Say adieu to the French program at Valley Jr.-Sr. High School.
The New Kensington-Arnold School Board on Tuesday voted to phase out its French programming and create an in-house English as a Second Language program, following enrollment declines in French and rapid growth of students needing ESL services.
Board President Jane Graham, whose daughter is currently enrolled in French, said she hated to see the French program discontinue but recognized the reality of the enrollment decline. Graham said the French teacher, Stephanie Sakoian, has been on board throughout the process.
“I hope that we can come up with more opportunities for students, to figure out ways that they can still take foreign languages or electives somehow,” Graham said.
New Ken-Arnold partners with the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit for ESL services.
Under the plan, approved unanimously Tuesday, New Ken-Arnold would only offer upper-level French courses next school year. Sakoian would teach ESL at the Jr.-Sr. High School. The WIU would continue to offer ESL in Kindergarten through sixth grades.
In the 2027-28 school year, French would no longer be offered and Sakoian would teach ESL districtwide.
At that point, Spanish would be the only foreign language offered at Valley.
No members of the public spoke for or against the plan at Tuesday’s meeting.
Special Education Director Jen Pallone said previously that the transition plan will benefit students. She estimates a cost savings of $110,000.
Graham believes New Ken-Arnold offering its own ESL program will be a positive thing for the district.
“Our current French teacher, who started this process, is phenomenal,” Graham said. “She goes above and beyond the classroom; she supports them with lifelong goals. This is the perfect next step for her. She will make this a beautiful program.”
