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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Oyster. The class curriculum there especially at the elementary level is highly challenging for students. And it's amazing how the children are learning two languages at once. Stretching their minds. The teachers there are really, really good too. They love teaching and it shows. They challenge the students and truly rise to the occasion (they should be paid more). Our daughter is receiving an outstanding foundation there. We are very glad we are in the school.

That said, we know all the other schools have amazing teachers and curriculum too. It's a matter of where you think you and your child will do best.[/quote]

Will you stay in Oyster for middle school? Why or why not?

TIA!![/quote]  Oyster-Adams parent, but not PP, here. There [i]was [/i]a point when many families were gung ho to stay at Adams. A few who started in pre-K or around the 2007 combination of Oyster and Adams can be found in 7-8th now. But this was before the explosion of charter middle school options and specialized language charter schools.

A PP gave more detail, but basically there are many families who already speak two or more languages before they even start Oyster. It's not exactly amazing what they do, but it is generally well executed. Math in PK-3 is generally OK and is done in Spanish. But there is no elementary science teacher, or even much of a science focus, in Oyster building.

The specials are OK. I've seen better. Art is now in English and PE is in Spanish. Music used to be all in Spanish but the part-time, PTO paid music teacher teaches songs mostly in English now. The librarian has been there for 20 years and has really good, but gringo-accented Spanish. And doesn't seem to have any interest in e-books.

The upper school, grades 4-8, have full-time, DCPS-staffed science and specials teachers. But lots of people are unhappy with the quality of math and Spanish language instruction in the upper grades. The logistics are a nightmare and the wealthy condo neighbors are often unhappy.

There's a lot of uncertainty with boundary and feeder changes, building options nearby, DCPS hurdles with hiring and retaining Spanish teachers, and a small middle school in an elementary building.

It's not uncommon for parents of all backgrounds and languages to "start shopping" in 2nd or 3rd grade before kids go to the Adams building. Even within the same family, some kids do really well at O-A, but some don't. A significant number of students from well-educated, Spanish-dominant parents tend to leave quietly before 6th. They are sometimes  replaced by students from the other DCPS dual-immersion Spanish-English schools. But not always. So the middle school grades are really small. Meanwhile, none of the other elementary dual-immersion DCPS schools feed into Adams.

Long answer to a short question. Most folks are taking it year by year.[/quote]

So, are many of the IB kids leaving OA by 4th grade, to avoid the upper school? I hadn't really understood the structure before. Why is it touted as so great if most people leave after 3rd or 4th grade, or at least don't stay until 8th? It is like people use it for the very early years and move on to avoid Adams?[/quote]

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