Downer Elementary School
About Downer Elementary
E.M. Downer Elementary School is a place “where our community thrives” because we focus on the whole child. We provide an encouraging and engaging learning environment that supports every student. This is accomplished in a setting in which expectations are high and there is evidence of continuous growth. Everyone belongs in our learning community. We believe that when given the right support, all can develop academically, emotionally, socially and physically.
Students, families, and staff trust each other and feel safe, cared for, and valued. We create partnerships with families built on communication and a common purpose of ensuring every student urgently meets their goals. We are professionals driven to improve our practice and find different ways to inspire and grow. We embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and face challenges with compassion and courage.
Our hallways come alive with student work that celebrate grit and growth. Classrooms buzz with academic discussions and active learning. Every member is invested in their learning because they have opportunities for voice, choice, and leadership. Our community plays hard and eats well to stay active and healthy. On the playground students and staff play games that teach compassion, teamwork and sportsmanship. We smile, greet each other, and all do our part to make our school clean, safe and a friendly place to be. We celebrate successes and build community through traditions, study trips, and showcases.
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) began at E.M. Downer Elementary School in 2018 - 2019. This new model of the bilingual education program is designed for all students to achieve biliteracy and bilingualism in English and Spanish by 6th grade. Students who speak English or Spanish before enrolling in kindergarten may join the program. Transfer students will be accepted from other schools in our District, but priority for the program will go to E. M. Downer School residents. If you'd like more information click here.
Vision
We will encourage and engage the whole child to become inspired community members.
Mission
Our students, through high expectations and continuous growth, develop academically, emotionally, socially and physically.
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) - Spanish
Integrated language learning and academic instruction for native speakers of English and native speakers of Spanish. The goals are to attain language proficiency and academic achievement in students’ first and second language, and cross-cultural understanding. This program is great for anyone who wants their child to be bilingual and bi-literate regardless of their home language.
Transfer students will be accepted from other schools in our District. Priority for the program will go to E.M. Downer School residents.
2021 - 2022: k - 5th Grade DLI classes are offered.
NEW ENROLLMENT: Interested parents of all incoming kindergarten students are invited to fill out this form to be contacted: https://www.wccusd.net/enrollment2021-2022
DLI Program Goals
1) Biliteracy and Bilingualism
Dual Language Immersion students will gain the ability to think, read, write, and communicate naturally in two languages.
2) High Academic Achievement:
Dual Language Immersion students are expected to have high academic achievement. Research has shown Dual Immersion students do better than their peers in English-only programs.
3) Global Competency:
Dual Language Immersion students can understand and act on issues of global significance understanding diverse and multiple perspectives.
How it works:
In Kindergarten students will learn in Spanish 90% of the day and 10% of the day in English.
Each year the amount of instruction in English will increase, see below:
- Kindergarten 90% Spanish 10% English
- 1st grade 80% Spanish 20% English
- 2nd grade 70% Spanish 30% English
- 3rd grade 60% Spanish 40% English
- 4th- 6th grade 50% Spanish 50% English