Link our 
Supervisor, ESL
(757) 591-4680, 595-7522 (fax)
Maria Rodriguez
ESL Administrative Specialist
(757) 591-4680, 595-7522 (fax)
ESL Welcome Center at Watkins ECC
(757) 283-7823, 597-2877 (fax)
- Miriam Delnicki
ESL Assessment Specialist - Teresa Hubert
ESL Welcome Center Registrar
The Newport News Public School family is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Carla Williams (Supervisor of ESL), her daughter and her grandmother. Ms. Williams was a dedicated educator who served the students and staff of the school district since 1997.
Newport News has a diverse student population that includes students whose first language is not English. Newport News is proud to offer a program of study for non-English speaking students known as English as a Second Language (ESL). The English as a Second Language (ESL) Program of Newport News Public Schools was created and influenced from both the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Download our program brochure.
The English to Speakers of Other Languages program in Newport News Public Schools involves instruction for English Language learners pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. English Language Learners (ELL’s) receiving Talented and Gifted services (TAG) or Special Education services are also eligible to receive ESL program services based on their registration and assessment data.
Pre-K & Elementary
The First Step ESL program is at all four early childhood centers, with three ESL teachers servicing all ESL First Step students.
The elementary school ESL program is at all twenty-five schools. ESL teachers travel to students for language support. Students are serviced by an ESL teacher and assigned a homeroom with a general education teacher.
Middle School
Middle school students receive ESL program services at two designated sites, Dozier and Gildersleeve.
Middle school students attend the site closest to their home address, and they have ESL as a part of their schedule of classes. ESL classes are scheduled by English proficiency levels 1 through 4.
High School
The high school ESL program is at two sites, Denbigh and Warwick.
Students attend the school closest to their home address, and high school ESL students are placed according to their English ability. The "Level I Entering" and "Level 2 Beginning" students have class with their ESL teacher for two blocks per day. "Level 3 Developing" and "Level 4 Expanding" students have class with their ESL teacher every other day.