Kim Avitt, a teacher at Knoxville, helps students become proficient in English by students who list English as a second language.

Students who attend Knoxville and who are entered in ELL (English Language Learning) program, include students from all parts of the world. Knoxville has 11 students who are Ukrainian, five are Russian, five speak Spanish, three Chuukese, two Chinese and a few more.

Cassi Pearson, Knoxville School Superintendent tells KNIA/KRLS News, “She (Kim) did a fantastic job outlining the ELL Program that we offer here at Knoxville. She serves on average about 30 students every year. Every Fall, the new students who come in to our district, the parents have to fill out a home language survey. Based on those results, she may end up screening students if English is not their first language.”

The goal is to get the students proficient in speaking English and become affluent in reading, writing, speaking and listening. The students are ranked on a scale of one to five, with five being proficient.