Monomoy District Establishes Multilingual Advisory Council

When a school district reaches the threshold of 100 students who are English learners — kids for whom English is not their native language and who need additional help — the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires that a parent advisory council be established to advise school officials on programs to address those students’ needs. 

This fall, the Monomoy Regional School District climbed above that threshold for the first time, with 105 students classified as English learners.

 Last week the district announced that it was launching a multilingual parent advisory council “to better understand and integrate the many voices in the school community,” according to a statement. An organizational meeting will be held on Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Monomoy Regional High School library.

 In most districts, the group is called the English learner parent advisory council, but Monomoy opted to call its group the multilingual parent advisory council (MLPAC) “to encompass a wider base,” Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Robin Millen said in an email.

“Monomoy is working to look more broadly than the state definition of ‘EL’ and develop a more asset-based, inclusive understanding that multilingualism should be supported and provisions for learning multiple languages should exist for all,” Millen said.

 The number of students in the district whose native language is not English has been growing. According to DESE school and district profile information, in 2023, 15.4 percent of Chatham Elementary students did not speak English as a first language. That figure was 11.6 percent at Harwich Elementary School, 10.4 percent at Monomoy Regional Middle School, and 11.3 percent at Monomoy High School. 

Many of those students are proficient in English and not considered English learners, who need additional assistance with the language. According to the state, in 2023 English learners made up 10.1 percent of the student population at Chatham Elementary, 6.3 percent at Harwich Elementary, 2 percent at the middle school, and 4 percent at the high school.

 The new council is a collaborative effort between parents and caregivers, school staff and administrators and community members. The goal of the council is to “promote multilingual students’ engagement and success.” Its members will provide advice to the district on English learner programs and education opportunities as well as improvements the district or individual schools could make related to English learners and multilingual families. 

“Our newcomer families bring a richness to our community,” Millen said, “and the MLPAC will be an opportunity for members to connect with district leaders to help ensure that students are welcomed, supported and have an avenue of communication and advocacy. It will also be a venue for ML families to find support, resources, and a sense of belonging with each other in a shared community.” 

 Parents of multilingual students, staff and community members are invited to join the council, which will meet regularly with school and district leaders to help plan and develop programs to improve educational opportunities for English learners, according to the district’s website. The council will also advise the district or individual schools on any new language acquisition programs; review district and school improvement plans as they relate to English learners; and meet annually with the school committee and/or individual school councils.

For more information on the council or to sign up to participate, visit www.monomoy.educ/mlpac.