New Hanover County’s school board voted 4-3 Dec. 1 to move Forest Hills Global Elementary’s popular dual language immersion program to Gregory School of Science, Math and Technology next year despite concerns by the dissenting board members that the decision was made too hastily.
Relocating the program, in which Spanish- and English-speaking students are integrated in classes taught 50 percent in each language, is part of a larger plan to improve the county’s magnet schools. Board members Lisa Estep, Bruce Shell and Tammy Covil were in favor of approving the magnet school plan without the language immersion element and reconsidering that issue separately next year.
The proposal was just announced Oct. 15, Estep said, so parents and teachers haven’t had enough opportunity to provide their input.
Forest Hills teacher Ana Valle-Greene agreed, saying after helping create and grow the program, Forest Hills teachers “feel we have been left out of the process of making this change.”
Because the program is so successful, Shell added, the board should take time and care when deciding its future.
“If we put this off for further study, I don’t think we harm anything,” he said. “Whereas if we move forward, we eliminate a very successful program on an experiment.”
The other four board members disagreed, saying Forest Hills doesn’t have space for the program anymore. The school is overcrowded and the program is wait-listed. Moving the program to Gregory would not only let more children enroll, it would allow those students to stay in the program through eighth grade.
Research shows language immersion helps students develop critical thinking and self-confidence, but if the program is only available in elementary school, “by the time they get to high school, it’s been a waste,” Forest Hills parent Lance Oehrlein said. Keeping the program at Forest Hills instead of allowing it to expand is “selfish and unfair to the entire district,” he added.
Moving the program would simultaneously solve enrollment issues for both schools. While Forest Hills is overcrowded, Gregory’s enrollment has been waning in recent years. But some Gregory parents are against the move because they didn’t want Gregory’s existing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum replaced.
New Hanover County Schools Superintendent Dr. Tim Markley confirmed STEM at Gregory would be phased out over time, but elements of the STEM curriculum and materials like iPads and a broadcast room would remain.
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