Reply to current and potential immersion parents - watch out sneaky tactic to kick you out of bcc

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The problem with the RCF spanish immersion program is that it's located in a good school pyramid.  Parents who are scrambling to get away from a less desirable school pyramid apply just to be in the BCC.   Magnet programs should be used to draw the affluent/middle class families into the poorer communities to attend schools that would otherwise have few/limited students from middle-class families, not draw the  affluent/middle class families away from the DCC, which seems to be the trend.  It leaves the DCC schools with even fewer middle class families than it would have if everyone just went to their neighborhood school, it overcrowds the BCC (much to the dismay of the folks who pay the big bucks to live in that school assignment), and it makes it that much harder for parents with a genuine desire to expose their kids to a second language to get into the program because they're competing with a whole slew of applicants who just want anything but their home school.  I'm sure there's a story behind the location of the program or a rule behind it or something, and maybe of the elementaries in the BCC cluster RCF has a comparatively high FARMS rate which somehow justified placing the program there, but as a policy matter, and looking at the incentive structure the program creates, my instinct is to say MCPS is doing it wrong with this program.  The full immersion program should probably be in the downcounty.[/quote]

Westland immersion parent here.  I agree that the best solution is for MCPS to establish an immersion program continuation in high school somewhere.  [b]Otherwise the kids have no option for adequate language instruction and all that work and sacrifice is greatly diminished. [/b] I for one would send my child to a downcounty high school with an immersion continuation without hesitation -- I think most of the other parents agree.

The problem here is that the BCC cluster reps are acting in bad faith by not involving their immersion family constituents (all of whom pay PTA dues, volunteer, etc.) in the decision and at least informing them.  We have had NO communication from them on this point at all.  Even the RCF PTA won't speak up for the interests of half of its members.  It is appalling.

The second problem is that MCPS, during several meetings with Cluster Superintendent Garran, BoE member Shirley Brandman and others, promised that such a change would be conducted with great transparency and input from immersion parents, with plenty of notice.  Instead, this has been done on the sly with absolutely NO input from immersion parents.  This is a public school system, not a private school whose tuition is paid through taxes.  We should have been involved, informed, and our children's interests also considered.

The result is there are kids who are already well ensconced in middle school at Westland, whose families have made certain decisions about application magnets, etc., who now are going to be [b]scattered across the county for high school.  Many of these schools do not have the higher level language classes or the critical mass of high-level speakers to allow kids to maintain and continue to develop their language skills.[/b]
Maybe it is time for a change, but that doesn't mean that immersion parents should be dealt with in bad faith or treated like they are carpetbaggers.  I can tell you that I did not make the decision for immersion based on BCC -- in fact, my other child is not in immersion and goes to a different high school and is perfectly fine.  And the BCC parents are treating immersion parents in such an elitist, "I pay more taxes than you" way that it's really offensive.  We applied to a legitimate magnet program and operated under the assumption that the assurances of MCPS leadership would be followed through on.

The reality is that we are talking about a small number of kids -- about 20 - 25 per grade.  It's not going to make a dent in BCC's overcrowding but it's really an unfair and deceptive way to deal with these families.

[/quote]

French immersion parent here and I can tell you from experience that your fear is unfounded.  SSIMS French immersion kids are scattered everywhere and it works out for them.  I have had three kids go through the FI program and am very familiar with how this plays out.  They do FINE.  There *is* adequate language instruction for them at their home and at other MCPS high schools.  It works FINE.

Serious/non-sarcastic question:  Why do you think the MCPS Spanish immersion kids are entitled to what none of the other immersion kids have?

There will likely never be an immersion high school for these kids.  I think pursuing that amounts to tilting at windmills.

The deception you describe is a whole other story and while I know nothing about it, based on some of my experience with MCPS I believe that what you are saying is true.  FWIW.[/quote]

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