Herndon immersion question

[Anonymous]

I understand the immersion program may be phased out due to budget cuts. I have questions in the event it is not discontinued. Is the program only for K or is 1st available as well? I have a first grader at a current immersion program and we've found a house we like in Herndon. She'd start second grade next year, so we'd need a program for that level. I checked the website and couldn't get clarification on whether the program started with just K or did it phase in other grades. Also, I'm confused about the French program there. This doesn't affect us, but I'm curious what's going on. Is it being phased out year by year to accommodate the current students? Of course, it may be gone next year if the budget cuts it, but if that's not the case I'm curious as to the plan. What did parents of kids in the French program do with their kids in the younger grades? Did you start them in Spanish. Any info. is helpful. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the immersion program may be phased out due to budget cuts. I have questions in the event it is not discontinued. Is the program only for K or is 1st available as well? I have a first grader at a current immersion program and we've found a house we like in Herndon. She'd start second grade next year, so we'd need a program for that level. I checked the website and couldn't get clarification on whether the program started with just K or did it phase in other grades. Also, I'm confused about the French program there. This doesn't affect us, but I'm curious what's going on. Is it being phased out year by year to accommodate the current students? Of course, it may be gone next year if the budget cuts it, but if that's not the case I'm curious as to the plan. What did parents of kids in the French program do with their kids in the younger grades? Did you start them in Spanish. Any info. is helpful. Thanks!

We have a great, diverse community, but like most things, it isn't perfect. Assuming FCPS does not eliminate immersion across the board, the French cohorts are gradually being phased out, and replaced by Spanish ones. The French program is 1-way immersion, and the Spanish is 2-way where ideally the number of English and Spanish native speakers are equal. The oldest Spanish immersion classes are second grade. My kids have had new Students enter the program in both 1st and 2nd grades. There is no open lottery for the Spanish program unlike the French one that draws kids from different parts of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand the immersion program may be phased out due to budget cuts. I have questions in the event it is not discontinued. Is the program only for K or is 1st available as well? I have a first grader at a current immersion program and we've found a house we like in Herndon. She'd start second grade next year, so we'd need a program for that level. I checked the website and couldn't get clarification on whether the program started with just K or did it phase in other grades. Also, I'm confused about the French program there. This doesn't affect us, but I'm curious what's going on. Is it being phased out year by year to accommodate the current students? Of course, it may be gone next year if the budget cuts it, but if that's not the case I'm curious as to the plan. What did parents of kids in the French program do with their kids in the younger grades? Did you start them in Spanish. Any info. is helpful. Thanks!

We have a great, diverse community, but like most things, it isn't perfect. Assuming FCPS does not eliminate immersion across the board, the French cohorts are gradually being phased out, and replaced by Spanish ones. The French program is 1-way immersion, and the Spanish is 2-way where ideally the number of English and Spanish native speakers are equal. The oldest Spanish immersion classes are second grade. My kids have had new Students enter the program in both 1st and 2nd grades. There is no open lottery for the Spanish program unlike the French one that draws kids from different parts of the county.

Wow! So helpful. Thanks. Would a 2nd grader from out of zone be able to attend if. Space is available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand the immersion program may be phased out due to budget cuts. I have questions in the event it is not discontinued. Is the program only for K or is 1st available as well? I have a first grader at a current immersion program and we've found a house we like in Herndon. She'd start second grade next year, so we'd need a program for that level. I checked the website and couldn't get clarification on whether the program started with just K or did it phase in other grades. Also, I'm confused about the French program there. This doesn't affect us, but I'm curious what's going on. Is it being phased out year by year to accommodate the current students? Of course, it may be gone next year if the budget cuts it, but if that's not the case I'm curious as to the plan. What did parents of kids in the French program do with their kids in the younger grades? Did you start them in Spanish. Any info. is helpful. Thanks!

We have a great, diverse community, but like most things, it isn't perfect. Assuming FCPS does not eliminate immersion across the board, the French cohorts are gradually being phased out, and replaced by Spanish ones. The French program is 1-way immersion, and the Spanish is 2-way where ideally the number of English and Spanish native speakers are equal. The oldest Spanish immersion classes are second grade. My kids have had new Students enter the program in both 1st and 2nd grades. There is no open lottery for the Spanish program unlike the French one that draws kids from different parts of the county.

Wow! So helpful. Thanks. Would a 2nd grader from out of zone be able to attend if. Space is available?

If you mean a kid that moved inbounds with immersion already, then i think he/she could get in if there is room. it is a title one school and classes are capped at 24, and a wait list. How long is the wait list? I don't know.

[Anonymous]

PS at least one kid new to immersion joined in 1st grade, not K. Not sure how that works for 2nd on up.

Also, the school does not accept out of bounds kids for Spanish immersion.

[Anonymous]

There is no way they will phase out immersion. FLES maybe but not immersion. Too many school board members want it for many reasons - including the fact that immersion parents continually vote the for SB members who support the program. It would be among the last of the cuts. I work closely with the schools and know how these people think. Go ahead and enroll. I'd worry more about IB than immersion IB costs a lot of money compared to AP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no way they will phase out immersion. FLES maybe but not immersion. Too many school board members want it for many reasons - including the fact that immersion parents continually vote the for SB members who support the program. It would be among the last of the cuts. I work closely with the schools and know how these people think. Go ahead and enroll. I'd worry more about IB than immersion IB costs a lot of money compared to AP!

This is nice to hear. We love the program and hope to transfer from a DC immersion. DC is fluent in Spanish and we want to continue that. DH and I are pitiful monolinguals and I swear that DC's smarts has a lot to do with her being bilingual. He mind just works so different (better) than mine! Glad she'll be responsible for me in old age. I need a whip like that- all that extra executive functioning stuff!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no way they will phase out immersion. FLES maybe but not immersion. Too many school board members want it for many reasons - including the fact that immersion parents continually vote the for SB members who support the program. It would be among the last of the cuts. I work closely with the schools and know how these people think. Go ahead and enroll. I'd worry more about IB than immersion IB costs a lot of money compared to AP!

+1 on the teachers thinking immersion will not be cut. The Board of Supervisors, on the other hand, may not agree. However, the BOS is simply a funding authority.