LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐉𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐋/𝐍𝐉𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

From once sitting in the audience to standing at the podium, 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐉𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐋/𝐍𝐉𝐁𝐄 not just as an educator, but as a change agent—sharing the story of how she and her team reimagined multilingual education in Linden with purpose, passion, and a powerful call to action.

On May 20, 2025, during Day 1 of the NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, Orelien—Director of Multilingual Learners for Linden Public Schools—delivered her first-ever conference presentation to a room of about 70 educators.

𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 “𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗟𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀,” 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽. It was a rallying cry for districts across New Jersey to recognize, respond to, and rise with the needs of their growing multilingual populations.

“This isn’t just about programs—it’s about people,” Orelien said. “And it’s about building systems that reflect who our students truly are, where they come from, and what they need to thrive.”

𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦—Tania Miguelez, Secondary Supervisor of ESL/Bilingual and World Languages; Stephanie Ross, Elementary ESL, Bilingual & World Languages Supervisor; and Harjot Kaur, Multilingual Data and Testing Coordinator—Orelien was also supported by a dozen fellow educators from Linden, all there to affirm the progress and unity behind their shared mission.

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲

Orelien opened the session with her personal journey, one that began not in education, but in political science and pre-law. While studying abroad in France, a volunteer placement in an elementary school reshaped her path.

“I went from studying international law to listening to an inner voice that told me education was my calling,” she recalled. “Telling my Haitian parents I wasn’t going to law school was not easy—but following my purpose was the best decision I ever made.”

That decision would lead her to a fulfilling and transformative career in education—one grounded in purpose, equity, and vision. Her journey from a French teacher in Elizabeth to head of a district-wide ML department in Linden underscored the theme of her session: empowerment through intentional action.

𝐀 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠

At the heart of her presentation was the story of the Linden Multilingual Learners Welcome Center—a centralized hub designed to streamline enrollment, assess student needs, and offer wraparound services to families the moment they arrive in the district.

“Before we had the center, ESL teachers were responsible for screening new students weeks into the school year. That meant delayed services, frustrated colleagues, and interrupted instruction,” Orelien explained. “Now, students are screened right away at the Welcome Center, giving them immediate access to learning—and giving our teachers the time and space to teach.”

But the Welcome Center is much more than a screening site. It’s a safe, inclusive space that offers mobile immunization clinics, translation assistance, culturally responsive training, free school supplies, help with lunch applications, and support navigating health insurance forms.

“Our families come with needs—and dreams,” she said. “We can’t just serve the child and ignore the family. We’re building trust, one service at a time.”

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Orelien shared striking data with the audience: Linden’s ML population has grown by significantly over the past five years. In 2019, one in twelve new students was an ML. As of spring 2025, it’s one in five.

“This isn’t just growth,” she said. “It’s a signal—a shift in who we are serving and how we must lead. If we don’t take that data seriously, we’ll fall behind. Or worse—our students will.”

That data became the foundation for Linden’s advocacy and strategic planning. It was used to justify new hires, create the department’s roadmap, and design professional development initiatives. Today, the multilingual department includes two supervisors, three instructional coaches, a data/testing coordinator, and a full-time Welcome Center coordinator—all positions added to meet the district’s evolving needs.

“I started at a desk by myself, doing a job without a title,” she told the room. “But I believed in the work. I had to convince others to see what I saw.”

𝐀 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭

The session also walked participants through a step-by-step process for replicating Linden’s success in their own districts. Orelien emphasized beginning with a SWOT analysis, creating a clear vision and mission, developing a three-year action plan, defining success metrics, and aligning practices with research-based strategies.

“You can’t just say you care about MLs,” she said. “You have to plan for them. You have to fund them. And most of all—you have to understand them.”

She encouraged attendees to see their data not as cold numbers, but as stories waiting to be told. “Don’t use data to label. Use it to lift. Use it to spark action. Our multilingual learners are just as capable as anyone else—and I’m proof.”

𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞

The presentation concluded with a powerful video spotlighting the Welcome Center’s impact—featuring voices of students, parents, and staff whose lives had been changed by its services. It was more than an ending—it was a declaration.

“I hope today you walk away not just informed—but empowered,” she said. “If I could do it, starting alone with no team and no roadmap, so can you. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Build with what you have. And lead with what you know.”