Why apply to one of the DCI feeder schools...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there will also be different diplomas available, of which the IB diploma is one. Perhaps the other diplomas will have less rigorous language criteria.

Also from PCSB documents:

"Students will experience DCI as a single school, comprised of students associated (and officially
enrolled) in each of the Member Schools, and including foreign language programs tailored to the
needs of students continuing from each Member School as well as the needs of students beginning a
new language in middle school or high school. As such, students educated at DCI will benefit from
the rigorous, inquiry-based, transdisciplinary international education that is the hallmark of the IB
Middle Years and Diploma Programmes while being offered advanced language education in English,
French, Chinese and Spanish."

"...students from all of the “Member Schools”, will have the opportunity to study
advanced Spanish (or French or Chinese), another language and follow the inquiry-based
International Baccalaureate curriculum through the globally recognized IB Diploma program. With
proficiency in one or more languages and an IB Diploma, these DC public school children will
graduate positioned for success in postsecondary education, their careers, and as significant
contributors to their communities here in the District of Columbia, and throughout the world."

I was "proficient" in french with no prior exposure before high school. All students are expected to be proficient, not all will be advanced in 2 or more languages or earn the IB diploma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about students at the DCPS dual-language schools? Can they lottery in at 9th grade?

What about those with home-language or test-verifiable proficiency in one of the DCI target language programs? Can they get in?

I'm thinking of this because DC is at a DCPS bilingual program and we speak Spanish at home; I have no doubt DC would take to a school like this with ease, and Walter Reed is close to home. Is there anything wrong with trying to go that route?

The lottery will be open to all. It will be up to the parents to get additional help in a target language if they lottery for DCI and there child has no past experience. My DC is currently at Powell Dual Language School and we are hoping to lottery for DCI for 6th grade. Charters aren't allowed to test-in applicants. I don't see why a parent would lottery is heir child doesn't have any past language experience. They will be doing their child a disservice.

Where is it stated that there will be a lottery? I thought the whole point of feeder schools was to have enough students to sustain the middle and high school, knowing there will be attrition. How do you lottery in at 6th or 9th grade and still graduate fluently bilingual and with an IB degree if you can't test for language proficiency and you haven't been at an IB school before?

It is my understanding that 8th grade will be the last year to lottery into the school. The lottery is for any vacant seats due to attrition from the feeder schools. The first year will have more available seats because Lamb and MV will not have a rising 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about students at the DCPS dual-language schools? Can they lottery in at 9th grade?

What about those with home-language or test-verifiable proficiency in one of the DCI target language programs? Can they get in?

I'm thinking of this because DC is at a DCPS bilingual program and we speak Spanish at home; I have no doubt DC would take to a school like this with ease, and Walter Reed is close to home. Is there anything wrong with trying to go that route?

The lottery will be open to all. It will be up to the parents to get additional help in a target language if they lottery for DCI and there child has no past experience. My DC is currently at Powell Dual Language School and we are hoping to lottery for DCI for 6th grade. Charters aren't allowed to test-in applicants. I don't see why a parent would lottery is heir child doesn't have any past language experience. They will be doing their child a disservice.

Where is it stated that there will be a lottery? I thought the whole point of feeder schools was to have enough students to sustain the middle and high school, knowing there will be attrition. How do you lottery in at 6th or 9th grade and still graduate fluently bilingual and with an IB degree if you can't test for language proficiency and you haven't been at an IB school before?

From the DC PCSB website:

..."There are currently no dual language immersion public high schools in the District of Columbia, Pearson said. He also noted that DCI would be open to new applicants, who would not need language proficiency to gain admission. "

"Each school would enter into management contracts with DCI and would continue to
operate independently although managed cooperatively in one location in which expenses
would be shared based on the per pupil funding allocation of enrolled students.
Each student attending DCI would be enrolled in one of the four component schools of DCI, and
that school would be accountable for that student’s results. However this enrollment status
would be largely transparent to these students, as they would attend mostly the same
classes on the same facility and would identify as a student of DCI rather than of the
component school in which they enrolled."

Wow, does anyone have an idea how this would work logistically/curricula-wise?? (Im sure those actually planning DCI know their plans, but since its just us talking here... ). It sounds almost like it'll basically be 2 different schools, one with rigorous academics in English and expanded beginner language options, and another where truly bi and tri-lingual kids are studying advanced languages as well as core classes (math science reading) in their 2nd language? Thereby graduating good-to-great students who have been introduced to a 2nd Lang, as well as graduating good-to-great students fluent in 2 and proficient in a 3rd (and a few IB)?

That sounds SO confusing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See, here is what I'm missing about DCI, and maybe someone can point it out to me (I'm not at a feeder school but another popular charter). It seems that in this area, the push to immersion and language pendulum has swung so far to the detriment of all other things (the above poster as an example). Maybe as the child of non-Americans, I see it more clearly, speaking other language is great and important, however DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction on other aspects of the school.

My child will learn language, it's a given, MORE important to me, is learning basic math, science technology, reading to be on par with the rest of world (not the US, but the world).

Here's what I'm missing from your post: how did you arrive at the conclusion that DCI is NOT planning for basic math, science and reading to be on par with the world? Do you really think that you can draw conclusions about what is and isn't being prioritized in the planning for DCI simply from news articles and DCUM?

Fluency in 2 languages (incl English) and proficiency in a 3rd, plus an IB degree, are what distinguishes DCI from other area middle and high school options. So THOSE are what everyone talks about. Why talk about focusing on excellent academics when that is a goal of umpteen DC schools (including private)? Do you seriously think all this work is being done to set up a world class school but the basic core subjects are an afterthought or an add on??

What is your source for your statement "DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction in other aspects of the school"?

Calm down....it's not personal. It comes from attending the two DCI planning meetings. You are exactly the type of parent I worry about. If you are rabid about your school, without question you really don't understand the hard work needed to make a good charter school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See, here is what I'm missing about DCI, and maybe someone can point it out to me (I'm not at a feeder school but another popular charter). It seems that in this area, the push to immersion and language pendulum has swung so far to the detriment of all other things (the above poster as an example). Maybe as the child of non-Americans, I see it more clearly, speaking other language is great and important, however DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction on other aspects of the school.

My child will learn language, it's a given, MORE important to me, is learning basic math, science technology, reading to be on par with the rest of world (not the US, but the world).

Here's what I'm missing from your post: how did you arrive at the conclusion that DCI is NOT planning for basic math, science and reading to be on par with the world? Do you really think that you can draw conclusions about what is and isn't being prioritized in the planning for DCI simply from news articles and DCUM?

Fluency in 2 languages (incl English) and proficiency in a 3rd, plus an IB degree, are what distinguishes DCI from other area middle and high school options. So THOSE are what everyone talks about. Why talk about focusing on excellent academics when that is a goal of umpteen DC schools (including private)? Do you seriously think all this work is being done to set up a world class school but the basic core subjects are an afterthought or an add on??

What is your source for your statement "DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction in other aspects of the school"?

This. DCI has plans to be the first of its kind in the nation- a top notch world class IB program complemented by a language academy. A lot of people who contemplated moving on from DC will be staying put based upon our aspirations and hopes for DCI.

Um, there are several of these in the US. It maybe the first FREE one.

[Anonymous]

No, there are several "free" public IB high schools in the US. Doesn't Eastern HS in DC offer IB too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about students at the DCPS dual-language schools? Can they lottery in at 9th grade?

What about those with home-language or test-verifiable proficiency in one of the DCI target language programs? Can they get in?

I'm thinking of this because DC is at a DCPS bilingual program and we speak Spanish at home; I have no doubt DC would take to a school like this with ease, and Walter Reed is close to home. Is there anything wrong with trying to go that route?

The lottery will be open to all. It will be up to the parents to get additional help in a target language if they lottery for DCI and there child has no past experience. My DC is currently at Powell Dual Language School and we are hoping to lottery for DCI for 6th grade. Charters aren't allowed to test-in applicants. I don't see why a parent would lottery is heir child doesn't have any past language experience. They will be doing their child a disservice.

I attended the meetings. There will be no need for a child who enters through the lottery to be bilingual. The school will offer 101, 102 and 201 Language classes in French, Spanish and Mandarin. That way, if a child who is from one of the Spanish Immersion classes whiches to pick up a third language can elect to take Mandarin or French.

Also, remember that Stokes admit students as late as the fifth grade and some of those childrenmay not be bi-lingual/bi-literate. YY has two tracks beginning in the third grade; therefore all their students will not be fully proficeint in Mandarin.

The school will offer content based subjects such as literature, history, etc in Mandarin, Spanish and French for those students who want to continue and become more proficient in the language learned in their respective feeder schools. Other classes such as math and science will be taught in English so that the students from the varying schools can mingle.

The school is following the IB program, so students can elect to work for the IB diploma or simply the certificate. The school hours are from 8:30 am to 4:15pm. There will be no early release days as are currently provided in some of the lower schools. All kids are required to take visual and media art, and something else. I forget.

The bottom line is that if your kid is not proficient in one of the three languages, it will be okay. There are thousands of IB graduates around the world who did not pick up a second language until middle or high school and succeeded.

Thanks, I'm the PP who asked how this would work, that's really helpful. So you can still choose to graduate with an IB diploma even if you start as late as 8th grade?

And another question, with Mandarin, anyone know if there are levels of proficiency and on average what level is reasonable to expect a child who starts Mandarin for the 1st time in 8th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about students at the DCPS dual-language schools? Can they lottery in at 9th grade?

What about those with home-language or test-verifiable proficiency in one of the DCI target language programs? Can they get in?

I'm thinking of this because DC is at a DCPS bilingual program and we speak Spanish at home; I have no doubt DC would take to a school like this with ease, and Walter Reed is close to home. Is there anything wrong with trying to go that route?

The lottery will be open to all. It will be up to the parents to get additional help in a target language if they lottery for DCI and there child has no past experience. My DC is currently at Powell Dual Language School and we are hoping to lottery for DCI for 6th grade. Charters aren't allowed to test-in applicants. I don't see why a parent would lottery is heir child doesn't have any past language experience. They will be doing their child a disservice.

Where is it stated that there will be a lottery? I thought the whole point of feeder schools was to have enough students to sustain the middle and high school, knowing there will be attrition. How do you lottery in at 6th or 9th grade and still graduate fluently bilingual and with an IB degree if you can't test for language proficiency and you haven't been at an IB school before?

Each school has an alloted number of seats. I am not sure if MV will open up their slots when the school opens. although at the charter board meeting I heard a rep from MV mention thta they wil open more grades next year when they move tto the new bldg. More grade levels.

It is my understanding that 8th grade will be the last year to lottery into the school. The lottery is for any vacant seats due to attrition from the feeder schools. The first year will have more available seats because Lamb and MV will not have a rising 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about students at the DCPS dual-language schools? Can they lottery in at 9th grade?

What about those with home-language or test-verifiable proficiency in one of the DCI target language programs? Can they get in?

I'm thinking of this because DC is at a DCPS bilingual program and we speak Spanish at home; I have no doubt DC would take to a school like this with ease, and Walter Reed is close to home. Is there anything wrong with trying to go that route?

The lottery will be open to all. It will be up to the parents to get additional help in a target language if they lottery for DCI and there child has no past experience. My DC is currently at Powell Dual Language School and we are hoping to lottery for DCI for 6th grade. Charters aren't allowed to test-in applicants. I don't see why a parent would lottery is heir child doesn't have any past language experience. They will be doing their child a disservice.

Where is it stated that there will be a lottery? I thought the whole point of feeder schools was to have enough students to sustain the middle and high school, knowing there will be attrition. How do you lottery in at 6th or 9th grade and still graduate fluently bilingual and with an IB degree if you can't test for language proficiency and you haven't been at an IB school before?

It is my understanding that 8th grade will be the last year to lottery into the school. The lottery is for any vacant seats due to attrition from the feeder schools. The first year will have more available seats because Lamb and MV will not have a rising 6th grade.

LAMB has 5th graders now. Why would they not have rising 6th graders next fall when DCI opens (assuming of course they all elect to attend DCI)?

[Anonymous]

Each school has an alloted number of seats. I am not sure if MV will open up their slots when the school opens. although at the charter board meeting I heard a rep from MV mention thta they wil open more grades next year when they move tto the new bldg. More grade levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about students at the DCPS dual-language schools? Can they lottery in at 9th grade?

What about those with home-language or test-verifiable proficiency in one of the DCI target language programs? Can they get in?

I'm thinking of this because DC is at a DCPS bilingual program and we speak Spanish at home; I have no doubt DC would take to a school like this with ease, and Walter Reed is close to home. Is there anything wrong with trying to go that route?

The lottery will be open to all. It will be up to the parents to get additional help in a target language if they lottery for DCI and there child has no past experience. My DC is currently at Powell Dual Language School and we are hoping to lottery for DCI for 6th grade. Charters aren't allowed to test-in applicants. I don't see why a parent would lottery is heir child doesn't have any past language experience. They will be doing their child a disservice.

Where is it stated that there will be a lottery? I thought the whole point of feeder schools was to have enough students to sustain the middle and high school, knowing there will be attrition. How do you lottery in at 6th or 9th grade and still graduate fluently bilingual and with an IB degree if you can't test for language proficiency and you haven't been at an IB school before?

From the DC PCSB website:

..."There are currently no dual language immersion public high schools in the District of Columbia, Pearson said. He also noted that DCI would be open to new applicants, who would not need language proficiency to gain admission. "

"Each school would enter into management contracts with DCI and would continue to
operate independently although managed cooperatively in one location in which expenses
would be shared based on the per pupil funding allocation of enrolled students.
Each student attending DCI would be enrolled in one of the four component schools of DCI, and
that school would be accountable for that student’s results. However this enrollment status
would be largely transparent to these students, as they would attend mostly the same
classes on the same facility and would identify as a student of DCI rather than of the
component school in which they enrolled."

Wow, does anyone have an idea how this would work logistically/curricula-wise?? (Im sure those actually planning DCI know their plans, but since its just us talking here... ). It sounds almost like it'll basically be 2 different schools, one with rigorous academics in English and expanded beginner language options, and another where truly bi and tri-lingual kids are studying advanced languages as well as core classes (math science reading) in their 2nd language? Thereby graduating good-to-great students who have been introduced to a 2nd Lang, as well as graduating good-to-great students fluent in 2 and proficient in a 3rd (and a few IB)?

That sounds SO confusing!

I am optimistic and my child attends one of the feeder schools, but I do question how this will work-- you are not alone. My child is in 1st grade so I am not panicked, we have time and I will support DCI when appropriate or needed.

[Anonymous]

357 days until DCI Opens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See, here is what I'm missing about DCI, and maybe someone can point it out to me (I'm not at a feeder school but another popular charter). It seems that in this area, the push to immersion and language pendulum has swung so far to the detriment of all other things (the above poster as an example). Maybe as the child of non-Americans, I see it more clearly, speaking other language is great and important, however DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction on other aspects of the school.

My child will learn language, it's a given, MORE important to me, is learning basic math, science technology, reading to be on par with the rest of world (not the US, but the world).

Here's what I'm missing from your post: how did you arrive at the conclusion that DCI is NOT planning for basic math, science and reading to be on par with the world? Do you really think that you can draw conclusions about what is and isn't being prioritized in the planning for DCI simply from news articles and DCUM?

Fluency in 2 languages (incl English) and proficiency in a 3rd, plus an IB degree, are what distinguishes DCI from other area middle and high school options. So THOSE are what everyone talks about. Why talk about focusing on excellent academics when that is a goal of umpteen DC schools (including private)? Do you seriously think all this work is being done to set up a world class school but the basic core subjects are an afterthought or an add on??

What is your source for your statement "DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction in other aspects of the school"?

Calm down....it's not personal. It comes from attending the two DCI planning meetings. You are exactly the type of parent I worry about. If you are rabid about your school, without question you really don't understand the hard work needed to make a good charter school.

That still doesn't answer the question: what did you hear at those 2 mags that led you to state here that DCI has not pushed any plans to excel at the core subjects? And when were the 2 mtgs you attended? For you to say that in the present tense, they would need to be recent. When were they?

Lastly, what in my post tells you ANYTHING - either good or bad- about what I know about building and supporting a good school? I simply asked you where you drew this conclusion from of a lack of focus on core topics. The fact that you equate being questioned about your source for what is truly an inaccurate statement with being "rabid" and knowing nothing about building a school shows you should clearly spend more time making sure you are practicing what you preach, and less jumping to unsupported conclusions.

So, when were those 2 DCI mtgs you attended where it was clear the school is laser focused on language and not planning for excelling in core subjects? What was said to indicate that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See, here is what I'm missing about DCI, and maybe someone can point it out to me (I'm not at a feeder school but another popular charter). It seems that in this area, the push to immersion and language pendulum has swung so far to the detriment of all other things (the above poster as an example). Maybe as the child of non-Americans, I see it more clearly, speaking other language is great and important, however DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction on other aspects of the school.

My child will learn language, it's a given, MORE important to me, is learning basic math, science technology, reading to be on par with the rest of world (not the US, but the world).

Here's what I'm missing from your post: how did you arrive at the conclusion that DCI is NOT planning for basic math, science and reading to be on par with the world? Do you really think that you can draw conclusions about what is and isn't being prioritized in the planning for DCI simply from news articles and DCUM?

Fluency in 2 languages (incl English) and proficiency in a 3rd, plus an IB degree, are what distinguishes DCI from other area middle and high school options. So THOSE are what everyone talks about. Why talk about focusing on excellent academics when that is a goal of umpteen DC schools (including private)? Do you seriously think all this work is being done to set up a world class school but the basic core subjects are an afterthought or an add on??

What is your source for your statement "DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction in other aspects of the school"?

Calm down....it's not personal. It comes from attending the two DCI planning meetings. You are exactly the type of parent I worry about. If you are rabid about your school, without question you really don't understand the hard work needed to make a good charter school.

That still doesn't answer the question: what did you hear at those 2 mags that led you to state here that DCI has not pushed any plans to excel at the core subjects? And when were the 2 mtgs you attended? For you to say that in the present tense, they would need to be recent. When were they?

Lastly, what in my post tells you ANYTHING - either good or bad- about what I know about building and supporting a good school? I simply asked you where you drew this conclusion from of a lack of focus on core topics. The fact that you equate being questioned about your source for what is truly an inaccurate statement with being "rabid" and knowing nothing about building a school shows you should clearly spend more time making sure you are practicing what you preach, and less jumping to unsupported conclusions.

So, when were those 2 DCI mtgs you attended where it was clear the school is laser focused on language and not planning for excelling in core subjects? What was said to indicate that?

Not PP but what the fuck is wrong with you? The meetings were announced at the feeder schools last yr... at our school only parents in the upper grades were invited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See, here is what I'm missing about DCI, and maybe someone can point it out to me (I'm not at a feeder school but another popular charter). It seems that in this area, the push to immersion and language pendulum has swung so far to the detriment of all other things (the above poster as an example). Maybe as the child of non-Americans, I see it more clearly, speaking other language is great and important, however DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction on other aspects of the school.

My child will learn language, it's a given, MORE important to me, is learning basic math, science technology, reading to be on par with the rest of world (not the US, but the world).

Here's what I'm missing from your post: how did you arrive at the conclusion that DCI is NOT planning for basic math, science and reading to be on par with the world? Do you really think that you can draw conclusions about what is and isn't being prioritized in the planning for DCI simply from news articles and DCUM?

Fluency in 2 languages (incl English) and proficiency in a 3rd, plus an IB degree, are what distinguishes DCI from other area middle and high school options. So THOSE are what everyone talks about. Why talk about focusing on excellent academics when that is a goal of umpteen DC schools (including private)? Do you seriously think all this work is being done to set up a world class school but the basic core subjects are an afterthought or an add on??

What is your source for your statement "DCI has not pushed any plans for instruction in other aspects of the school"?

Calm down....it's not personal. It comes from attending the two DCI planning meetings. You are exactly the type of parent I worry about. If you are rabid about your school, without question you really don't understand the hard work needed to make a good charter school.

That still doesn't answer the question: what did you hear at those 2 mags that led you to state here that DCI has not pushed any plans to excel at the core subjects? And when were the 2 mtgs you attended? For you to say that in the present tense, they would need to be recent. When were they?

Lastly, what in my post tells you ANYTHING - either good or bad- about what I know about building and supporting a good school? I simply asked you where you drew this conclusion from of a lack of focus on core topics. The fact that you equate being questioned about your source for what is truly an inaccurate statement with being "rabid" and knowing nothing about building a school shows you should clearly spend more time making sure you are practicing what you preach, and less jumping to unsupported conclusions.

So, when were those 2 DCI mtgs you attended where it was clear the school is laser focused on language and not planning for excelling in core subjects? What was said to indicate that?

Not PP but what the fuck is wrong with you? The meetings were announced at the feeder schools last yr... at our school only parents in the upper grades were invited.

There is nothing wrong with me. I'm asking a question about how a PP came to her conclusion and am asking which mtgs she attended that led her to her conclusion. Why was that worthy of you cursing at me?

If you read my post to be questioning the existence of DCI mtgs, given that I too have been in attendance, I am quite aware that they happened. If that's not where your expletive outburst came from, oh well.