CARY, N.C. — Teachers have been busy preparing for the first day of the traditional calendar school year, and a new program is gearing up for a second successful year.

The Spanish immersion program launched in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) last year with great success, as students in the program showed tremendous progress.


What You Need To Know

  • Monday marks the first day of school for many students on the traditional calendar

  • The Spanish immersion program started in WCPSS last year

  • The students in the program showed tremendous progress

We caught back up with Karen Wohlers, the Spanish immersion kindergarten teacher at Dillard Drive Elementary School, as she set up her classroom. 

“Last year was the proof that parents really liked it and kids were outperforming other students, so they were really pleased with the outcome. So I’m excited to see how this year goes," Wohlers said. 

The Spanish immersion program will last at least five years, per a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. 

Rising kindergartners through fifth-graders are eligible