Anonymous
01/03/2014 19:14
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: If you want to be part of the school, and have your child be part of his or her class and school community, will you organize playdates and invite classmates to birthday parties when parents don't speak any English? Are you comfortable with doing this in a real, meaningful way and not as a cultural experiment because it sounds cool for your kid to learn a foreign language at age 3?
I think this is a valid point. As a parent at an immersion school that is very much a balance of higher and lower income families, there is a definite divide that is pretty hard to bridge- because it's language, income, lifestyle, etc. My kid isn't really friends with the lower income kids in the class- it's not a racial thing, as many of the black and Hispanic kids are higher income kids. I think the language barrier is pretty real for the kids, so they naturally gather with other kids who primarily speak English. The outcome is that when it comes time for playdates/birthday parties, are we going to invite kids who mine isn't friends with? These are real issues when it comes to bridging this divide. I guess my point is that it isn't easy, and it isn't "natural"- it takes real work.
Celebrate the child's birthday in the classroom or at a public place and not at home.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 18:31
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 13:30
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
PP- I think its a tough call on how many parents want to "get in grind"--does that mean sacrifcing your kids education in the early years just to try and make difference for a kid coming behind five years later? On one hand, I am all for getting my hands dirty, forming a PTA etc...but what does that mean for my kid NOW. sure, in ten years my IB may be another JKLM or Brent but thats probably because my neighborhood is gentrifying so quickly and the number of ELL students will keep shrinking (right now its over 60%). Do I want my kid to be the "only" without outside bday parties or play dates due to language and cultural difference. Do I want to left out on the playground because all the kids in her class are speaking spanish to each other. I don't know yet.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 12:47
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
It really is hard to build community when people don't do community things - bowling alone, online dating, Netflix, etc. We have become less socially-minded, period.
But schools are one of the few places we can really build community. And it can be done. No bridging of social gaps ever seems natural, but I think school is one of the few places where it even seems possible.
If you want to integrate DC - get involved in a DCPS school. It doesn't matter to everybody on a personal level, but it is a way to make a difference, and probably more of a difference-maker than a lot of volunteer opportunities out there.
Our school's parents group (at a school near Bancroft) is diverse, but working toward the same goals helps us bridge the big gaps.
The Bancroft parent cautioning how difficult it is to bring people together is right and that experience absolutely rings true. Speaking Spanish helps. But trying to reach out is actually most important - people do respond across culture lines better than you might expect if you're open and show you want to work. And the alternative is sitting back and waiting for things to get better.
I see school engagment as a real mission and the route to DC's rise. I'm optimistic and committed. Is this a unique point of view? I know DCUM is largely jaded and/or anxious - am I the only one who wants to get in and grind?
But schools are one of the few places we can really build community. And it can be done. No bridging of social gaps ever seems natural, but I think school is one of the few places where it even seems possible.
If you want to integrate DC - get involved in a DCPS school. It doesn't matter to everybody on a personal level, but it is a way to make a difference, and probably more of a difference-maker than a lot of volunteer opportunities out there.
Our school's parents group (at a school near Bancroft) is diverse, but working toward the same goals helps us bridge the big gaps.
The Bancroft parent cautioning how difficult it is to bring people together is right and that experience absolutely rings true. Speaking Spanish helps. But trying to reach out is actually most important - people do respond across culture lines better than you might expect if you're open and show you want to work. And the alternative is sitting back and waiting for things to get better.
I see school engagment as a real mission and the route to DC's rise. I'm optimistic and committed. Is this a unique point of view? I know DCUM is largely jaded and/or anxious - am I the only one who wants to get in and grind?
Anonymous
01/03/2014 12:40
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The irony of DC!! Clamoring to get in crappy schools bc PK is free, then leaving after a couple years when reality kicks in.
+1
Great, then don't apply. Many in-bounds families are working hard to make it a great school. I don't see how this is at all helpful to the question at hand, which is whether there will be OOB spots for PK3.
Another thread from an IB parent indicated that she wasn't giving it another try after this years. The administration is more focused on the needy.
I read that thread and found the most interesting part about it that he/she said nothing about the quality of the education.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 12:15
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Anonymous wrote: If you want to be part of the school, and have your child be part of his or her class and school community, will you organize playdates and invite classmates to birthday parties when parents don't speak any English? Are you comfortable with doing this in a real, meaningful way and not as a cultural experiment because it sounds cool for your kid to learn a foreign language at age 3?
I think this is a valid point. As a parent at an immersion school that is very much a balance of higher and lower income families, there is a definite divide that is pretty hard to bridge- because it's language, income, lifestyle, etc. My kid isn't really friends with the lower income kids in the class- it's not a racial thing, as many of the black and Hispanic kids are higher income kids. I think the language barrier is pretty real for the kids, so they naturally gather with other kids who primarily speak English. The outcome is that when it comes time for playdates/birthday parties, are we going to invite kids who mine isn't friends with? These are real issues when it comes to bridging this divide. I guess my point is that it isn't easy, and it isn't "natural"- it takes real work.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 12:03
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Anonymous wrote:Current Bancroft parent here with a little advice/forewarning for those dabbling in interest in the school because of its bilingual program.
Bancroft serves a nearly 80% native Spanish speaking low income population. It is not a bilingual school because it's trendy or because middle class parents think it would be cool for their kids to learn a second language and get ahead in life. It's bilingual because it has to be to better serve these children and their families. Immersion and bilingual ed is super trendy in DC these days, but you should go into this school with your eyes open.
Are you truly interested and willing to engage with the community at Bancroft? Do you have any Spanish language skills yourself? Are you willing to learn them? If you want to be part of the school, and have your child be part of his or her class and school community, will you organize playdates and invite classmates to birthday parties when parents don't speak any English? Are you comfortable with doing this in a real, meaningful way and not as a cultural experiment because it sounds cool for your kid to learn a foreign language at age 3? These are the realities of the school, and it's worth thinking about them before sending your kid for a year or two and then pulling out, as many (even most) middle class families do when they realize that the school takes commitment and work, especially because the teachers and administration are focused on serving a high needs population and, rightly or wrongly, may not prioritize serving high or even moderately achieving kids as much. Last year we attended an orientation with the former principal and she even said this outright. While she's no longer there, I'd be surprised if this attitude doesn't prevail among many of the teachers and administration. It is what it is, and it's worth knowing going in.
OP here, thanks for this perspective. I do speak Spanish fluently and am committed to involvement in my child's school, whatever it is. My IB school also has a vast majority of Spanish speakers but is not dual language. I would really like my daughter to become fluent in another language (I do speak to her in Spanish, but it is not enough--she goes to an English-speaking daycare and is surrounded by friends and families who speak English to her). I see having so many Spanish speakers in a dual-language school as a real attraction. I am still on the fence about applying to Bancroft, though, not for the reasons you articulate above, but because it seems like a lost cause, if all seats are going to OOB w/sibling and IB. Thanks again for your perspective.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 11:46
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Anonymous wrote:Current Bancroft parent here with a little advice/forewarning for those dabbling in interest in the school because of its bilingual program.
Bancroft serves a nearly 80% native Spanish speaking low income population. It is not a bilingual school because it's trendy or because middle class parents think it would be cool for their kids to learn a second language and get ahead in life. It's bilingual because it has to be to better serve these children and their families. Immersion and bilingual ed is super trendy in DC these days, but you should go into this school with your eyes open.
Are you truly interested and willing to engage with the community at Bancroft? Do you have any Spanish language skills yourself? Are you willing to learn them? If you want to be part of the school, and have your child be part of his or her class and school community, will you organize playdates and invite classmates to birthday parties when parents don't speak any English? Are you comfortable with doing this in a real, meaningful way and not as a cultural experiment because it sounds cool for your kid to learn a foreign language at age 3? These are the realities of the school, and it's worth thinking about them before sending your kid for a year or two and then pulling out, as many (even most) middle class families do when they realize that the school takes commitment and work, especially because the teachers and administration are focused on serving a high needs population and, rightly or wrongly, may not prioritize serving high or even moderately achieving kids as much. Last year we attended an orientation with the former principal and she even said this outright. While she's no longer there, I'd be surprised if this attitude doesn't prevail among many of the teachers and administration. It is what it is, and it's worth knowing going in.
\
Thanks for the reasonable response. This is my same concern about Bruce MOnroe. It transitioned to Immersion because it had to. I think 65% of the kids are ELL. I am curious though about how your kid did socially. I think the primary benefit of preschool is socialization, in and out of the classroom. My kid would be one of maybe three non ELL kids in the preschool and the only white one. Are there issues of exclusion or bullying from the others? Do all the kids speak spanish to each other outside of the classroom? I can't imagine there would be any play dates outside of school or birthday parties since most ELL parents work multiple jobs/weekends/don't speak English etc and I want my kid to be able to make some friends and socialize outside the classroom. Curious what you experienced.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 11:46
Subject: Re:Bancroft PS3 OOB
That is to say, at Bancroft and other dual-language schools, out-of-boundary with sibling gets in before inbound without sibling.
So then it stands to reason that OOB families without sibling are last in line for consideration. There's your answer, OP.
Are you truly interested and willing to engage with the community at Bancroft? Do you have any Spanish language skills yourself? Are you willing to learn them? If you want to be part of the school, and have your child be part of his or her class and school community, will you organize playdates and invite classmates to birthday parties when parents don't speak any English? Are you comfortable with doing this in a real, meaningful way and not as a cultural experiment because it sounds cool for your kid to learn a foreign language at age 3?
Thank you SO MUCH for putting this out there. We're IB for Bruce Monroe and for Powell and I have been finding it hard to articulate why I'm not as excited for a dual language public school as other parents in my neighborhood. I think learning a second language at an early age is great, but it's less important to me than sense of community and belonging. The growing number of committed families is compelling but, for me at least, it comes with a growing unease that we're just putting two separate communities in the same classrooms. Durably separate. If my kid gets a seat I'll want to learn Spanish myself and make an effort toward integrating with families outside the classroom. But that just doesn't seem realistic when I think about it.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 10:43
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
which is probably quite reasonable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The irony of DC!! Clamoring to get in crappy schools bc PK is free, then leaving after a couple years when reality kicks in.
+1
Great, then don't apply. Many in-bounds families are working hard to make it a great school. I don't see how this is at all helpful to the question at hand, which is whether there will be OOB spots for PK3.
Another thread from an IB parent indicated that she wasn't giving it another try after this years. The administration is more focused on the needy.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 10:42
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Current Bancroft parent here with a little advice/forewarning for those dabbling in interest in the school because of its bilingual program.
Bancroft serves a nearly 80% native Spanish speaking low income population. It is not a bilingual school because it's trendy or because middle class parents think it would be cool for their kids to learn a second language and get ahead in life. It's bilingual because it has to be to better serve these children and their families. Immersion and bilingual ed is super trendy in DC these days, but you should go into this school with your eyes open.
Are you truly interested and willing to engage with the community at Bancroft? Do you have any Spanish language skills yourself? Are you willing to learn them? If you want to be part of the school, and have your child be part of his or her class and school community, will you organize playdates and invite classmates to birthday parties when parents don't speak any English? Are you comfortable with doing this in a real, meaningful way and not as a cultural experiment because it sounds cool for your kid to learn a foreign language at age 3? These are the realities of the school, and it's worth thinking about them before sending your kid for a year or two and then pulling out, as many (even most) middle class families do when they realize that the school takes commitment and work, especially because the teachers and administration are focused on serving a high needs population and, rightly or wrongly, may not prioritize serving high or even moderately achieving kids as much. Last year we attended an orientation with the former principal and she even said this outright. While she's no longer there, I'd be surprised if this attitude doesn't prevail among many of the teachers and administration. It is what it is, and it's worth knowing going in.
Bancroft serves a nearly 80% native Spanish speaking low income population. It is not a bilingual school because it's trendy or because middle class parents think it would be cool for their kids to learn a second language and get ahead in life. It's bilingual because it has to be to better serve these children and their families. Immersion and bilingual ed is super trendy in DC these days, but you should go into this school with your eyes open.
Are you truly interested and willing to engage with the community at Bancroft? Do you have any Spanish language skills yourself? Are you willing to learn them? If you want to be part of the school, and have your child be part of his or her class and school community, will you organize playdates and invite classmates to birthday parties when parents don't speak any English? Are you comfortable with doing this in a real, meaningful way and not as a cultural experiment because it sounds cool for your kid to learn a foreign language at age 3? These are the realities of the school, and it's worth thinking about them before sending your kid for a year or two and then pulling out, as many (even most) middle class families do when they realize that the school takes commitment and work, especially because the teachers and administration are focused on serving a high needs population and, rightly or wrongly, may not prioritize serving high or even moderately achieving kids as much. Last year we attended an orientation with the former principal and she even said this outright. While she's no longer there, I'd be surprised if this attitude doesn't prevail among many of the teachers and administration. It is what it is, and it's worth knowing going in.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 10:34
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The irony of DC!! Clamoring to get in crappy schools bc PK is free, then leaving after a couple years when reality kicks in.
+1
Great, then don't apply. Many in-bounds families are working hard to make it a great school. I don't see how this is at all helpful to the question at hand, which is whether there will be OOB spots for PK3.
Another thread from an IB parent indicated that she wasn't giving it another try after this years. The administration is more focused on the needy.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 10:17
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The irony of DC!! Clamoring to get in crappy schools bc PK is free, then leaving after a couple years when reality kicks in.
+1
Great, then don't apply. Many in-bounds families are working hard to make it a great school. I don't see how this is at all helpful to the question at hand, which is whether there will be OOB spots for PK3.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 10:09
Subject: Re:Bancroft PS3 OOB
The actual irony is that these "crappy" schools are all fine for the poor kids, who should be happy with substandard education and communication, but the second that any of those kids want to attend one of your lily white WOTP schools, you are all up in arms.
Anonymous
01/03/2014 10:01
Subject: Bancroft PS3 OOB
or at least they try to but those schools are filling up fast with IB kids.