current and potential immersion parents - watch out sneaky tactic to kick you out of bcc

[Anonymous]

Technically students at Eastern are on a COSA. I mean, if your child is accepted there is a COSA form that you fill out and it is automatically accepted.

[Anonymous]

It's like wetland and BCC parents would do anything to make us feel like trespassers in THEIR community - that we should feel privileged that they let us stay, however tenuously, annually hearing fights about how we're not wanted. Everyone assumes we're just after the education that they've paid for and won't entertain the thought that we chose it for the language benefit - we're assumed to be liars and cheats of the system. It feels mean-spirited and segregationist and Elitist, as if they can't imagine that anyone wouldn't be desperately clawing for what they have over what I have. It makes me think that that isn't the community I want for my family, and compounded with the geography issue, is a reason we'll go to SSIMS.

How do immersion parents not understand the overcrowding that exists at BCC? That huge development is going on in Bethesda and Chevy Chase? If the school was underpopulated then it would not be an issue, but it is overpopulated. It's the immersion crowd that is creating the drama.

I'm a BCC parent and in no way do I think that immersion parents chose the program to get out of crappy home schools. I am sorry you view it as elitist but even with the new portables BCC is strained and then we have to allow for the automatic acceptance for people who chose to live in this cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's like wetland and BCC parents would do anything to make us feel like trespassers in THEIR community - that we should feel privileged that they let us stay, however tenuously, annually hearing fights about how we're not wanted. Everyone assumes we're just after the education that they've paid for and won't entertain the thought that we chose it for the language benefit - we're assumed to be liars and cheats of the system. It feels mean-spirited and segregationist and Elitist, as if they can't imagine that anyone wouldn't be desperately clawing for what they have over what I have. It makes me think that that isn't the community I want for my family, and compounded with the geography issue, is a reason we'll go to SSIMS.

How do immersion parents not understand the overcrowding that exists at BCC? That huge development is going on in Bethesda and Chevy Chase? If the school was underpopulated then it would not be an issue, but it is overpopulated. It's the immersion crowd that is creating the drama.

I'm a BCC parent and in no way do I think that immersion parents chose the program to get out of crappy home schools. I am sorry you view it as elitist but even with the new portables BCC is strained and then we have to allow for the automatic acceptance for people who chose to live in this cluster.

I think the deal for RCF immersion opinion is this: these kids have been in this cluster their entire school age lives. These kids don't consider themselves visitors to RCF, and then Westland, and then BCC - it is their home school cluster, period. And each year it's not a huge number of extra kids when you take out those kids who head to other programs, or who chose to attend SSIMS (and therefore won't go to B-CC), or who already live in the cluster. I realize that every spot counts when a school is tight, but I think the B-CC parents just need to accept that for these kids, they are fully part of these schools as much as your kids are.

Many Montgomery County schools house cool programs that bring in kids from outside a particular neighborhood that feeds to those schools. It's part of what makes our school system more interesting than some. And yes, not all automatically head to upper schools in the same cluster or consortium, but the concept of others being in the school is still there. I think the focus on the immersion kids to B-CC is pretty nasty, and frankly, people should move on and advocate for options that don't target a small group of kids.

[Anonymous]

I agree that it seems BCC is overcrowded, but how many kids are we talking here, that continue on to Westland and then BCC? 30 a year maybe? Less? I hear from more and more parents who go the SSIMS route because it's so much closer. I can't imagine sending my kid to school all the way on the other side of bethesda just for the heck of it - so much traffic always!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's like wetland and BCC parents would do anything to make us feel like trespassers in THEIR community - that we should feel privileged that they let us stay, however tenuously, annually hearing fights about how we're not wanted. Everyone assumes we're just after the education that they've paid for and won't entertain the thought that we chose it for the language benefit - we're assumed to be liars and cheats of the system. It feels mean-spirited and segregationist and Elitist, as if they can't imagine that anyone wouldn't be desperately clawing for what they have over what I have. It makes me think that that isn't the community I want for my family, and compounded with the geography issue, is a reason we'll go to SSIMS.

How do immersion parents not understand the overcrowding that exists at BCC? That huge development is going on in Bethesda and Chevy Chase? If the school was underpopulated then it would not be an issue, but it is overpopulated. It's the immersion crowd that is creating the drama.

I'm a BCC parent and in no way do I think that immersion parents chose the program to get out of crappy home schools. I am sorry you view it as elitist but even with the new portables BCC is strained and then we have to allow for the automatic acceptance for people who chose to live in this cluster.

I think the deal for RCF immersion opinion is this: these kids have been in this cluster their entire school age lives. These kids don't consider themselves visitors to RCF, and then Westland, and then BCC - it is their home school cluster, period. And each year it's not a huge number of extra kids when you take out those kids who head to other programs, or who chose to attend SSIMS (and therefore won't go to B-CC), or who already live in the cluster. I realize that every spot counts when a school is tight, but I think the B-CC parents just need to accept that for these kids, they are fully part of these schools as much as your kids are.

Many Montgomery County schools house cool programs that bring in kids from outside a particular neighborhood that feeds to those schools. It's part of what makes our school system more interesting than some. And yes, not all automatically head to upper schools in the same cluster or consortium, but the concept of others being in the school is still there. I think the focus on the immersion kids to B-CC is pretty nasty, and frankly, people should move on and advocate for options that don't target a small group of kids.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's like wetland and BCC parents would do anything to make us feel like trespassers in THEIR community - that we should feel privileged that they let us stay, however tenuously, annually hearing fights about how we're not wanted. Everyone assumes we're just after the education that they've paid for and won't entertain the thought that we chose it for the language benefit - we're assumed to be liars and cheats of the system. It feels mean-spirited and segregationist and Elitist, as if they can't imagine that anyone wouldn't be desperately clawing for what they have over what I have. It makes me think that that isn't the community I want for my family, and compounded with the geography issue, is a reason we'll go to SSIMS.

How do immersion parents not understand the overcrowding that exists at BCC? That huge development is going on in Bethesda and Chevy Chase? If the school was underpopulated then it would not be an issue, but it is overpopulated. It's the immersion crowd that is creating the drama.

I'm a BCC parent and in no way do I think that immersion parents chose the program to get out of crappy home schools. I am sorry you view it as elitist but even with the new portables BCC is strained and then we have to allow for the automatic acceptance for people who chose to live in this cluster.

I'm not sure what immersion parents have to do with the crowding at a particular school. These parents have signed up for a program that the board has placed in specific schools. If its not the ideal location the board should move the program. Problem solved. Same thing with diplomats at BCC. Same thing with the other random COSA's the county approves for BCC. The county needs to gain greater control of how kids COSA into the other schools. But the immersion program certainly isn't responsible for 400 slots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is there such a disconnect about the immersion program ending at Westland? In the 8th grade these students receive a certificate of completion. The immersion program does not continue to B-CC. If language immersion is sincerely your interest, any high school should be sufficient. Most kids who complete the program are placed in Spanish 4 or higher and quickly matriculate to higher level and AP spanish courses.

Regarding the IB program, a child at RCFES needs a COSA to attend Westland to complete the immersion program. A approved COSA is for the immersion program, not the MY IB program. It is an added benefit that your child can participate in the MY IB program at Westland.

You would have a stronger argument if you took on points related to the county's lack of support for language immersion through high school. As things stand now, the cluster parents have every right to look at ways to address the overcrowding issue at their schools.

I have to admit, I'm an immersion parent and have a similar question -- why is there the expectation that once the kids leave Westland (or whatever MS the RCF kids wind up at now) that they go to BCC? I know about it's stats/reputation, but I don't even know the feeders for the other immersion program but I've never heard anyone clamoring to go there...I'd imagine they return to their home school...so I am genuinely inquiring (not trying to incite any drama or point fingers -- truth of the matter, I will likely want to GO this route!), how are kids staying on this path anyway???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there such a disconnect about the immersion program ending at Westland? In the 8th grade these students receive a certificate of completion. The immersion program does not continue to B-CC. If language immersion is sincerely your interest, any high school should be sufficient. Most kids who complete the program are placed in Spanish 4 or higher and quickly matriculate to higher level and AP spanish courses.

Regarding the IB program, a child at RCFES needs a COSA to attend Westland to complete the immersion program. A approved COSA is for the immersion program, not the MY IB program. It is an added benefit that your child can participate in the MY IB program at Westland.

You would have a stronger argument if you took on points related to the county's lack of support for language immersion through high school. As things stand now, the cluster parents have every right to look at ways to address the overcrowding issue at their schools.

I have to admit, I'm an immersion parent and have a similar question -- why is there the expectation that once the kids leave Westland (or whatever MS the RCF kids wind up at now) that they go to BCC? I know about it's stats/reputation, but I don't even know the feeders for the other immersion program but I've never heard anyone clamoring to go there...I'd imagine they return to their home school...so I am genuinely inquiring (not trying to incite any drama or point fingers -- truth of the matter, I will likely want to GO this route!), how are kids staying on this path anyway???

Kids in Chinese Immersion can continue to Potomac, kids at French in Gaithersburg, MS can continue to Gaithersburg HS, kids at Westland can continue to BCC, kids at SSIMS can continue on into the DCC, likewise kids in the many MS magnets can continue on to the highschool in that cluster. At Eastern, SSIMS and Takoma kids can apply to CAP at Blair even if they live outside of the DCC. This is primarily accomplished using a COSA.

Outside of any of these programs it is not rare that a student attending a school zone from K-8 would receive a COSA to continue on with peers they have been with all through school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's like wetland and BCC parents would do anything to make us feel like trespassers in THEIR community - that we should feel privileged that they let us stay, however tenuously, annually hearing fights about how we're not wanted. Everyone assumes we're just after the education that they've paid for and won't entertain the thought that we chose it for the language benefit - we're assumed to be liars and cheats of the system. It feels mean-spirited and segregationist and Elitist, as if they can't imagine that anyone wouldn't be desperately clawing for what they have over what I have. It makes me think that that isn't the community I want for my family, and compounded with the geography issue, is a reason we'll go to SSIMS.

How do immersion parents not understand the overcrowding that exists at BCC? That huge development is going on in Bethesda and Chevy Chase? If the school was underpopulated then it would not be an issue, but it is overpopulated. It's the immersion crowd that is creating the drama.

I'm a BCC parent and in no way do I think that immersion parents chose the program to get out of crappy home schools. I am sorry you view it as elitist but even with the new portables BCC is strained and then we have to allow for the automatic acceptance for people who chose to live in this cluster.

I think the deal for RCF immersion opinion is this: these kids have been in this cluster their entire school age lives. These kids don't consider themselves visitors to RCF, and then Westland, and then BCC - it is their home school cluster, period. And each year it's not a huge number of extra kids when you take out those kids who head to other programs, or who chose to attend SSIMS (and therefore won't go to B-CC), or who already live in the cluster. I realize that every spot counts when a school is tight, but I think the B-CC parents just need to accept that for these kids, they are fully part of these schools as much as your kids are.

Many Montgomery County schools house cool programs that bring in kids from outside a particular neighborhood that feeds to those schools. It's part of what makes our school system more interesting than some. And yes, not all automatically head to upper schools in the same cluster or consortium, but the concept of others being in the school is still there. I think the focus on the immersion kids to B-CC is pretty nasty, and frankly, people should move on and advocate for options that don't target a small group of kids.

Thank you, PP. I'm the PP that originally posted on this thread above and that's exactly it - we are fortunate to feel like part of the community at RCF, but then everywhere we turn in that community that follows from RCF, it's like "just make sure you know you're not really part of our community and we don't want you to stay any longer than we're stuck with you." We've spent six years in the community making close friendships (both us and the kids) with both immersion and non-immersion families at RCF, spending time and money in the community around RCF, etc. I completely understand that there's overcrowding, and I'm sympathetic to that. Sure, it's only 30 or so kids, but that's 30 or so kids that are contributing to the overcrowding problem. I'm not taking that away from BCC parents, but I maintain that the way it's been handled feels mean - we have felt like part of the community in that neighborhood for so long - and then as everyone's making their middle school decision it's like open arms for most of the RCF kids - but then not YOU.

It doesn't even matter to me - we're going to SSIMS either way. I'm just trying to explain why it puts RCF parents on the defensive sometimes.

[Anonymous]

+1 on the immersion parents feeling like part of the RCF community, spending money around that community, being involved in the school, etc. I don't feel like I'm a visitor there with my child (in the immersion) or that I'm only there at the good graces of the home community at all. It's all very welcoming to us as a new family. So the venom against the 20-30 RCF out of cluster SI kids going to BCC each year boggles my mind.

[Anonymous]

My son is 9th grade at BCC. Two of his closest friends (one 9th, one 10th) made at Westland were historically immersion students. for those kids, it would have been tough to start high school with no peer group back at the home school.

Part of the issue with no need to continue to BCC seems to be curriculum. Although Spanish Immersion at Westland has 2 immersion kids only classes in 6th & 7th grade (Spanish at a more advanced level & world studies taught in Spanish), the 8th grade Westland Spanish class is open to non-immersion students and the high school classes are open to non-immersion. So, as long as the "home" high school has fairly advanced Spanish (not all do), there is no curricular reason to attend BCC.

There is a very strong social reason to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is 9th grade at BCC. Two of his closest friends (one 9th, one 10th) made at Westland were historically immersion students. for those kids, it would have been tough to start high school with no peer group back at the home school.

Part of the issue with no need to continue to BCC seems to be curriculum. Although Spanish Immersion at Westland has 2 immersion kids only classes in 6th & 7th grade (Spanish at a more advanced level & world studies taught in Spanish), the 8th grade Westland Spanish class is open to non-immersion students and the high school classes are open to non-immersion. So, as long as the "home" high school has fairly advanced Spanish (not all do), there is no curricular reason to attend BCC.

There is a very strong social reason to attend.

I would agree that the primary reason continuation should be granted is social. Where I would disagree with you slightly is that the peer group for advanced classes is just as or more important than the class itself. Its like taking the same class at Harvard and at a community college.

[Anonymous]

I think 30 kids, if that is indeed the number, is an enormous amount to add to an already crowded school. That can push population numbers to require one more bus, one more classroom.

If the advanced student population at BCC is your desire then feel free to buy or rent in our cluster.

[Anonymous]

I have to admit, I'm an immersion parent and have a similar question -- why is there the expectation that once the kids leave Westland (or whatever MS the RCF kids wind up at now) that they go to BCC? I know about it's stats/reputation, but I don't even know the feeders for the other immersion program but I've never heard anyone clamoring to go there...I'd imagine they return to their home school...so I am genuinely inquiring (not trying to incite any drama or point fingers -- truth of the matter, I will likely want to GO this route!), how are kids staying on this path anyway???

It is not an "expectation" it is an MCPS rule that 8th graders continue on to the high school, 5th graders go to the middle school. The B-CC cluster was lucky in that there was just one MS and one HS, so everyone could invest in the cluster, like B-CC annual mulch sale.
Immersion kids number less than 100 and are active on sports teams, academics, leadership, etc. Personally I think they are more a part of the community than the kids who drop into MCPS at high school, this is why the numbers are so big.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 30 kids, if that is indeed the number, is an enormous amount to add to an already crowded school. That can push population numbers to require one more bus, one more classroom.

If the advanced student population at BCC is your desire then feel free to buy or rent in our cluster.

Two things.First, Immersion students don't have a bus at BCC.

Second, the advanced student population described in the post above yours has nothing to do with BCC. It's the advanced language skills of the immersion students themselves which makes the class stronger. Place the immersion kids in any school collectively it doesn't have to be in the BCC.