Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can you tell me about the Spanish immersion program at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School? How does the school compare to other English-speaking schools in the area? How does it compare to the Spanish immersion elementary schools (Bancroft, Oyster) in DC? What is the environment like there?

If you are in DC, stick with Oyster. Do not move to Montgomery County for a Spanish immersion school. Advice from a friend who did just that and is regretting the decision.

Your friend must have either gone to a two-way immersion school or didn’t get selected in the lottery. No one would regret going to RCF immersion.

To the OP—to get into RCF immersion, it’s a lottery, so to move to moco to be in a lottery is pretty high stakes betting imo.

It is a lottery. Moving to Montgomery County for a chance at RCF immersion? Don't. Stay in DC. If you already live in MoCo, go for the lottery if you're trying to escape your not-so-fabulous neighborhood ES or want your kid to immerse in another language.

There are other full immersion programs that are also very good, like Page ES. If you are interested in immersion my suggestion would be to apply for all the MCPS programs your child is eligible for and then decide once you get the lottery results. There are many, many more applicants than available spots.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can you tell me about the Spanish immersion program at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School? How does the school compare to other English-speaking schools in the area? How does it compare to the Spanish immersion elementary schools (Bancroft, Oyster) in DC? What is the environment like there?

If you are in DC, stick with Oyster. Do not move to Montgomery County for a Spanish immersion school. Advice from a friend who did just that and is regretting the decision.

Your friend must have either gone to a two-way immersion school or didn’t get selected in the lottery. No one would regret going to RCF immersion.

To the OP—to get into RCF immersion, it’s a lottery, so to move to moco to be in a lottery is pretty high stakes betting imo.

Anonymous wrote:What can you tell me about the Spanish immersion program at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School? How does the school compare to other English-speaking schools in the area? How does it compare to the Spanish immersion elementary schools (Bancroft, Oyster) in DC? What is the environment like there?

If you are in DC, stick with Oyster. Do not move to Montgomery County for a Spanish immersion school. Advice from a friend who did just that and is regretting the decision.

Some grades have higher turnover of the teachers in the Spanish immersion. Ask the school.

If having a Spanish speaking administrator is important to you, find out if either the school's acting Principal or the school's new Assistant Principal (AP) speaks Spanish.

The Spanish immersion typically has around 25 students in two classes. Students can be from anywhere in the county. Your kid may or may not have peers from your neighborhood. Harder to make friends outside school as you could if your kid went to their neighborhood school.

Anonymous wrote:What can you tell me about the Spanish immersion program at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School? How does the school compare to other English-speaking schools in the area? How does it compare to the Spanish immersion elementary schools (Bancroft, Oyster) in DC? What is the environment like there?

The school's Parent Association plans a fabulous fair in June before the end of school year. You can see the school and meet families from the Spanish immersion and the community at the fair.

Neighbor sent information: The Rock Creek Forest ES 5th grade class will hold a bake sale this Sunday, Feb 11, 10am - 1pm outside the school.

You may be able to find 5th grade Spanish immersion parents at the bake sale to ask them questions, OP. Always nice to hear from families directly. If you are new to MCPS, know that the Principal's duty is heavily on optics - giving parents the idea that everything is fabulous. While the old leadership may have been "phenomenal" as a PP stated, know that there are many things that will be swept under the rug as in other schools. Be involved in the school community.

Anonymous wrote:What can you tell me about the Spanish immersion program at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School? How does the school compare to other English-speaking schools in the area? How does it compare to the Spanish immersion elementary schools (Bancroft, Oyster) in DC? What is the environment like there?

A few other threads on Rock Creek Forest Elementary.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1181146.page#26658767

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1178324.page#26577590

It’s one of the most sought after ES language programs and for good reason. My DC graduated from RCF last year and it was amazing. Great education, great teachers, good community within a community. Your child will get to know the kids in that cohort very well- they tend to stick together within the school. We had very few discipline issues and the leadership was phenomenal. However They have a new (acting?) principal and a new AP so that may change things. But If you can get in- take it!

Anonymous wrote:What can you tell me about the Spanish immersion program at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School? How does the school compare to other English-speaking schools in the area? How does it compare to the Spanish immersion elementary schools (Bancroft, Oyster) in DC? What is the environment like there?

It’s different from DCPS programs in that nearly all content is in Spanish (other than specials). It’s
immersion, unlike the DC programs, which are dual language after K.

What can you tell me about the Spanish immersion program at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School? How does the school compare to other English-speaking schools in the area? How does it compare to the Spanish immersion elementary schools (Bancroft, Oyster) in DC? What is the environment like there?