​The Alamosa School District is the largest district in the San Luis Valley in southcentral Colorado. An area known for both the natural beauty of the Rockies and its rich history of Latinx cultural influence, the area is also among the poorest in the state in terms of household income and related social indicators. During the 2023-2024 school year, Ortega Middle School has averaged close to 100 students each week needing a range of English Language support services. These include some new arrivals from Mexico or Central America, as well as many students who are conversationally bi-lingual in English and Spanish, yet lack academic proficiency in English. Working closely with the ELL teacher, subject matter classroom teachers, and other paraprofessionals, this position matches the volunteer with a small cohort of students for whom they provide on-going instructional supports each day throughout the four-days-a-week school year. This position is well-suited to someone who is considering or has been trained for a teaching career, and wants to explore this path through a service opportunity without the full responsibilities of a classroom teacher.

Description:

• Work with individual students or small groups to achieve and reinforce the skills and materials needed for academic success in a range of subject area classes
• Assist EL teacher and other assigned classroom teachers in identifying and working towards identified teaching objectives for each student
• Prepare and guide materials for independent or small group study and remedial work
• Devise strategies based on sympathetic understanding of individual students and their language needs and abilities
• Maintain cooperative relationships among students, parents, and staff involved with EL students support services
• Add available knowledge of Spanish and relevant cultural information within all involved classrooms and activities
• Help to supervise students outside the classroom and participate in faculty meetings and professional development opportunities, as requested