PAINESVILLE, Ohio-The Lake Erie Bilingual Academy is opening this week with the goal of teaching students to read, write, and speak Spanish. Currently enrolling 50 to 60 students, Principal David Kassel expects nearly 100 students soon. The school offers 45 minutes of daily Spanish instruction, aiming for students to be proficient in the language by eighth grade. In addition to Spanish, an accelerated curriculum in math and English will be provided. Although the school currently serves grades EK-5, it plans to expand to K-8 and potentially K-12 in the future. Enrollment is open to all students, not just Hispanic ones, and the academy remains a free, public charter school.
