Currently there are 169 students enrolled in the middle school string programs: 19 students at Mardela, 53 at Bennett Middle, 9 at Pittsville Middle, 50 at Salisbury Middle, and 38 at Wicomico Middle. For rehearsals, the program makes use of rehearsal rooms at Pittsville, Mardela, and Bennett Middle, and the stages at Wicomico Middle and Salisbury Middle. Beginning strings and continuing strings are offered to all county fourth and fifth graders. Elementary strings courses are pull-out programs in 10 elementary schools: East Salisbury, Fruitland Intermediate, Glen Avenue, North Salisbury, Northwestern, Pemberton, Pinehurst, Pittsville Elementary, Prince Street, and Westside Intermediate. Total enrollment in the elementary strings program is 315. WICOMICO COUNTY ESOL PROGRAM The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a program designed to meet the needs of Multilingual Learners (MLs) in the areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The ESOL program provides instructional services for students in kindergarten through grade twelve. All elementary MLs attend their home schools. Inclusion and pullout programs operate in the elementary schools. The ESOL teacher works with the Multilingual learner individually or in small groups to develop skills that will increase English proficiency. The time frame for individual/small group instruction depends on the proficiency and grade level of each student. Space must be provided for the ESOL teacher to instruct students in a safe and efficient learning environment. Secondary ESOL students attend their home schools as well. Based upon their proficiency levels, these students attend a scheduled class period at their school with their ESOL teacher. ESOL classes are divided into levels ESOL I and II, and directly focus on developing and increasing English proficiency. Students enrolled in these courses may earn up to two World Language completer credits as well as elective credit. The ESOL teachers in the secondary schools also provide support in sheltered, supported, and mainstreamed classrooms. To provide additional support to high school students new to the country and the language, the English Language Support Center provides newcomer instruction at Schumaker Complex. This program allows students to receive scaffolded content instruction in a sheltered environment for a portion of the day, preparing them to better meet the demands of their high school level courses when they return to their home schools fulltime. Additionally, ESOL support is provided to students who choose to attend classes at Evening High School. As the ML population continues to grow, ESOL instruction helps prepare students for achievement in the regular classrooms and on formative and summative assessments. The results of English proficiency assessments are used to determine when a student will exit the ESOL program. 43
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