LPS bilingual liaisons help immigrant, refugee families transition

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - When families who are new to the U.S. make their way to Nebraska, Lincoln Public Schools has a special program to make that transition easier.

The need has grown over the years and Wednesday’s LPS “Learning Lunch” highlighted the people who are there for immigrant and refugee families every step of the way.

LPS said their bilingual liaisons help families from more than 150 countries who speak 130 languages.

Coordinator, Oscar Rios Pohirieth, said the program has played an important role in giving comfort to families as they make Nebraska their home.

“We are the link,” Pohirieth said. “We are the cultural link not only when it comes to culture, but linguistically speaking as well. Between schools and families, whether it be immigrant or refugee students, and families in the community as a whole.”

Over the last 35 years, LPS has had to revamp the way it serves families as new waves of immigrant and refugees enter the district.

In 1989, the district served less than 200 families. In 2021, the district served about 2,400 immigrant or refugee families.

LPS said a large role of the liaisons is to serve as an interpreter and to give students and families the tools they need to learn English.

“The students of these families are learning how to speak English or learning language skills, so we work directly with them,” Pohirieth said. “They have many needs, but language is a big barrier.”

The most common among English Language Learning students are Spanish, Arabic, Kurdish and Karen.

In addition to language skills, the liaisons help connect families to resources regarding special education, student services, and trauma-informed counseling.

Bilingual liaison Hager Mohamed said she is familiar with the challenges adjusting to a new environment can bring.

“They’re here and they still suffer of trauma; of that shock of moving suddenly, of leaving, fleeing the country,” Hager said.

Since LPS serves families who speak 130 languages, there are cases where a liaison doesn’t speak a family’s language. When that’s the case, the school district relies on community centers and resettlement programs to assist families.

“What they want is the best for their children, so any support from school or from staff - whether it’s at school, whether it’s after school program - they really appreciate that,” said Tosh Jock, another bilingual liaison.

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