Join Us and Learn More

We’re hosting a virtual informational meeting for families with rising Kindergarteners interested in our Spanish Immersion program at Jericho Elementary and Richmond Elementary! Join us to meet our dedicated teachers and administrators, learn about the curriculum, and get all your questions answered. We can't wait to share this journey with you!

Mission

We at MMUUSD recognize language immersion education as a pathway for our students to become bilingual and biliterate, achieve academic excellence, and act as culturally competent citizens of the world.

The MMUUSD Spanish Immersion program is a full one-way immersion program. A majority of students enter kindergarten with little to no Spanish background. In the formative years (K-2) students receive up to 90% of academic classroom instruction in Spanish. As students enter third grade and become increasingly bilingual, instruction in Spanish decreases and instruction in English increases.

Typical Day

Students in Spanish Immersion (K-4) learn in a typical class with one teacher in charge of all core academic areas. Students participate in morning meeting, academic instruction, and transitions in an immersive setting. Students attend lunch and recess with their peers in English classrooms. The class receives English instruction while attending daily unified arts classes (Physical Education, Art, Spanish, Music, Guidance, Library).

The Spanish Immersion follows the same curriculum as all classes in the MMUUSD district. Students receive literacy instruction using the American Reading Company Core. Grounded in the science of reading, ARC Core® is designed to build strong knowledge and literacy in both English and Spanish.

Upon their final year in elementary school (4th grade), children work on a portfolio to apply for the elementary Biliteracy Achievement Award.

Spanish Language Proficiency Benchmarks

Assessments use the American Council on Teaching and Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Can-Do statements.

English Instruction Focus

To ensure success as students transition to a more bilingual experience in third grade, students receive explicit phonics instruction starting in kindergarten. All SI students will be given both English and Spanish STAR early literacy screeners.

The intent of the Spanish language development offerings after 5th grade is to prepare students to take higher level courses when they reach MMUHS, with the ultimate goal that students will take AP Spanish. The middle school experience aims to build speaking fluency, reading, and writing proficiency.

Application for the 2026-2027 School Year

Applications will be open March 6th – April 3rd, 2026.

How do I enroll my student?

1. Submit Application: Parent or guardian submits a school choice application. Applications are open March 6th - April 3rd, 2026.
2. Review Process: MMUUSD Administrators follow the MMUUSD School Choice Policy for Grades K-8 using the guidance of the MMUUSD School Choice Guidelines for Grades K-8. It is notable that sibling priority, identified in the guidelines as the highest priority, will be followed.
3. Notification: Placement notification is mailed to families in late April.

Helpful Links:

Lottery & Selection Details

Selection will be done through a lottery system and the number of spaces available within each school is proportional based on school enrollment. Class sizes will range from 18-20 students, which allows for balanced class sizes across the district. Below are the percentages of spaces available for each school based on current enrollment:

• North: JES (67%) / UCS (33%)
• South: RES (61%) / SMS (16%) / BPMS (22%)

Any unused slots will go back into the lottery.
*Tuition opportunities will only be available should there be zero students on the waitlist.

Locations: If you reside in the towns of Bolton, Huntington, or Richmond, then your child can attend the South End Spanish Immersion Program located at Richmond Elementary School. If you reside in the towns of Jericho or Underhill, then your child can attend the North End Program located at Jericho Elementary School. Depending on enrollment, the district may offer the option of attending either the North or South in an effort to balance classroom sizes.

Lottery for Spanish-Speaking Families: In order to value, collaborate with, and honor our community members of Hispanic heritage, the Spanish Immersion Program will provide preference to children with Hispanic heritage for the kindergarten lottery. Children of one parent who is a native or heritage Spanish speaker (including biological non-custodial parents) are given priority for the kindergarten lottery process each spring.

Equity: To ensure equitable access to the Spanish Immersion program, students identified as “economically disadvantaged” (according to state provided data) will be provided preference (higher weighting) in the spring Spanish Immersion lottery process.

Tier 3 Intervention Overview

As part of our MTSS, Tier 3 intervention for SI students will be provided by SI-specific interventionists at RES & JES. Interventions can focus on English and/or Spanish skills based on diagnostic tools (like the STAR early literacy screeners). If after an initial 8-10 weeks of Tier 3 intervention a student still needs support, a formal EST meeting and plan can be crafted in collaboration with parents.