Carson City school hosts ESL family ‘Posada’ on Dec. 10

Mark Twain Elementary School, 2111 Carriage Crest Drive, will host Posada 2021, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 10.
The outdoor event, open to all Mark Twain students and families, is part of the school’s English Second Language department’s iCan initiative designed to increase ESL parent and family involvement and to help reinforce and extend learning taught during regular classroom instruction. It will include piñatas, crafts, traditional Hispanic holiday food, mariachi music, family activities and photos.
Staff hopes to build a strong home-to-school connection by providing these activities and allowing students to showcase some of their talents and traditions during this event, said Mark Twain Elementary Principal Ruthlee Caloiaro.

“Of the 600 students here, 58 percent are minorities with more than 300 that are English language learners,” Caloiaro said in a news release. “We are also a Title 1 school, and 100 percent of our students receive free breakfast and lunch. This is just another way we can support our ESL population.”

By providing this event, Caloiaro said staff members will educate and empower families as they provide them with the knowledge and information necessary to support learning at home.

In November, Mark Twain Elementary School was awarded part of the Dolan Auto Group Class Project prize, where they earned $5,000 for the Posada event. The funding has helped offset costs to comfortably move the event outdoors.