A new private bilingual school recently opened in the University area to serve kindergarteners and first graders who want to learn either Spanish or English.
The Service Learning Micro School is a full-service academic environment that offers small classrooms to vulnerable populations through Florida Department of Education scholarships, said founder Jaime Manfra.
Manfra started her first micro school in Clearwater nine years ago and that school is now teaching middle school and high school students who have come up through the program.
The Tampa school still has openings for six or eight students and there is no enrollment deadline.
“Because we keep our student base under 15 students, we’ve been very safe and successful through COVID,” Manfra said.
“It started as a grassroots effort in a neighborhood nine years ago. I figured out how to file as a private school and obtain scholarships. It is financial sustainable, but stayed true to the grassroots process, though we do have a board of directors for the Tampa school.”
The Tampa students include two students who speak only Spanish and the rest who speak English but are learning Spanish. “Our teacher in Tampa is bilingual and teaches all the lessons in both languages,” Manfra said.
“The micro school is definitely attractive to families who want support in language skills,” she said. “Kids love the model. For the parents, it is a definite benefit because the English-speaking families really appreciate the exposure. For Spanish speakers, they have an adult who can effectively communicate with them. And it is unifying for the students.”
Anyone interested in enrollment can contact Megan Lawton, who oversees enrollment, at 727-460-7252. Or visit the school website for more information.
