SIFE Program

NJDOE Model Program Recognition 2020-2022

The New Brunswick SIFE Program has been designed with the purpose to meet the needs of students with an interrupted formal education (SIFEs). This program is targeted to newcomer students who are academically delayed because of limited or interrupted schooling in their native Spanish speaking countries and who are three or more years below grade level. Parents sign a letter where they agree to place their child in the SIFE Program

Students who qualify to attend this program are:

• newly arrived to the U.S.A and have had interrupted education in their home countries. (Stopped attending school for at least 6 months or more)

• reading four or more reading levels below grade level,
• have scored less than 3 points in the Supera Test for their grade level based on their age. (E.g.: Scored a 1.0 in a 4th grade test)

This program complies with  N.J.A.C6A:16 which outlines program requirements as follows:

• An individualized Program Plan (IPP) shall be developed for each student;
• Instruction to students shall address the NJSLS Standards;
• Instructional staff shall be appropriately certified;
• Academic instruction sufficient to fulfill graduation requirements shall be provided to high school students; and
• Comprehensive support services and programs shall address each student’s health, social, and emotional development and behavior.

District, school, and type of program:

Dates when others can visit your program

Anytime throughout the year. Please contact the New Brunswick Bilingual Office at least three weeks in advance to schedule a visit.

Contact Person, Phone Number, Address, and E-mail

Dr. Andrea Fontenez
Director of Bilingual and ESL Education
732-745-5300 ext. 5444
269 Baldwin Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Carolina Arvelo
Bilingual Office Secretary
732-745-5300 ext. 5445
269 Baldwin Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

carolina_arvelo@nbpsnj.net

District and school demographics

The New Brunswick Public School District consists of two high schools (New Brunswick High School and Health Sciences Technology High School), two middle schools (New Brunswick Middle School and Pathways Middle School) and nine elementary schools (Lincoln, Blanquita B. Valenti Community School, Livingston, Lord Stirling, McKinley, Redshaw, Roosevelt, Paul Robeson Community School for the Arts, and Woodrow Wilson school). A comprehensive educational program for students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade serves a student population of more than 10,000. 

New Brunswick Public Schools participates in the P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) public-private partnership, which provides select students an opportunity to simultaneously earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree in Engineering or an Engineering-related field.

There are 3,220 Multilingual Learners in the district, which is 31.37% of the total student population. New Brunswick Public Schools offers Bilingual Education and ESL Programs for all Multilingual Learners registered in Grades K-12.  The SIFE Program is an alternative program for bilingual students with interrupted formal education in grades 3-12. In addition, all district students can attend the Dual Language Program from PreK to Grade 4.

In 2020, about 29 languages are spoken district-wide, with Spanish being the most commonly spoken.  About 90.86% (9,327) students are Hispanic, and  99.84% of students receive free or reduced lunch. 

Short Description of the Program

The SIFE program is a comprehensive educational program designed to address the individual learning, behavior, and health needs of bilingual students who have interrupted education.

We currently offer this program at the following schools in New Brunswick Public Schools District:

• Roosevelt Schools (Grades 3-5)
• Middle School (Grades 6-8)
• High School (Grades 9-12)