G.L.A.D. to Expand Their Horizons
Welcome to the Global Language Academies of Downey (G.L.A.D.)
Downey Unified’s G.L.A.D. dual language immersion program teaches children to think, read, write, and communicate naturally in two different languages with the goal to become biliterate in both English and a target language.
G.L.A.D. empowers students to achieve high levels of academic success and develop cross-cultural skills that will give your child various advantages for the rest of their lives!
The Benefits of Learning . . .
Career & Travel Opportunities
- Spanish is one of the most popular languages spoken worldwide
- You will be able to communicate with over 572 million people in the world
- Spanish is the world’s second most spoken language
Boosting Vocabulary
- Learning Spanish will familiarize you with English words that have Latin roots and help you decipher new vocabulary
- Similarities to other languages. Understanding Spanish makes it much easier to pick up on other Romance languages, like Portuguese, Italian, French and Romanian, since they all evolved from Latin and share grammar, syntax, and lots of similar vocabulary
Understanding the IB Primary Years Programme
Carpenter Elementary G.L.A.D. is recognized as an International Baccalaureate World School. Carpenter follows the IB Primary Years Programme’s three guiding principles (holistic learning, intercultural awareness, and communication), with the goal of developing bi-literate, inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who are motivated to succeed.
The IB programme helps create students who will:
- ask challenging questions
- think critically
- learn across disciplines
- develop research skills proven to help them in higher education
Have older students?
Sussman Middle School is an IB Candidate School for the Middle Years Programme.
G.L.A.D. Programs
SpanishDual Language Immersion |
IB SpanishDual Language Immersion |
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Carpenter Elementary |
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Imperial Elementary |
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Williams Elementary |
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Application Process
The application window for the 2025-2026 school year is now open until January 31, 2025.
1. Attend a mandatory informational meeting
2. Complete and submit an application
3. Receive an e-mail notification if accepted or waitlisted
4. If accepted, complete online enrollment
TK Age Eligibility:
For the 2025-26 school year in CA, children are eligible for TK if they turn 4 years old by September 1, 2025.
Kindergarten Age Eligibility
The child must turn 5 years old before September 1, 2025.
Now accepting inter-district permits!
Contact DUSD
Phone: (562) 904-3588
Email: glad@dusd.net