The Bronx is home to the largest Albanian population in the country and finally the city is doing more to serve this immigrant community that calls our borough home.
The de Blasio administration has announced that it will be expanding its bilingual education program and PS 105 in Morris Park will be home to the country’s first Albanian-English dual learning program.
Chaklbeat reports:
“Christopher Eustace, the longtime principal of P.S. 105 in the Bronx, was able to build the city’s Albanian program by thinking ahead to solve that problem. He began noticing some years ago that more and more of his students came to school speaking Albanian. So, whenever he could, Eustace hired teachers and office staff who speak the language.
Eventually he had laid the groundwork for a dual language program, pulling from teachers he already had on staff. He said the education department is helping with tuition reimbursement for other Albanian-speaking teachers who are working towards earning certifications to teach English learners. “
This isn’t the first school to offer a “first” in bilingual education in The Bronx. 50 years ago, PS 25 in the South Bronx began offering NYC’s first Spanish-English bilingual program.
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