RCF Spanish immersion- why did you pull your kid out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, it’s harder to have play dates vs home school is easier to have play dates/community.

Is that really an important factor over quality education?

Social lives are important, too.

I understand that, but there are other ways to socialize. My kids have never went to our home school and still managed to have plenty of play dates. My point is, don’t let that stop you from accepting/staying in an immersion program that so many people are fighting to get their kids in.

Sure but this going to depend on how far away the school is and the particular family (1 or 2 parents, working and how much, other children, etc.). It’s worth considering.

Then why apply for the lottery if the commute is an issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, it’s harder to have play dates vs home school is easier to have play dates/community.

Is that really an important factor over quality education?

Social lives are important, too.

I understand that, but there are other ways to socialize. My kids have never went to our home school and still managed to have plenty of play dates. My point is, don’t let that stop you from accepting/staying in an immersion program that so many people are fighting to get their kids in.

Sure but this going to depend on how far away the school is and the particular family (1 or 2 parents, working and how much, other children, etc.). It’s worth considering.

Then why apply for the lottery if the commute is an issue?

This wasn't us, but I imagine it's because people didn't realize how bad the commute was going to be. The reality of the magnet bus may be very different from the perceived distance just checking google maps. People try things and change their minds. The first couple weeks of school are a transit disaster.

Also these immersion programs are so popular that for some reason people are often encouraged to apply for every school, and then decide. We're very enthusiastic about immersion and we personally only applied to 3 -- we were on the fence about the third one. Fortunately we got our first choice -- very lucky. But I can imagine winning a coveted spot might make people jump through hoops trying to justify it even if it doesn't end up feeling right in the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, it’s harder to have play dates vs home school is easier to have play dates/community.

Is that really an important factor over quality education?

Social lives are important, too.

I understand that, but there are other ways to socialize. My kids have never went to our home school and still managed to have plenty of play dates. My point is, don’t let that stop you from accepting/staying in an immersion program that so many people are fighting to get their kids in.

Sure but this going to depend on how far away the school is and the particular family (1 or 2 parents, working and how much, other children, etc.). It’s worth considering.

Then why apply for the lottery if the commute is an issue?

This wasn't us, but I imagine it's because people didn't realize how bad the commute was going to be. The reality of the magnet bus may be very different from the perceived distance just checking google maps. People try things and change their minds. The first couple weeks of school are a transit disaster.

Also these immersion programs are so popular that for some reason people are often encouraged to apply for every school, and then decide. We're very enthusiastic about immersion and we personally only applied to 3 -- we were on the fence about the third one. Fortunately we got our first choice -- very lucky. But I can imagine winning a coveted spot might make people jump through hoops trying to justify it even if it doesn't end up feeling right in the end.

Yup— this is us. Got a spot at a school 25 minutes from our house and we are fortunate to have a good neighborhood school option. It’s tough to give up such an opportunity, though!

[Anonymous]

We know a family who was just underwhelmed by the Spanish instruction so went back to their neighborhood school (which was a good school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't found it hard to schedule playdates with my child's immersion classmates.

In my experience, most children who've left the program have special needs of some sort. That said, special needs aren't an automatic reason for a kid to leave.

The staff work actively to move children with special needs out of the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't found it hard to schedule playdates with my child's immersion classmates.

That's just the point though. Not everyone has time or wants to "schedule playdates." Maybe this is dependent on your neighborhood, but by mid-elementary or so, there is no need to "schedule playdates" because kids just meet their friends at the local park or knock on their door. This is harder when all your kid's friends live a driving distance away. We've had kids in both immersion and local school programs, and it is so nice to not have to be your kid's social director. While this may not be a deciding factor, it's a factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't found it hard to schedule playdates with my child's immersion classmates.

That's just the point though. Not everyone has time or wants to "schedule playdates." Maybe this is dependent on your neighborhood, but by mid-elementary or so, there is no need to "schedule playdates" because kids just meet their friends at the local park or knock on their door. This is harder when all your kid's friends live a driving distance away. We've had kids in both immersion and local school programs, and it is so nice to not have to be your kid's social director. While this may not be a deciding factor, it's a factor.

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