Mount Kisco Elementary School Dual Language Program and the BCSD School Board Election

We bought our home in Mount Kisco last February after exploring and researching a host of Westchester towns. One of the (many!) wonderful things that attracted us to Mount Kisco was the dual language program at MKES, where our daughter is now in kindergarten and we have chosen to join the Spanish/English bilingual program next fall. We’ve been delighted with how open, energetic, and engaging the MKES faculty has been, and how committed the school is to the dual language program.

I was surprised to learn that not everyone was as excited about this opportunity as we are. In our old community in Brooklyn, immersive language programs are not only highly desirable but often oversubscribed; spaces are lotteried. And why not? These days foreign language proficiency is a significant competitive advantage both for academic and professional advancement. And that’s to say nothing of the social experiences one gains. Indeed, as we’ve traveled to more than a dozen countries we’ve noticed a common theme: people abroad that are not merely bilingual but multi-lingual. One can’t help but notice the advantages to being a better communicator. More than 400 million people speak Spanish, including some of our neighbors; we’re excited that our daughter will be able to communicate with them as naturally as she would in English.

I understand that there is a BCSD school board election coming up on May 16th. We will be voting for Ed Reder based on the supportive statements he has made about the MKES dual language in the past, and we sincerely hope to see that support continue.