Where Bilingualism Takes Flight w/Principal Anabel Rafoul

In this episode of Leadership Laps, we sit down with Anabel Rafoul, founding principal of Escuela Bilingüe Betty Benavidez, Aurora Public Schools' first dual language school opening this fall. Currently in 'year zero' which is a planning year before welcoming students, Anabel shares her experience building a school from the ground up, from curriculum adoption to the naming process honoring Betty Benavidez, from hiring staff to recruiting founding families. With a background in dual language education leadership, Anabel explains the power of bilingual education for both English learners and native English speakers, and why this school represents a historic opportunity for APS families. For those considering enrollment in preschool, kindergarten, or first grade this fall, this conversation offers an inside look at what makes Escuela Bilingüe Betty Benavidez a transformative educational choice.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

There's something powerful about the journey of leadership, the day of steps, the long-term vision, and everything we learn along the way. Welcome to Leadership Labs, where we explore these journeys with the incredible leaders of Aurora Public Schools. In each episode, we hear from those who are helping guide us toward Destination APS, sharing their stories, their challenges, and the lessons they've learned along the way. Today I'm joined by Anabel Raful, founding principal of Escuela Bilingue Bethi Benavides, APS's first dual language school opening this fall. Annabel is currently in year zero, which is a planning year that is dedicated to building everything from scratch, from curriculum adoption to naming the school, picking the mascot, hiring the staff, recruiting students, and all of the things that we'll hear more about uh in this episode. This fall, she'll welcome preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students, and then we'll add a grade uh each year after that until we get to fifth grade. Yes. Uh let's explore what it takes to build a dual language school and why this work matters so deeply for our community here in Aurora. Anabel, welcome to Leadership Labs.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Thank you. So happy to be here.

SPEAKER_00 1:26

Tell us a little bit about who you are. Uh so that's the first question. Who are you? And then the second question uh is tell us a little bit about what it's been like to be in year zero of opening APS's first dual language school.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

Wow, like now that you put it like that, it's like okay, it's a big, it's a big deal. That's right. Uh well, thank you. Thank you for having me here today. Um Annabel Raful, you know, it's been 23 years since I came to Colorado. I was hired as a bilingual teacher in a neighboring district 23 years ago. I didn't think about leadership at that point, but I was born and raised in Mexico. Both my parents and my grandma uh were educators in Mexico. Obviously, they retired. So I grew up with that, right? Serving the community. I always grew up seeing my family, my dad, my mom, um, just helping families and students. It was it was truly a joy seeing them, um, you know, supporting all the families and students. And, you know, Maestro Mario, my dad who already passed, my mom, maestra Lucy, just having them as role models is, I think until today, they're like my role models in life uh for education, and really that serving um serving the community in education. And then I came to Colorado, was an ELD teacher for many years, uh supporting newcomer students, sixth grade, sixth through eight. Um, and I think that was my first uh I think realization of supporting bilingual students um from the asset lens, right? Like all the students, they might they didn't speak English, yet they had so many assets and just founding everything around that. And throughout the years, I realized that I wanted to become an administrator because I didn't see many Latino administrators back then. And it was 2016 that I decided to go into administration and explore that route just because I felt like I was um I just wanted to do a little bit more for our Latino students and our families. Amazing.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

Um tell us a little bit what it's been like this year. Uh what is it, what is the year zero and how has the what has it been like?

SPEAKER_01 3:41

You know, I I do talk to a lot of friends and and uh friends and colleagues, and at this time of the year I feel like I'm on a bullet train, and I'm just gonna describe it like that. It's like the Amtrak, like we all the time we say that the train has left, but this is the bullet, it's not stopping. Uh first semester was great, learning a lot about the the system, a lot of collaboration with a lot of um departments and APS. But I think this is really this semester is being yet challenges, um, yet a lot of joy seeing kids' names, families applying, coming to our uh events, getting to know the the kids, you know, the students. Like I know some names already, so I'm working on that. Um it's been great. Also, um, my team has been very supportive of school, um, assistant principal and office staff. We have made some great um steps with hiring. Uh, I cannot tell you how excited our new teachers, our new staff are. Like they want to jump in, they want to come and to support. Um, it's a big deal being part of this founding team.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

So it's been um, I'm just gonna say it's is it's all it's like a roller coaster. Like I said, it's it's a bullet train, it's not stopping, but we're bringing a lot of great people on the train.

SPEAKER_00 5:01

That's amazing. And not very many of us uh have the the privilege of of having the year zero and being a part of that founding team. And so yeah, I'm glad to hear that it's been exciting for you and for uh all of our new team members and the families and the students who are gonna be a part of creating the culture and leaving the legacy.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Yeah, and it's uh yes, and and I think as a former principal who was leading a school that was already established, I think uh the having the opportunity to have a year's year, which I never done before. This is my first time also opening a school. Uh, I'm very grateful for that opportunity and the district has that system in place uh in order to make this successful, right? For everybody, employees, families, uh, myself and everybody else. So I'm really uh glad and grateful for that.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

I have a question for you uh for for families or educators, uh people out there who may be listening and not be familiar with uh uh dual language education. Can you tell us what it is and why it's so important?

SPEAKER_01 6:15

Uh wow, that's this um it's like you said, it's my my passion about um just languages. One of the things that attracted me to Aurora Public Schools was really the diversity. I work in other districts where there's um well dual language schools, but just bringing the opportunity to Aurora and already we already have the students. A lot of our families know um, they speak already two or more languages, right? Our model is gonna be a 90-10 model, dual language program. 90% of the um instruction is gonna be uh conducted in Spanish and preschool, and 10% in English. Uh I do believe that this is an opportunity that our families uh deserve. Also, um, something that we should encourage our families to uh bring their students, provide this opportunity to the students to be bilingual. I think that um it's it's families known, they speak many languages. The idea of explaining and teaching our families about biliteracy, right? It's not just speaking and being able to communicate orally or um for just social purposes, but I think bringing the idea of um the academic language, the reading, the writing, and both languages or more, um, I think that's important for families to know. And just providing and explaining what bilingual education can mean in the long term for students and the families themselves, right? I think that's very important. I'm glad that we are doing it. Um we are we're also uh sharing with our families what the model looks like. By the time students get to third grade at our school and APS, uh they will receive 50% instruction in English and 50% instruction in Spanish. And this is for all the uh subject areas. Um I'm really excited to continue to partner up with families and continue so they can learn more about the program and what they can expect when students graduate in fifth grade.

SPEAKER_00 8:12

Yeah, I appreciate you naming that uh in our school by third grade will be at 50-50. And what we what we mean by that also is that your students uh for families who send their student to uh uh Escuela Bilingue Betty Benavides, their student will be literate in English and Spanish by the time they're in third grade. That they will be on grade level in reading and writing, speaking and listening in English and Spanish by third grade. Um so the 90-10 means we're gonna build the the literacy skills in Spanish first, but by the time we get to third grade, they'll be reading and writing in English and Spanish. And I think sometimes parents uh wonder if, oh, if if if I send them to a 90-10 school, are they not gonna develop the English language component? And you know, which is of course not true, but I think it's important for us to talk about those kinds of things with the community.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

Yeah, and I think that's part of what the work that we're also starting to do. So parents understand anytime, let's say they come to parent teacher conferences, right? When the first time they see the student work in both languages, we should be able to tell parents what it means and how it will progress. So that's part of my vision to um to teach parents to partner up with them so they know and understand the trajectory of um, you know, their kids' bi-literacy journey or bilingual journey.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

Yes. You mentioned that you've been a dual language principal before. Uh, can you share a little bit about that experience and and what it taught you about this unique model? So we're very lucky that you're bringing that experience to Aurora. And you know, what are some of the things that you learned from that experience that uh we get the benefit of?

SPEAKER_01 10:10

No, I'm this is very excited. Again, I didn't really think about uh that's great opportunity until it came uh with APS. And yes, I was a principal in a neighboring school. Um I think opportunity for Latino families, right? That uh for students to again uh learn and develop both languages. I think the part I will say the highlight is um well, the highlight of my my previous school was the diversity in families and also staff. I do want to say that diversity in staff is incredibly important because we were in a very diverse staff, teachers from um different parts of Latin America, also from the United States. And I think that also creates a rich culture as far as a bilingual community or multilingual community. Um, teachers who are committed to bilingual education, teachers who are committed to our Latino population, uh, families who do not speak Spanish as a first language value the language. Just seeing that was very um uh very important to me. Uh, families who really value, as I want my child to learn a second language in Spanish, and they were very supportive. I think that also just bringing that community um of parents, teachers, uh, teachers at that particular school, stay there, right? And I think that's something that I wish I can bring and make this happen. Like we want our teachers to stay in Aurora Public Schools, this is destination district. That's right. We want teachers to stay at Betty Benavides and be committed to grow our dual language program. So I think together with the vision, just bringing what does that mean, um, you know, building a bilingual school at a bilingual environment, multicultural, what everybody's valued. And it's an example. I had a parent who asked me, like, so what Spanish are you gonna teach? Right? So that was a great question. So we went into now we're gonna have teachers from different parts of Latin America. So definitely the Spanish is gonna be different. However, the instructional Spanish, it will be uh based on content standards and our curriculum. Uh, but I will say the commitment of parents and the belief in bilingual education will same uh will be, I think it was my highlight and and the commitment to staff in the district.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Uh you talked a little bit about your parents being uh your mentors and they were educators as well. Uh can you talk to us about any key mentors in addition to them who might have shaped your understanding of bilingual education?

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Yes, so think about when I started my career in bilingual education, I think it was in 2019, and this was extremely challenging because it was right before COVID. So I became the assistant principal at two um bilingual schools in my previous district, and I will say that both of my principals at the time were incredibly supportive, and I will say those are my big two mentors that I had had in bilingual education. One retired at the time, 10 years in that building, and the other one also uh they both retired at the same time, and then after that, I had the opportunity to become a principal at one of the bilingual schools. But I will say, you know, their advocacy, their leadership around dual language education, both bilingual um educators, and also seeing how connected they were to the community and the staff and the culture they created. It was like I had the opportunity to go between one school and the other school in one week, and I don't think many people get that opportunity. So I do want to say that I also developed a lot of understanding, a lot of my leadership skills there around dual language education. Very two different leaders with great, great skills, big heart for students and community. What was um in Boulder, the other one was in Lafayette, different communities. So just seeing that contrast and the way they led their schools, the way the staff responded to them, the way that the families engage in the schools, it was amazing. So I will tell you that forever, I think both of them were my big, big mentors.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

Okay, shout out to them.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

Yes, Aina and Guillermo. Great, great.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Um, talk to us a little bit about what made you excited about the opportunity to apply to be the founding principal of Escuela Bilingue Betty Benavides.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

You know, Jesus, I was uh at that time I was part of the CLDE team with Aurora Public Schools, and I heard about the project, and and I was at that point taking a break, and I was like, I don't know about principalship again, right? So I I learned, I I sorted a little bit around, you know, that I said, no, I don't think I'm gonna apply. Um, but I think after I saw how committed the district was, I think that the people that participated in the project to put it together, make it happen, the things I learned, um, then it really made me think about it. Like, okay, I'm gonna apply, see what happens, right? And see what also APS has to offer, what I can offer to APS. So um, you know, never opening a school before, thinking about, oh, what if I get to hire our own staff? And uh also knowing that there's a lot of bilingual staff in APS already and how excited they were about the opportunity to just in general. So I think that was just it made me think about it. I said, okay, I'm gonna do it. Um, but I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't completely sold in the idea of like going back to principalship at this level. But you know, when I asked, like, how many bilingual schools do we have in APS and I learned that there was none, I was like, how come? So um I think that was it. I think just the commitment and the and the support that I saw from the district and the team that made this happen, I felt like it was it, we were serious. The district was serious about supporting and and making this happen. So I gave it a shot and I guess I'm here.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

And we're we're glad you're here. Uh, one thing, too, that I think um has happened since we've made the commitment to open Escuela Bilingue de Tiberes is there's a lot of interest across this school district, existing schools that want to offer dual language programming and families who want to stay at their current neighborhood school but want access to the programming. And so, you know, I I um I think this could be, you know, the first of many. Um, and so yeah, yeah, yeah. It's uh it's an exciting time. Um tell us a little bit about Betty Benavides. So you I I've had an opportunity to hear directly from you about the process for selecting the name uh a couple of times, uh, and would love for our listeners just to know who she was and what the naming process was like.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

And you know what? I think that's one of the highlights of year zero, uh putting our uh design team together who helped us through all this process of mission and vision, school name. Um I have to say, this is my second year in our public schools. I live up north. So I'm also learning about the community and just having that community support. So one of our members, uh one of our sessions was about naming the school, and then we requested some ideas and names. So one of our uh design team members brought up Betty Benavides. So we started researching about her and uh thinking, you know, going with poor guidelines about naming and what's a good option because we are reopening Sixth Avenue. Um we also wanted to make sure we keep a little bit of that, you know, the identity of the Sixth Avenue community, yet also bringing the new um identity for the bilingual schools. So when we learn about Betty Benavides, it was just fascinating to learn that there was really no um information or schools or entities named after her. She was an advocate for bilingual education, serving the Colorado um legislature in the 70s. Um, and and she authored really the bilingual bill for uh bilingual education for Colorado students back then. Also, she advocated for um some Latino studies, I believe, and uh at the college level. So she just went also went to uh yeah, the the college level. But one thing that was very touching, and I have to say that was a great, great experience through this process was getting in contact with the family. Um, family members were really excited. Uh, they share a lot of great stories about Betty and her work with the community, work with uh the state of Colorado and how she will volunteer in schools and places and bring family and people together in her neighborhood. Uh, but also knowing that how much she did that they were they wish she had she had been recognized before, uh, among other great Latino leaders for the community. So I think that was a great um, it was kind of like the cherry on the top of this whole process, uh, being able to find family members who are obviously they're they're being to the school, they're super excited to see the school. And also we continue to learn about more Betty. Like my goal and my hope is we'll have a space in our library in a school where we will display pictures. I want students to read about her story. I want students to throughout the years develop our identity around her values and what she really means to not just our school and and in general, but also what you know her work meant for bilingual education in Colorado.

SPEAKER_00 20:27

That's amazing. Thank you for sharing that. Um, similar, really interested to learn a little bit more about the mascot. Um if you can tell us about how you approached that decision, what you landed on, and why.

SPEAKER_01 20:41

That was also part of the design team feedback. Uh we went back and forth between, I think we have a butterfly, um uh El Quetzal and Colibri, El Humminbird, right? We were thinking about what do other schools do, like what's the the the pattern there with with big cats and and whatnot and other things. So I think we wanted to bring something about you know, joy, multicultural, you know, identities, languages. Um, so we landed on those three. We got input from the staff. Also, we were playing a little bit with the words because we, you know, we're like Spanish and then translating and Quetal was the same word, but then it kind of when we looked at the meaning, like I don't know if it aligns well with our identity. So we landed on the colibri and the hummingbird, and it's a long name, but I think we're gonna use the the um the word in Spanish, colibri. And it really meant a lot of the things we were looking for in as far as the vision. And I know it's small and mighty, but you know, the resilience, starting from zero, continuing with uh the joy, and and just we want to be a happy place, uh a place with everybody. Belongs and feels identified. So yeah, we're very excited about the colibri.

SPEAKER_00 22:05

Messengers of good news.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

Of a lot of good news for sure. And they're always watching.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

That's right. Okay. You've been recruiting students and staff, which is one of the beautiful, exciting things I heard you talk about today of being in year zero. And it's also a challenge. And so would love to hear your pitch. You know, why should students enroll at Betty Benavides? And why should educators come and work at Betty Benavides?

SPEAKER_01 22:41

I well, first of all, families, if you know any, we have more spaces for kindergarten first. Just to be part of this great opportunity in building this program together, being part of the first cohort of students who will be bilingual, biliterical, or students by the end of I believe, ah, what, 2030, 2031st, maybe?

SPEAKER_00 23:03

Oh, when they leave fifth grade?

SPEAKER_01 23:04

Yeah, when they leave fifth grade. I know.

SPEAKER_00 23:07

The first graders. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

First graders.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

31.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

Yeah. 31.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

Yeah, 20 2031 for the for the first graders.

SPEAKER_01 23:15

That's that's yeah, that's yeah, crazy and exciting. Um be part of this great opportunity to be one of the founding families, also students to carry that story, to carry that um, you know, like that the they will mean like that. That's the destination APS, right? Like you said, this is the first of hopefully other schools in our district, but also just bring in the value. And and we know that our families and their students have so many things to offer and bring. Like I said, we are an asset-based district, asset-based school, especially because of the languages and their cultures. So trust that this is gonna be successful, and it's because it's it's going to be because of the partnership with families as well. Um, staff, this is an incredible opportunity. It's uh we have a great team already going, uh, a lot of excitement, a lot of commitment. Uh come be first, first, first, I don't know, join. This is very exciting, like you said, it's it's challenging, but anytime I get to meet new students and families, it's just it's I can't even tell you how excited that is. Like I I want to see him in the classroom already with our teachers.

SPEAKER_00 24:34

Yes. Um again, uh as you think about the programming, how does dual language education support both English learners who maybe their native language is Spanish, as well as native English speakers who will be learning Spanish as their second language?

SPEAKER_01 24:57

That's a great question because I think that's uh yes, that's a great uh it's an important thing about a model, right? Demographics, so how we're going to uh create our classes. 50% of the students will be Spanish native speakers, 50% of students will be English or other language, uh, you know, speakers of other languages. So the idea is that both will be models of the language to each other. Yes, through instruction, but yet because there will be models and then uh throughout the day, and that's how our model works. That's why it's also the 90-10. That's one of the thank you for asking that. It's one of the very, very important things that we will continue and we're trying what it's a commitment to maintain that model and the fidelity to that.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Absolutely. And and I think even back to what we talked about earlier with students at third grade being on grade level in English and Spanish, we're we're we're uh uh um making this a really ambitious goal that we are saying your student, whether their native language is Spanish or English, and are learning Spanish as a second language or they're learning English as a second language, are gonna be on track by third grade to graduate with the syllabi literacy. That that uh yeah, you're gonna develop your native language as well as whatever the the you know the the L2 is for that group of students.

SPEAKER_01 26:31

And that's another piece that uh that's our goal to along the way in elementary school, also teach parents about the by the syllabi literacy. So students will be receiving a certificate at the end of kinder, at the end of preschool, the end of fifth grade. So they also see that. Um, so that's very important also for us to share with families that we'll be able to do that. And also just to share with my my colleagues in leadership, any bilingual program, dual program will be successful if we have the right conditions. So I do want to tell our families we do have the support, we have the systems, we have we're doing everything we can so we can set those uh conditions um so we can have a super strong, strong program and and believe that our students will be billionary and on track to graduate.

SPEAKER_00 27:19

That's great. Um as as you reflect on just your experience over the last 23 plus years, what resources or authors or programs or professors or PD have influenced your approach to dual language education?

SPEAKER_01 27:40

Boy, um there's a lot. Um there's one person that I still, you know, I I do appreciate a lot from a lot. She was, I mean, she still works at my previous school as a Valeria's instructional coach. Um and just learning from incredibly, you know, people from CU Bueno Center, Boulder, uh on dual language education, and also not only that, but also the programming in Colorado. You know, they travel many different states in the country, but just having that resource in a state is huge. So I learned a lot. I completed my master's through the Bueno Center many years ago. Uh that's a mentor we go buffaloes.

SPEAKER_00 28:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:28

Uh so I do want to say um, you know, a lot of them. Like I just want to recognize the Bueno Center, whoever's been serving through that. It's a great, I think it's we're very lucky that we have him in and state. Yes. But also one of the ones that I've recently been listening to, um, which I had the opportunity to see last year at Koala's was Jimmy Casas. Um, and I connected a lot what he has to share because of the culture I'm trying to create, and I want to create our school and a district. So um, you know, he's bilingual, he was a principal, but just the idea of the cultural lies and another piece, the words on the wall. So it's since last year, I'm going to call us again this weekend, but since last year I keep thinking about um, and since I knew I was gonna be the principal, like what words on the wall I want in our building. That's right. What kind of culture we want to build together, especially as I hire new staff, like what are the skills and the assets and and that balance that I want to bring to create that culture. So I would say he's the one, you know. I sometimes I listened to this episode of the interview chair, which is also great, by the way, help me prepare for my interview for this job. Um that's nice. Um, but I would say right now, because of where I am, I will say centering back on his work and and and the things that he has to offer around culture.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

Cool. Um fun question for you as we think of your leadership playlist. What songs or artists have been playing as you prepare to welcome our students this fall?

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Ui, um, it's a lot, it's a lot in Spanish, but I would say I do like I almost did this episode in Spanish, but I don't know how many of our listeners speak Spanish.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:24

We'll try another one.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Next time, part two. Part two. We'll come and see how it's going.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

Yeah, I like that. Let's do that.

unknown 30:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:32

Um, I love Bruno Mars. It's one of my favorites of all kinds. I think his new album, like I know there's this song, Risk It All. Like, that's where I am. Like, risk it all for this school, for or for culture, for what we want to do with this a new program and and truly make it part of the destination APS. That's what we want to go around and tell families and teachers. That's why it's a destination APS. So I'm gonna risk it all. That's what I'm doing, and I'm playing right now.

SPEAKER_00 30:58

Risk it all. Okay. Well, speaking of what does destination APS mean to you and the future Escuela Bilingue Betty Benavidas community?

SPEAKER_01 31:10

Well, that's a great question. Jesus, this is my fourth district in Colorado. Um, I really didn't think about Aurora previously. Uh it's uh I think just that year that I had when I took a break from leadership, just learning more about the district. It's a big district, bigger compared to the previous districts that I worked at. And then um, you know, last year I started listening about destination APS and then learning uh what's that little star missing, right? Like that we have a star now, the dual language program, yet we can do other things later on for our families. Uh but just the commitment to multicultural education, being part of the CLD department last year, also I learned so much of our students and population, like learning about how many students we serve, how many languages also are part of our district. Um, that was something I didn't have before in any other district, right? It was either more Latino, uh, maybe one dominant language. But this is really out of my three, my four districts, the most multiculturally diverse district I work with. And I feel like also my skill set, uh the things that I'm passionate about, I'm able to continue to grow and bring uh and offer right partner up with the district and and other leaders, and also what it means for Betty Benavides. I think, you know, like I said at the beginning, I I hope that our families and our students will be proud to say we were part of the first cohort of this school when they opened, right? And this was Betty, this was these were my teachers, this is what I remember, this is uh how my first year went, this was how we re we did the inauguration party, like anything that the kids can cherish and remember, obviously on top of their education, but I think that just making it their own, I think that's like a one-in-a-time opportunity for our families and staff. And I'm really grateful for this opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 33:15

Amazing. Okay, my last question.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 33:18

As you think about just building on what you just said, and and even going back to the first graders, will finish fifth grade in the year 2031, I think. What is your vision from now when those first graders are in fifth grade? You know, how do you hope the school looks, feels? What is the story? What's the narrative? What's the experience that students are looking back on?

SPEAKER_01 33:47

Wow. Oh, it gives me chills to think about that.

SPEAKER_00 33:51

Good.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Um, you know, just thinking about the leaders that we want to grow, right? Thinking about those fifth graders who will probably be, you know, our our little ready buddies, reading buddies and king narrow first, and just having them like carry the you know, tell of our school, tell us what it's been, um, show us your work, what are you most proud of, whether it's you know, the content area, something about the school, maybe go around the school and say, when I was in first grade, we put this mural together, right? I think just um that's my vision and my hope that throughout the years, giving enough opportunities to our first graders to have those memories and making their own as well as their families. Like it's really their school. And I think that's something we always uh try to communicate and share with our families. It's their school, it's their community. We're there to serve them. So um, you know, talking about our you know, participating and and whatnot, writing bilingual essays, just bringing more opportunities to highlight all the benefits of bilingual education and really speaking right about our school and the benefits. I think that will be a great opportunity. And um, yeah, I mean it's I know it's 3031, but it's you know, years old. I know.

SPEAKER_00 35:15

Um, okay. And I I said that was my last question. This is a final prompt for families who are out there potentially listening, uh, for educators looking for a great place to work. How might they find out more information about you and the school or get in touch with you?

SPEAKER_01 35:34

Yeah, so we have, I would say find us on Facebook, Escuela Bilingue Betty Benavides on Facebook. You can also go to Aurora Public Schools and look at the Magnet because we're a Magnet school. Uh, you'll find our information there. We have a few jobs posted, uh, but also our school line, uh, direct line can also find us there. But I will say, you know, we're we're everywhere. Uh say Facebook families. Please, if you have questions, we're happy to answer any questions. Like if you have questions about the program, the times, the classes, the anything, we're there to just answer your questions. If you know any other families, by the way, we're gonna have families. Um, we're working on some yard signs that our families already accepted will support. And they're also families are really happy to support and and and help us recruit more families.

SPEAKER_00 36:23

Good, good, good.

SPEAKER_01 36:24

Come learn about our program.

SPEAKER_00 36:25

Amazing. Annabel, thank you for sharing this exciting journey with us today. Escuela Bilingue Betty Benavides represents something historic in uh Royal Public Schools as our first dual language school, opening this fall with preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. And again, for families looking for a bilingual education that honors language as an asset and builds proof by literacy. This is an incredible opportunity, as well as for educators looking to uh facilitate those kind of opportunities for students. We can't wait to see this cool comes to live.