Closest Spanish preschool program to Dupont area - charter or DCPS.

[Anonymous]

I've seen a lot of posting for immersion programs that sound very exciting. However, I live near downtown and the logistics of LAMB or Stokes seem a bit challenging. Can anyone tell me about other Spanish immersion programs in NW, no further away than Columbia Heights? I read something about Centronia, but that looks like daycare, not preschool.

[Anonymous]

Marie Reed Elementary School.
Bancroft.
Communikids (private).
DC Bilingual (located in Centronia)
Centronia (free starting at age 3 - the Universal PreK program). - best thing to do is go to the Centronia office at 14th & Columbia and ask directly about both programs. Their website is not reliable.
Elise Whitlow Stokes (this IS in Columbia Heights).

You can e-mail [e-mail] to get a complete listing of elementaries with Spanish immersion. Also go to focusdc.org and look at the school chooser for a list of bilingual programs.

[Anonymous]

DCBilingual Charter School. I think it is near 16th and COlumbia. It is a charter school that is only for 3 and 4 year olds. A lot of people really like it. I have no first hand experience, so hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about will chime in.

Also, Bancroft (a public neighborhood school) in MtP is dual language immersion. It starts at 3 year old Pre-school. Lots of different opinions on Bancroft.

Cooke (also a public neighborhood school) in Adam's Morgan has 3 and 4 year old classes. Not dual language, but there is Spanish instruction. There are a large portion of spanish speaking kids in the classes and there are spanish speaking aides in each class, so I have heard that the early classes at Cooke end up being more "bilingual" than advertised (which is a plus for the English speaking kids). (Cooke is having an open house tomorrow at 9am).

[Anonymous]

Stokes is in Brookland. DC Bilingual is at 14th & Columbia, and is a full charter school with PS and PK kids. Centronia also runs a separate PS/PK-only program out of the same building -- that's the one you have to stop by in person to sign up for.

[Anonymous]

If your child will be 4 in Sept and already speaks Spanish (or Spanish is used a lot by your family), apply to Oyster as Spanish-dominant. Long shot on lottery, but doesn't hurt to spend the 5 minutes to apply online a long with Bancroft in Mt Pleasant. Unlike Oyster, it now has option of Spanish-only immersion or well as bilingual. (Sounds like Tyler on Capitol Hill is beyond your commute.)

DC Bilingual Charter in Columbia Hts is run by CentroNia but it is not the daycare program. (Kind of confusing sounding.) Open house is March 9th I think.

Here are some other ideas.
Kids Corner on Conn & California and Rosemount in Adams Morgan are more daycare oriented, but you may want to check them out as short term options.

Private schools to look at for sake of comparison incl Little Flower Montessori Bilingual at 16th & Columbia. Washington International in Georgetown and CommuniKids in Tenleytown both have Spanish-only immersion, vs bilingual, preschool.

Hth

[Anonymous]

How is Marie Reed? Didn't realize it was bilingual.

[Anonymous]

Isn't there a Charter not to far - Butler?

[Anonymous]

Butler offers Spanish 2x week as does Francis Stevens for preschool. Not immersion but options for you if you want something close to downtown and a shorter commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCBilingual Charter School. I think it is near 16th and COlumbia. It is a charter school that is only for 3 and 4 year olds. A lot of people really like it. I have no first hand experience, so hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about will chime in.

Also, Bancroft (a public neighborhood school) in MtP is dual language immersion. It starts at 3 year old Pre-school. Lots of different opinions on Bancroft.

Cooke (also a public neighborhood school) in Adam's Morgan has 3 and 4 year old classes. Not dual language, but there is Spanish instruction. There are a large portion of spanish speaking kids in the classes and there are spanish speaking aides in each class, so I have heard that the early classes at Cooke end up being more "bilingual" than advertised (which is a plus for the English speaking kids). (Cooke is having an open house tomorrow at 9am).

DC Bilingual is NOT just a pre-school!! It serves Pre-k 3 through 5th Grade and is AWESOME. www.centronia.org or 202-332-4200. Next open house is on March 9, at 9:30a.m. Great program, great facility...my kids are so happy. Teachers are amazing. Go there. Apply!!