UNIDOS
UNIDOS Bilingual Education
The UNIDOS Spanish-English Dual Language Program is a K–8 program at East Somerville Community School that develops students’ fluency in both Spanish and English while celebrating their languages, cultures, families, and identities. Founded more than 30 years ago through community advocacy for bilingual education, UNIDOS continues to view multilingualism as an asset and a bridge for connection.
Today, the program reflects the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of the East Somerville community, serving approximately 380 students, many of whom are multilingual learners.
Images on the page reflect the 30-year celebration and exhibit by photographer Mario Quiroz.
The Story of UNIDOS
The UNIDOS Spanish-English Dual Language Program is a K-8 program at East Somerville Community School and part of the Somerville Public Schools’ Multilingual Learner Education Department.
UNIDOS was born more than 30 years ago when Somerville families, educators, and community members came together around a shared vision for bilingual education—one where children could develop their fluency in Spanish and English, maintain strong connections to their languages and cultures, and learn to see differences not as obstacles to overcome, but as opportunities to connect.
This advocacy laid the foundation for Unidos and continues to shape who we are today. Over the past three decades, the program has grown and evolved alongside the East Somerville community, carrying forward a belief that multilingualism is an asset and that students’ languages, cultures, families, and identities belong at the center of their education.
Today, UNIDOS serves students from Kindergarten through 8th grade at East Somerville Community School. Our school is home to approximately 380 students, drawing families from across the city, with many residing in East Somerville. UNIDOS reflects East Somerville’s linguistic and cultural diversity. Approximately 55% of students are current or former multilingual learners, and many speak additional languages beyond English and Spanish, including Portuguese, Mandarin, Luganda, Amharic, and Haitian Creole.