New Plans For SF Spanish Immersion School

by Breanna Fuss, Reporter
March 06, 2013 5:38 PM


It’s down to two locations for a new Spanish Immersion School in Sioux Falls. In November, the Sioux Falls School Board scrapped its idea of building an immersion elementary school connected to another elementary school.

And with just two options on the table for a place where a Spanish Immersion School could be built, parents who have students in the program are very excited for the future.

“I think it’s so wonderful to have this opportunity to have its own school because that just can solidify the immersion school program,” said Shannon Graber, mother of a Spanish Immersion student.

Graber is a mother of a fourth grade Spanish immersion student at Rosa Parks Elementary School. She said after five years of the program sharing a school, its time to give students who are in the program, a place they can call their own.

 “I think it just gives some stability to the program, and that always helps. People are comfortable knowing, knowing, the future and where it will be,” Graber said.

And Sioux Falls School Board Members were having Director of Operational Services, Jeff Kreiter, lay all the options out on the table.

“What we were given the task of doing today was looking at the potential sites to make a master plan of a four section, build a three section master plan for a four section,” said Kreiter. “So we need to look at what that means for those sights and do we have to acquire property or not.”

Wednesday, members were looking at a few sites in central Sioux Falls as potential places to build a three-section school. Which would mean three classrooms per grades kindergarten through fifth. Robert Frost, Longfellow, and Jefferson Elementary Schools, as well as the old Lincoln Elementary site were all the possibilities.

“What the board is asking us is to look at that they have the potential to expand to a four section,” Kreiter said.

And it all came down to just that. After the board looked at the properties that may have to be purchased around both Jefferson and Longfellow Elementary Schools, they decided both sites would allow a school to expand if needed.

For Graber, she said these new plans mean future students may finally have a school unlike any other.

“(It’s) just doing wonderful things for the program where the entire school atmosphere can just build that language,” said Graber.

If the board decides to rebuild on Jefferson Elementary’s property, up to four surrounding properties may have to be purchased. If they decide to build at Longfellow, 12 to 16 could be purchased to make room so the school could expand if needed.

On Monday, the final master plans for both sites will be presented to the Sioux Falls School board.