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Carmel Central School District

Cultivating Opportunities

ENL

English as a New Language

Globe surrounded by hands of all colors

Welcome to the English as a New Language (ENL) Department

We believe every family brings wonderful cultural traditions and unique strengths to our community. Our goal is to help every student discover what they love to do and feel proud and brave enough to try new things in their learning.

Our Purpose and Principles 

Inspired by the New York State Blueprint for ELL Success, the Carmel Central School District English as a New Language program is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, asset-based learning environment where every Multilingual Learner is empowered as their authentic self. By honoring our students' home languages and diverse cultural backgrounds as intellectual capital, we unite educators, families, and the community to provide equitable access to rigorous, culturally responsive instruction. We are committed to nurturing high expectations, utilizing data-driven support, and cultivating essential critical-thinking and language skills so that every student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally on their journey to becoming lifelong learners and confident global citizens.

NYSED ELL Blueprint for Success

 

Main Contacts

Jaimie Dini
Director of MLL Programs, World Language, and Community Outreach 
845-878-2094
jdini@carmelschools.org

Alicia Burns 
K-12 ENL Coordinator 
845-288-2300
aburns2@carmelschools.org

ELL Programs and Services

     

Initial Identification 

1. Every family must complete a Home Language Questionnaire when registering their student. Please indicate the languages spoken at home and the first language your student learned. 

2. If there is a language other than English spoken at home, our team will conduct a student / family interview to get more information 

3. The student will take an English placement assessment and the results will be shared with the family. 

4. The student will be placed in an English as a New Language (ENL) Program or a Dual Language (DL) Program where appropriate. 

Level of Service 

The level of service provided to your student will depend on the level of English proficiency. We follow the New York State CR Part 154 guidelines. 

  1. You student may get pull out support which is an additional class to learn academic English 
  2. Your student may get push in support where an ENL teacher works with your student in a content class, such as English Language Arts (ELA) or Social Studies. 

Exiting the Program

Every student must take an English proficiency exam at the end of the year. Once a student reaches the Commanding level on this assessment, they will exit the program. They will receive 2 additional years of support in the classroom and accommodations on assessments to help with the transition. 

 

Important Links

Family Resources

Contact Us

Carmel High School Rams

Carmel High School Team 

Chelsea Casella
ccasella@carmelschools.org 

Crystal Ortiz
cortiz@carmelschools.org

Steve Zombo
szombo@carmelschools.org

George Fischer Middle School Team

Maribel Marchena-Perez
mmarchen@carmelschools.org

Linda Maldonado 
lmaldona@carmelschools.org

Megan Stanton
mstanton@carmelschools.org

Todd Wagner
twagner@carmelschools.org

 

George Fischer Middle School Logo

Kent Elementary School Logo

Kent Elementary School Team 

Carrie Brettholtz
cbrettho@carmelschools.org

Kent Primary School Team 

Sarah Albrecht
salbrech@carmelschools.org
 

Angeline Solimine
asolimin@carmelschools.org

Kent Primary School logo

Matthew Patterson Logo

Matthew Patterson Elementary Team

Linday DeRosa
lderosa@carmelschools.org

Kate Gomes 
kgomes@carmelschools.org

Lorenza Triebenbacher
ltrieben@carmelschools.org

Did you know that more than 350 languages are spoken across the United States?

Multilingualism on your Diploma

New York State 

Seal of Biliteracy

 

NYS Seal of Biliteracy

What is the NYSSB?

The New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB) is an award given to high school graduates who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in English and one or more world languages.  The NYSSB encourages the study of languages, affirms the value of diversity in a multilingual society, and provides universities and future employers with additional information about applicants.

How does the NYSSB benefit students and schools?

The NYSSB acknowledges the importance of being bilingual in today’s global society. It highlights the hard work and achievement of students, encourages them to maintain their home language, and pursue additional language study while in school. The recognition of attaining biliteracy becomes part of the high school transcript and is a statement of accomplishment for future employers and for college admission. All NYSSB earners will receive an official seal affixed to their diploma, a medallion to wear at graduation, and may also receive a certificate from the New York State Education Department. The NYSSB promotes and strengthens robust English and World Language programs. In addition, the NYSSB positively contributes to the school's “College, Career, and Civic Readiness (CCCR)” score in the same way as Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and the Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation.

Where can I find more information on the NYSSB?

For more information on the District's NYSSB program, talk to the school counselors, world language teachers, or ENL teachers.  Additional information can also be found on the NYSSB website or by contacting the Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages via email (nyssb@nysed.gov) or phone (518-473-7505).