Spotlight on bilingual education

At Shugart, we are very proud of our ELL program. The ELL program is offered at many Garland ISD schools, but we think our program is an excellent one. We give much of this credit to our experienced, dedicated staff of teachers. Our ELL teachers have a combined total of over 50 years of experience in this building alone. This continuous tenure allows our students to receive the best instruction from teachers who have worked collaboratively together over a period of years. Our teachers realize the importance of providing academic instruction in Spanish and in English. Their goal is to make sure their students receive the best education possible.

Our ELL teachers also work to build a sense of community amongst students and their families. In addition to providing academic instruction, our teachers have the education and life experiences that insure a love of culture for students. Carmen Ramirez, our kindergarten bilingual teacher, has several teachers in her family. This adds to the experiences she shares. Silvia Angelo is from a small town in the beautiful mountainous area of Manizales, Columbia. She loves to share stories with her students and show them videos and pictures of her beautiful home in Colombia.

Michele Reyes, our third grade bilingual teacher is a fifth generation Texan. However, Reyes did not speak Spanish until she met her husband in 1986 and lived in Mexico for two years. This personal experience definitely provides a valuable connection that benefits her students. Reyes loves teaching and states, “Being bilingual has been such a blessing for me, and I hope the kids have this instilled in them, as well. 

Dr. Alberto Vaqzuez-Rios, our fourth grade ELL teacher, is an accomplished musician, writer and artist. He collaborates with the librarian to offer resources that benefit not only ELL, but all of our students. Vazquez-Rios states, “It is so important to know about the different cultures that are part of this huge tapestry called the United States. Through this, we will be sensitive to the cultures of our brothers and sisters.” This idea of using culture to build tolerance is one that our team of ELL teachers embrace on a daily basis.

These teachers are committed to providing for the social, emotional and academic needs of their students.

Mathematics in ELL class
ELL student creating
ELL students working in small groups
Working with tech in ELL