Our Mission

The International Welcome Center (IWC) Translation & Interpretation Office provides interpretation and translation services for schools to facilitate communication with non-English speaking parents.

Our office is responsible for:

• Securing INTERPRETERS for essential school or district functions or events that parents attend concerning their children.  These functions or events may include meetings with the special education team, nurse, social worker, counselor, parent-teacher conferences, etc.

• TRANSLATING essential district, school and student information.  Said information can be letters, newsletters, announcements, forms, surveys, etc.

HOW TO REQUEST AN INTERPRETER

An Interpreter is someone who provides a spoken language interpretation between speakers who speak different languages.

• Download the Language Service Request Form below.

• Requests must be submitted 14 days prior to the meeting date.

• The Language Service Request Form must be filled out in its entirety and sent to the IWC either by:

  • Fax – 678-331-3964 or

  • Email – as a saved attachment emailed to iwc@cobbk12.org

• A Confirmation Email will be sent to the requestor the Thursday before the scheduled meeting date, once an interpreter is assigned to the meeting.

• The assigned interpreter will make only a reminder call to the parents 24-48 hours prior to the meeting.

• Before requesting an interpreter, confirm that parents are in need of an interpreter.

Cancellations/Rescheduling

• If a meeting is cancelled or needs to be rescheduled, email the IWC as soon as possible so that the interpreter can be notified.

HOW TO REQUEST A TRANSLATION

A Translator is someone who translates written text from one language to another.

• Download the Language Service Request Form below.

• The Language Service Request Form must be filled out in its entirety and emailed to the IWC – iwc@cobbk12.org

• Email the document(s) that need(s) to be translated to iwc@cobbk12.org

  • Documents must be in an editable format (Word, Power Point, Publisher).

    • PDF documents are not be accepted.

  • Translations require 14 business days and are subject to availability of translators. The high demand of some languages during peak times or the size of the document may require more than 14 days.

Please Note: Documents that will not be translated include but are not limited to the following:

• Copyrighted material
• Documents or portions of documents obtained from magazines, websites, newspapers or other organizations
• Instructional materials (tests, homework, syllabi, units of study, quizzes, etc.) for students or classroom use
• Any Special Education Documents from IEP, FBA, BIP SAT meetings or MET meetings
• Evaluation reports
• Poetry, song lyrics

Guide For Working With An Interpreter – Click Here For PDF

Interpreter Evaluation Form – Click Here For PDF

The primary focus of the student intake office is to screen middle and high school students for English language proficiency and evaluate international student transcripts. English proficiency screening is completed using the WIDA Screener for students from grades 6-12 (and/or the age of 11 years or higher) to determine if English language support eligibility.  Transcript evaluations are completed for high school students to ensure proper course credit, grade placement, and meet all the requirements for graduation.

Upon enrollment in the Cobb County School District (CCSD), parents are asked to complete a Student Enrollment Form (JBC-5) which includes a Home Language Survey to determine if the student’s primary or home language is other than English (PHLOTE) or in addition to English. If another language other than English is identified, parents are asked to contact the International Welcome Center (IWC) Intake Office at 678-331-3134 to schedule an appointment for an English language screening and to bring student academic records for review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs to come to the IWC Intake Office?

New and returning middle and high school students whose primary language is other than English or in addition to English as identified in the Home Language Survey, and/or international students who need high school transcripts evaluated even if English is their only language as identified in the Home Language Survey.

Do I need an appointment?

Yes. All students will need to schedule an appointment for screening and transcript evaluations.

What do I need to bring to the IWC?

Please click on the link for a comprehensive list of required documents: http://www.cobbk12.org/aboutccsd/enrollment/

What happens during the intake process?

All middle and high school students with a PHLOTE (or in addition to English) are interviewed by Intake staff to obtain general information on the student’s academic history, transcript review, and screening (if required).  The Student Advisor will administer the WIDA Screener to determine language support eligibility and upon completion will review screening results, grade placement recommendation, will explain the next steps, and will address any questions or concerns at that time.

Si usted no habla inglés y necesita ayuda con el proceso de inscripción o una cita para la evaluación de inglés para estudiantes en la escuela media (middle school, 6°-8°) o en la secundaria (high school, 9°-12°), favor de comunicarse con el Centro Internacional de Bienvenida (International Welcome Center) / Intake al 678-331-3134. Los estudiantes de la escuela primaria (elementary school, K-5°) deben de comunicarse con la escuela directamente.