La Escuelita, a Spanish language preschool on the Upper West Side, has expanded into offering a Spanish immersion after-school program. Children in grades kindergarten through 3rd grade can attend the program, says new director Kelley Grant.
“It’s a way for children to continue bilingualism,” Grant says. “A way for children to come after school and keep up with it.”
The after-school program started this August and runs Monday-Thursday from 2:30pm-5:00pm and is completely in Spanish. Activities start at 4pm, giving students free time for homework, a snack, or playing, says Grant.
A new activity is offered in Spanish each day: Monday is book writing, Tuesday is capoeria (the Brazilian art of self-defense), Wednesday is chess, and Thursday is fencing. A specialist who also speaks Spanish teaches each activity, for example chess is taught by three-time Ecuadorian Champion, Sr. Raul Marquez.
The preschool is for children 2 and older. It is a dual language program with Spanish immersion and the amount of Spanish spoken increases as the children get older.
Application for both the preschool program and the afterschool program are available on Laescuelitanyc.org. Deadline for the 2016-2017 preschool program is January 15.
