Week 2 is well on its way.

Hello all. Kendra is well into here second week of school. Let me explain to you how things should work if you start school here and Spanish is not your first language. The BOE has a special committee. Once this committee recognizes a student as Spanish as a second language (SASL), this child should be immediately tested to see their comprehension of the second language. Then a special program is put into place based on the level of the child. These guidelines have already been set and documented.

Now, Kendra has been apart of the public school system since January 2014, and she still has not had this test done. As of this past Monday the school finally recognizes her as SASL, but the BOE still does not, and they are the ones that have to administer the exam. I wish I had an answer for you as of why. I have made over 10 visits to the board at this point. I have met with the director many times, still no exam. This year her teacher is bilingual which will be a big help. Hopefully no more C’s D’s and F’s like last year when her 1st grade teacher was not bilingual. Plus this year Kendra knows a lot more Spanish.

Again, there are plenty of very good English speaking elementary schools. However, you have to be able to afford them. The only one that is free has a long wait list. This is the Municipal School of San Juan. I am told that you have to know some one, who knows some one, who knows some one in order to get in. I don’t know any one.

First Day of 2nd Grade in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Kendra started second grade today. Her teacher speaks both Spanish, and English. This news made me very happy, for last year we did not have the luxury of a bi-lingual teacher. Kendra speaks minimal Spanish, and I speak non. Homework was very challenging last year. I was forced to hire a tutor to help Kendra with her homework. This year I simply cannot afford it. I am not sure how we will work this out, but I hope you check in with us often and we will figure this thing out together.

When I picked Kendra up from school today, of course I asked her how was her day. After she told me about her friends, and all the games that they played, she then told me that she did not understand most of what was said by her teacher. She said that she asked her teacher to explain it slower or in English, but the teacher never got to her. I can only imagine how much explanation was given on the firs day of school, and Kendra missed it all.

To add the children got out 1 hour early, because the school does not have a English teacher for 2nd grade, for the 20014-15 school year as of yet.