Rocklin Unified opens dual-language elementary school in Whitney Ranch

The Rocklin Unified School District held a ribbon-cutting for a new Whitney Ranch school on Aug. 10, which was also the district's first day of school. The new Quarry Trail Elementary School is at 810 Lazy Trail Drive in Rocklin. Quarry Trail Elementary offers a dual-language program for kindergarten through sixth-grade. Within this program, parents have a choice to have their children taught on either an English or Spanish track. "The dual-language program at Quarry Trail will implement a model where Spanish will be introduced starting this year in grades transitional kindergarten and kindergarten and adding a grade with each year thereafter," said Rocklin Unified School District Board of Trustees President Rachelle Price during Quarry Trail Elementary's ribbon-cutting. "This means that the school will offer two dual-language classes in each grade level. All Quarry Trail students will have the opportunity to participate in cultural lessons and be introduced to the Spanish language and literature." Quarry Trail Elementary, "Home of the Broncos," is the 12th elementary school in the Rocklin Unified School District and the second school at Whitney Ranch. According to district officials, Quarry Trail Elementary will be the final school added to the Rocklin Unified School District. Including Quarry Trail, Rocklin Unified School District now has 17 schools total in the district. On Aug.10, all Quarry Trail Elementary students, families, school staff and faculty, and district and local officials attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony before classes started on the first day of school. Quarry Trail Elementary School Principal Melanie Patterson led the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "It is truly an honor to lead this special school where we offer families and students the option to start their educational career either in English or Spanish, both actually, with dual-language education," Patterson said during the ceremony. Rocklin Unified School District Superintendent Roger Stock praised Patterson during the Quarry Trail Elementary School's ribbon-cutting. "She has worked tirelessly for seven days a week to get the staff in place and get everything ready," Stock said. "Her love and dedication has shown and we couldn't think of a better principal to open our school." The ceremony also featured keynote speakers, including Rocklin Mayor Bill Halldin, Rocklin Unified Board of Trustees President Rachelle Price, California Assemblymember Kevin Kiley and Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes. Whitney Ranch resident Stephanie Quintal enrolled her kindergartener and her third-grade son in Quarry Trail Elementary and was excited to be a part of the school's history by attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Besides having the school within walking distance of her home, Quintal wanted her sons to have exposure to the school's dual-language program and connections with the community. "Aside from learning a new language, I want my sons to get to know the community more," Quintal told Gold Country Media. "(Rocklin) is a great community that we're in and I'm really excited for them to get to meet other people and make some friends."