Welcome Amigos Spanish-immersion Preschool

Our Teachers

It is a joy to be committed to our passion: Teaching children in Spanish in a nurturing environment that is tailored to their unique needs.

Our native Spanish teachers hold degrees in Education and Early Childhood Development. They have a passionate commitment to the intellectual and social development of each child. The Welcome Amigos staff has developed a rich and dynamic curriculum tailored specifically to a young child’s ability to learn Spanish in a context of full language immersion.

Welcome Amigos International School recognizes that having an educated, well-trained staff is essential to quality care and education for children. In addition, it is highly important that teachers have the ability to stay current and utilize the most up to date information in the education of young children. Therefore, the school supports professional and personal growth and development of teachers in the education in the ECE (Early Childhood Education) field, bilingual education and social/emotional development through seminars, workshops, and classes at local community colleges and institutions that educate teachers in different areas of education and children. Furthermore, teachers are required to do a minimum of 18 hours of professional growth relevant to pedagogy practices during the school year.

Elizabeth Villagomez (Maestra Elizabeth)

Founder, Program Director And Lead Teacher

Elizabeth Villagomez is from Mexico. She is a mother of a College student and sophomore in high school. Elizabeth founded Welcome Amigos in 1998. She has an Associate’s Degree and Certificate in Child Development from Cañada College as well as a Child Development Teacher Permit. Ms. Elizabeth is pursuing her Masters degree on Human Development through Pacific Oak College. In addition, she has a site supervisor permit from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and extensive training in social emotional and cognitive development from

the Northeast foundation and the Responsive Classroom approach. Furthermore, Ms. Elizabeth has taken the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum primary years training. Ms. Elizabeth has independently brought Welcome Amigos Spanish immersion program to several bay area preschools and recreational centers, as well as The Nueva School during the 2002-2004 school years.

“It’s a joy to teach children in my native language and be testimonial of their social, personal and academic growth while giving them the gift of a second language that will open their world to many opportunities”. – Ms. Elizabeth

Other teachers

Sandra Henderson (Maestra Sandra)

Teacher (Ages 2 – 3) Hamlet Site

Sandra Henderson was born in Peru. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Universidad Femenina del Sagrado Corazón (Unife) from Peru. In addition, she has over 21 years of experience in the field of Education. She taught in Peru as a Kindergarten teacher for five years. Ms. Sandra has been working as a preschool teacher in California since 1999. Maestra Sandra has been a teacher at Welcome Amigos since Fall 2012 teaching the Colibríes class (ages 3 – 4) for three consecutive years. During the school year 2016-2017 she was the main lead teacher for the Mariquitas and Abejitas groups (ages 2 – 3 and 3 – 3 1/2). Maestra Sandra’s dedication to her students has contributed to be a great Welcome Amigos staff members.

“I feel being a teacher is the most rewarding career, I am amazed by how much the “young children” I am always impressed to see how these young people can do BIG things”. – Ms. Sandra

Evelin Barreto (Maestra Evelyn)

Teacher (Ages 2- 3) Hamlet Teacher

“Evelin was born in Bolivia. She has been in the United States for almost three years. She graduated as a Teacher from Escuela Normal Superior de Maestros “Enrique Finot” in 2008 in Bolivia. She has taught Mathematics and English to Elementary School age children and teenagers for 5 years. In addition, she got her Bachelor degree in English from Gabriel Rene Moreno University in 2014. Currently, she is pursuing her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education at Skyline College. She is getting her Certificate on Early Childhood Education this May of 2018. She volunteered last semester in Calvary Preschool with children age 4 to 5 years old. She was also the nanny of a 2 years old boy for two years. She took care of 3 children 12, 4 and 2 years old for about two years. She has spent most of her time working with children from different ages. She really enjoys teaching because it makes her grow not only professionally but also personally.

“I am very excited to be part of Welcome Amigos. I love the fact that Welcome Amigos is a Spanish Immersion School and it makes me feel like I am at home. I look forward to learning from each student and spending so many teaching and fun times together as well as meeting all of the families and working with the Welcome Amigos Team”. – Ms. Evelin

Santos Garcia (Santos)

Teacher’s Aid (Ages 2 – 5) Alameda And Hamlet Sites

Santos Garcia was born in México. Mr. Santos is a father of two children, one in College and one in High School. Mr. Santos has been a huge helping hand at Welcome Amigos. He is the husband of Ms. Elizabeth Villagomez, the school founder. He has been working alongside with her and the staff since 2004. We are so lucky to have him as part of our staff. Mr. Santos does not have just one title when it comes to Welcome Amigos. He truly does it all, from being a handyman to telling great stories and chasing the kids around the playground. The children enjoy his charismatic attitude and fun games. Mr. Santos constantly has the children laughing and playing. It has been through his experience at Welcome Amigos that he found his passion working with children, so much so that he decided to take ECE (Early Childhood Education) classes at Cañada College since the summer of 2017.

“The joy the children bring into my life is priceless. All human beings beginning from childhood possess social and emotional needs that must be met to be free to learn well and thrive. It is a rewarding experience to help children feel a sense of belonging, significance, and understanding from a male’s point of view. As a dad and now educator, I understand that we, parents and adults, should care about every child’s well being and positive life experiences because we are their mentors that spend most of the day with them.”– Mr. Garcia

Esperanza Garcia –(Maestra Esperanza)

Preschool Teacher’s Aid – Hamlet Site

Esperanza Garcia is from Mexico City. Mrs. Esperanza is the mother of the program director, Elizabeth Villagomez. She has been part of Welcome Amigos since it opened its doors in 1998. Mrs. Esperanza has been a great addition to our program. She is very loving, caring, and supportive to all of the Welcome Amigos Family. Teachers love to have Mrs. Esperanza help with the children because she is attentive to detail and very hardworking. Some of her responsibilities include keeping the learning environment clean and safe. Mrs. Esperanza assists the teachers and children as needed. She has also raised four children of her own, two of which have become preschool teachers. Mrs. Esperanza has more than a decade of experience caring for children as young as newborns, including four grandchildren.

“Es un honor para mi el poder ser parte de la vida de pequeños y preciosos seres humanos con un enorme alma pura y bello corazón. Aprender de los pequeños ha sido una experiencia remarcable en mi vida.” (I feel honored to be able to be part of the lives of these little and precious human beings, with a big heart and soul so beautiful and pure. Learning from the little ones has been a remarkable experience in my life). – Mrs. Garcia

Testimonials

“My son loves this preschool. I researched many different immersion/preschools before we found this one. His teachers and the director are super caring and loving towards the kids which is great because my son is a lover. When he comes home, all he talks about is how much he loves his teachers.” - Esther A, Burlingame, CA

“We sent our daughter to Welcome Amigos for the past year and above all we have been impressed by their interest in our daughter’s development.” - Scott R, Burlingame, CA

“We have been so happy with Welcome Amigos! We transitioned our son there mid year after a not so great experience at another Spanish immersion preschool.” - Tanya W, San Francisco, CA

“We decided to add more summer weeks, in addition to the two because he would always ask if he was going to school on any given day. At the end of his first summer week, he came home responding to me in Spanish words, and he knew he was off to a good start. My daughter is 18 months now, and no doubt I would have her attend his preschool program.” - Maritza J, San Mateo, CA

Philosophy

WELCOME AMIGOS!

Welcome Amigos Spanish International School is a state-licensed and accredited preschool, Kindergarten and After School Program by the NAEYC ages of 2 years to 6.9 years.

Our school is accredited by the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) to offer a quality program for children through 10 standards of excellence that measures the quality of early childhood programs. Furthermore, we also offer an After School Spanish Immersion enrichment program for children ages 3.5 – 12. Our program runs from September to early June. In addition, we offer spring, summer, and winter camps.

Our Mission: Welcome Amigos International School helps children develop a lifelong love for learning, and become fully bilingual.

Our Philosophy: We offer a Spanish immersion environment in which children feel welcomed, loved, and respected as they build appreciation and cultural awareness for each other. We strongly believe that each child is unique and possesses individual interests. Therefore, we encourage and inspire each one to fulfill his/her potential.

We are inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. We believe that children should guide their own learning through experiences of touching, moving, listening, and observing. Our environment gives children endless ways and opportunities to express themselves.

Class Size

We maintain a student-teacher ratio of 6:1-Abejitas, 7:1-Colibríes, 19:2 teachers and 1 teacher assistant for TK and Kindergarten. A small class size ensures that each child receives individual attention and is introduced to new concepts when he/she is ready to learn them.

Location

Welcome Amigos Spanish-immersion Preschool is located in a warm, welcoming single family home in the East San Mateo neighborhood.

We’ve thoughtfully designed our care environment with play and learning areas that allow children to explore various developmentally-appropriate activities based on their interests. Some of our favorite areas include dramatic play area (for self-expression and empathy), reading / cozy area (for literacy, relaxation, and respite), and art area (for expressing emotions and ideas).

Children will have some outdoor time everyday in my private yard or outdoor space. Connecting with nature lets children gain deeper knowledge of themselves and the world.

At Welcome Amigos Spanish-immersion Preschool, I want to provide an environment that supports the cognitive, social, and emotional growth of each child.

About our program

Welcome Amigos Spanish International School is a state-licensed and accredited preschool, Kindergarten and After School Program by the NAEYC.

NAEYC (National Association For The Education Of Young Children) – 10 Standards Of Excellence:

Welcome Amigos International School is a licensed and nationally accredited preschool that follows the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards to offer a quality program for children. These 10 standards of excellence measure the quality of early childhood programs.

The NAEYC is the world’s largest organization working on behalf of young children, and we are proud to be identified by the NAEYC as a quality institution that meets and exceeds the standards set forth by the organization. The organization is dedicated to improving the well being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children, from birth through age 8.

The NAEYC has created 10 standards that measure the quality of early childhood programs, which include over 400 different criterions that must be met. The standards were created by a blue-ribbon panel of early childhood experts and are based on the latest early childhood research.

Welcome Amigos International School Meets The Ten NAEYC Standards Of Excellence For Early Childhood Programs:

• RELATIONSHIPS: Promote positive relationships for all children and adults to encourage each child’s sense of individual worth.
• CURRICULUM: Implement a curriculum that fosters all areas of child development: cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social.
• TEACHING: Use developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate effective teaching approaches.
• ASSESSMENT OF CHILD PROGRESS: Provide ongoing assessments of a child’s learning and development and communicate the child’s progress to the family.
• HEALTH: Promote the nutrition and health of children and protect children and staff from injury and illness.
• TEACHERS: Employ a teaching staff that has the educational qualifications, knowledge, and professional commitment necessary to promote children’s learning and development, and to support families’ diverse needs and interests.
• FAMILIES: Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with each child’s family.
• COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS: Establish relationships with and use the resources of the community to support the achievement of program goals.
• PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: Provide a safe and healthy physical environment.
• LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT: Implement strong personnel, fiscal, and program management policies so that all children, families, and staff have high-quality experiences. For more detailed information on these Standards, visit the 10 NAEYC Program Standards page at: http://families.naeyc.org/accredited-article/10-naeyc-program-standards

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Community

Family Involvement And Communication With Parents

Regular teacher-family communication is important for the development of our children. Welcome Amigos International School believes that families should be supported in making decisions about services that their children may need. The teachers at Welcome Amigos provide information to families about available community resources and assist as requested in helping the family make connections.

Welcome Amigos International School values the time spent talking and interacting with families and developing strong, reciprocal relationships. As the teachers learn from the families’ expertise regarding their child’s interests, approaches to learning, and developmental needs, goals for children’s growth and development can be incorporated into ongoing classroom planning. Families are encouraged to share any concerns, preferences or questions with the teachers or director at any time.

Although in-person daily contact cannot be replaced, the teachers also rely on notes home, emails, phone calls, newsletters, and bulletin boards as alternative means to establish and maintain open, two-way communication. We send out monthly newsletters, pictures of the students, songs introduced in class, and weekly highlights to keep parents informed about what their children are learning at school. In addition, the teachers communicate with families on at least a weekly basis regarding children’s activities and developmental milestones, shared care-giving issues, and other information that affects the well-being of their children.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Family-teacher conferences are held in both the fall and spring semesters, as well as when either party requests. It is our desire to keep every member of the family up to date and involved in this one-of-a-kind education.

It is the policy of the Welcome Amigos Community not to discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, creed, age, marital status, or physical disability in its education programs, activities, or employment policies as required by Title VI or VIII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, and the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Admissions

Join the Welcome Amigos Spanish-immersion Preschool community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Welcome Amigos Spanish-immersion Preschool unique. If we are currently hosting tours, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting tours, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start host tours again in the future.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application at www.wonderschool.com/welcome-amigos-spanish-immersion-preschool-1359/apply – note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.