Congratulations to the Newcomer Center for being awarded a Magna Silver award by the National School Boards Association! The Newcomer Center has been a phenomenal program for helping our Newcomer students find success. Read the excerpt from the NSBA website below:
“Adams 12 Five Star Schools has seen an influx of newcomer students since 2021, when it welcomed around 1,000 Afghan refugees. Resettlement agencies have chosen the area largely because of a nearby mosque that provides support and community to the district’s new neighbors. Today, the district enrolls 5,000 multilingual learners; about 1,100 are newcomers. As enrollment grew, the needs of high school newcomers became more urgent, spurring the district to create this specialized program to prepare them for mainstream high school experiences.
The Newcomer Center at Thornton High School welcomes students new to the U.S. who are learning English. Newcomer students earn graduation credits while taking classes that are designed to meet their needs. The center offers students and families unique support that is different from other high schools. Any qualifying high school newcomer can choose to attend for up to two semesters, no matter their neighborhood school. Transportation is provided to students who are not within the walking boundary of Thornton High School. Students take core subjects and earn credit toward graduation with fellow newcomer students taught by Newcomer Center staff. Bilingual/multilingual classified staff help in classrooms to clarify and translate. The center offers wraparound support, including social workers, counselors, instructional coaches, and youth and family advocates. Students also can access Thornton High School courses, electives, extracurriculars, and sports.
Since opening, the Newcomer Center enrollment continues to grow. Enrollment in 2023-24 grew from 34 to 180 students. In the 2024-25 school year, 75 students started in August, and enrollment was up to 140 in October. The district English Language Development Department has been leading the way in setting the vision for the implementation and support. Department members have been sharing their instructional vision, resources, and structures at conferences and were critical partners with the Board of Education in gaining community support.
Located on the northern tier of the Denver metropolitan area, Adams 12 Five Star Schools has an enrollment of 35,000 students. Student makeup is 45% Latino, 41% White, 7% Asian, and 2% Black. About 46% of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch. Like many districts in Colorado and across the country, Adams 12 is experiencing a decline in enrollment. Five years ago, enrollment was at 40,000 students. However, the district’s multilingual learner population continues to grow, in large part because of newcomers resettling in the area.”