The ESL High School Newcomer Center is an intensive English program for recently enrolled students in grades 9-12 with limited or no English proficiency. The academic language needed to be successful at the secondary level is far beyond what most first-year English learners (ELs) are able to master in the traditional classroom setting. Students who qualify to enroll in the Newcomer Program may have limited formal schooling, migrant lifestyles, and low literacy levels in their native language, making it extremely difficult to transition directly into a traditional secondary school setting. Focused literacy instruction in English and sheltered exposure to academic content is essential for successful integration into mainstream classes.