A new French-English dual immersion language program for kindergarten-first grade students opens in the 2017-18 academic year at the Pasadena Unified School District’s (PUSD) Altadena Elementary School. Applications for enrollment are being accepted through April 7, 2017.

The program will expand to upper grades each year and feed into the district’s International Baccalaureate programmes.

In Pasadena Unified Dual Immersion programs, native and non-native speakers master academic subject matter content in both English and the target language. Instruction begins in kindergarten with 90 percent in the target language – French, Spanish or Mandarin – and 10 percent in English. In subsequent grades, instruction shifts by 10 percent each year, until becoming a 50/50 model: 50 percent in the target language and 50 percent in English.

To apply for kindergarten, both Pasadena and out-of-district families can contact the Pasadena Unified Language Assessment and Development Department (LADD) at 626.396.3600 ext. 88820. Online applications for the French program are also accepted during the district’s Open Enrollment “Second Lottery” from April 3-7, 2017, at openenrollment.info Children must be five years old by September 1, 2017 to enroll for kindergarten.

Families of children entering first grade students can apply by completing an “Intent to Enroll” form by April 7, 2017, at the district’s LADD office, located at 351 S. Hudson Ave., Room 209, Pasadena. Office hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekdays.

Pasadena Unified first launched Spanish and Mandarin dual immersion language programs in 2008. For more information, go to https://www.pusd.us/Page/3212