Springs’ La Fuente Student Center in Vista is beginning La Gruta, an international grotto/learning center located in a room on the school grounds, reported teacher Tom Van Heukelem.
Components of the new grotto will include murals on the wall of the countries and cultures to be studied throughout the school year and a cantina area for eating and working.
“We want to create an atypical learning environment for our students in grades 5-8,” Mr. Van Heukelem said. Work on the cantina begins in October, and will include the addition of couches, “deli-style” tables and chairs. Murals on the 40 by 45-foot room will be painted throughout the year. The transformation of the space will be done entirely on donations, Mr. Van Heukelem said. The school is collecting donations of furniture and paint; family members of the students with art backgrounds will oversee the painting of the murals. Students will be called on to help with the painting.
La Fuente offers a dual immersion Spanish-English program for grades TK-8. It currently has 130 students, but will soon grow to 200, Mr. Van Heukelem believes. To learn more about the program, please watch this video.
