Families learn about AISD in Spanish language
Aldine ISD hosted its inaugural ‘FESTIVAL DE PRIMAVERA’ on Saturday, April 30, at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center. The three-hour event was an opportunity for Spanish-speaking families to learn all things Aldine without a language barrier. The district staff held the event entirely in Spanish.
Several invited speakers also chatted with families at the festival. Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney welcomed families and shared a little about her story and what she hoped families would take away from the festival. She delivered her speech in Spanish to a crowd of families attending the festival as well as student volunteers and community partners. Families also heard from Dr. José Luis Zelaya, whose message on the power of education has been broadcast worldwide via television, radio, and newspapers, and author Jasminne Mendez, an award-winning author, poet, and playwright.
The district targeted the Spanish-speaking community, the largest demographic in Aldine ISD, to ensure key messages and information were reaching families and students. According to Altagracia’ Grace’ Delgado, executive director of the Multilingual Department, face-to-face communication is the number one way to communicate with Hispanic families. Her department is sponsoring the event.
April made perfect timing to host the event since it is Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month. Currently, Aldine ISD has over 26,000 students identified as emergent bilinguals, but almost 34,000 families list Spanish on their home language survey.
Families spoke with school representatives and staff members from 15 different departments to learn more about the district, School Choice options, and other programs and services. The festival has something for all ages, from a petting zoo to arts and STEM activities to information about college admissions. Families also took home free books.
District partners and sponsors of the event included Lakeshore®, Xfinity, Harris County Precinct 2, Lone Star College, the DePelchin Children’s Center, Bonding Against Adversity, BakerRipley, Custom Care Pharmacy, Sea Smiles Dental & Orthodontics, Legacy Community Health Clinic, the Houston Food Bank, and more.
A big “thank-you” goes out to everyone who came out to the festival and the volunteers and sponsors who made it happen.