Tell me about Montgomery County (Spanish) immersion schools

[Anonymous]

Hi- Considering a move from DC to Takoma Park/Silver Spring in the next 1-2 years. We are in a great (highly sought after) Spanish immersion charter school in DC. I'd love to continue the immersion education. Can you tell me about the process for being accepted into the Montgomery County immersion schools? Do you lottery into them? If you attend one of them, are you happy? Any other tips/facts about the schools or the process of applying? TIA!

[Anonymous]

Pretty good thread here with lots of info:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/352783.page

[Anonymous]

Lots of good threads on this. I would caution you about planning too much around getting in to one of the schools. It really is a lottery. We were over #260 on the waitlist for the two programs we tried. It is very, very hard to get in and it's pure luck. If you move to MoCo, make your move for other reasons and view immersion as an awesome bonus if it works out.

[Anonymous]

If you are looking specifically at SS/TP and coming from a full immersion program, then you'll probably apply to Rock Creek Forest. Rolling Terrace is only partial immersion, and also pretty overcrowded from what I've heard.

Rock Creek Forest is a brand new building and folks seem very happy with the program.

Your DC will have to a language exam for placement in any grade above Grade 1, but you should be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of good threads on this. I would caution you about planning too much around getting in to one of the schools. It really is a lottery. We were over #260 on the waitlist for the two programs we tried. It is very, very hard to get in and it's pure luck. If you move to MoCo, make your move for other reasons and view immersion as an awesome bonus if it works out.

Don't you think they will have a better chance with an older kid, though? Because the kids have to do a language exam after Grade 1, the list of folks looking for a space has to be much shorter since most of us don't have the resources to get our kids up to speed in Spanish in order to compete for one of those spots.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for the links. Yes, I know all about lotteries, living in DC. I figured they would be difficult to get into, what isn't in this area? I tried to find the threads on immersion before posting, so sorry for the repeat thread. I did look at the thread posted above and it is a bit older (2014). I saw this quote:

OP, if you live in-bounds for one of those schools, then yes, you are practically gauranteed a spot in the immersion program. Not sure why the high schools are mentioned, as I thought the immersion programming only goes through middle school. The IB program at Richard Montgomery, while reportedly excellent, is admission-only and hard to get into.

So if I moved in-boundary to Rolling Terrace, Rock Creak Forest or Burnt Mills-- I would be almost guaranteed a spot? That doesn't seem correct. Can anyone comment on whether this is accurate information?

I understand that after grade 1, by kids would have to pass a test. Are there spots available in the upper grades (2-5)? My 3rd grader is fluent after 5 years at the current school, so it's important for me to try my best to continue. I wonder if recommendations (from current school) are considered...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks for the links. Yes, I know all about lotteries, living in DC. I figured they would be difficult to get into, what isn't in this area? I tried to find the threads on immersion before posting, so sorry for the repeat thread. I did look at the thread posted above and it is a bit older (2014). I saw this quote:

OP, if you live in-bounds for one of those schools, then yes, you are practically gauranteed a spot in the immersion program. Not sure why the high schools are mentioned, as I thought the immersion programming only goes through middle school. The IB program at Richard Montgomery, while reportedly excellent, is admission-only and hard to get into.

So if I moved in-boundary to Rolling Terrace, Rock Creak Forest or Burnt Mills-- I would be almost guaranteed a spot? That doesn't seem correct. Can anyone comment on whether this is accurate information?

I understand that after grade 1, by kids would have to pass a test. Are there spots available in the upper grades (2-5)? My 3rd grader is fluent after 5 years at the current school, so it's important for me to try my best to continue. I wonder if recommendations (from current school) are considered...

Living in the school boundary does NOT guarantee admission into the program.

[Anonymous]

Living in bounds for Rolling Terrace gives you preference to the immersion program...and by preference I mean that I don't know a single family that lives in the neighborhood who was not able to get in to the immersion program. I understand it's not the same at other schools.

[Anonymous]

Only RT gives preference to folks in-boundary and that program is only partial immersion after 1st grade.

I don't know if there are spots at RCF or BM after 1st, but I kind of assume so. I mean, it's DC. Kids move, parents change their minds, and there aren't a ton of kids with the language ability to move into those spots. I'd recommend calling the schools directly and asking, honestly.

I'm also not sure if you still need to do the lottery. If so, you might need to do one year in an English-language school so that you have a MoCo address when the lottery application is due in February. But don't quote me. I'm honestly unsure.

[Anonymous]

Curious about chances for rising second grader- already fluent.

[Anonymous]

Burnt mills also gives neighborhood preference. Rock creek forest does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious about chances for rising second grader- already fluent.

Then why do immersion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Living in bounds for Rolling Terrace gives you preference to the immersion program...and by preference I mean that I don't know a single family that lives in the neighborhood who was not able to get in to the immersion program. I understand it's not the same at other schools.

A bit off topic but did MCPS ever correct that horrible mold problem at Rolling Terrace? Not raising as a red flag for OP but just curious. I know it got a lot of press a couple of years ago but it seemed little was being done about it. I hope the county corrected the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious about chances for rising second grader- already fluent.

Then why do immersion?

Not , OP, but
I know a couple of fluently French speakers in immersion programs. Parent have told me they do it for child to maintain their language. It makes sense, even if that is not the reason immersion programs were created. Also, since mcps doesn't exclude them, I dont see why you should you have a problem with it.

[Anonymous]

Anyway to transfer from DC immersion to MoCo for second?