If learning a second language during elementary school is an important value for your family, enroll in our Language Immersion Program beginning in Kindergarten!

Our District is home to one of the largest Language Immersion Programs in Minnesota with more than 3,000 elementary students enrolled in either a Chinese or Spanish full immersion program.

Spanish Immersion is offered as a school-within-a-school program at Clear Springs, Deephaven, Groveland, and Minnewashta Elementary Schools. About half of all Kindergarten students at each school enroll in Spanish Immersion and half enroll in the English Kindergarten program.

In our Immersion Program, 100% of the classroom instruction is taught in Spanish from kindergarten to 2nd grade. Students begin English Language Arts and reading instruction in third grade. Our students perform exceedingly well in both English and Spanish. By fifth grade, our Spanish Immersion students score as well on English reading and writing tests as their peers in the English program.

Why Learn Spanish?

• The Spanish language is the most common second language in the United States, and the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world (after English, Chinese and Hindustani). It is an official language on four continents and a frequent second language in Europe.
• The Hispanic population is the fastest growing demographic within the United States, which presents great domestic opportunities, as well as career opportunities for bilingual professionals.
• As countries in Latin America are strengthening and expanding their economies, they are becoming more important as trading partners. Many countries in Latin America have signed, or are on the verge of signing, on to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), which was originally set up by the United States, Canada and Mexico. This should further strengthen trade and business ties between these countries and the U.S.– making the Spanish language fluency an even more important asset for Americans in the business world.
• Spanish is a relatively easy language to learn because much of its vocabulary is similar to English. Spanish has the highest enrollment in both middle schools and the high school in Minnetonka.

Learn More About Our Spanish Immersion Program

You're invited to visit our schools and learn more about what makes Minnetonka a leader in Spanish Immersion. Meet our educators, take a closer look at classrooms and get answers to your questions at an upcoming information session or school visit. Or, you can begin your enrollment application today if you've already made a decision to join our community.

Spanish Immersion News Spotlight

Spanish Immersion Arts Grant

The Minnetonka Public Schools Foundation funded a grant submitted by Jennifer Santamaria for metro area artists to share visuals and dance with Minnetonka students.