Winona Area Public Schools
The Ríos Spanish Immersion Program at Winona Area Public Schools is now accepting applications for the 2023-24 kindergarten class.
The Ríos Spanish Immersion Program is Winona County’s only language immersion program. It is open and free to all students in Winona Area Public Schools. Grades K-4 are housed at Jefferson Elementary School, 1268 W. 5th St., Winona.
In order to help families learn more about the program, Ríos teachers and administrators will be holding two informational sessions in the month of February that will include classroom visits and a Q and A session.
The informational sessions are set for:
- 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8
- 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16
The informational sessions will last approximately 45 minutes. Attending the informational session is not a requirement for admission into the program.
To sign up for an informational session, fill out this form.
To apply for the program, families will need to complete the enrollment process through Infinite Campus for their incoming kindergartner at winonaschools.org/enroll. (See the screengrab below).
The application window for the Ríos Spanish Immersion program will close Friday, Feb. 24. If there are more applicants than spots available, a lottery will be held to determine the class. Those who are not chosen in the lottery will be placed on a waiting list. If there are spots available after Feb. 24, they will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
More information is available at winonaschools.org/rios.
The goal of the Ríos Spanish Immersion Program is to provide educational experiences, beginning in kindergarten, that support academic and linguistic development in two languages — Spanish and English. Ninety percent of the daily instruction is done in Spanish in Grades K-2, offering students a one-of-a-kind, immersive experience.
Students will become proficient listeners, speakers, writers, and readers in both Spanish and English. They will master content in the same subject areas as their counterparts who do not attend the program.
Students will participate in art, music, and physical education taught in English in Grades K-2. Additional subjects will be taught in English as students progress through the program.
Interested parties must apply for entrance into the program.
All Winona Area Public Schools offer the same rigorous core curriculum in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Immersion students will study the same core curriculum and Minnesota academic standards which connect subject areas.