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MILLCREEK — As Utah schools start opening their doors for the 2024-25 school year, one contingent of students — newcomers from abroad — faces an extra set of obstacles in making the adjustment to the classroom.
Not only do refugees from Africa and immigrants from Latin America potentially face a language barrier, still mastering English, they also have to contend with a new, different culture. In a bid to help ease the transition, Utah Refugee Connection helped spearhead a backpack and school supply giveaway last week for refugee families that drew students originally from Afghanistan, Ukraine, South Sudan, Burundi and other countries.
"My hope from this event is to give them opportunities to show who they really are," said Amy Dott Harmer, executive director of the nonprofit refugee advocacy group. That is, if they don't have to worry about some of the basics of schooling — supplies — they can put more attention on academics and reaching their full potential.
The Utah International Charter School in Millcreek, meantime, which caters to refugees, will be offering its 250 or so students a completely new school building, new for them anyway. The charter school, starting its 12th year, has moved into the old Millcreek Elementary School building in Millcreek, which gives it more space than the old Salt Lake City site.
The extra square footage will allow for expansion of offerings, including, perhaps, the addition of a student resource center and a pantry. The facility is also more secure and offers more natural lighting, said Tessa Scheffler, the school operations coordinator. More generally, the school offers a place where refugees and immigrant students new to the United States can thrive.
"I would just say sometimes kids can kind of get lost in a big school, and the transition to the United States can be really overwhelming and stressful. I think that they really find a sense of community here because the teachers know them, the students know each other," said Lara Rudloff, a school counselor.
Ogden School District, for one, has contended with an increase in newcomer students, chiefly from Latin America, and officials say they'll have to expand offerings geared to them — English instruction, most notably — in more schools as doors open on Friday. As is, Wasatch Elementary, Mound Fort Junior High and Ogden High School have been the main centers of instruction for newcomers.
The number of students needing newcomer help has increased "as the immigrant population has surged," said Thais Rodriguez, cultural linguistic diversity specialist for the district. Up until around two years ago, the number of newcomer students each year totaled around 75 in the district, but that has increased to 250, according to Ross Lunceford, director of equity and access for the district.
As for refugee students, they're ready to get back in the classroom — some are, anyway.
"So eager," said Ruth Ditona, who's originally from Congo and will be starting 10th grade at Utah International Charter School. "I wasn't even happy when I had a break at home because it was so boring. I just wanted to come back to school."
Teachers and staffers at Utah International Charter School look out for the students, she said. "I love this school because our teachers show more concern about the students and they make sure we feel safe around the environment and they make sure that we don't feel insecure," Ruth said.
Lunceford also senses an eagerness to get back to class among Ogden's newcomer students. "The students, they're excited to get in, excited to learn English," he said.
