The Puentes Program
Two languages. One learning community. A world of opportunity.
In Puentes, students learn in both English and Spanish while building strong academic skills, confidence, and cross-cultural understanding. Our goal is for students to grow into bilingual and biliterate learners - able to listen, speak, read, and write in both languages.
What Puentes Looks Like
- 50/50 Instruction: Students receive half their academic content in English and half in Spanish
- One language at a Time: Each subject is taught in one language and then built on in the other.
- Dual-Language Literacy: Students develop reading and writing skills in both languages simultaneously.
- Cultural & Academic Depth: The program values each child's language ability and emphasizes strong content understanding in both languages.
What is Dual Immersion?
Dual Immersion is a model where students learn academic content while becoming fluent in two languages: English and Spanish. Over time, students build skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in both languages - so they can truly become biliterate.
How Puentes works at RMMS
We use a "one language at a time" approach for instruction. That means students focus on learning a subject (literacy, math, science, or social studies) through one language, and then continue building knowledge as they move between languages.
What families love about this model:
- It supports a strong understanding of content (not just vocabulary)
- It respects that students enter with different language backgrounds and comfort levels
- Literacy grows in both English and Spanish
Frequently Asked Questions
Goals of the Puentes Program
Students in Puentes work toward three big goals:
- High levels of proficiency in English and Spanish (understanding, speaking, reading, writing)
- Strong academic achievement that meets or exceeds state standards
- Positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors in school and the community