DENVER — Santa Martinez’s classroom is a melting pot of different cultures and different languages.
Many of the Bruce Randolph School English language development teacher’s students are new to the country.
Amid so many big life changes, they find solace in their teacher, who can relate to them in a way.
“I am in my first year teaching here for Denver Public Schools and I have [been here for] nine months in Denver,” Martinez told Denver7.
Martinez is from the Dominican Republic on a J1 Visa. She’s part of the district's new International Educators Institute. It’s a push to get more international teachers in DPS classrooms.
Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero said it all started with a trip to the Dominican Republic.
“I went up for what I thought was just simply an educational keynote around biliteracy,” he explained.
Dr. Marrero told Denver7 that dozens of teachers expressed interest in coming to work at DPS to learn more about the district’s biliteracy efforts in hopes of replicating it in their home country.
Martinez was one of those educators.
“We were so into it,” she recalled.
Of course, moving to a new country isn't easy.
Dr. Marrero said that out of all those teachers.
“It was more like eight that made it [to Denver]. Then out of that eight, five are still with us.”
That's where the idea for the institute was born. It provides wraparound services and support beyond work to help these teachers settle into the Mile High City.
The district says its goal is to have at least 200 international teachers in classrooms by this fall.
Dr. Marrero said the district is using its existing relationships in other countries to recruit teachers, as well as reaching out to higher education institutions overseas to get the word out.
While Martinez admits it was still a challenging journey, it was all possible because of the help she received from DPS – from finding housing to getting around the city.
“I think that I received enough support and I'm still receiving it because people are asking, ‘How are you doing? We are so glad that you are here,’” she said.
When asked what her favorite part about Denver has been so far, Martinez said, “I love my students. All of them [have] something to show to the world.”
