Mountain View Dual Language Immersion Program Receives Professional Development Grant

By Albemarle County Public Schools

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — Mountain View Elementary School (MVES) received a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) mini-grant to support teacher training that enhances literacy instruction for students learning in two languages.

The mini-grant provided MVES with $10,000 to invest in professional development for English and Spanish Language Arts teachers around best practices in dual language instruction, cross-linguistic bridging of instruction and supporting collaborative instructional planning.

“Professional development like this helps teachers identify the instructional purpose of resources provided by our curriculum,” KB Schutz, a classroom teacher and part of the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program team at MVES, said. “These opportunities help teachers make informed instructional decisions based on assessment data and offer a collaborative base from which to plan instruction.”

As part of this grant, MVES has already hosted a professional development session for Spanish Language Arts teachers to explore instructional resources and to ask targeted questions about the curriculum. In September, a three-hour session for both Spanish and English Language Arts teachers will focus on best practices in dual language instruction and collaborative planning.

“When our teachers can plan and implement intentional instruction scaffolded to meet their language needs, our students benefit,” Schutz said.

That focus on intentional instruction is shared across the division’s leadership.

“This is a great opportunity for Mountain View, and I appreciate the hard work of our dual language team to strengthen professional learning and, ultimately, improve outcomes for our students,” Matthew Haas, Superintendent, said. “This focus and follow-through make a real difference.”

Through this investment in professional learning, MVES continues to build a strong foundation for high-quality dual language instruction by ensuring that teachers are equipped to support students as they develop literacy and confidence in two languages.