Oyster Adams featured on CNN’s United Shades of America
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Anonymous
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In the latest episode of his CNN show United Shades of America, comedian W. Kamau Bell travels to Washington DC to visit “the other DC.”
“Bell also visits Oyster-Adams Bilingual School where about half the students are native English-speakers, the other half are native-Spanish speakers, and all students start learning Mandarin Chinese in 6th grade. When Bell mentions that Latinos are not necessarily the population someone might think of when they think of D.C., Oyster-Adams principal Mayra Cruz responds saying “You can’t have D.C. without Salvadorans.”” The Adams students that Bell interviewed were so poised, articulate and confident. Great job Oyster Adams—you represented DC well! https://dcist.com/story/19/05/29/these-people-and-places-are-the-real-d-c-according-to-comedian-w-kamau-bell/ |
Anonymous
I agree. I watched the show last night and the Oyster students did an awesome job! |
Anonymous
Same. Those kids were wonderful! |
Anonymous
Time for a Hispanic Mayor!!! |
Anonymous
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They were great. The principal clearly knows the kids there well.
And there are stars like those kids at *every school* in this city. |
Anonymous
DC is 11% Hispanic. I would think there would be a white mayor first. |
Anonymous
Unfortunately only 1/3 of the 6th graders at Oyster Adams study Chinese. He got the facts wrong |
Anonymous
Yes, I caught that (I’m an Adams parent). In order to take daily Mandarin classes in 6th-8th grade at Adams, students have to be on grade level in math, English and Spanish by the end of 5th grade. I love that those students are now eligible to take a trip to China in 7th grade—great experience! |
Anonymous
| So only a third of students are on grade level by 5th grade? |
Anonymous
I’m not sure how it evens out, but my 3rd graded is performing above grade level in everything but Spanish. That is just at the lower end. I know of friends whose kids are the same, but who also have led me to believe 4th grade is a pivotal year for immersion students where everything clicks together after a cumulative building period. (FWIW we can and do speak Spanish at home.) |
Anonymous
If you have seen some of the obsessive threads about this, you should know you can be both Hispanic and white 
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Anonymous
I don't remember the specific qualifications but one of my DDs didn't get into Chinese even if she's fluent in Spanish and above grade across the board. My sense is that is was quite restricted and clearly ABOVE grade level. |
Anonymous
You are right. But not all whites are Hispanic. |
Anonymous
No, almost 75% of OA students are at or above grade level, based on PARRC scores (4s and 5s). However, PARCC tests reading and math, not Spanish. In order to qualify for 6th-8th grade Spanish at Adams, students have to be *at least* at grade level in all three subjects. By the end of 5th grade, Adams students must have at least a 60 DRA/EDL score in order to take Mandarin the following year. A 60 is equivalent to a 6th grade level reading score, so students actually have to be above grade level by the end of 5th—and Adams is very strict about this cutoff. I’m not sure what the cutoffs are for English and math. When you think about it, it makes sense. If you’re struggling in math, English or Spanish, why would you add Mandarin to your plate? |
Anonymous
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This is a fascinating part of Oyster-Adams history that few people know about.
How was the school able to rebuild its old campus, back in the 90s, without getting taxpayer money? https://www.esc-pau.fr/ppp/documents/featured_projects/usa_oyster_school.pdf It explains why there's those condos right overlooking the playground...a wise price to pay to ensure the school survived and thrived. |