Ringgold hires IU for ESL instructional services
The district has about 21 English as a second language students enrolled.
Ringgold School Board approved the purchase of English as a second language instructional services from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit Wednesday as the district expects the number of ESL students to continue to increase.
Ringgold has approximately 21 ESL students enrolled in the district, according to Director of Curriculum Shannon Crombie.
The estimated cost for the services is $141,785.80, but that could change based on the number of ESL students enrolled in the district. The board voted 8-0 in favor of acquiring the ESL instructional services for 2024-25 after a discussion between directors and school administration. Director Jason Briscoe was absent from Wednesday’s meeting.
Director Paul Mountain asked why the district “can’t do this in-house,” and Director Heather Wilhelm mentioned that AIU’s services would cost about $6,800 per student.
“Based on 21 students, that’s a lot,” Wilhelm said.
Crombie said the district attempted to service ESL students in-house but struggled to find staff with appropriate certifications. She added that the purchase of the ESL instructional services is cheaper than hiring additional teachers.
“So if we hired two teachers, that’s well over $150,000,” Superintendent Randall Skrinjorich said.
Skrinjorich mentioned that it’s difficult to find teachers who are comfortable communicating in several different languages. Crombie listed Spanish, Haitian Creole and Papiamento as some of the primary languages of Ringgold’s ESL students.
The district anticipates its ESL student population will continue to grow. Crombie said the district added nine ESL students in the 2023-24 school year. She also mentioned Charleroi as an example of a nearby district whose ESL student population has skyrocketed in recent years.
Director Maureen Ott also pointed out the increase in ESL students in neighboring districts.
“This is something that is a trend we’ve been seeing for a number of years now,” Ott said. “I do not expect this to decrease anytime soon. In fact, I expect to see it escalate, so I think our numbers are going to increase.”
Mountain asked if the ESL students are “documented or undocumented.”
It’s illegal in Pennsylvania for schools to ask about a student’s immigration status.
About a minute later, Mountain attempted to ask about students’ immigration status again, but Director Steve Toprani interrupted, asking him to keep discussion focused on the agenda item.
“I’m curious — why are we not allowed?” Mountain asked.
“It’s a law,” Toprani said. Mountain attempted to broach the subject a third time, but he was reminded by Wilhelm, Toprani and Solicitor Tim Berggren that it was against the law.
In other business, the board approved:
• A five-year contract between the district and the Ringgold custodial maintenance union. “The custodial maintenance team works hard to maintain our facilities and provide a healthy environment for our students and staff,” Skrinjorich said. “We truly appreciate the work they do and their support throughout the negotiating process to produce an equitable contract for all.”
• The appointment of Ringgold High School Principal Dr. Gregory Saraceni as interim assistant to the superintendent.
• The hiring of Erik Meredith as assistant principal for Ringgold Elementary School South.
