FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2026
Chatham County Schools Hosts Statewide Dual Language Site Visits
PITTSBORO, N.C. — Chatham County Schools (CCS) welcomed educators and leaders from across North Carolina on Thursday, March 19, as part of the FLANC Spring Conference in partnership with the SCOLT Conference in Raleigh. As part of the conference’s pre-event Dual Language/Immersion (DL/I) site visits and workshops, CCS hosted participants at Siler City Elementary (SCE) and Jordan-Matthews High School (JMHS), offering attendees an in-depth look at the district’s K–12 Dual Language program in action while providing opportunities to connect with DL/I educators from across the region.
At Siler City Elementary, a PreK–5 campus serving approximately 553 students, visitors observed classroom instruction and learned about a program that has been building bilingual, biliterate, and culturally responsive learners since its launch in 2005. The visit also highlighted the program’s long-term impact, including its first cohort of Dual Language students graduating from Jordan-Matthews High School in 2016.
At Jordan-Matthews High School, one of the district’s largest high schools with more than 750 students, participants explored advanced Dual Language pathways and student outcomes. The program currently serves 134 students and has demonstrated exceptional academic success, including high performance on Advanced Placement Spanish exams and strong postsecondary outcomes for graduating seniors.
Throughout both visits, attendees engaged in classroom observations, student presentations, and educator discussions gaining insight into how CCS implements a comprehensive Dual Language model from elementary through high school.
Chatham County Schools’ Dual Language program is designed to prepare students as bilingual communicators, critical thinkers, and globally minded citizens. The program emphasizes proficiency in both English and Spanish while fostering cross-cultural understanding and expanding college and career opportunities.
“Opportunities like these site visits allow us to share the strong work happening in our schools while also learning from educators across the state,” said Dr. Jayme McPhatter, Specialty Programs Coordinator for CCS. “Our Dual Language program reflects our commitment to innovation, equity, and preparing students for success in a global society.”
The visits were organized by Fostering Language Acquisition in North Carolina (FLANC), a statewide organization dedicated to supporting and advancing language acquisition programs across North Carolina, in partnership with Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT). SCOLT is a regional non-profit supporting world language educators across 13 southeastern US states and the US Virgin Islands.
For more information about Chatham County Schools and its Dual Language program, visit www.chatham.k12.nc.us/page/dual-language, or contact Chatham County Schools Public Information Officer, Jessica Pasión. To learn more about FLANC visit: www.flanc.org. Additional information about SCOLT can be found at www.scolt.org.
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Media Contact:
Jessica Pasión
Public Information Officer
Chatham County Schools
468 Renaissance Drive
Pittsboro, NC 27539
Phone: 919.542.3626
About Chatham County Schools
Chatham County Schools serves more than 9,000 students across 20 schools in central North Carolina. With a commitment to excellence, equity, and engagement, the district works in partnership with families and the community to prepare ALL students for success in college, careers, and life.
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