7 Ways to Say Bienvenidos Before the First Bell

Written by Maria Del Amo, NCEA Director of Hispanic and Latino Engagement, maria@ncea.org

Simple Ways Catholic Schools Can Welcome Hispanic and Latino Families Before the School Year Begins

Every year after summer ends, something beautiful happens. Students go back to school.

I always remembered standing outside during the very first morning car line on the first day of school. There was something in the air that was impossible to miss. Students proudly stepped out of the car wearing tidy uniforms, carrying brand-new backpacks, and, for many of the girls, perfectly styled ponytails with bows in their school colors and parents with cell phones in hand, trying to capture that special first-day picture.

But what always touched me the most wasn’t the new uniforms or the backpacks.

Watching a child spot their teacher and run over with a huge smile or seeing the relief on a parent’s face when someone welcomed them with a warm “¡Bienvenidos!” reminded me that before families experience our curriculum, our test scores, or our extracurricular programs, they experience something much more important. They experienced our hospitality.

They’re quietly asking themselves one simple question: “Do we belong here?”

Over the years, I’ve learned something important while working with Catholic schools across the country: Families don’t expect perfection, but they appreciate the effort.

As Catholic school educators, we have an incredible opportunity before the first bell ever rings. The weeks leading up to the start of school aren’t just about preparing classrooms—they’re about preparing hearts.

Here are seven simple ways to begin a new academic year:

1. See Your School Through a Family’s Eyes

Before families ever step inside your building, they’ve already visited your website, listened to your voicemail, read your emails, and looked through your enrollment materials.

Take a few minutes and experience each of those touchpoints as if you were a Spanish-speaking parent or a parent who speaks another language represented in your community.

Can they easily find information? Do they see families who look like theirs? Do they immediately feel that they were expected?

Sometimes the simplest actions make the biggest difference such as a bilingual welcome letter from the principal, a welcome sign in multiple languages, or a phone call from another parent saying, “We’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

2. Make the Front Office the Heart of Hospitality

The front office is much more than a place to answer phones and collect paperwork. It’s often where relationships are built.

Before school starts, spend time helping your office staff practice welcoming every family with kindness and patience. If no one on staff speaks Spanish, consider inviting bilingual parents, parish volunteers, or community members to serve as welcoming ambassadors. The same approach can be used for any language community represented in your school.

Hospitality isn’t simply good customer service. It’s part of our Catholic identity.

Throughout the gospels, Jesus reminds us to welcome the stranger. Every family who walks through our doors deserves to experience that same welcome.

3. Communicate in the Language Families Understand

It’s difficult to feel like you belong when every important piece of information arrives in a language you can’t fully understand.

Before the busy school year begins, decide which communications will always be translated: newsletters, permission slips, emergency messages, report card explanations, and school-wide announcements.

Technology has made translation easier than ever, but whenever possible, have someone review the message. Families notice when communication feels natural rather than machine-translated.

When families understand what’s happening, they’re much more likely to participate. And participation builds partnership.

4. Learn More Than Names

One of the simplest ways to honor a child is to learn how to pronounce their name correctly. Take time before school begins to ask families how names are pronounced rather than guessing. Encourage teachers also to learn a little about each family’s story, traditions, and culture.

Whether a student’s name is Ximena, Nguyen, Chiamaka, Siobhan, or José, every child deserves to hear their name spoken with care.

When educators understand the strengths students bring, like the gift of bilingualism, close family relationships, and a vibrant faith, they begin teaching from a place of appreciation instead of assumption.

5. Partner with Your Parish

Some of your greatest ambassadors may already be sitting in the pews every weekend.

Many parishes have vibrant Hispanic ministries, as well as communities representing Filipino, Vietnamese, Haitian, African, and many other cultures.

Meet with these ministry leaders before school begins. Ask them how your school can serve their families, and invite them to help introduce Catholic education within their communities.

Enrollment becomes much more meaningful when the invitation comes from someone families already know and trust.

When evangelization and Catholic education work together, everyone benefits.

6. Celebrate Culture as a Gift

The traditions Hispanic and Latino families bring are not additions to the Catholic Church. They are part of the Church.

As you prepare your school calendar, intentionally include celebrations that reflect the cultures of your families.

Honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. Pray bilingually. Celebrate Las Posadas. Invite families to share traditions passed from generation to generation.

Then broaden the invitation even further by recognizing traditions from every culture represented in your community—from Simbang Gabi to Our Lady of La Vang, and beyond.

When students see their culture reflected in school life, they learn something powerful. They don’t have to leave part of themselves at the door to belong.

7. Focus on Relationships Before Programs

One thing I’ve consistently seen is that Hispanic and Latino families value relationships.

They want to know the principal. They want to trust their child’s teacher. They want to feel connected before they feel committed.

Create opportunities that allow families simply to be together.

Host a cafecito con la directora (coffee with the principal). Invite families for coffee and conversation. Organize gatherings centered around fellowship rather than presentations.

Most importantly, invite parents into leadership such as your school board or PTA, not just as volunteers, but as partners whose voices help shape the future of the school.

People are much more likely to invest in a community where they know they belong.

Before the Bell Rings…

None of these ideas require a large budget. They simply require intentionality.

The future of Catholic education is deeply connected to the families who already make up such a vibrant part of our Church. Welcoming Hispanic and Latino families isn’t about checking a box or launching another initiative. It’s about living the gospel.

This school year, don’t settle for having open doors. Create a school where every family walks in and immediately feels what we hope every Catholic community reflects:

You belong here. Bienvenidos. Welcome home.

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Blog photo: Holy Redeemer Catholic School in Kissimmee, FL