Students in the Forest Glen Elementary Spanish Immersion program in Lawrence Township are saying “hola” to a new face this year: Indiana University graduate and former Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) principal, Kelli Lovingfoss. She is the dual-language immersion principal, and joins Forest Glen after nearly two decades in education.
With a passion for Spanish, Lovingfoss believes Forest Glen is a great fit, as it’s one of the few Spanish immersion options at the elementary level, serving students from all over Lawrence Township.
Given that Spanish is the official language of 21 countries, the Forest Glen Spanish Immersion approach can open multiple doors for students. “I’ve done a lot of language learning myself,” Lovingfoss said. “I think it goes back to the students gaining an awareness of other cultures and other ways of life. It gives them access and opens doors to the world. It enables them to communicate in more places. It just connects them to the world in a unique way.”
“As a scholar of language acquisition, I find the immersion model fascinating,” she added. “As a K-12 educator and former Spanish teacher, I love being able to ignite a passion for foreign languages in others. I have watched the success of Forest Glen over the years with great admiration and respect. I am a servant leader, and while student welfare will always be the top priority, the well-being of these exceptional teachers cannot be overlooked. The retention and cultivation of high-quality teachers is imperative to a successful school like Forest Glen, and I seek to keep this sentiment in mind at all times.”
Forest Glen’s dual-immersion program breaks down by grade, with prekindergarten through second grade experiencing an 80/20 mix, with the majority of the curriculum in Spanish. In third grade it becomes a 70/30 split, and by fourth grade it balances out at 50/50, with English and math taught in English, and science and social studies taught in Spanish.
“Language learning is very important to me and close to my heart,” Lovingfoss said. She began her career as both a Spanish and English language arts teacher in 2008. She transitioned to administration in 2019, gaining experience as an assistant principal and principal, most recently at the Newcomer Program at IPS.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Spanish from Indiana University, with one year at Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain. She earned a master’s degree in teaching at Marian University, an MBA from the IU Kelley School of Business, and is a doctoral student in education at Vanderbilt University.
The married mother of two said she fell in love with the language early on. “Spanish was something I enjoyed in school,” she said. “It allows me to connect with more students. It enables me to communicate with a much wider group of people. I love that.”
