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Creating a Sense of Belonging for Newcomers Enrollment through Graduation

International Admissions & Enrollment, School Support & Well-Being, Montgomery County Public Schools

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Circles/Circulos: Feeling is healing

  1. Who are you?
  2. Who do you represent?
  3. What brings you joy?

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Welcome to IAE

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International Admissions and Enrollment, Office of School Support & Well Being, MCPS

Margarita Bohórquez, Director

Residency Specialist

Norka

Padilla

Coordinator

Oscar

Alvarenga

Newcomer

Coordinator

Norca

Yarborough Lead ETC

Sonia

Matus Admin l

Elizabeth Campos

Admin ll

Susan

Gordon

Instructional

Specialist

Map from simplemaps.com

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IAE’s Antiracist & Trauma Responsive Approach

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Together we…

are a community of culturally affirming professionals who, in collaboration with schools and community partners, help build and strengthen positive relationships with children and their families, especially those who may be facing language, cultural or economic barriers. We proudly welcome thousands of new international students and their families into our diverse community throughout the year, connecting them to their school communities so they can fulfill their social and academic aspirations with pride and joy.

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International Admissions & Enrollment (IAE)

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EML Therapeutic Counseling

Support with Schools & Community Engagement

Enrollment

Welcome Center

Parent Vue

Enrollment

Food & Clothing Distribution

Community Partners

CASA, CareForKids, ETCs

International,

Residency,

Exchange Student,

Children experiencing unstable housing

English Testing

Enrollment, Credit Evaluations, Programing, PD, Youth Summit, Bienvenidos Initiative, CC, CFV

Welcome Center, Mental Health Intakes, Orientations, Sense of Belonging, Crisis consultation, SOS, Trauma responsive, PD, Circles

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Well-Being & Family Engagement

Academic Excellence

Professional & Operational Excellence

Welcome Center, ETCs, Bienvenidos, McKinney Vento, Enrollment

Honoring Assets, Aligned Credit Evaluations, Graduation Planning, Grade Placement, ETCs-Safe Learning Environments

Admin PLCs, School Support, Professional Learning, Synergy Upgrades, IAE Tours and Experience, Principal RoundTable

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Well-Being &

Family Engagement

Ensuring our future global leaders, our children, are rising

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Montgomery County is home to 4 of the most diverse small cities in the USA.

Many Cultures, Languages, and Voices: One Community.

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Many Cultures, Languages, and Voices: One Community.

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All of Us: It Takes A Village

  • Local Government: County Council/County Executive
  • Department of Health and Human Services

Public Schools

  • Community Partners: Identity, CASA, Gilchrist Center, Manna Foods, Nourish Now, Care for Kids, Clothing Distribution, Terrell Davis Foundation
  • Wellness Supports: YMCA, Linkages to Learning, Street Outreach, Crisis Center
  • Organizations: International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Social Services, African Community Center

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MCPS Newcomer Coordinator

Oscar Alvarenga

Bienvenidos

Initiative

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Montgomery County accepts migrant students with open arms

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Welcome Center

  • MCPS Team & Tech Support
  • EML Therapeutic Counselors
  • CASA community navigators
  • Summer Rise Students
  • Food and clothing distribution
  • Gilchrist Center- legal services
  • Enrollment
  • Asking for advice & help with school questions, issues
  • Montgomery College
  • SSL Student Ambassadors
  • Student Internship
  • Student Advisory Board

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EML Therapeutic

Counselors- ETCs

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Trauma Responsive Services

Our Team & Languages We Speak

  • Support K-12 EML students (Levels 1-2 & SLIFE/METS) beyond a course schedule (ie social/emotional, immigration, health, college/career readiness)
  • Collaboration with district wide mandatory guidance lessons
  • Resource for addressing ethnic, racial and cultural issues that arise in school communities by conducting RJ circles, peer mediations and staff consultations/trainings
  • Collaboration during Crisis Support

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ETCs & ELD Teams

(Content specialists, RTs, SLIFE Coaches, Instructional Specialist)

Fostering Safe Environments

  • Understanding learning brain vs. survival brain
  • Making sure students feel safe in our schools
  • Avoid re traumatizing our students
  • Growth mindset thinking
  • Language and Culture are an asset

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Trauma Responsive Services

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Academic Excellence

Ensuring our future global leaders, our children, are rising

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Honoring Assets & Affirming Identities

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Aligned Credit Evaluations

  • Curriculum Researched
  • Graduation Planning with Schools

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Integrated mathematics is the international norm,

with most children achieving Algebra 1 in 8th grade.

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Transferring Credits from Transcripts

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TPT Support

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FY’25: HS Grade Level Cohort

Placement Per Transcript

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High School Enrollment

(eligible through their 21st year, including summer school)

Credit Evaluations inform grade level and impact graduation

Pathways for all students

-Connections to Montgomery College

-Connections to Career Training

-Connections to Community Organizations

-Redesign of Credit Evaluations, supporting schools with correct grade level placement based on credits

NEEDED: Adult Education Opportunities

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Professional & Operational Excellence

Ensuring our future global leaders, our children, are rising

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Professional Excellence

  • Honoring Assets Registration through Enrollment
  • Supporting Newcomers Transition into Schools
  • Supporting Bienvenidos
  • Newcomers included in the School Improvement Plan
  • Professional Development with Schools
  • Advocacy with MSDE
  • Cross County/City Partners

  • Professional Development System-wide
  • PDO Newcomer Toolkit Course Welcoming International Students
  • Counselors, Principal Interns, AP1s, AP2s, Central Services, Principals PLCs, HS Math RTs, ELD RTs, PPWs

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Supporting Newcomers’ Transition into School Communities

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Operational Excellence

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International Admissions and Enrollment, Office of School Support & Well Being, MCPS

88% of newcomers are EMLs

About 50% of newcomers are Latino

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Highest Enrolling Schools over the last 4 years (range 100-400)

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Making a Difference

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Resources

Click on the links to the right

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Welcoming and integrating international students into their school community is a collaborative process involving many stakeholders. This course provides information and resources so that children and their caregivers benefit from a culturally affirming experience as they create their new home here in Montgomery County.

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Q & A

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Thank you!

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International Admissions and Enrollment, Office of School Support & Well Being, MCPS

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