Lucia Alvarez
Kindergarten Teacher
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Lucia teaches kindergarten, where early reading in Spanish and English takes hold through stories and hands-on projects.
Academics · Kindergarten
Foundations
Kindergarten is the year a child decides what school feels like. At Seattle Amistad it feels like belonging in two languages — full Spanish immersion, small classes, and teachers who meet every child exactly where their language is.
Morning meeting
The day opens in Spanish with song, calendar, weather, and a class check-in. Routine is what makes a new language feel safe.
Literacy
Phonics, shared reading, and writing workshop in Spanish. Children learn to decode in Spanish first, and those skills transfer directly to English later.
Math and inquiry
Hands-on math and science taught in Spanish, so language is acquired through real content rather than vocabulary drills.
Specials and play
Art, music, movement, and outdoor play — the parts of the day where Spanish becomes a child's own, not a subject.
Starting Kindergarten with no Spanish
Most families arriving at Amistad for Kindergarten speak little or no Spanish at home. That is exactly who immersion Kindergarten is designed for. Five- and six-year-olds acquire a second language the way they acquired their first — through context, repetition, relationship, and play. Within a few months, children who arrived silent are following instructions, negotiating at recess, and singing their way through the calendar in Spanish.
Biliteracy begins here
Kindergarteners learn to read in Spanish first. Spanish is phonetically transparent, which makes early decoding faster and builds confidence. Those literacy skills — phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension strategy — transfer to English when it is introduced in the early elementary years, which is why our students reach or exceed grade level in both languages.
A two-way classroom
Our Kindergarten intentionally brings together native Spanish speakers and native English speakers. Children become each other's language models. It is the difference between learning Spanish and living in a bilingual community.
Foundations admissions
January 26 is our priority application deadline for new K–8 families. The best first step is a tour — seeing a Kindergarten classroom mid-morning tells you more than any brochure.
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Foundations in action
Scroll to see moments from these classrooms.
Kindergarten
Meet the teachers
The team your child sees every day at this stage.
Rafael Rodriguez
Math Teacher
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Rafael teaches math across grade levels, emphasizing reasoning and problem-solving over memorization.
Alfredo De La Hoz
K–8th PE Teacher
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Alfredo leads physical education from kindergarten through 8th grade, building teamwork, coordination, and joy in movement for every age.
Shelly Sibert
Art Teacher
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Shelly runs the art studio, where students explore materials, culture, and self-expression across the year.
Silvio Dos Reis
Capoeira Teacher
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Silvio teaches capoeira, blending music, movement, and Afro-Brazilian tradition into our specials rotation.
The language model
From 90/10 to 50/50
Spanish carries the day when children acquire language most naturally, then English grows year by year until the day is evenly balanced — one continuous model from 12 months through 8th grade.
- 12 months – Pre-KLittle Learners90/10 Spanish / English
- KindergartenFoundations90/10 Spanish / English
- Grades 1–3Bright Minds80/20 Spanish / English
- Grades 4–5Bridge Years50/50 Spanish / English
- Grades 6–8Middle School50/50 Spanish / English
Foundations · 90/10 — Full Spanish immersion. Reading is taught in Spanish first, with English introduced through specials and community time.
Foundations
Parents FAQ
Does my child need to speak Spanish to start Kindergarten at Amistad?+
No. Kindergarten is our most common entry point for children with no Spanish background at all. The classroom is built for new speakers, with visual supports, routines, gesture, and song carrying meaning while language develops.
How much of the Kindergarten day is in Spanish?+
Kindergarten is 90% Spanish. English literacy is introduced deliberately beginning in the early elementary years and reaches a balanced 50/50 model by upper elementary.
When should we apply for Kindergarten?+
January 26 is our priority application deadline for new K–8 families. Applying by that date ensures full consideration in the initial admissions review. We continue to accept applications year-round as space allows.
Is extended care available for Kindergarten?+
Yes. Before-school care (Mañanitas) and after-school care (TICA) are available to K–8 families, with monthly and drop-in rates listed on our tuition page.
Connect with a Current Parent
Talk with a Foundations family
We'll match you with a current Amistad parent whose child is in Kindergarten — no pressure, no sales pitch, just an honest conversation about what these years actually look like.
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