GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – As the population of Spanish-speaking students continues to increase, Marinette School District in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Green Bay has launched a six-week summer course for staff and faculty in efforts of increasing their cultural competence to better fit the needs of the Hispanic community.

According to District officials, in early March, Marinette School District and UW-Green Bay, Marinette Campus met to determine the needs of a district-wide Spanish language program and how best to structure the course to ensure the majority who expressed interest in enhancing their Spanish skills, could.

After further planning, the districts have developed the “Spanish for Educators” curriculum. This curriculum will be self-paced and offered this summer from June 28 through August 20 to better accommodate the schedules of teachers and staff. 

Officials say that the six-week noncredit virtual course has been designed for educators and support staff who interact with Spanish-speaking students and their families in efforts of easing communication and increasing cultural competency.

This course is intended to familiarize these individuals with simple words for everyday things, such as conversational phrases and sentences, phrases to use in the cafeteria and on the playground. “I am so excited for this opportunity and collaboration,” says Kayla Furton, English language consultant with the Marinette School District.

To learn more about “Spanish for Educators,” visit the website at http://www.uwgb.edu/continuing-education/career/professional-development/.