Why is Sela not more popular?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The families that leaves tend to be observant and less into the Hebrew thing.

Sorry, *less* observant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should teach Arabic at the same school. Now that would be interesting.

That would be useful. As a Jew, I wonder if these kids will be served being bi-lingual in a language that isn't highly critical. Also as attitudes towards Israel change how marketable knowing Hebrew would be.

How fluent would they even be in Hebrew if they stop learning it in 5th grade? No MS or HS public school where they could continue the language. .

This school as taxpayer school should never have been approved, nor any other school in non-commonly used languages. Hebrew could have been offered as a language at a charter or DCPS school, plenty of other ways to spend taxpayer money. DC Charter school board needs to be held to higher accountability and offer schools that more people want. Also, sick of schools closing and opening, complete waste of money.

200 kids at the school, generally high performing. Why is it a waste of money? Also, the primary issues of schools opening and closing aren't wasting money. They received per pupil money for the students that they enrolled and served them for the time they were there. They didn't get per pupil money that wasn't used or went to waste.

Agreed, it isn't a waste of money if kids get a good education. Learning and even being exposed to 2nd or 3rd language earlier helps them think differently and will help them learn more languages among other things later in life. They don't have to be fluent to benifit from the experience of learning languages and culturally related information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm pro-sela. Staff seems to really care, students seem well-behaved, environment seems positive. I think a Hebrew language immersion is a gateway to Arabic as the languages are very similar (like Italian and Spanish) so very useful as well.

The commute would be reverse for us since were in CH with a metro there to hop right to work. That said, we don't go there because of the commute and would rather a closer school even with less amenities with two working parents who are stretched for time as it is. We also don't buy into the obsession for being bilingual.

It seems that it's all about the branding tho. Some schools have better branding even if the language isn't truly that useful on a daily basis and other schools don't. Some schools seem to have huge demand even though they aren't good schools. Sela is one of the better schools but just no demand.

Enough demand to fill the school, though. Perhaps less demand among UMC white parents - not sure that’s a real metric for success.

X1000. There are non-white upper middle class families on here. As well as many middle class and working class families of many colors on here. Not sure why everyone things only upper income folks are on here.
At any rate being a strong school and a good option for many doesn't mean it is a mostly white school. Most of this city is not white, so it is logical there are lots of families of color looking for finding good school too. So, LOTS of other valid points of view on what makes a good school.
And of course folks change opinions can change quickly about which is a 'good' dcps or dcpcs. SELA along with a few other charters and IB will probably grow in popularity as other schools continue to be harder to enter. And folks get feed up with how bad some others are actually run.

[Anonymous]

Lots of claims on this thread from folks who clearly have no connection to the school or anyone who has kids there.

We are at Sela, and have been very happy. Our kid loves school, made good friends, and is learning/thriving. So far (and we're still in PK years), it's clear she is getting as good an experience as she could get anywhere else.

We love the school precisely because there is a mix of kids from different backgrounds. There are many non-Jewish, non-UMC students who appear to love the school. There are also several Jewish, UMC students who love the school, including some that like that their kid is learning Hebrew outside of a religious context and with kids from different backgrounds. And both the Jews and non-Jews come from all over, including Petworth, Bloomingdale, Truxton Circle, Takoma, and NE.

The school is less popular because many aren't interested in their kid learning Hebrew, but enough clearly are (and not just Jews). It is also a terrible reverse commute for many, and harder to access from public transportation. But it's a school that is doing a great job for the kids there, and definitely worth a look if you can make the commute work and are open or interested in your kid learning Hebrew. While it will likely never be as popular as the more centrally located Spanish immersion schools, it definitely is growing in popularity and I anticipate will continue to do so over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was explained to me that all the classes are taught in English but they have Hebrew class/lessons every day. As well as it being incorporated into music and art classes etc. If this is still correct than is a more traditional charter with early language learning that is certainly being overlooked. It seems to be a great little school. And a lot of probably has to do with location and demographics. That might change, as other school become harder to get into more folks might try it out.
Those obsessed with middle school paths never will.

Pk3 abd 4 are immersion with an English and Hebrew teacher. You’re right about the rest of the grades, but starting this year with kindergarten, they’re going to make it immersion like in PK and add that immersion program to each year (so in two years, first grade willl be fully immersive, etc).

How are you defining "immersion" here? What % of instruction in PK and K will be in Hebrew?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This school is the school CMI wanted to be, but could never really deliver: strong academics, diverse, small classroom size, and inclusive. Folks have been hating on them since the beginning, but they continue to have solid scores, solid finances, and happy kids. Their building and location are fine. Not great, but fine. I am happy as a taxpayer that this little school that could has survived.

Nothing against Sela but you are NUTS if you think Sela is "the school CMI wanted to be". All you have to do is look at each school and the speed at which families jump ship at the 1st chance they get at what they consider a better school. Sela has tons of turnover and people jumping ship each year. CMI has way less turnover, WAY less. By miles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This school is the school CMI wanted to be, but could never really deliver: strong academics, diverse, small classroom size, and inclusive. Folks have been hating on them since the beginning, but they continue to have solid scores, solid finances, and happy kids. Their building and location are fine. Not great, but fine. I am happy as a taxpayer that this little school that could has survived.

Nothing against Sela but you are NUTS if you think Sela is "the school CMI wanted to be". All you have to do is look at each school and the speed at which families jump ship at the 1st chance they get at what they consider a better school. Sela has tons of turnover and people jumping ship each year. CMI has way less turnover, WAY less. By miles.

Ha! Not actually true - Sela has strong retention rates these days, whereas CMI has been revealed to have crap academics, mistreated teachers, and the leadership was forced out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This school is the school CMI wanted to be, but could never really deliver: strong academics, diverse, small classroom size, and inclusive. Folks have been hating on them since the beginning, but they continue to have solid scores, solid finances, and happy kids. Their building and location are fine. Not great, but fine. I am happy as a taxpayer that this little school that could has survived.

Nothing against Sela but you are NUTS if you think Sela is "the school CMI wanted to be". All you have to do is look at each school and the speed at which families jump ship at the 1st chance they get at what they consider a better school. Sela has tons of turnover and people jumping ship each year. CMI has way less turnover, WAY less. By miles.

Ha! Not actually true - Sela has strong retention rates these days, whereas CMI has been revealed to have crap academics, mistreated teachers, and the leadership was forced out.

People who jump ship from sela are generally happy there- rather, they get into a Spanish immersion or have a good neighborhood school for K-5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually could imagine a "Sela to Arabic" transition. I bet many Israelis could teach Arabic to little kids just fine, given the extent to which they learn it. You get a few staff in place, get some curricular prep down to make it a strong elective, then use it more and more. Get an OK from PCSB and then make Arabic the primary, Hebrew the secondary language other than English and there you are. A global language school in DC.

Its 2 main outside funders, who combined gave $165K in 2016-17 would probably have an issue with that. https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/report/990_SELAPCS.pdf

That link no longer works. Who are their outside funders?

[Anonymous]

I think it’s the location, honestly. Sure Hebrew is a less desirable language than Spanish but UMC white parents are always banging down the doors of any highly rated charter school. Look at CMI-it’s a mediocre school in a good location.

[Anonymous]

Jewish families I know have no interest in Sela because if they are practicing, they want Hebrew and a Jewish education. If they are secular but culturally Jewish, it still seems pointless. Learning Hebrew is pretty pointless unless are you Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jewish families I know have no interest in Sela because if they are practicing, they want Hebrew and a Jewish education. If they are secular but culturally Jewish, it still seems pointless. Learning Hebrew is pretty pointless unless are you Jewish.

What an ignorant statement -

Actual Jew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should teach Arabic at the same school. Now that would be interesting.

One of the Jewish day schools in Md offers Arabic as an elective, but till HS, I think. My kid did Jewish Day School through 4th grade, spent a year in Israel, became fluent in Hebrew, took intro Arabic in college, said the Hebrew helped a lot in learning Arabic.

Another related semitic language that might appeal in this area would be Amharic.

most eithiopians teach their kids amharic in the home and in church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should teach Arabic at the same school. Now that would be interesting.

One of the Jewish day schools in Md offers Arabic as an elective, but till HS, I think. My kid did Jewish Day School through 4th grade, spent a year in Israel, became fluent in Hebrew, took intro Arabic in college, said the Hebrew helped a lot in learning Arabic.

Another related semitic language that might appeal in this area would be Amharic.

most eithiopians teach their kids amharic in the home and in church.

Ummm. Ga’ez is not Amharic- this is the language of Ethiopian churches.