Fort Hunt Elementary - Spanish Immersion program

[Anonymous]

Can somebody give me the pros and cons to the Spanish Immersion program at Fort Hunt Elementary?

Also any insight into the school in general? Trying to decide if we want to send our oldest there or to a Catholic private school.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We’re optimistic about now that we have a new administration and incredible STEAM Lab for grades K-6. Our 4th grader is nearly fluent and Spanish is her second language. Pass Advance on both Reading and Math SOLs last year, but she would have done that at any school.

PTA is strong and welcoming. Community is outstanding.

[Anonymous]

You can’t just “decide” to send your child there. There’s a lottery, and you have to get a spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can’t just “decide” to send your child there. There’s a lottery, and you have to get a spot.

Op here - we are zoned for Fort Hunt Elementary. So we are required to go there if we go the public school route.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can’t just “decide” to send your child there. There’s a lottery, and you have to get a spot.

If you live in the neighborhood, there is no lottery. Lottery is for people zoned to other schools.

[Anonymous]

We were very happy there. Both our kids qualified for AAP but we didn’t activate until middle school. They made the adjustment fine and are doing well in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were very happy there. Both our kids qualified for AAP but we didn’t activate until middle school. They made the adjustment fine and are doing well in high school.

Did they do Spanish immersion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can’t just “decide” to send your child there. There’s a lottery, and you have to get a spot.

If you live in the neighborhood, there is no lottery. Lottery is for people zoned to other schools.

Not according to the FCPS website. The lottery is countywide meaning everyone has to register for the lottery regardless of where you live:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/world-languages-immersion-programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can’t just “decide” to send your child there. There’s a lottery, and you have to get a spot.

If you live in the neighborhood, there is no lottery. Lottery is for people zoned to other schools.

Not according to the FCPS website. The lottery is countywide meaning everyone has to register for the lottery regardless of where you live:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/world-languages-immersion-programs

There is a county wide placement but many of the language immersion schools have 2 lotteries. The first is for kids attending the base school. If there are enough kids to fill the program from the base, that lottery picks first. If there are spaces after the base school kids have opted in, then there is a county wide lottery. Parents at the base school have to apply for the program but are most likely to be accepted into the program.

All the language immersion programs are opt in programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were very happy there. Both our kids qualified for AAP but we didn’t activate until middle school. They made the adjustment fine and are doing well in high school.

Did they do Spanish immersion?

Yes, most neighborhood kids do the Spanish immersion program. And, at least in the past, there were enough spots for everyone who wanted Spanish, neighborhood with priority but also the people who lottery in from nearby areas.

[Anonymous]

Does your child have to already be fluent in Spanish to be in the Immersion program? Or just have the basics in Spanish?

[Anonymous]

I have a 6th grader and a 1st grader there. Students do not need to know Spanish to enroll in the Immersion program, but enrollment must happen in K or grade 1. My 6th grader could have gone to our AAP Center for Level IV but we chose to keep her in the Immersion program. She’ll continue Spanish in middle school and can take Algebra 1 and all Honors classes. Once in high school, she may want to study a third language. Fort Hunt provides a great foundation and the administrators and teachers are fantastic.