Spanish Immersion / Bilingual / Majority Native Spanish Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know it can vary by grade, location, what you're looking for, etc., but just generally speaking, how would people rank the bilingual/immersion schools? (I'm particularly interested in PS3). Specifically, i'm talking about (in rough perceived order): Mundo Verde, LAMB, Oyster, Stokes, DC Bilingual, Bancroft, Marie Reed, Powell, Bruce Monroe, Tyler, Cleveland, and Bethune. (Any I'm missing?)

Also, in one of the other posts, I heard about HD Cooke, which is not technically immersion or bilingual, but apparently has a 70% native Spanish speaking population, so the PK classes all have native Spanish-speaking aides. Are there other schools in DCPS that have a similar set-up, e.g. a sort of bilingual-lite option for people who can't Wait List into a true immersion/bilingual program? My son went to a Spanish speaking daycare and had Spanish speaking nanny, so would love to try and keep that going if possible through his preschool.

THANKS!

Oyster is not a Title I/high poverty school, so it does not have a PS3 class. Oyster starts at PK4, as do all primary schools WotP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even with it losing a good feeder option? Not so sure.

Oyster will either continue to feed to Wilson, or a comparable dual immersion option for high school will be created. So, the answer is yes. Please see info. below:

May 8, 2014

As has been previously shared with the community, the LSAT and administration have been in communication with the Deputy Mayor for Education and other DCPS officials about the school’s priorities and concerns. Last night the Deputy Mayor’s office confirmed that on Thursday May 15 at 5:30 at Oyster, she and DCPS Chief of Specialized Instruction Nathaniel Beers will hold a discussion with the OA community about these issues and review some initial plans around secondary options for dual language schools. All are welcome.

Please click here to read the memo from the LSAT chairs that was sent to the Deputy Mayor, Boundary Advisory Committee members and the OA community on April 25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know it can vary by grade, location, what you're looking for, etc., but just generally speaking, how would people rank the bilingual/immersion schools? (I'm particularly interested in PS3). Specifically, i'm talking about (in rough perceived order): Mundo Verde, LAMB, Oyster, Stokes, DC Bilingual, Bancroft, Marie Reed, Powell, Bruce Monroe, Tyler, Cleveland, and Bethune. (Any I'm missing?)

Also, in one of the other posts, I heard about HD Cooke, which is not technically immersion or bilingual, but apparently has a 70% native Spanish speaking population, so the PK classes all have native Spanish-speaking aides. Are there other schools in DCPS that have a similar set-up, e.g. a sort of bilingual-lite option for people who can't Wait List into a true immersion/bilingual program? My son went to a Spanish speaking daycare and had Spanish speaking nanny, so would love to try and keep that going if possible through his preschool.

THANKS!

Depending on what is most important to you OP, this is something that I recommend you evaluate in all of the dual language schools.

For example, Bancroft, Powell, Bruce-Monroe all have between 70-80% latino population, so it's going to be a similar immersion experience to what you had with the daycare and nanny. Your child will default to Spanish during the day. Plus, Marie Reed has the separate language strands.

Oyster and Marie Reed are about 60%.

Whereas Cleveland for example is 30% latino and Tyler 10% so it's going to be different.

Of the charters, DC Bilingual is over 80% latino and Mundo Verde is 45%, LAMB is 55%.

For us, having a majority of native speakers in the classroom is important.

Note however that there is an inverse relationship between percentage of native Spanish speakers and DC-CAS test scores! Obvious point, but something people seem to overlook when comparing these schools.

Anyway as others have mentioned, these dual language DCPS schools are getting harder and harder to gain admission if you're not IB and don't have an older child there, so realistically you will have to choose one of those neighborhoods and move there, or else apply to the charters.

[Anonymous]

what is important to realize is that having a large native speaking spanish class is helpful in terms of accent and conversational ability but it is not a road to high level spanish literacy ---- many of these immigrant families at DCPS bilingual schools have parents who do not read and write spanish well or at all. Thjs is based on my interaction with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even with it losing a good feeder option? Not so sure.

Oyster will either continue to feed to Wilson, or a comparable dual immersion option for high school will be created. So, the answer is yes. Please see info. below:

May 8, 2014

As has been previously shared with the community, the LSAT and administration have been in communication with the Deputy Mayor for Education and other DCPS officials about the school’s priorities and concerns. Last night the Deputy Mayor’s office confirmed that on Thursday May 15 at 5:30 at Oyster, she and DCPS Chief of Specialized Instruction Nathaniel Beers will hold a discussion with the OA community about these issues and review some initial plans around secondary options for dual language schools. All are welcome.

Please click here to read the memo from the LSAT chairs that was sent to the Deputy Mayor, Boundary Advisory Committee members and the OA community on April 25.

What would the comparable option be, CHEC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is important to realize is that having a large native speaking spanish class is helpful in terms of accent and conversational ability but it is not a road to high level spanish literacy ---- many of these immigrant families at DCPS bilingual schools have parents who do not read and write spanish well or at all. Thjs is based on my interaction with them.

I'm the PP who posted up the percentages, and I agree with your assessment of the facts, also based on first hand interaction.

But I think that, especially at the young ages, oral fluency is very important. It's like the 10,000 hours theory - more than anything your kids just need to spend countless hours speaking, thinking, interacting in Spanish. The less Spanish you speak at home, the more important the school day becomes.

High level literacy in Spanish, just like high level literacy in English, will honestly be a function of what you do at home... I do realize that can be a challenge if neither spouse speaks Spanish. But in any language a child's ability to read and write will mostly be determined by what the parents were able to accomplish at home at the younger ages. After that the school will build on it. None of these schools (DCPS or charter) is really teaching kids to read or write prior to K. They are teaching a variety of "pre-literacy" skills plus, in some cases, general life skills (eg Tools of the Mind).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is important to realize is that having a large native speaking spanish class is helpful in terms of accent and conversational ability but it is not a road to high level spanish literacy ---- many of these immigrant families at DCPS bilingual schools have parents who do not read and write spanish well or at all. Thjs is based on my interaction with them.

You are correct. My DH is a native speaker who can read Spanish, but can't write it well (or not at all). I however, prefer South America dialect verses lets say, Spain or Argentina.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is important to realize is that having a large native speaking spanish class is helpful in terms of accent and conversational ability but it is not a road to high level spanish literacy ---- many of these immigrant families at DCPS bilingual schools have parents who do not read and write spanish well or at all. Thjs is based on my interaction with them.

Did you check out the thread "MV-check their Spanish". It's not just DCPS bilingual schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even with it losing a good feeder option? Not so sure.

Oyster will either continue to feed to Wilson, or a comparable dual immersion option for high school will be created. So, the answer is yes. Please see info. below:

May 8, 2014

As has been previously shared with the community, the LSAT and administration have been in communication with the Deputy Mayor for Education and other DCPS officials about the school’s priorities and concerns. Last night the Deputy Mayor’s office confirmed that on Thursday May 15 at 5:30 at Oyster, she and DCPS Chief of Specialized Instruction Nathaniel Beers will hold a discussion with the OA community about these issues and review some initial plans around secondary options for dual language schools. All are welcome.

Please click here to read the memo from the LSAT chairs that was sent to the Deputy Mayor, Boundary Advisory Committee members and the OA community on April 25.

What would the comparable option be, CHEC?

No, CHEC is another low performing school. A comparable school could mean opening a brand new school in Ward 3 with feeders from Oyster and Hardy (whose feeders would include Hyde-Addison, Stoddert and Eaton).

[Anonymous]

^^^ And this new Ward 3 high school would also offer a dual immersion track (for Oyster-Adams and other bilingual school grads), as well as an IB diploma program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ And this new Ward 3 high school would also offer a dual immersion track (for Oyster-Adams and other bilingual school grads), as well as an IB diploma program.

Due to the dual immersions track, Bancroft should also feed into the new H.S. (which will relieve enrollment pressure on Deal/Wilson as well).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even with it losing a good feeder option? Not so sure.

Oyster will either continue to feed to Wilson, or a comparable dual immersion option for high school will be created. So, the answer is yes. Please see info. below:

May 8, 2014

As has been previously shared with the community, the LSAT and administration have been in communication with the Deputy Mayor for Education and other DCPS officials about the school’s priorities and concerns. Last night the Deputy Mayor’s office confirmed that on Thursday May 15 at 5:30 at Oyster, she and DCPS Chief of Specialized Instruction Nathaniel Beers will hold a discussion with the OA community about these issues and review some initial plans around secondary options for dual language schools. All are welcome.

Please click here to read the memo from the LSAT chairs that was sent to the Deputy Mayor, Boundary Advisory Committee members and the OA community on April 25.

What would the comparable option be, CHEC?

CHEC middle school is doable, but the high school is application only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ And this new Ward 3 high school would also offer a dual immersion track (for Oyster-Adams and other bilingual school grads), as well as an IB diploma program.

Due to the dual immersions track, Bancroft should also feed into the new H.S. (which will relieve enrollment pressure on Deal/Wilson as well).

What about Cleveland, Powell and BM? the McFarland location? I'd prefer for all the DCPS bilingual schools to all feed into one MS/HS like DCI.

[Anonymous]

Does that mean Lincoln middle school grads must apply to Bell high school? Where else would they go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does that mean Lincoln middle school grads must apply to Bell high school? Where else would they go?

That's correct. They would otherwise go to Cardozo.