By Kimberly Paulk, SHARECharlotte.com, a free, easy and local website that makes it easy to learn about and engage with our local nonprofits.
Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world. – Maria Montessori
Nearly 1 of 4 babies born in Mecklenburg County is Latin American, many of whom are born to immigrant parents with high hopes for their children but few financial resources. Burdened by the twin stressors of poverty and cultural change, these children typically start kindergarten at an average of 12-18 months behind their peers with respect to language development and pre-reading skills.
This is a community-wide problem, as CMS faces a growing number of students entering kindergarten with little or no English proficiency and most teachers are not equipped to support dual-language learning.
Charlotte Bilingual Preschool addresses this challenge with a bilingual curriculum and a program that takes advantage of children’s natural curiosity. This goes hand in hand with a parent program that teaches families to continue literacy development and learning at home. Last year 95% of children in the program met or exceeded expectations based on 38 learning objectives.
Founded in 1999 with 15 students, the school now has 72 students and has been awarded five stars – the highest ranking possible – by the North Carolina Division of Child Development. It’s not surprising that there are hundreds of children on the waiting list, all hoping to access this program.
Interested in learning more and getting involved? Check out the volunteer opportunity below, go to a Show & Tell, or learn more at SHARE Charlotte.
Fundraising committee – help plan the 15th Birthday Celebration, or QUINCEÑEARA! This is the first major fundraiser for the school and they would love even planners to assist with the preparation.
Translation – native Spanish speakers who would like to help but need a flexible schedule are perfect for this opportunity helping the school translate promotional materials into Spanish.
Go to Show and Tell – Visit the school and see what it’s all about! The next Show and Tell is on January 15th at 8:15am.
