3 new language immersion schools next year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck finding qualified teachers for 3 more schools.

Well, they just need to find bilingual teachers for one grade per school. Not a huge lift.

We were at one dual language school, and lots of teachers were mid-career professionals from PR. They had experience teaching, skills in both languages/cultures, and it was a pretty easy shift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/21/language-immersion-a-key-investment-in-newly-proposed-mcps-budget/

While this might be great news for kids that are Spanish speakers, what about the English speakers at the 3 schools McKnight decides on? Our ES can’t even teach well in ONE language and I fear for my child if they have to teach in 2 languages next year. Our school is high native Spanish speaker population and I’m really worried they will pick it to be one of these 3 schools. Will we be able to opt out? I don’t even see how this would work to just change a school like this. It’s different than building a new school specifically for this purpose and making it a “magnet” or lottery style.

You can’t opt out, but it will start with kinder and build up, so your kid wouldn’t be impacted.

But you can request a different school. There is an option for families who want to opt out.

I know families that were not allowed to opt out. Anyone can fill out a COSA. Getting it approved is the issue. They should be able to show up at an alternative school that is English-only and sign their kids up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to provide inbounds families who don’t want dual language the right to attend an English-only program like they do in DC. It is unfair that families at those schools who don’t want immersion can’t send their kids elsewhere.

It would be unfair if that was the case, except it isn’t the case.

Can you list the by-right English-only schools that the families go to when they opt out of two-way immersion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck finding qualified teachers for 3 more schools.

Well, they just need to find bilingual teachers for one grade per school. Not a huge lift.

Not how it works. If you have 4 K classes then you need 2 bilingual teachers.
And then add new bilingual teachers every year.
And current teachers will have to leave the school or shift to other positions.

[Anonymous]

They should just offer a language class a few days a week like they so specials but more often for all kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/21/language-immersion-a-key-investment-in-newly-proposed-mcps-budget/

While this might be great news for kids that are Spanish speakers, what about the English speakers at the 3 schools McKnight decides on? Our ES can’t even teach well in ONE language and I fear for my child if they have to teach in 2 languages next year. Our school is high native Spanish speaker population and I’m really worried they will pick it to be one of these 3 schools. Will we be able to opt out? I don’t even see how this would work to just change a school like this. It’s different than building a new school specifically for this purpose and making it a “magnet” or lottery style.

You can’t opt out, but it will start with kinder and build up, so your kid wouldn’t be impacted.

But you can request a different school. There is an option for families who want to opt out.

I know families that were not allowed to opt out. Anyone can fill out a COSA. Getting it approved is the issue. They should be able to show up at an alternative school that is English-only and sign their kids up.

There is a designated nearby school for this purpose for each two-way immersion school. For Oakland Terrace, I believe it is Rock View.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/21/language-immersion-a-key-investment-in-newly-proposed-mcps-budget/

While this might be great news for kids that are Spanish speakers, what about the English speakers at the 3 schools McKnight decides on? Our ES can’t even teach well in ONE language and I fear for my child if they have to teach in 2 languages next year. Our school is high native Spanish speaker population and I’m really worried they will pick it to be one of these 3 schools. Will we be able to opt out? I don’t even see how this would work to just change a school like this. It’s different than building a new school specifically for this purpose and making it a “magnet” or lottery style.

You can’t opt out, but it will start with kinder and build up, so your kid wouldn’t be impacted.

But you can request a different school. There is an option for families who want to opt out.

I know families that were not allowed to opt out. Anyone can fill out a COSA. Getting it approved is the issue. They should be able to show up at an alternative school that is English-only and sign their kids up.

There is a designated nearby school for this purpose for each two-way immersion school. For Oakland Terrace, I believe it is Rock View.

Where are these designated schools listed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck finding qualified teachers for 3 more schools.

Well, they just need to find bilingual teachers for one grade per school. Not a huge lift.

Not how it works. If you have 4 K classes then you need 2 bilingual teachers.
And then add new bilingual teachers every year.
And current teachers will have to leave the school or shift to other positions.

Correct, at least based off of current models. But if they choose certain schools, it won’t have as big of impact on staff. Certain schools are already operating in a nearly bilingual fashion by necessity in many classes and with many ELD teachers. I’m hoping it’s those schools that get the program to limit the learning loss for the many kids newly transitioning into the schools from Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish-speaking teachers are already often clustered there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck finding qualified teachers for 3 more schools.

Well, they just need to find bilingual teachers for one grade per school. Not a huge lift.

Not how it works. If you have 4 K classes then you need 2 bilingual teachers.
And then add new bilingual teachers every year.
And current teachers will have to leave the school or shift to other positions.

Correct, at least based off of current models. But if they choose certain schools, it won’t have as big of impact on staff. Certain schools are already operating in a nearly bilingual fashion by necessity in many classes and with many ELD teachers. I’m hoping it’s those schools that get the program to limit the learning loss for the many kids newly transitioning into the schools from Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish-speaking teachers are already often clustered there.

I'll be curious to see which schools are selected, but in general I agree. My kids are at a school where many of the teachers are already bilingual. Schools with a significant number of Spanish speakers have been recruiting bilingual/bicultural teachers for years, in part to have culturally competent staff on hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood school, Oakland Terrace, has done it with very positive reviews from parents. Yes, it was phased in starting with kindergartners the first year.

From what I hear it's hit or miss depending on the student. Some do well with it, others not. I know several parents who did a COSA out.

It will be even more hit-or-miss when they roll it out in more schools. It’s hard to find good, qualified teachers that can fit the bill.

Agree with the PP that MCPS barely does a good job of teaching in ONE language. The lack of solid grammar and writing instruction at our Focus ES is discouraging and disappointing.

As usual, MCPS is trying to be trendy, but it is unlikely that MCPS will execute this well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should just offer a language class a few days a week like they so specials but more often for all kids.

This. It would make more sense to do it this way. Friends in other states start a second language in 1st grade as a ‘special’ and it works well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/12/21/language-immersion-a-key-investment-in-newly-proposed-mcps-budget/

While this might be great news for kids that are Spanish speakers, what about the English speakers at the 3 schools McKnight decides on? Our ES can’t even teach well in ONE language and I fear for my child if they have to teach in 2 languages next year. Our school is high native Spanish speaker population and I’m really worried they will pick it to be one of these 3 schools. Will we be able to opt out? I don’t even see how this would work to just change a school like this. It’s different than building a new school specifically for this purpose and making it a “magnet” or lottery style.

You can’t opt out, but it will start with kinder and build up, so your kid wouldn’t be impacted.

But you can request a different school. There is an option for families who want to opt out.

I know families that were not allowed to opt out. Anyone can fill out a COSA. Getting it approved is the issue. They should be able to show up at an alternative school that is English-only and sign their kids up.

I wonder if MCPS is more reluctant to let families opt out at certain schools..like Brown Station where the alternative is Diamond ES which has a much lower FARMS rate.

[Anonymous]

It’s not just a matter of finding bilingual teachers. You need far more than simply the ability to speak Spanish. You have to be biliterate. It has been very difficult in our school to find teachers to fit this role as the program has expanded. And on top of that, we have lost great teachers who aren’t looking to take on the co-teaching aspect that the immersion program brings. Your student numbers double and there are many added responsibilities, with very little support and resources from MCPS.

[Anonymous]

The fear mongering in this thread is incredible.

My kid is at OTES and we are thrilled with the two-way immersion. We need a bigger house but we're staying for the school.

If it wasn't going well (and this happens for very, very few kids, it is by no means hit or miss) there's an alternative English-only school we could go to.

It's great that they're expanding this, actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck finding qualified teachers for 3 more schools.

Well, they just need to find bilingual teachers for one grade per school. Not a huge lift.

We were at one dual language school, and lots of teachers were mid-career professionals from PR. They had experience teaching, skills in both languages/cultures, and it was a pretty easy shift.

Yes, many of the teachers are from PR. Since hurricane Maria especially, a lot of Puerto Ricans have decided to leave for the mainland.

However, for these programs to work long term, there needs to be more training opportunities at US colleges for teaching ES in Spanish. We can’t rely solely on recruiting teachers from elsewhere.