Staff keep connected with diverse community through language program

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    Salem, OR (KPTV) — As one of the largest and most diverse districts in the state, Salem-Keizer Public Schools is making sure all students and families feel heard and understood with its Language Services Program.

The program offers translators and interpreters to families in the district so they can regularly connect with people at their child’s school.

They’re still offering these services during the COVID-19 pandemic, it just mostly virtual now.

“Before COVID, it was mostly face-to-face,” said Cheryl Bennett, Language Services Coordinator for the district. “We would visit all 65 schools.”

“It can be any meeting, whether it’s an attendance meeting the principal is having with a family, a behavioral meeting, we support all of those if interpretation is needed,” continued Bennett.

While Bennett translates and interprets for Spanish-speaking families, the Language Services Department has a team of 15 people.

“We offer six languages,” said Bennett.

Some of those languages include Arabic, Marshallese and Russian. But overall, it’s a district where more than 80 languages are spoken.

“If there’s a family that speaks a language that we do not have district support to offer that help for them, we do have a third party service that we call out to and they support those interpretations for us,” said Bennett.

Bennett said it’s a crucial service for such a diverse district.

“You want to hear whether your child is doing extremely well, whether they’re exceeding or if they’re needing some extra support,” said Bennett. “I mean, I’m a parent and I want to know.”

I would want to know if my child needs a little extra help in math, but if I don’t hear it in my language, if I don’t understand it in my language, how am I as a parent, going to be able to help my students,” continued Bennett.

Bennett said the program is so important because there’s nothing more fulfilling or needed that to be heard and understood.

“You do not want that language barrier to be that barrier where you’re not heard or you’re not understood,” said Bennett. “So, our team, as I said, we are that bridge.”

“We are that bridge for families to be able to be heard and be able to communicate,” she continued.

The program is also meant to support schools in the district. If needed, they interpret for teachers, administrators, you name it.

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