Touch Boards to facilitate creative collaboration and interactive learning. Hazleton Area Schools has also established a Newcomer Program within its Early Learning Center, designed for students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 who are new to the U.S. This program focuses on intensive English language immersion, aiming to equip students with the proficiency needed to transition back to their home schools as quickly as possible. “We’ve had huge success with it,” Dr. Uplinger shares. “One of our staff members said that without the Newcomer Center, she would have had 15 students in her classroom that couldn’t speak English for the entire school year, but they came back to her within the year speaking incredible English and it was such a help. So, it’s been a huge asset for the district.” The launch of a JROTC program is another example of Hazleton’s progress and success over the last year. Mehalick recounts, “When we applied for the program, they said it was going to be about a three251 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 09 HAZLETON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
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