School teacher for the children’s program and HRC’s ESL volunteers for teaching the adults. The school has allocated the use of its computer laboratory, one of its cafeterias, and a storage area for the program. To start, the ESL classes will be offered twice a week and the enrichment class once a week. It is expected that additional days per week will be added as the program develops.

HRC will be responsible for the Mamaroneck School teacher’s salary and other related expenses. It will also provide an ESL coordinator and a teacher assistant.
It is estimated that children of immigrants constitute about 40 percent of the 660 students at the Mamaroneck Avenue School. Ms. Amon said that one of the many benefits of the program will be that students will be better trained and more confident by the time they graduate to the Hommocks Middle School.

Harold Wolfson is on the board of the Hispanic Resource Center.