Welcome to the English Language Learners Program

  • The ELL Program supports schools in delivering an equal educational opportunity to students who speak a language or languages other than English, who speak another language in addition to English, or who have a language other than English spoken in their home, and who are academically achieving below grade level. The program focuses on helping students gain basic interpersonal communication skills and academic language proficiency in English, while developing and maintaining a healthy cross-cultural perspective. 
  • Resources for Parents & Students
  • Language Assistance
  • Resources for Teachers
  • ELL Program Staff

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    English Learner Family Toolkit from the U.S. Department of Education/Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) provides important information about public schools in the United States. Translations are available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish. The toolkit covers these topics:

    • Enrolling Your Child in School
    • Attending School in the United States
    • Coming Soon: Other Educational Programs and Services for Your Child
    • Coming Soon: Finding Extracurricular Activities for Your Child
    • Coming Soon: The Health and Safety of Your Child at School
    • Coming Soon: Helping Your Child Be Successful in School

     

    Starting School in the United States - A Guide for Newcomer Students' Families from REL Northwest, answers many questions newcomer families typically have about the U.S. school system. The guide offers guidance on the registration process, how families can get involved in their children's education, the rights every student has under U.S. law, and more. The guide is available in four languages (English, Spanish, Somali, and Arabic).

Announcements

  • Seal of Biliteracy - World Language Teachers

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 9/1/2023 7:00:00 AM

    September 1, 2023 session

    Comments (-1)

  • Family Empowerment Thursday August 24, 2023

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 8/24/2023 10:00:00 AM

    Location: FNSBSD Administrative Center, Family Center (First floor), 520 Fifth Ave. Note that entrance to the building is temporarily on the 4th Ave side.

    Topics:

    • Alaska Reads Act
    • PowerSchool Parent Portal
    • Literacy Council English classes

     

    Comments (-1)

  • AUGUST 11TH PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 8/11/2023 7:00:00 AM

    Bridging Background Knowledge to Support Literacy (Cook & Elliott)

     

    Building a Culture of Literacy Across the Curriculum (Dimmick & Bragonier)

     

    Foundational Literacy Strategies Across Content Areas (Vick & Nuss)

     

     

    Comments (-1)

  • FNSBSD EL Plan of Service Approved by Alaska Department of Education

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 5/8/2023 11:30:00 AM

    The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development has approved the revised English Learner (EL) Plan of Service (POS) for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. The new EL POS is effective from 7/1/2023 through 6/31/2028. The EL POS may be revised annually, as necessary.

     

    You can view the EL Plan of Service 2023-2028 here.

     

    If you have questions regarding the EL Plan of Service, don't hesitate to get in touch with the ELL Program Coordinator, Virva Elliott, at virva.elliott@k12northstar.org or (907) 452-2000 ext. 11467.

    Comments (-1)

  • ELL Family Night April 20th, 2023

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 4/14/2023 2:00:00 PM

    ELL Program Family Night on Thursday, April 20th, 2023 from 4:40 pm to 6:00 pm in The Center, 520 Fifth Ave, Fairbanks.

     Come learn about how you can support your child's reading at home, and hear about the Pathways program at the Literacy Council of Alaska to support students after high school, and the adult ESL classes at the Literacy Council of Alaska.

    We will have literacy backpacks for the first ten families to arrive! 

    Literacy Night

    Comments (-1)

  • ACCESS for ELLs Testing February 1st - March 31st, 2023

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 12/2/2022 8:00:00 AM

    December 2, 2022

    Dear Parent/Guardian,

     

    Your child is currently eligible for English Language Learner (ELL)  Program support services. In order to determine the progress ELL students are making in their English proficiency, all ELL students are assessed annually using the ACCESS for ELLs test. The State of Alaska requires ACCESS for ELLs testing by law, and the School District is not allowed to give the test remotely.

     

    Name of Test: ACCESS for ELLs. For more information about ACCESS for ELLs, please visit https://wida.wisc.edu/

     

    Testing Window: February 1 - March 31, 2023 (Your school will provide a testing schedule for your child)

     

    Location: In person at your child’s school

     

    Important information:

    • The test will measure your child’s level of English proficiency in listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Test results will be shared with you over the summer through PowerSchool Parent Portal and by mail early next school year.

    • The test can only be given in person; most students take the test on a Chromebook but some students may take the test on paper.

    • School staff will follow the guidelines in the School District’s health and safety plan.

    • If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) due to a disability, appropriate testing accommodations, as stated in the IEP, will be provided.

    • Students in Alaska exit ELL Program services when they reach an overall proficiency level of 4.5 in the ACCESS for ELLs test. Scores range from 1.0 (beginner) to 6.0 (fluent).

    • You as a parent/guardian can decline ELL Program services for your child. However, we are required to continue to annually assess your child’s English Language Proficiency until your child meets the State of Alaska defined exit criteria.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the ELL Program staff at your child’s school or me directly.

     

    Sincerely,

     

    Virva Elliott

    ELL Program Coordinator

    Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

    virva.elliott@k12northstar.org

    (907) 452-2000 ext. 11467

    Comments (-1)

  • English Learner Plan of Service Review - Stakeholder Meeting

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 10/27/2022 2:00:00 PM

    Comments (-1)

  • WIDA and Ellevation Open Workshop

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 9/30/2022 12:30:00 PM

    ELL PD Account Request Form for FNSBSD staff

    Comments (-1)

  • Learning Strategies

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 9/30/2022 9:30:00 AM

    Slides

    Comments (-1)

  • Culture Language and Learning

    Posted by Virva Elliott on 9/30/2022 8:00:00 AM

    Slides

    Comments (-1)

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Last Modified on October 6, 2023