Reply to CHARTERS MAY MERGE AT WALTER REED (The DC International School, IB Diploma Programme)

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[quote=Anonymous]Just would like to introduce some numbers - I did a bit of research on Chinese immersion schools for a project last year and found that there were at least 50 and that was just by my rough count.  Utah alone had more than 10 (or at least immersion programs within schools).  http://utahchineseimmersion.org/

As for the stat re: a dozen bilingual kids at YY.  I don't know the number but I would have to say that it is more. In my DC's PK class, there were three including one who was a recent immigrant.  I saw this stat in a description of YY: 47% black, 32% white, 19% Asian and 2% other.  I am not sure how the bi/multiracial kids get counted (my child is mixed and I was stumped myself how to answer) but from my experience there is definitely a sizable amount of families with direct connections to China.

As for all this debate back and forth, I don't think anybody at YY (admins, parents, etc.) would not want more bilingual kids.  But there are laws to contend with and there is also the reality of DC - our population in this city is very different than North Carolina or San Francisco.  I feel like YY doesn't get a fair shake as it gets criticism from all ends - not enough FARMS, not enough outreach to Chinese speaking community, etc. etc.  In some ways, it must be doing something right as it seems every group complains (though the parents I know well--ie those in my child's class--are all very satisfied).  I see this trend in so many discussions about charter schools in general which has perplexed me.  If a certain interest group doesn't get its way or doesn't feel like the admin is doing enough (special needs, language, etc. etc.), then the school is lambasted.  What I don't see as much discussion as is what the school is doing right.  Is YY perfect?  Of course not, no school is.  Have I been satisfied as a parent?  Yes, beyond my expectations.  Look at what they did in just the one last year  - renovated a new school from top to bottom, added a large cohort of PK students, significantly increasing the school population, playground/field construction and now the construction of an outdoor classroom (in addition to the challenging day-to-day and all the other stuff I don't know about).  In the classroom, I was amazed by my child's progress as well as that of the entire class - night and day improvement from March to May - what a difference full immersion makes.  Two native-speaking Chinese friends have heard my daughter speak and said that her tones are good. Having studied Chinese as a non-Asian in China, I know the Chinese can be overly polite and kind on that front but they are American and I asked for their honest opinions.  And my daughter's Chinese pales in comparison to that of her classmates.  I loved the IB curriculum as I like the integrated approach and was able to track what she was learning through the year.

In regards to DCI, I would imagine that the reason why it is restricted to four feeder schools is because of pure numbers. I don't see YY or any school wanting to be "exclusive."  What I do see is demand that outstrips supply which is why I think there is definitely room for more immersion models, both charter and possibly DCPS (another bureaucratic challenge).  [/quote]

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