Multilingual Learners (ML)

Leadership

Carina Da Silva, Executive Director of Multilingual Learners (ML)
Email: dasilva_carina@mybps.us
Office: 508-862-4953, Ext. 1753
Cell: 774-487-1922
Address: 230 South Street, Hyannis MA 02601

Maura Shanahan, Grades PreK-7 Department Head
Email: shanahan_maurac@mybps.us
Phone: (508) 790-6460 x 1562

Marjorie Pitts, Grades 8-12 Department Head
Email: pitts_marjorie@mybps.us
Phone: 508-790-6445 x 1161

Barnstable High School

Barnstable High School: 508-790-6445

Marjorie Pitts: Pitts_Marjorie@mybps.us
Molly Waterhouse: Waterhouse_Molly@mybps.us
Jennifer Knight: knight_jennifer1@mybps.us
Julia Shangina-Petitt: Shangina-Petitt_Julia@mybps.us
Leonardo Rosa: rosa_leonardo@mybps.us
Basak Mcdougal: mcdougal_basak@mybps.us
Sarah Basco: basco_sarah@mybps.us
Beth King: king_beth@mybps.us
Stephanie Codner: codner_stephanie@mybps.us
Taylor Keon: keon_taylor@mybps.us

Barnstable Intermediate School

Barnstable United Elementary School

Barnstable Community Innovation School

Barnstable West Barnstable Elementary School

Hyannis West Elementary School

West Villages Elementary School

Enoch Cobb Early Learning Center

Rafaela Brunelle – Portuguese District Liaison

My name is Rafaela Brunelle and I’m the bilingual family liaison for Barnstable Public Schools. I was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. After graduating high school in Brazil I came to the US to study English. Prior to joining BPS in 2018, I worked as a medical interpreter/translator. As a bilingual family liaison, I’m committed to providing exceptional support to our culturally diverse community and proudly serve as the bridge of communication between the schools and multilingual families in our community. I’m eager to start the new school year and continue assisting our new families and students in getting acclimated to our school system.

Rafaela Brunelle
BPS Email: brunelle_rafaela@mybps.us
Office phone: (508) 420-2272 Ext. 1330
Google Voice/Whatsapp: (508) 534-8670

Adela Blanco Román – Spanish District Liaison

My name is Adela Blanco Román, and I am originally from Spain. I came to the US in 2000, and became an interpreter 10 years ago. This is my 6th year working for Barnstable Public Schools as a parent liaison, interpreter and translator. Working for the schools and helping the families and staff to communicate, helping the parents connect with school resources and helping them to navigate a different school system are some of my duties which I truly enjoy. I am always eager to help new and existing families, administrators, and staff to create a harmonious and inclusive environment.

Adela Blanco Román
BPS Email: blancoroman_adela@mybps.us
Office Phone: 508-790-6445 Ext. 1243
Google Voice/WhatsApp: ‪(508) 827-1598‬

Emma Jaurigui – Spanish District Liaison

My name is Emma Jaurigui. I am from the Central Valley in California. I am new to Cape Cod and the Barnstable Schools. I was recently hired to provide support as a Spanish Liaison. My previous job experiences have been within different school systems in the United States. I have had the opportunity to teach Special Education and different grade levels, with Kindergarten being my most recent position. I am looking forward to doing my best to support students, parents, and staff in building connections.

Emma Jaurigui
BPS Email: jaurigui_emma@mybps.us
Office Phone: (508) 790-6460 Ext. 1228
Google Voice/Whatsapp: (508) 348-9895

Newton Jordao – Portuguese, BHS

My name is Newton Jordao. I was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and moved to the United States with my parents when I was seven years old. I went through the education system in Barnstable and graduated from Barnstable High School in 2014. After finishing college, I began working for the Barnstable Public Schools in 2019, and I’m currently the ELL Portuguese Liaison for Barnstable High School. As an ELL Liaison, I provide language support to our Barnstable Public School multilingual community. I like to think of myself as a bridge or connection point between our school community and multilingual parents/students.

Newton Jordao
BPS Email: jordao_newton@mybps.us
Office Phone: (508) 790-6445, ext. 1783
Google Voice/Whatsapp: (508) 296-0232

Renata Monteiro – Portuguese Liaison, BIS

My name is Renata Monteiro. I am originally from Brazil and came to the United States when I was eight. I am the Portuguese Liaison at Barnstable Intermediate School. Having grown up in Barnstable, I am proud to be a part of the community that fostered my educational journey. As a Barnstable graduate, I have a strong connection to the school and its values, making my role even more meaningful. As a Portuguese Liaison, I support students and families transitioning into a new language and culture. In my role, I serve as a bridge between the school and the Portuguese-speaking community, helping to facilitate communication and understanding. I am excited to be a part of the Barnstable Public Schools community and to contribute to the success and growth of our Multilingual Learners.

Renata Monteiro
BPS Email: monteiro_renata@mybps.us
Office Phone: (508) 790-6460 Ext. 1670
Google Voice/WhatsApp: (508) 296-0028

Nathalia Santana – Portuguese/Spanish, BUES

My name is Nathalia Santana. I was born and raised on the Cape to Brazilian parents. I moved to Brazil at the age of 5 and came back to Cape Cod at the age of 8. I attended Barnstable Public Schools and graduated in 2012. I am currently the Portuguese/Spanish Liaison at Barnstable Community Innovation School. As a former EL student, I feel a deep responsibility to be a support and bridge to families in our community. My mission is to create a connection between our schools and families in order to have a greater sense of community in our district. I truly enjoy working with our families and our school staff!

Nathalia Santana
BPS Email: santana_nathalia@mybps.us
Office Phone: (508) 420-2272
Google Voice/WhatsApp: (508) 534-8093

Hayanne Silva – Portuguese Liaison, HyWest

My name is Hayanne Silva, and I am happy to be working at Hyannis West Elementary School as a Portuguese Liaison. As someone who was born in Brazil and came to the United States at the age of five, I have a deep appreciation for the challenges and opportunities that come with learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. Having graduated from Barnstable in 2013, I am proud to be back in the district that played a significant role in shaping my educational journey. As a Portuguese Liaison, I am committed to providing valuable support and guidance to Portuguese-speaking students and their families.

Hayanne Silva
BPS Email: silva_hayanne@mybps.us
Office Phone: (508) 790-6480 Ext. 1216
Google Voice/WhatsApp: (508) 418-9231

Lori De Sousa – Portuguese Liaison, BCIS

My name is Lori De Sousa, and I serve as the Portuguese Bilingual Liaison for Barnstable Community Innovation School. Originally from Brazil, I’ve called Cape Cod home for over 25 years and have had the privilege of raising my child within the Barnstable school system. This personal journey has given me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with limited English proficiency. It’s my mission to provide these families with the essential support they need to successfully navigate the education system.

In my role as a bilingual family liaison, I act as a vital link between school personnel and families who may encounter language barriers.

I firmly believe that diversity enriches our schools and strengthens our communities. Every day, I work to ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their language or cultural background.

Lori De Sousa
ELL Family Liaison, Barnstable Community Innovation School
Email: desousa_laudiene@mybps.us
Office Phone: 508-790-6485 Ext: 1522
WhatsApp: 508-296-0415

The multilingual learner's department aims to have all Multilingual Learners at Barnstable Public Schools feel that they belong in our community and know that along the way to English language acquisition that their linguistic and cultural assets are valued and recognized. We are committed to:

Holding our students to high standards so they can become resilient, independent thinkers who ultimately hold themselves to high standards.
Empowering our students to express themselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and through diverse means of communication
Supporting our students as they develop a strong sense of self and have pride in their identities.
Fostering a mindset of proactive engagement within our students, so they become agents change contributing their talents and knowledge towards building a more equitable and sustainable world for all

Multilingual Learners Program & Procedures

About
Identification of ML Students

About

The asset-based term Multilingual Learner (MLs) is used to describe all students who come in contact with and/or interact in languages in addition to English on a regular basis--including English Learners (ELs), newcomers, students with interrupted formal schooling, long-term English Learners, English Learners with disabilities, gifted and talented English Learners, and students who speak varieties of English or indigenous languages (WIDA, 2020). Barnstable Public Schools (BPS) welcomes MLs from many linguistic and cultural backgrounds particularly Latinx students from South and Central America and the Caribbean Islands.

ML Procedures for 2025-26

BPS Language Proficiency Assessments

Preschool

BPS Language Proficiency Assessments

Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper)	Age	Domains Assessed	Not EL if...
Pre-IPT Oral	Age 3	Listening Speaking	Score at Level C or higher (on a scale of A-E)
Pre-IPT Oral	Age 4	Listening Speaking	Score at Level D or higher (on a scale of A-E)
Pre-IPT Oral	Age 5	Listening Speaking	Score at Level E or higher (on a scale of A-E)

Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper)

Age

Domains Assessed

Not EL if...

Pre-IPT Oral

Age 3

Listening
Speaking

Score at Level C or higher (on a scale of A-E)

Pre-IPT Oral

Age 4

Listening
Speaking

Score at Level D or higher (on a scale of A-E)

Pre-IPT Oral

Age 5

Listening
Speaking

Score at Level E or higher (on a scale of A-E)

Kindergarten

Initial Identification of MLs in Kindergarten

Time	Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper)	Domains Assessed	Not EL if…
September - December	K WIDA Screener	Listening Speaking	At least level 5 in both Listening and Speaking
January - June	K WIDA Screener	Listening Speaking Reading; Writing	At least level 5 in both Listening and Speaking Reading at least Level 5 Writing at least level 4

Time

Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper)

Domains Assessed

Not EL if…

September - December

K WIDA Screener

Listening
Speaking

At least level 5 in both Listening and Speaking

January - June

K WIDA Screener

Listening
Speaking
Reading;
Writing

At least level 5 in both Listening and Speaking
Reading at least Level 5
Writing at least level 4

Please Note: All kindergarten students tested between September and December who do not qualify for services will be monitored throughout their kindergarten year and will be reassessed with all four domains in September of their first grade year.

First Grade

Initial Identification of ELs in First Grade

Time	Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper or Online)	Domains Assessed	Not EL if…
September – December	K WIDA Screener	Listening Speaking Reading Writing	At least level 5 in both Listening and Speaking Reading at least Level 5 Writing at least level 4
January – June	Grade 1 WIDA Screener	Listening Speaking Reading Writing	Overall composite proficiency level 4.5 or higher; and Composite literacy proficiency level 4.5 or higher

Time

Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper or Online)

Domains Assessed

Not EL if…

September – December

K WIDA Screener

Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

At least level 5 in both Listening and Speaking
Reading at least Level 5
Writing at least level 4

January – June

Grade 1 WIDA Screener

Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

Overall composite proficiency level 4.5 or higher; and
Composite literacy proficiency level 4.5 or higher

Grades 2-12

Initial Identification of ELs in Grades 2-12

Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper or Online)	Domains Assessed	Not EL if…
WIDA Screener Online	Listening Speaking Reading Writing	Overall composite proficiency level 4.5 or higher; and Composite literacy proficiency level 4.5 or higher

Language Proficiency Assessment (Paper or Online)

Domains Assessed

Not EL if…

WIDA Screener Online

Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

Overall composite proficiency level 4.5 or higher; and
Composite literacy proficiency level 4.5 or higher

Direct Language Instruction

All ML students will receive direct, systematic, explicit, and sustained language instruction with qualified and licensed ESL educators. At BPS, our EL instruction may happen in a pull-out, push-in, or self-contained setting. Placement decisions will be made to meet the student’s linguistic and academic needs based on the student's English proficiency levels. BPS will attempt to the extent possible to follow these recommendations:

English Proficiency Levels (ELP Levels)	Periods of Direct Language Instruction
Beginner: 1.0 to 2.4	2-3 periods a day of ESL with a licensed ESL teacher. (A period is not less than 45 minutes). * ML staff will decide according to students’ needs
Intermediate/Advanced: 2.5 to 4.2	1- 2 periods a day of ESL with a licensed ESL teacher. * ML staff will decide according to students’ needs

Opting-Out of Direct Language Instruction

Parents/guardians of ML students who qualify for EL services can choose to opt-out of direct language instruction. As per state laws, “The decision to opt-out must be voluntary and informed, and not the product of district practices or influence, the result of inadequate or inaccurate information, or inadequate district resources.” Barnstable Public School staff cannot recommend opting out to families. The BPS district procedures for opting-out are below.

Initiating the Process

Should a parent express the desire to opt their child out of the EL program in any situation or setting (voluntary and not influenced), the staff member who receives this request will:

Notify the EL Director of parent request
Inform the parent to expect some follow up from the EL Director within 5 school days

Meeting with Parent

The EL director, with an interpreter if needed, will:

Meet with the family to understand the basis of their opt-out request.
Share information to ensure that parents fully understand what it means to opt out of the program. Services they are opting out of,
Possible push-in supports that students would have access to,
Required monitoring
Continued participation in the ACCESS test
Parent’s right to opt-out at any time AND that parents can opt back in at any time.
The need to revisit the opt-out decision annually
The parent is provided with the opt-out form (translated as needed) following the meeting.

Finalizing Opt-Out

Should the parent decide to move forward with the opt-out process:

The completed, signed form is needed to remove the student from ESL - the EL Director needs a copy of the form to initiate this process EL Director changes coding in Aspen and notifies the counselor to complete any necessary schedule adjustments/roster changes
A copy of the form goes in the student’s cumulative file
Educators working with students will contribute progress, data, and information through Ellevation for ongoing monitoring
Collaboration between educators working with the opt-out student is highly recommended.
- For students who are dually identified and have opted out of ESL services, collaboration between EL and special education staff will be even more critical in the ongoing support of the student.

Please Note: Opt-out students are still in the ELE program and will take the ACCESS test every year until they receive qualifying scores to exit the program.

Exiting the English Program

Every year, ML students will participate in the ACCESS for ELs language assessment. The ACCESS measures students’ academic language proficiency from year to year. To be considered for reclassification, or to exit the program, students must receive:

An overall score of 4.2 or above on ACCESS
A composite literacy score of 3.9 or above on ACCESS

The ML team will monitor all Former English Learners (FELs) for four academic years, twice a year. Content teachers will receive a monitoring form to complete in the Ellevation platform. Data from observations, assessments, and participation will determine if students stay as FELs or if they need to return to the ELE program and receive direct language instruction.

Please Note: Opt-out students are still in the ELE program and will take the ACCESS test every year until they receive qualifying scores to exit the program.

Our Multilingual Programs

Sheltered Content Instruction (SCI)	English as a Second Language (ESL)
Content is the driver with language support. Taught by content-area licensed and SEI-endorsed teacher Access to grade-level content & development of discipline-specific academic language Occurs throughout the day, and is designed for optimum EL engagement in content	Language is the driver through content topics. Taught by ESL-licensed teacher Additional linguistic support ELs need delivered through systematic, explicit, sustained focus on language and literacy in the context of the Frameworks Occurs for a specific amount of time each day or week, as determined by school, according to student need

Benchmarks for Making Progress Toward English Language Proficiency

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) developed Benchmarks, or target ACCESS scores, for students to meet each year to show progress towards exiting the ML program. Second language acquisition is a very complex process-- it depends on many factors and it is different for each individual. Our ML students are not required to meet Benchmarks every year or to exit the program within a time frame, but BPS will monitor students’ benchmarks to ensure they are making adequate progress toward English proficiency.

AUGUST
BPS will receive the Benchmarks data from the state.

SEPTEMBER

The ML program director reviews and shares the data with the school team.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

School teams will contact families for their input.

OCTOBER

After receiving family input, school teams develop a support plan.

ALL YEAR

A plan is implemented and student progress is monitored.
Families will receive communication regarding their child's progress through the year.

Identification of ML Students

STEP 1

STEP 2

If the home language survey indicates, in any of its questions, that there is a language other than or in addition to English, a Parent Community Liaison will administer a language proficiency test within 30 days of enrollment, unless:

The student was classified as a Former English Learner (FEL) student in their previous district.
The student transferred from another district in MA or another WIDA state and did not qualify as EL in the previous district.
The student has ACCESS results from the last calendar year from a previous district.

STEP 3

STEP 4

A schedule will be created to support the student's linguistic, social-emotional, and academic needs. All ML students will receive ESL services. Later in this document, consideration for the groups below is discussed:

Former EL students (FEL)
Opt-out Students
Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE)
Multilingual Learners in Special Education
Newcomers