ESL Welcome Center at Watkins ECC

The ESL Welcome Center services all K-12 prospective ESL students, and is located at Watkins Early Childhood Center.  The ESL Welcome Center houses a full-time ESL Assessment Specialist and a half-time ESL Welcome Center Registrar.   

All English Language Learners (ELL’s) and their parents / guardians must begin the registration process by visiting their zoned school.  The family must complete the NNPS initial registration packet as well as a Primary Home Language Survey form for the student.  If the student qualifies for an initial language assessment, the school record’s secretary will prepare all the necessary paperwork and contact the ESL Welcome Center to set up an appointment for testing.  The family has a right to refuse the initial language assessment.  If the family chooses not to have the student tested for possible ESL services, he/she must sign a Refusal of Initial Testing form.  All ESL forms are available via NNPS intranet.

At the ESL Welcome Center, students are tested for possible placement in the ESL program.  If the student qualifies for program services based on the initial assessment, the parent / guardian must sign a Permission to Enroll in ESL form. Once the Permission to Enroll in ESL form is signed, the ESL Assessment Specialist will assign the student to an ESL site and refer the family to that site to finalize the registration process.

If the student qualifies for ESL program services but the parent / guardian refuses services, the parent / guardian must sign a Refusal of Services form.  The student will be assigned to his/her zoned school to complete the registration process.

If the student does not qualify for ESL program services based on the initial assessment data, the ESL Assessment Specialist will assign the student to the zoned school and refer the family to that site to finalize the registration process. 

The ESL Welcome Center Registrar will continue the NNPS initial registration process that began at the zoned school; however, the finalized and verified registration will take place at the student’s designated school after the initial language assessment. 

Each NNPS school has an ESL Welcome Center flyer in English and Spanish with the directions, map, and the ESL Welcome Center phone number. 

We have a Spanish interpreter / translator at the ESL Welcome Center to assist you.