Chinese immersion school and general MoCo living logistics

[Anonymous]

My family and I are likely moving to the DC area in the winter. We have children we would like to enroll into a Chinese immersion program (specific on this language due to family), but I'm not sure we would be able to. Some of the criteria on where we'd ideally live are inversely related, so I'm looking on how to balance these factors. YuYing in DC would probably be ideal, but I think that's a hard game to play and I don't think I want to. Given my criteria and what I've read, I was thinking of living in the downtown area of Rockville, Silver Spring, or maybe Wheaton.
I have the following questions:
(1) What are the chances of getting into a Chinese immersion program? Living within the school boundary? In MoCo outside of it? In K? 2nd grade?
(2) How does the transportation to school work? THere seem to be school buses, and you seemt o be able to use these even if you are out of the immersion school's boundary. How long can one expect the child to have to travel? I realize this depends on where you live, but I'd appreciate some examples, e.g., Silver Spring, Wheaton, downtown Rockville (I'd expect the last one to be a drop-off in a few minutes).
(3) Where can we live that contains the ever elusive combination of walkable/metro-able, half-way affordable, at least ok schools (by whatever perspective you have), and diverse.
(4) I've been living in a smaller area for a decade. I've gotten used to a more laid-back approach to life. I'm not interested to hyper-competitiveness and enjoy a friendly neighborhood where neighbors know each other.
(5) How far is it if there is an occasional commute to the western section of Alexandria? (We are not sure if this will be necessary or not, but if it is we are considering giving up MoCo and Chinese Immersion to live in NoVa since we don't want a long commute even if its not every day).

Again, I know some of these are inversely related and that this is a lot. I appreciate any help.

[Anonymous]

OP, my child is in a Spanish immersion MCPS program, however, the entry rules are the same for Chinese immersion for K and 2nd grade. The program is countywide so there is no admission preference for living within boundary. For your K child, they could enroll if there are enough spots--if not, your child will be entered into a lottery. For the 2nd grade child--he or she will have to pass a language exam and be entered into a lottery for any available spaces. Your K child could get in and bump your 2nd grade child up the waitlist due to sibling preference. Regardless, it is a gamble and I would call the Special Programs office to see if there are spaces in 2nd grade this fall. Unfortunately, they may not be able to answer until late August when kids enroll/return.

[Anonymous]

Oh, thanks for your response! I assumed there was an in-boundary preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, thanks for your response! I assumed there was an in-boundary preference.

Potomac ES has preference for in-bounds. College Gardens does not.

[Anonymous]

There is in boundary preference at Potomac Elementary for CI but not College Gardens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, thanks for your response! I assumed there was an in-boundary preference.

Sorry OP, I assumed you were interested in College Gardens because of the places you listed to buy a house. If you buy a house or rent within Potomac ES boundaries your K child has a good shot. Same issue with 2nd grade.

[Anonymous]

Is College Gardens competitive to get into the immersion program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My family and I are likely moving to the DC area in the winter. We have children we would like to enroll into a Chinese immersion program (specific on this language due to family), but I'm not sure we would be able to. Some of the criteria on where we'd ideally live are inversely related, so I'm looking on how to balance these factors. YuYing in DC would probably be ideal, but I think that's a hard game to play and I don't think I want to. Given my criteria and what I've read, I was thinking of living in the downtown area of Rockville, Silver Spring, or maybe Wheaton.
I have the following questions:
(1) What are the chances of getting into a Chinese immersion program? Living within the school boundary? In MoCo outside of it? In K? 2nd grade?
(2) How does the transportation to school work? THere seem to be school buses, and you seemt o be able to use these even if you are out of the immersion school's boundary. How long can one expect the child to have to travel? I realize this depends on where you live, but I'd appreciate some examples, e.g., Silver Spring, Wheaton, downtown Rockville (I'd expect the last one to be a drop-off in a few minutes).
(3) Where can we live that contains the ever elusive combination of walkable/metro-able, half-way affordable, at least ok schools (by whatever perspective you have), and diverse.
(4) I've been living in a smaller area for a decade. I've gotten used to a more laid-back approach to life. I'm not interested to hyper-competitiveness and enjoy a friendly neighborhood where neighbors know each other.
(5) How far is it if there is an occasional commute to the western section of Alexandria? (We are not sure if this will be necessary or not, but if it is we are considering giving up MoCo and Chinese Immersion to live in NoVa since we don't want a long commute even if its not every day).

Again, I know some of these are inversely related and that this is a lot. I appreciate any help.

People have given good answers about CI, which is basically that it might be a long shot given how popular the immersion programs are. If your child already has Mandarin skills, they *might* be able to test in to one of the programs, if they have an opening. Basically you need for someone to move away before 2nd, and for there not to be anyone with preference on the list ahead of you that can pass the test.

As for the bolded, and if CI turns out to be too hard to swing, I'd look at Takoma Park, Silver Spring, and Kensington for metro-accessibility, a more laid back approach, and decent schools. The thing to know about MCPS is that there is a single curriculum county-wide. So, theoretically, you are not going to get a substantively different education in Potomac than you are in Silver Spring. The difference is, of course, racial and socioeconomic. Potomac is going to have richer families and more parents with higher education who have the time/energy to devote to enrichment and supporting their kids. The eastern side of the county will be more affordable and more diverse.

We're perfectly happy in Silver Spring. Our school has a mix of kids whose parents clean houses or drive taxis, and kids whose parents work in law firms and at high levels of US government. I'd aim for a neighborhood like that if I were you. However, as noted, all of those places are a fair hike from CI programs, so you'll have to figure out how good your chances are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is College Gardens competitive to get into the immersion program?

Yes there is a waitlist every year. I would probably call the school to get the exact numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is College Gardens competitive to get into the immersion program?

Yes there is a waitlist every year. I would probably call the school to get the exact numbers.

There are only 26 seats per grade and approx. 32% are taken in K/1st through sibling link.

[Anonymous]

THis is great info.
I should've been specific on the ages of the kids I guess. I actually have a 4 year old starting the last year of Pre-K this fall. I was saying K because that's what I figure would be the earliest she'd enter, and then 2nd grade because I just wanted to see if it's harder to get in later on in case we start somewhere else (e.g. try for YuYing) then try to get in.

It sounds like, since we don't want to live in Potomac, that I might as well just not worry about Chinese immersion and live where we want, since the College Garden program may be a bit of a risk. Chinese afterschool/weekends it is!
Thanks for the Kensington suggestion. I had not seen that one discussed yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is College Gardens competitive to get into the immersion program?

Yes there is a waitlist every year. I would probably call the school to get the exact numbers.

There are only 26 seats per grade and approx. 32% are taken in K/1st through sibling link.

Great info! If we want to pursue it I will call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is College Gardens competitive to get into the immersion program?

Yes there is a waitlist every year. I would probably call the school to get the exact numbers.

There are only 26 seats per grade and approx. 32% are taken in K/1st through sibling link.

Only 32% taken through sibling link? I'd say it is much higher than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is College Gardens competitive to get into the immersion program?

Yes there is a waitlist every year. I would probably call the school to get the exact numbers.

There are only 26 seats per grade and approx. 32% are taken in K/1st through sibling link.

Only 32% taken through sibling link? I'd say it is much higher than that.

That data comes from the Choice Report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is College Gardens competitive to get into the immersion program?

Yes there is a waitlist every year. I would probably call the school to get the exact numbers.

There are only 26 seats per grade and approx. 32% are taken in K/1st through sibling link.

Only 32% taken through sibling link? I'd say it is much higher than that.

That data comes from the Choice Report.

Interesting.

Over the last few years, rumor had it (within the CGES non CI community) that one year only 1-2 slots were open to the general public / lottery and the following year, the CI siblings had to have their own lottery since more than 26 were interested in the 26 slots. Maybe that's all rumor...