MCPS Spanish immersion schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real. You have families trying to get into RCF immersion just to go to Westland MS. Driving their kid or their kid taking two buses to go to a West county predominantly white MS (Westland) is not a big deal for families trying to escape their "diverse" home middle school.

It's funny because when boundary changes are brought up all we hear about is how the people in the "diverse" home schools don't want to travel far and that nobody actually wants the boundary changes.

Have you talked to RCF Spanish immersion parents? If they don't admit trying to escape, they are not being fully honest. Yes you will find some who entered lottery only because they want the kid to learn the language to communicate with grandparents or extended family in Spain etc. You have families within the RCF neighborhood school boundary trying to get their kid into Spanish immersion to escape (white flight) the neighborhood RCF school (the classes that are only in English just as other MCPS non-immersion schools).

I have, the ones I know travel from the Wootton cluster because they really want the Spanish immersion. Have you talked to any families at all? Of course the commute is a big deal.

Exactly, trying to leave the Wonton 'hood. Some parents work in areas where RCF is simply on the way to work. You can get to Westland from Wonton easily and I know because I have done that commute to get into NW DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real. You have families trying to get into RCF immersion just to go to Westland MS. Driving their kid or their kid taking two buses to go to a West county predominantly white MS (Westland) is not a big deal for families trying to escape their "diverse" home middle school.

It's funny because when boundary changes are brought up all we hear about is how the people in the "diverse" home schools don't want to travel far and that nobody actually wants the boundary changes.

Have you talked to RCF Spanish immersion parents? If they don't admit trying to escape, they are not being fully honest. Yes you will find some who entered lottery only because they want the kid to learn the language to communicate with grandparents or extended family in Spain etc. You have families within the RCF neighborhood school boundary trying to get their kid into Spanish immersion to escape (white flight) the neighborhood RCF school (the classes that are only in English just as other MCPS non-immersion schools).

I have, the ones I know travel from the Wootton cluster because they really want the Spanish immersion. Have you talked to any families at all? Of course the commute is a big deal.

Exactly, trying to leave the Wonton 'hood. Some parents work in areas where RCF is simply on the way to work. You can get to Westland from Wonton easily and I know because I have done that commute to get into NW DC.

So you haven't talked to any families lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

Actually, kids at RCF for immersion that are not in-bounds for BCC no longer feed to BCC (as of next year, I believe); they can go to Westland, then the path ends. And SSIMS is no longer an option for RCF kids either. So, I guess no one will enter the lottery anymore from the east side of the county because they only wanted the BCC feeder pattern, and not the language education. Oh, wait....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

Actually, kids at RCF for immersion that are not in-bounds for BCC no longer feed to BCC (as of next year, I believe); they can go to Westland, then the path ends. And SSIMS is no longer an option for RCF kids either. So, I guess no one will enter the lottery anymore from the east side of the county because they only wanted the BCC feeder pattern, and not the language education. Oh, wait....

Correct. Anecdotally, a lot of kids from the east side of the county don't even choose Westland because the commute requires a bus to RCF, then another bus to Westland. It's a lot for a middle schooler, particularly if they want to do a sport or after-school club.

I think immersion programs are incredible, but this idea that families only choose it to "escape" their home schools just isn't supported by the evidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

Actually, kids at RCF for immersion that are not in-bounds for BCC no longer feed to BCC (as of next year, I believe); they can go to Westland, then the path ends. And SSIMS is no longer an option for RCF kids either. So, I guess no one will enter the lottery anymore from the east side of the county because they only wanted the BCC feeder pattern, and not the language education. Oh, wait....

Finally, fabulous news!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

You’re sounding more and more unhinged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

The bigger issue, IMO, is that the Immersion families are completely oblivious to the families in the English side. Whenever we meet a new Immersion family, they assume we are in immersion too, probably because I am white and my kids are blonde. So when they ask who my kids' teachers are and I respond with English-side teachers, they look at me blankly because they have no idea of who the English teachers are (and this is not the case for vice versa). A few years ago when my oldest was in 5th grade, a parent who I didn't know but with whom I was volunteering asked me what we options we were thinking of for MS, again, assuming that my kid was in immersion. It just gets old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

The bigger issue, IMO, is that the Immersion families are completely oblivious to the families in the English side. Whenever we meet a new Immersion family, they assume we are in immersion too, probably because I am white and my kids are blonde. So when they ask who my kids' teachers are and I respond with English-side teachers, they look at me blankly because they have no idea of who the English teachers are (and this is not the case for vice versa). A few years ago when my oldest was in 5th grade, a parent who I didn't know but with whom I was volunteering asked me what we options we were thinking of for MS, again, assuming that my kid was in immersion. It just gets old.

+Fabulous! Couldn't have said it any better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

The bigger issue, IMO, is that the Immersion families are completely oblivious to the families in the English side. Whenever we meet a new Immersion family, they assume we are in immersion too, probably because I am white and my kids are blonde. So when they ask who my kids' teachers are and I respond with English-side teachers, they look at me blankly because they have no idea of who the English teachers are (and this is not the case for vice versa). A few years ago when my oldest was in 5th grade, a parent who I didn't know but with whom I was volunteering asked me what we options we were thinking of for MS, again, assuming that my kid was in immersion. It just gets old.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

The bigger issue, IMO, is that the Immersion families are completely oblivious to the families in the English side. Whenever we meet a new Immersion family, they assume we are in immersion too, probably because I am white and my kids are blonde. So when they ask who my kids' teachers are and I respond with English-side teachers, they look at me blankly because they have no idea of who the English teachers are (and this is not the case for vice versa). A few years ago when my oldest was in 5th grade, a parent who I didn't know but with whom I was volunteering asked me what we options we were thinking of for MS, again, assuming that my kid was in immersion. It just gets old.

Very accurate!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

The bigger issue, IMO, is that the Immersion families are completely oblivious to the families in the English side. Whenever we meet a new Immersion family, they assume we are in immersion too, probably because I am white and my kids are blonde. So when they ask who my kids' teachers are and I respond with English-side teachers, they look at me blankly because they have no idea of who the English teachers are (and this is not the case for vice versa). A few years ago when my oldest was in 5th grade, a parent who I didn't know but with whom I was volunteering asked me what we options we were thinking of for MS, again, assuming that my kid was in immersion. It just gets old.

I know I’ll be crucified for being honest, but my DD’s run-ins with the English side have not been positive—she said many are mean, swear a lot, are physically violent. When the school would try to mix the groups together, she would be the target of their bullying. She has many friends on the immersion side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

It may be an older model but very effective. My kid speaks and understands Spanish fluently thanks to that excellent program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask for the data form these immersion experiments. Does it make a difference for native English speakers? Or is it just a fancy excuse to bus kids in to communities with high populations of native Spanish soeajers to increase the school’s report card? Everyone I know who started in one has left once they saw what was behind the curtain

This is a weird critique, since most of the kids at WTPES and BMES are coming from elsewhere in the down-county, and RCFES is a BCC feeder.

Yes, RCF feeds into BCC which is why the immersion program is primarily made up of families trying to escape the DCC schools.

This is so accurate. I have had multiple families articulate exactly this and express zero interest or passion for their kid learning Spanish. It's very annoying.

I don’t believe you have had “multiple families” articulate (haha) that they are using Spanish immersion to escape their own schools. I call BS.

Maybe they like the idea of having choices for middle school after immersion (home, Westland, SSI), but no one is choosing immersion for these reasons only. The classes are enormous! The teachers don’t stick around for very long. The local CC families are kind of jerky and jealous about the program.

Easily half of the immersion fifth grade class continues at Silver Spring International or goes back to their home middle school.

I have had kids in immersion and none of them continued to Westland/BCc- it was too far. But I loved that they got the exposure to Spanish!

The full immersion programs at RCF and Sligo creek are relics from a different time- the new model is dual immersion and it’s way better- they put it in schools where at least half of the kids are native speakers of the target language. The dual programs are great bc the native speakers of Spanish are the experts for half the day. I wish they’d been around when my kids were little.

Or you meant to write the Spanish immersion families act like they are entitled and better than the "local CC families" ?

The bigger issue, IMO, is that the Immersion families are completely oblivious to the families in the English side. Whenever we meet a new Immersion family, they assume we are in immersion too, probably because I am white and my kids are blonde. So when they ask who my kids' teachers are and I respond with English-side teachers, they look at me blankly because they have no idea of who the English teachers are (and this is not the case for vice versa). A few years ago when my oldest was in 5th grade, a parent who I didn't know but with whom I was volunteering asked me what we options we were thinking of for MS, again, assuming that my kid was in immersion. It just gets old.

I know I’ll be crucified for being honest, but my DD’s run-ins with the English side have not been positive—she said many are mean, swear a lot, are physically violent. When the school would try to mix the groups together, she would be the target of their bullying. She has many friends on the immersion side.

Here it is, the SImmersion parent- "Spanish immersion side better." Just as a poster above had stated.

[Anonymous]

Gosh I wish they could expand these programs to whole school. It seems like the school within a school model is less than ideal for those in the English program, especially since many more want immersion than can lottery in.