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DC Public and Public Charter Schools
Acceptances at Yu Ying
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Anonymous
| We were intrigued by Yu Ying's chinese immersion program and applied. This is the new PCS that is located in Brookland. I am guessing that they didn't receive a ton of applications given that this will be its first year and people are generally wary of things just starting up. But is there anyone out there who has applied, been accepted, and is seriously contemplating sending their child there? |
Anonymous
| Yes! I just posted a thread to this effect. What year did you apply for? |
Anonymous
| Kindergarten. |
Anonymous
| Does anyone have any additional information about Yu Ying? While it "sounds" like a great opportunity for a Chinese immersion charter school, I have yet to run into anyone who has actually met the director, principal or attended an open house. While I think charter schools are great, a large percentage of them fail in the first year. My son got accepted to the Yu Ying Pre-K program, but also got into DC Bilingual -- and I'm torn! Should I forfeit a spot at a good school and take a risk that Yu Ying will make it?? Is it best to start with Chinese as opposed to Spanish? Any advice would be appreciated! |
Anonymous
| When the kids are that young it doesn't matter which language they start with - their little brains are so elastic. If anything, I would think better to start with Chinese because it is a more difficult language to learn later on. Spanish has more similarities with English and so could be picked up more easily. |
Anonymous
| I would stick to the more established program. As you point out, a new charter can be a risky thing, and you don't want to be scrambling for a place at another school in the fall. |
Anonymous
It sounds like there will be lots of opportunities to meet the director, staff, and other families of Yu Ying in May. This is probably an evil suggestion but why not register for both and decide after you've had a chance to assess Yu Ying a bit more? |
Anonymous
| it is risky, of course, but someone has to be brave enough to pave the way, right? i wouldn't necessarily risk it past first grade, but pre-K or K seems like it might be worth it. Any school is going to look twice at a student who has gone through a chinese immersion program - the payoff could be big. and there is no doubt knowing chinese that well will be beneficial to your kid in our changing world. What is the WORST thing that could happen if s/he goes there for a year and then it doesn't work out? You'd probably get points from any admissions committee for being "different" and willing to give things a chance. You would certainly stand out. |
Anonymous
| Are there any ways to predict whether a charter will fail after a year or how well it will do in general? Is it money? Committed parents? Staff? Something else? |
Anonymous
| There's a thread on the private school board about how important small class size is. Perhaps class size will be small at Yu Ying in the first year/s as people wait to see how it does and that will be a benefit. |
Anonymous
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It usually takes a few years for a charter school to fail; though in the first year it would be because of extreme under enrollment. Otherwise, it would be financial, poor test scores, really bad management, etc.
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Anonymous
| It's true that one will not immediately know if the school will succeed or fail. And there is obviously a learning curve, so it may take a while for it to reach its full potential. But the trade off is that in the beginning you have a great deal of say as a parent and your input will be paid attention to. You can help to set the course and will be able to significantly influence your child's education -- the kind of influence you imagine you might have if you are paying $20K for a private school. It's risky, yes, but exciting, too. |
Anonymous
PP, I'm curious--do you speak from experience? Would love to hear more details if so. |
Anonymous
Re: language choice, the book "Bilingual Edge" is a fast read and can help you figure out how and when to go this route. Bottom line: don't worry about not starting early. But do think hard about how language will be supported outside the classroom (your family, activities, etc.) Classes alone may be a waste of time. Look at the whole language picture. PP - yeah, dual registering is pretty bad karma. Although maybe not evil evil. School choice is so darn tough here in DC. I wouldn't judge anyone who did double dip. Even though we didn't get into DC Bilingual. (The lottery was like 90+ apps for only 3 slots in pre-K3.  )
Language aside, there are more support resources for parents and schools these days from the DC public charter school board, FOCUS and some others. The bar has been set a lot higher for applicants. FWIW Hope things work out! |
Anonymous
| So, did anyone else go to Yu Ying's orientation session tonight? What did you think? |