ESOL
Resource Teacher: Mrs.
Jenny Pryphun
Phone: 301-840-5302
The ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)
program at Watkins Mill consists of approximately 145 students from
35 different countries. These students speak 23 different languages,
but about 58% of them speak Spanish. The two predominant countries
are El Salvador and Peru. There are 53 ninth graders, 42 tenth graders,
40 eleventh graders, and 10 seniors. Approximately 100 of these students
transferred back to Watkins Mill High School, their home school,
from Seneca Valley High School.
The ESOL program has five experienced ESOL teachers
and one paraeducator. Mrs. Jenny Pryphun is the resource teacher
and she overseas the operation of the program. The ESOL staff speaks
seven different languages and they have taught in Chile, Korea, Puerto
Rico, and Thailand. All five teachers hold kindergarten to 12th grade
certification and one teacher has a certification in science also.
Three of the teachers live in the Watkins Mill High School community.
The ESOL program offers 5 different ESOL levels. Level
1 is the most basic English or non-English proficient level and level
5 is the highest ESOL-English level. At the end of the school year,
those students who successfully complete ESOL level 5 will be able
to enroll in a mainstream English class in the coming year. Sheltered
history and science classes are also being offered to accommodate
the beginning English Language Learners here at Watkins Mill High
School.
Teachers