Alexandria - John Adams Dual Language program

[Anonymous]

I should add the diversity of the children is the best part about attending the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve been in the program for several years. JA is an under performing school that is way overcrowded. You feel like a sardine there. I’d say the Dual program teachers have been fine, but the program is very small. Because the local middle school doesn’t offer a dual program, our plan is to go private at that time.

Still don't understand why ACPS doesn't continue the immersion program beyond elementary school. Why get the kids to a level of fluency only to drop them back into regular Spanish classes at age 11? MoCo, Fairfax, DC and Arlington all continue their programs through the higher grades. Is it a matter of funding?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve been in the program for several years. JA is an under performing school that is way overcrowded. You feel like a sardine there. I’d say the Dual program teachers have been fine, but the program is very small. Because the local middle school doesn’t offer a dual program, our plan is to go private at that time.

Still don't understand why ACPS doesn't continue the immersion program beyond elementary school. Why get the kids to a level of fluency only to drop them back into regular Spanish classes at age 11? MoCo, Fairfax, DC and Arlington all continue their programs through the higher grades. Is it a matter of funding?

Not sure if this is the case but I've heard that many people don't like the immersion program bc it is catered more towards teaching the Spanish speakers in Spanish rather than teaching Spanish to the English speakers. That is one of the reasons MVCS is 50% in Spanish rather than other immersions where only about 25-30% of the day is in Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I should add the diversity of the children is the best part about attending the school.

It's a school
The best part should be the education that your children are receiving nit your ability to brag "my kid is in class with non-whites!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I should add the diversity of the children is the best part about attending the school.

It's a school
The best part should be the education that your children are receiving nit your ability to brag "my kid is in class with non-whites!"

A big part of the education I hope my children receive is how to be decent, kind humans and get along with people from a variety of backgrounds. Diversity matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Understand that you are interested in dual language, but do visit Tucker. Great school, and families really like the modified calendar.

OP here... just wanted to reply to let you know that we did visit Tucker and I fell in love with it. DH hasn't been there, but the only other school I've seen in this area is St Thomas More and while I loved the feel of it, we're not sufficiently Catholic for me to be OK with the religious curriculum... all that to say, I thought Tucker was on par with what we saw at STM... class size is not that much larger and the teachers seem fantastic. I had convinced myself that we wanted to opt out to John Adams for Spanish, but I may be satisfied with keeping the neighborhood school and opting into some of the after school enrichment options the PTA has negotiated.

[Anonymous]

That seems like a very reasonable point of view. Public school is never going to be perfect, but if you can check enough boxes to at least try it, that's a good thing. I'm speaking as the parent of a TAG kiddo at GW and a kid with an IEP in elementary. Neither is perfect, but I'm sufficiently engaged to be comfortable that both are getting what they need Not all learning is in the classroom.