Take Five with Maria Delgado: English Learner Program Teacher at Clemente High School

Take Five is a series that highlights members of the CPS community who are going above and beyond for our students. All throughout the 2024–25 school year, we will be spotlighting our amazing CPS teachers! If you know a teacher who is making a difference, nominate them to be featured here.

Meet Mrs. Maria Delgado, the English Learner Program Teacher (ELPT) at Clemente High School! A Clemente graduate herself, Mrs. Delgado is in her thirteenth year as an educator. She spent seven years at Simpson Academy for Young Women before returning to her alma mater, and while time has passed since her years as a Clemente student, Mrs. Delgado says that the spirit and culture of the school has stayed true throughout the years.

As an ELPT, Mrs. Delgado wears many hats, and her role changes year-to-year. She is currently focused on supporting Clemente teachers as they work to provide bilingual services to students. Mrs. Delgado also evaluates what types of support a student may need and serves as an advocate for bilingual programming at her school.

Clemente has seen a significant influx of newcomer and English Learner (EL) students in recent years. Mrs. Delgado has continually adapted to the evolving needs of these students, and is focused on growing her school’s capacity to fully support students who need English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual services.

“What keeps me in education is the dream and vision I have for what bilingual education can be,” says Mrs. Delgado. “I’m very goal-oriented, and I’m working for a future in which our newcomer and ESL students have all the resources and supports they need to grow and thrive.”

Learn more about Mrs. Delgado below!

Did you always know you wanted to be a teacher?

No! I originally wanted to be a doctor or a scientist, so I went to school for science. While I was in college at the University of Puerto Rico, I became a tutor to support my classmates who needed help with our biostatistics classes. That’s when people started to tell me I should become a teacher, and I found that I enjoyed helping and connecting with people in that way.

How does your work support the newcomer students at Clemente?

We’ve been focused on hiring bilingual staff and getting as many as possible trained and endorsed as ESL teachers. We’re now at the point where we have a few social science teachers who teach completely in Spanish. We also have supports in place for teachers who don’t speak Spanish. We’re not perfect, and it’s not easy, but we’re seeing students succeed, and I think part of why we’ve gotten such an influx of newcomer students is because word is spreading that we are doing the work at Clemente, and we are doing the work with passion.

How do you involve the families of EL students in the Clemente school community?

When I became an ELPT at Clemente, we were able to form a Bilingual Advisory Committee (BAC). BACs help the families of EL students participate in their education and the school community, as well as advocate for their students’ needs. We also connect these parents to free ESL classes through Parent University. Our BAC parents are very active and knowledgeable, and they give us great insight. The group helps create a sense of community for families, and gives them a place to go with any questions or ideas they have.

What are your goals for the school year?

This year, I’m really focused on creating and expanding ESL instruction in all core classes. I formed an ESL Professional Learning Community, and I want to get at least one staff member from every core subject involved. That way, they can serve as a bilingual specialist and advocate for EL students in their own departments.

What is your big-picture vision for bilingual education at Clemente?

As soon as we have all the supports in place, I would love for us to be able to provide a true dual-language International Baccalaureate (IB) program.