New 5th grader with no Spanish enrolled at Rolling Terrace

[Anonymous]

Hi. We just moved to TP and my 5th grader is in-bounds for Rolling Terrace which is 50/50 English/Spanish. Thing is, he has no Spanish. I've submitted a COSA and requested late-waitlist for Sligo Creek French Immersion but is there any chance that they will not give us the option to move and my 5th grader will be expected to thrive in this program?

[Anonymous]

Is your son fluent in French for trying to test into Sligo Creek ES? Rolling Terrace has the Spanish immersion classes but then it has the regular English classrooms that do not do Spanish.

[Anonymous]

I am confused - why would French be better? Does he speak French well?

I don’t think COSAs are usually granted to avoid TW immersion for NT kids. And you can’t use a COSA to test into a full immersion program.

[Anonymous]

The French immersion at Sligo Creek is full immersion. By 5th grade the kids are at a native fluency level in reading and writing and spend their whole day in French aside from gym class etc. You have to test into it past the beginning of first grade and the ones that usually make the cut have a French parent and have been speaking it at home.

[Anonymous]

I remember hearing that whole school immersions where everyone assigned to the school is automatically in an immersion class, which Rolling Terrace turned into a few years ago after the lottery immersion program moved elsewhere (Burnt Mills or Page?), have nearby non-immersion schools that families who do not want immersion can opt to send their kids to instead. I doubt that school would be Sligo Creek for Rolling Terrace, but you may want to ask the school or MCPS regarding this option.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Kiddo is fluent in French.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember hearing that whole school immersions where everyone assigned to the school is automatically in an immersion class, which Rolling Terrace turned into a few years ago after the lottery immersion program moved elsewhere (Burnt Mills or Page?), have nearby non-immersion schools that families who do not want immersion can opt to send their kids to instead. I doubt that school would be Sligo Creek for Rolling Terrace, but you may want to ask the school or MCPS regarding this option.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Kiddo is fluent in French.

I’d call the principal at SCES and see if there are any openings there and then she can hopefully arrange to have your son’s French tested to see if they can place him in the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is your son fluent in French for trying to test into Sligo Creek ES? Rolling Terrace has the Spanish immersion classes but then it has the regular English classrooms that do not do Spanish.

Rolling Terrace K-2 Spanish and non-Spanish

[Anonymous]

All dual immersion schools have a nearby backup school for inbounds kids who don't want or don't qualify for dual immersion. Your kid will go to whichever one is the one for Rolling Terrace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All dual immersion schools have a nearby backup school for inbounds kids who don't want or don't qualify for dual immersion. Your kid will go to whichever one is the one for Rolling Terrace.

Wow- I didn’t know this. So there are probably very few kids coming in “late” to schools like RTES. The only 2nd or 5th graders coming in are already sort of fluent in Spanish? Anyone know the “back up” school for Oakland Terrace?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All dual immersion schools have a nearby backup school for inbounds kids who don't want or don't qualify for dual immersion. Your kid will go to whichever one is the one for Rolling Terrace.

Wow- I didn’t know this. So there are probably very few kids coming in “late” to schools like RTES. The only 2nd or 5th graders coming in are already sort of fluent in Spanish? Anyone know the “back up” school for Oakland Terrace?

Correct, I believe they take new 1st graders but you have to test in starting in 2nd grade or higher.

[Anonymous]

Every immersion school will test if your kid is not starting in K. Rick Creek Forest, Burnt Mills, Tyler Page, Sligo Creek, Chinese immersion

[Anonymous]

Right but the idea of a backup school is new to me. If you don’t speak Spanish you can still start at RCF as a 3rd grader, for example. Anyone know what they are for OTES?

[Anonymous]

*start at RCF in the English/neighborhood program I mean