districtwide, which means they passed the Advanced Placement (AP) exam in a world language and are now taking college-level courses for college credit.

The innovation propelling these achievements: CSD’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program. An efficient and effective path for learning a world language, DLI starts in the first grade when young minds are developmentally best able to acquire language. The program grows with students, and those who continue with it through middle and high school are setting new expectations for fluency.

“Our DLI programs are not only incredibly effective, they are incredibly popular,” says Canyons instructional specialist Michèle Harward. “We are now reaping the dividends of an investment made in DLI in Canyons District’s earliest years.”

Each year, Canyons hosts an orientation for parents of DLI learners who are transitioning from fifth-grade to middle school or from eighth-grade to high school. Families can access the online orientation, along with other resources, on CSD’s learning portal Canvas anytime between Monday, Sept. 19, and Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. Among the topics covered: information on course pathways, high school bridge courses, and the intent-to-continue process that fifth and eighth grade DLI students are required to complete in order to continue in the program. 

The window for completing the Intent to Continue form opens Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, and runs through Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. “This is important, because the forms are used to predict enrollment for the coming school year, which, in turn, ensures that we hire an appropriate number of teachers,” Harward says.

Questions? Canyons curriculum specialists will be available for a virtual Q & A session over Zoom on Thursday, Oct. 27 from 4-6 p.m. If you need further assistance, please email dli@canyonsdistrict.org.