Applications being accepted for Bijou Community School TWBI TK and Kindergarten lottery

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Are you interested in learning more about Bijou Community School and its Two-Way Bilingual Immersion (TWBI)? Commitment forms are now being accepted for TWBI TK and kindergarten classes for the lottery of 66 spots for Kindergarten and 22 spots for TK.

Bijou Community School brings together English and Spanish-speaking students TK through 5th grade in its Two Way Bilingual Immersion program by supporting them to learn to read, write, speak, and listen in two languages.

The program has three goals: bilingualism and biliteracy, high academic achievement in English and Spanish, and sociocultural competency.

The TWBI program at Bijou is a 90:10 model, meaning that 90 percent of instruction in TK and Kindergarten is in Spanish and 10 percent is in English. Each year the percentage of English increases until in 5th grade 50 percent of instruction is in English and 50 percent is in Spanish. One of the strengths of the TWBI program is the assets-based approach. All students in the program are language models for their peers. Bijou intentionally balances the program with half Spanish speakers and half English speakers. In doing so all students get the opportunity to be leaders in the classroom.

Bijou has a warm and welcoming environment and parents are an important part of their child’s education. Parents sign up to volunteer in their child’s classroom and can choose from 16 different volunteer committees– such as helping in our school garden or leading monthly art lessons. There is a Boys and Girls club on site for after-school care, and after-school clubs for students. The school also finds ways to positively recognize students for positive behavior and character traits at monthly assemblies and through weekly announcements.

The Bijou TWBI program admits students by lottery. They also host an English mainstream TK program for families within the Sierra House and Bijou boundaries.

This year, students with birthdays between September 2, 2018 and April 2, 2019 will receive priority enrollment for TK. Students born after April 2 will be admitted with space availability.

Interested parents should call Martha Ubias or Julia Cedano at (530) 543-2337 and submit a completed TWBI commitment form to the office. Tours are available and commitment forms are due on March 23.