Keller ISD’s top priority is to see all of its students achieve educational excellence. At campuses like Caprock Elementary, with a high population of Spanish-speaking families, that means providing an exceptional bilingual education opportunity to make sure that all students have the ability to succeed both in their educational journey and beyond.
Just walking the halls at Caprock, you can see the dedication to providing a bilingual environment. Signs throughout the school are written in both English and Spanish so both General Education and bilingual students can recognize various items from the receptionist desks to the bathrooms. From one day to the next, you’ll find students in a bilingual classroom speaking fluent Spanish transition to speaking fluent English enabling them to successfully navigate a future in a primarily English-speaking society, while continuing to function and feel comfortable within their own culture.
Caprock follows the Gomez and Gomez Dual-Language Model of bilingual education. The goal of the program is for students to become truly bilingual both academically and socially. When students begin the program in pre-kindergarten, they are immersed in both languages, with Language Arts being taught in Spanish, and Math being taught in English. Again in kindergarten and first grade, Math is taught in English while Language Arts, Science and Social Studies are taught in Spanish. Things change in second through fourth grade, however, as Language Arts is taught in both English and Spanish, with Social Studies and Science being taught in Spanish, and Math in English.
Students are encouraged to speak the language of instruction to develop both their English and Spanish.
Caprock currently has about 100 of its 600 students in the bilingual program. That translates to one pre-K classroom, two kindergarten classes, two first grade classrooms, and one classroom in each of the other three grades. While some students are new to the country, the majority simply live in Spanish-speaking households.
Karen Deras is a Bilingual Academic Support Specialist (Especialista de Soporte Académico) at Caprock. While learning English is important for these students so that they can be contributing members of the community, Deras said studies have shown that it is just as important that these students’ culture, identity and native language are supported in order to build the confidence and security they need to succeed.
“Here at Caprock , the staff and student population work together to build a sense of unity and trust,” Deras said. “Many of our bilingual students are introduced to English for the first time through this program.”
Teachers of this dual-language model say it is exciting to see students' language skills improve throughout the school year and from year to year in both English and Spanish.
“Most students, when they were in third grade, were extremely strong in English,” Kindergarten teacher Ivonne Moreno said, “strong enough to take the TAKS in either language and pass with Commended Performance.”
“Knowing that our students will be successful in both languages makes me very proud of the program and the vision our District has toward the Bilingual Program and our students’ achievement.”
Fourth-grade teacher Charlie Rodriguez said he loves when the school year ends and he is able to see the progress his students have made. Recently, he had the opportunity to visit Trinity Meadows Intermediate and he said one of his former students started a conversation with him in English rather than Spanish, the students’ previous language of choice.
“I can honestly say I love teaching and following the dual-language model,” Rodriguez said. “Students are set up for success with this model and the students are doing well in pre-K through sixth grade.”
Another key to bilingual student success, is the involvement of parents and making sure that they feel comfortable taking an active role in being part of the school’s community. At Caprock, special weeknight events and end of the year ceremonies are conducted in both English and Spanish. Bilingual classrooms have weekly newsletters to use as a direct communication tool. Rodriguez said CES Principal Angie Nayfa also does a great job of always thinking about the bilingual households, sending any newsletters or notices home in Spanish as well as English.
Caprock’s front office staff is also bilingual, creating a comfortable environment for Spanish speaking parents to come should they have any issues or questions.
“No one feels shunned at Caprock,” Rodriguez said.
Three other Keller ISD campuses – North Riverside Elementary, Whitley Road Elementary and Trinity Meadows – offer Spanish bilingual programs that follow the same model that Caprock does. Parkview Elementary is also a Vietnamese bilingual campus.
All five of KISD’s bilingual campuses have been successful; however, Deras believes Caprock is unique in the amount of dedication brought to the table by the campus’ teachers and administration.
“Caprock teachers and staff do a wonderful job of making all of our students feel that they are part of a big family,” Deras said. “Everyone supports the bilingual program which helps our students realize the importance of learning two languages so that they are able to succeed in high school and college and be contributing members of our growing bilingual community.”
Caprock Elementary Facts
Opened: August 2008
Address: 12301 Grey Twig Drive
Enrollment: 600
2008-09 TEA Accountability Rating: Recognized
Mascot: Gators
Principal: Angie Nayfa
Assistant Principal: Karin Mahlenkamp