World Languages + Global Literacy

World Languages Faculty

Juan Carlos Gonzalez-Granja, Bilingual Coordinator and Spanish Teacher

Allegra Love, Billingual/Spanish Teacher

71 %

of staff and faculty speak two or more languages

Heritage Spanish

Each student’s personal growth is important to us here at Monte del Sol. Part of this process is developing a student’s heritage or home language, which in turn helps build their success in the English language curriculum. Since many of our students speak Spanish at home, we offer a bilingual program in Spanish to foster their interest and connection with their home language and to support their personal identity.

Our Bilingual Program

There are 2 strands to our bilingual program. One strand is a two-hour program for students who have not yet reached proficiency in English. This strand includes one hour daily of English Language Development (ELD/ESL) and an hour of Spanish literacy to maintain and develop the home language. The one-hour program is for students who have achieved proficiency in English and is just the one hour of Spanish literacy.

Bilingual Seal

In our Heritage Program, students who are already proficient in English continue their studies in Spanish to become fully biliterate and become eligible to obtain their State Seal of Bilingualism and Biliteracy upon graduation.

Spanish Language and Culture

We also offer Spanish to students who would like to learn Spanish as a foreign language, focusing on basic communication, vocabulary development and grammar. We currently offer Spanish 1,2 and 3.

World Languages Courses

Middle School Enrichment

Spanish
World Language & Culture
High School Electives

Spanish I (Non-native)
Spanish II (Non-native)
Spanish II (Non-native)
AP Spanish Arts & Culture
AP Spanish Literature

Monte del Sol has offered AP Spanish Language & Culture and AP Spanish Literature for any student that has the qualifying prerequisites and skills needed for success in these 2 courses, which provide college credit upon passing the AP tests.

Fostering Global Literacy through language-based travel

Trips to Japan began in 2003, and in June of 2018, a group of 21 students traveled to Japan for Monte’s sixth trip. Students visited Tokyo, Kyoto and Tsuyama (Santa Fe’s sister city), where they represented Santa Fe, were welcomed by the mayor, and presented gifts from our mayor. The students gave formal presentations about Santa Fe and New Mexico in Japanese to the mayor, dignitaries and host families and well as to the students of three visiting schools. Since 2003, Monte has helped 120 students travel to Japan. The Monte community has hosted a group of students from Tsuyama four times, the last being in 2019. Another trip to Japan is planned for June 2024.

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Spain Trip 2019: Fourteen Monte del Sol students traveled to Spain over spring break for a cultural and historical journey in Madrid and Andalucía. Students saw masterpieces by Velázquez, Seville’s Barrio de Santa Cruz, and the famous Alhambra in Granada, the last Moorish kingdom re-conquered in 1492 by the Catholic Kings, Isabella and Ferdinand. They visited historical places alongside icons of Spanish art and literature and discovered the many religious and cultural influences that have made Spain the eclectic country it is today.

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Costa Rica Trip 2022: Nineteen students traveled to Costa Rica in May of 2022 where they embraced the “Pura Vida” ethos as they rafted, zip-lined, snorkeled and hiked their way through this beautiful country filled with rain forests, waterfalls, volcanos, tropical flora and fauna and welcoming people with rich culture.