Belief Statements

We believe the student shoulld:

• Communicate in languages other than English.

• Connect with other disciplines and acquire information.

• Gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures.

• Develop insight into the nature of language and culture and their comparisons.

• Participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world.

We believe the curriculum should include: 

• Language systems as the means for attaining communication, cultural understanding and connection with other disciplines.

• Cultural traits and concepts to select, synthesize and interpret them for meaningful interaction.

• Learning strategies which enhance language learning, retention and application of the target language.

• Content-related topics to stimulate target language learning and expand knowledge in other disciplines.

• Critical thinking skills to challenge learners from the basic level of identification and recall to the higher levels of analysis and problem solving.

• Authentic sources of language through technology or other means to establish the necessary knowledge base for language learners.

• Contain a variety of assessment techniques/strategies.

Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide a setting that fosters knowledgeable and literate communicators who will become informed, productive problem solvers in a global setting. 

K-12 Exit Performance Standards
We view the following as exit performance standards by students leaving the world language program: 

Communication
Students will:
• Engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
• Understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
• Present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics. 

Cultures
Students will:
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied. 

Connections
Students will:
• Reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
• Acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures. 

Comparisons
Students will:
• Demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
• Demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

Communities
Students will:
• Use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enric

Foreign Language Week:
During Foreign Language Week we celebrate the differences in people around the world and promote understanding of other cultures. During the week we show a movie with an emphasis on the positive differences between our culture and their's. These are not necessarily movies that are reflective of one of the languages we teach, but are sometimes a way to present students with information on a culture that we don't usually cover in our curriculum.

Mardi Gras:
For the four days prior to and including Fat Tuesday, we celebrate Mardi Gras in our own special department way. Since Mardi Gras is celebrated in many ways throughout the world we use this time to again emphasize world culture. Each day one of our languages, and it's culture, is emphasized in a special way. During the week we have contests, special treats and cultural festivites that include: language puzzles, tie snipping, joke telling, eating contests and lunch room activities.

Guest Speakers:
We often bring in guest speakers who give students a first hand experience with someone from a different culture.

Special Celebrations and Holidays:
Throughout the year we recognize special holidays and celbrations that are celebrated by other cultures as they occur.

Foreign Language Clubs:
All students taking a language at Heritage are encouraged to join the club associated with that language. Each club has is own different activites and events throughout the school year. These clubs include the French/Spanish Club, The German Club and The Latin Club.

Travel Opportunities:
Many of our teachers give students the opportunity to travel to other countries during the summer months by organizing student tours. During the past our teachers have taken students, parents and other staff members to Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Spain, and Switzerland. We hope you can join us on one of our next tours! Please check the buttons on the left of the page for any trips being planned.

French 
Rebecca Moore 
phone extension: 8125
email Rebecca Moore

Meagan Muladore
phone extension: 8124
email Meagan Muladore 

Latin 
Eric Schmitt
phone extension: 8123
email Eric Schmitt

Spanish 
Tony LaDrig
phone extension: 8120
email Tony LaDrig

David McAuley 
phone extension: 8154
email David McAuley