Raquel Kahle says her job is to serve as a “cultural bridge” between parents and Banfield Elementary School.

A part-time success coach since August, Kahle served as an interpreter for the Austin Public School District since 2006. She calls her job “one of the most rewarding experiences in my career.”

Success coach positions were created in each school last year to not only provide interpreting services for parents and students, but improve communication and engage parents more in their children’s schools.

“When you are an interpreter, you basically repeat in a different language what the other person is saying,” Kahle said. “I help to neutralize any language barrier. At that point, I can be an interpreter.”

Kahle works with students in a one-on-on basis and in groups, inside and outside the classroom. She helps students with math or reading homework, and learns to understand cultural differences and similarities.

“We have a relationship with the families,” she said. “We are having excellent results at Banfield.

“I work with every student; I don’t just work with Hispanics,” she explained. “We believe that all students can achieve success. We work with the students, staff and parents to help them achieve that.”

Kahle, who was born in Argentina and has lived in Bolivia and Brazil, holds a graduate degree in marketing and speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Interpreters are available for students and parents who speak other languages, too, like Sudanese or Vietnamese.

Another one of Kahle’s duties is to run the Hispanic Parent Meetings, held monthly at each elementary school to inform parents about what is going on at their schools.

“We inform, we discuss with parents the events and important dates for the next month,” she said. “We address any issue or concern.”

Principal Deb Meyer opens the meeting, and teachers ask Kahle beforehand to address any upcoming events at the meetings.

Kahle said she has seen an “enormous” increase in attendance at the Hispanic Parent Meetings, up to 20 to 23 parents.

“It’s a gradual process to show them how important it is,” she said.

The meetings are vital to these parents, Kahle said, because they can attend “knowing they are going to find a place where they feel welcome and understand the language. It can be very intimidating.”