During last week’s PTSA School Board Forum, the candidates were asked, “With the number of kids in preschools and younger kids on the island, the estimated number of English language learners can reach as high as one-fifth of the student population next year. What steps would you be taking to meet the needs and what is the financial impact?”

When answering, each candidate discussed how to assimilate English language learners into the school’s curriculum and ensure that they grow up to be active members of the community.

Making sure our kids don’t fall through the cracks is just one side of the issue. There’s a flip side to this that no one touched on. An increase of ELL students – and families – is an exciting opportunity for our English-speaking students as well as their parents. What can our kids and families learn from our community members?

Obviously, learning the languages of the ELL students would be a huge benefit to our kids, whether in the classroom or through community-sponsored programs.

The proposed community learning building, which will be constructed if the upcoming bond is passed, would be the perfect venue for teaching Spanish (or any other language) to adults. Maybe some of the parents of those one-fifth ELL students can teach a class or two. But why stop at language? How about a Spanish or French cooking class? A Taiko drum course?

As our population continues to grow and new residents bring their cultures with them to our tiny island community, it is important that we see this not as a challenge to overcome, but as an opportunity to embrace. We hope the Orcas School Board members and candidates, as well as the community overall, agree.