PP, I think everybody would agree that PS-3 would be a good addition but as another poster said, there is a lot on their plate. I think the focus on current students is to be commended - it isn't just about money. If they wanted to do PS-3, they would have to have it already planned out by now. Yet there is still construction going on, they just finished a massive project, adding a grade per year. Quality over quantity -- I'm glad they are being careful about what they can handle. I'm a current YY parent and would love there to be PS-3 so my other child can attend next year but understand the rationale.

Do you know anything about this school? It has never had PK3. It just wasn't started.

While I agree from a language acquisition point of view that starting at 3 would be much better, especially with a difficult language like Chinese, I also understand there's only so much they can bite off at a time. They need to design the curriclum and hire new teachers for a new grade every year,

Right, sorry, I misspoke about "dropping" pk3.

I am not a YY or charter parent. I am a native speaker of a different Asian language, though and it seems to me that YY is missing, willfully, the opportunity here year after year to meet their mission of bilingual students.

Cut funds from elsewhere, shift the budget -- this can always be done although it's usually and admittedly quite painful. ie, maybe the pk4- 4th graders need a little less art every week for a year in order to fund those 2 new pk3 teachers and put them in their own room. Or music, or a math specialist? I'm not looking at their operating budget so I can't make specific recommendations. I have however managed a big budget and been a board member of a private school so I have a working knowledge of what is generally involved with priority shifting.

Catching them while they're young and within that window would seem a priority, given the schools stated mission.

Anonymous wrote:Entirely unrelated question: if the mission of this school is true bilingualism, why the $^@% did they drop pk-3?

Everyone knows the best window to begin language acquisition is those early years. Starting at 4 instead 3 strikes me as incredibly stupid. Space and budget concerns, assuming they exist, should've been foisted on another grade or aspect of the curriculum.

Do you know anything about this school? It has never had PK3. It just wasn't started.

While I agree from a language acquisition point of view that starting at 3 would be much better, especially with a difficult language like Chinese, I also understand there's only so much they can bite off at a time. They need to design the curriclum and hire new teachers for a new grade every year, including soon going into the middle school years for the first time (hot topic on these boards as you can see). So they can only stretch themselves so thin and I can imagine they didn't feel they could take on adding yet another grade next year.

- Not a YY parent (but one at another charter who understands charter growth issues)

Anonymous wrote:Entirely unrelated question: if the mission of this school is true bilingualism, why the $^@% did they drop pk-3?

Everyone knows the best window to begin language acquisition is those early years. Starting at 4 instead 3 strikes me as incredibly stupid. Space and budget concerns, assuming they exist, should've been foisted on another grade or aspect of the curriculum.

The school has never had preS-3. That program is not being dropped, it has never been part of the program, and it will not be added in 2012-13.

Why not added? Don't know. Admin has not said.

Entirely unrelated question: if the mission of this school is true bilingualism, why the $^@% did they drop pk-3?

Everyone knows the best window to begin language acquisition is those early years. Starting at 4 instead 3 strikes me as incredibly stupid. Space and budget concerns, assuming they exist, should've been foisted on another grade or aspect of the curriculum.

We applied around noon the day applications opened and ended up with a number in the lower twenties enough to get off the waitlist in May for preK.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there any benefit to handing in the application is person vs online? I was worried that if there is a stamped of people electronically applying at the same first moment, that there could be a problem. (For example, when I was shopping a great online sale once, I couldn't checkout before the promo ended because the server was swamped.) Any feedback from other parents who have applied in the past?

Nope. Time stamped.

But the question is, might the website hang up if 30 people are all hitting "submit" at 8:03 am? And I don't know the answer. As a current YY parent, I don't like recommending that you show up on campus at 8 am--and yet, that could be the safest option. (But if you do, please allow 10 minutes to park in the neighborhood & walk in, and make sure you park legally!!)

How badly do you want in? Yes, if you are there in person before they show up to open the doors, you'll probably be at the top of the line. Having said that, I know someone who was time-stamped electronically at 8:02 and was #9.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there any benefit to handing in the application is person vs online? I was worried that if there is a stamped of people electronically applying at the same first moment, that there could be a problem. (For example, when I was shopping a great online sale once, I couldn't checkout before the promo ended because the server was swamped.) Any feedback from other parents who have applied in the past?

Nope. Time stamped.

But the question is, might the website hang up if 30 people are all hitting "submit" at 8:03 am? And I don't know the answer. As a current YY parent, I don't like recommending that you show up on campus at 8 am--and yet, that could be the safest option. (But if you do, please allow 10 minutes to park in the neighborhood & walk in, and make sure you park legally!!)

I have heard they will have four classes (as opposed to this year's six classes). Each class is 18 kids so approx 72 total. I believe last year had six classes with a total of 108 but I believe that after spots were claimed by siblings, the total left was 86. I expect there will be many more siblings this year given the huge intake last year so 72 will go down significantly.

how many kids are they taking for preK 4 this year?

Anonymous wrote:Is there any benefit to handing in the application is person vs online? I was worried that if there is a stamped of people electronically applying at the same first moment, that there could be a problem. (For example, when I was shopping a great online sale once, I couldn't checkout before the promo ended because the server was swamped.) Any feedback from other parents who have applied in the past?

Nope. Time stamped.

Anonymous wrote:For those really interested in the school, their wait list is built based on the order the applications were received! (at least that's how they did it last year).

Hello??????
That's what it said! Jeez!!!

Is there any benefit to handing in the application is person vs online? I was worried that if there is a stamped of people electronically applying at the same first moment, that there could be a problem. (For example, when I was shopping a great online sale once, I couldn't checkout before the promo ended because the server was swamped.) Any feedback from other parents who have applied in the past?

For those really interested in the school, their wait list is built based on the order the applications were received! (at least that's how they did it last year).

Washington Yu Ying PCS will begin accepting applications for the
2012-2013 SY on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 8 am. Submit your
application online or in person at Washington Yu Ying PCS. The
deadline for applications to be included in the lottery will be
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 5 pm. The lottery will be held at 6 pm on
Wednesday, April 12, 2012. All applications received after the
deadline will be added to the waitlist following the lottery.

Info-sessions have been scheduled for 6:30 pm on the following dates:
October 26, 2011*
November 14, 2011*
December 6, 2011*
January 11, 2012
February 9, 2012
March 7, 2012
*Due to space limitations, we have a limited number of spaces
available for these info-sessions. Should you be interested in
attending, please call our front office at (202) 635-1950 or email
info@washingtonyuying.org to register.

NOTE: If you are currently enrolled, you do not need to re-apply, BUT YOU MUST apply for all siblings.

We will not have PreK3 next year.


Please share this information on other neighborhood listservs.

Thank you.