The Compañeros Dual Language Program is a unique educational program that builds bilingualism and biliteracy in English and Spanish. Instruction is provided by highly trained and caring teachers. Students learn standards-based content while they become fluent in two languages linguistically and academically.

Harrington Elementary School: Two-Way Program

What is a Two-Way Dual Language Program? It’s a program where speakers of two different languages (in our case, English and Spanish) attend school together and learn both languages, so that all the students leave the program being able to speak, read, and write in two languages. The E.J. Harrington Elementary School has the Compañeros Two-Way Dual Language Program. Harrington Elementary School currently offers the Dual Language Program in Pre-K–5th grade.

Connery Elementary School: One-Way Program

What is a One-Way Dual Language Program? It’s a program where all students in a class are from a similar language background (in our case, Spanish). All students enrolled in dual language identify Spanish as a home language on their Home Language Survey at registration.

Note: Portuguese newcomers may still enter one-way programs, since Spanish is the closest related language to Portuguese.

The Connery Elementary School has the Compañeros One-Way Dual Language Program available. Connery Elementary School currently offers the Dual Language Program in Kindergarten–3rd grade.

Compañeros Dual Language Program Enrollment Procedure

Pre-K: Available for Harrington Elementary School and Connery Elementary School Families

Compañeros Dual Language for Pre-Kindergarten enrollment is only available to incoming Pre-K students who identify Spanish as a regularly or somewhat regularly used home language and live in the Harrington and Connery neighborhood. The Pre-K Dual Language classrooms offer full-day availability for the entire school year. To enroll into the program, families must complete a Pre-K lottery application and then be awarded a Pre-K spot. All regular education Pre-K seats, including dual language, are assigned by lottery first. Please note, this only guarantees a spot in the program for Pre-K. Families must follow the kindergarten process if they wish to continue the program.

Kindergarten: Harrington and Connery Elementary School

Compañeros Dual Language enrollment is available to incoming Kindergarten students who live in the Harrington or Connery neighborhood through a lottery system. Enrollment into this program will be determined by a lottery process to ensure that all those who “opt in” have an equitable chance of selection. Three lotteries will be held between June and August of each year to complete the enrollment process for the fall.

An enrollment request form will enter students into the lottery for the Compañeros Dual Language program but does not guarantee admission. Students not selected in the first or second lottery will automatically be entered into any remaining lottery. Students not selected at the end of the third lottery will be placed on a waitlist and enrolled as space becomes available.

All students enrolled in kindergarten dual language are automatically placed in dual language for the duration of Elementary School, unless a parent/guardian requests a change.

Grades 1–5: Harrington and Connery Elementary School

If there is space in the dual language program, students are placed in the program in the order applications are received. If there is no space, eligible students are placed on a waitlist and enrolled as space becomes available.

Students eligible to enroll in the dual language program include:

• Students with a home language of Spanish that is regularly or somewhat regularly used.
• Students transferring from another dual language school.
• Students with a home language very similar to Spanish, such as Portuguese.

For more information about how to enroll your child in the Dual Language Program, please email Emily Benitez: [email protected] or call (781) 477-7220 x3143