• Interpretation and Translation Requests

     ~The Public Schools of Northborough & Southborough offer interpretation and translation services to our districts’ multilingual families.~ 

     Mission: To provide effective two-way communication between the schools and our multilingual families, so that all families may access information pertaining to their children’s education. 

     What is the Difference Between an Interpreter and a Translator? 

     

    An interpreter is someone who provides oral translation between people who speak different languages. Our department can arrange for an in-person or over-the-phone interpreter for events, such as parent-teacher conferences, school meetings, information sessions, or whenever two-way communication needs to occur in a language parents/guardians understand. Based on the nature of the event, the English Language Education Office determines whether the interpreter will be in-person or over-the-phone. 

    A translator is someone who takes a written document in one language and converts it to another language. Translations may be requested for documents that are district-wide, school-based, classroom-based, or for individual students. Additionally, translations may be requested for matters pertaining to Special Education and General Education. Please note that copyrighted documents may not be translated unless the requester provides written permission from the owner.   

     

    Interpretation Request 

    An Interpretation Request Form must be completed for all non-urgent interpretation requests. For urgent interpretation requests, please contact the ELE Office directly at the phone number listed below.

     

    Tips on working with an interpreter

     

    Translation Request

    A Translation Request Form must be completed for all translation requests.

     

    Please read below before submitting any translation requests:

    • Translations of documents will be done on a first-come, first-served basis.
    • A five school-day turnaround will be strived for with general education translations. Lengthy documents will likely require a greater turnaround time.
    • Special Education reports will be translated according to their modified timelines set by the ELE Office.
    • All documents for translation requests, with the exception of report cards, must be provided in an editable format, and not a PDF converted to a Word Document. If there are no tables, graphs, charts, or other visuals, a Google Document will be sufficient. If there are visuals, then a Word Document must be submitted.
    • A single online submission may be made for all documents in the same subcategory. For example, if a school needs nine report cards translated, then all nine report cards may be uploaded to a single Translation Request Form.

     

    For specific questions, please contact:

    The English Language Education Office

    33 Howard Street

    Northborough, MA 01532

    508.393.4378

    Office hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-3:00pm, during the school year

     

    Rhoda Webb, Director of English Language Education

    rwebb@nsboro.k12.ma.us (ext. 52144)

    Deb Young, Administrative Assistant

    dyoung@nsboro.k12.ma.us  (ext. 52142)