Milwaukee City Wire

Since its inception in 2005, Greenfield Bilingual School has grown to become one of the largest bilingual dual language programs within Milwaukee Public Schools. By September 2024, the school was accommodating 600 students in a building originally designed for 500. The school faced challenges with limited space, as students had to carry lunch trays through an auditorium and storage was scarce.

Principal Adalberto Salas noted that despite space constraints, parents valued the program's strong reputation. "Families would ask, ‘Why do you have so many students in a small classroom?’” he said. “But parents want the program because it’s strongly recognized by the state and district. Our eighth graders are consistently bilingual by the time they graduate—speaking, reading, and writing in English and Spanish.”

In February, Greenfield Bilingual School opened a new three-story addition that includes four classrooms, upgraded internet facilities, an updated kitchen, elevators, and staff conference space. This expansion was designed by Foundation Architects and primarily funded by federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER). It is part of 15 similar projects completed between 2022 and 2024 across Milwaukee Public Schools.

The addition has improved conditions for both teachers and students. Kindergarten to grade 3 classrooms benefit from Achievement Gap Reduction funding which maintains specific student-to-teacher ratios. Principal Salas observed positive behavioral changes among older students due to the additional space: “Behavior data tells us older students are doing well in their new classroom,” he said.

Prior to this expansion, ESL teachers faced logistical challenges moving supplies around the building. Nearly half of Greenfield's student body consists of English learners. ESL educator Emma Stueckroth explained that previously students had to practice English aloud under less than ideal circumstances: “Students had to practice English aloud, in the back of a sometimes quiet classroom," she said.

With dedicated ESL classrooms now available, teaching methods have evolved significantly. ESL teacher Shannon Reed remarked on how these changes foster community: “The room itself is inviting and promotes peer interaction among English learners in a comfortable setting."

Art and music classes further enhance cultural connections among students at Greenfield Bilingual School. Music specialist Mark Grzanna highlighted improvements such as customized storage: “We have tables and chairs for keyboards and written work,” he stated.

Recesses offer social opportunities while an expanded lunch menu caters to diverse tastes thanks to an updated kitchen facility featuring multiple serving windows. Principal Salas humorously noted that students have high expectations for their meals: "They are getting used to the new kitchen and have big ideas about the lunch menu," he said.