Anonymous wrote:I would definitely wait for Oyster. We moved inbounds during K year and have been there (now in middle school). Kids have joined the class in every grade we've been- 1-5th, so it does happen. This year in particular there seems to be a lot of flux.

Suerte!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would pull them for Oyster for sure, and Stokes maybe, but not MV.

Stokes has been a disaster with IPL. The kids will be way behind and teachers will have many challenges. I would not choose Stokes.

At least Oyster and MV offered more robust IPL. MV also has summer camp to catch up kids.

If there is any chance you will be staying long term, I would definitely make the move.

+1 I will make the move. It is very unlikely to get an offer from Oyster in K or 1st. After this year I don’t think stokes is worth it anymore.

I really don't understand this line of thinking. Schools will be back full time in the fall, why would a school that was good before the pandemic suddenly become bad after the pandemic because of how they handled the pandemic? Truly trying to understand because I hear this a lot and it would be one thing if DL showed the quality of teaching or curriculum to be sub par, but if the administration was fine before, wouldn't they be fine after?

Don’t you think that how they handle the pandemic is a reflection of how good the administration is?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would pull them for Oyster for sure, and Stokes maybe, but not MV.

Stokes has been a disaster with IPL. The kids will be way behind and teachers will have many challenges. I would not choose Stokes.

At least Oyster and MV offered more robust IPL. MV also has summer camp to catch up kids.

If there is any chance you will be staying long term, I would definitely make the move.

+1 I will make the move. It is very unlikely to get an offer from Oyster in K or 1st. After this year I don’t think stokes is worth it anymore.

I really don't understand this line of thinking. Schools will be back full time in the fall, why would a school that was good before the pandemic suddenly become bad after the pandemic because of how they handled the pandemic? Truly trying to understand because I hear this a lot and it would be one thing if DL showed the quality of teaching or curriculum to be sub par, but if the administration was fine before, wouldn't they be fine after?

Anonymous wrote:I would switch for Oyster but not the others. But I do know several families who were able to lottery jnto Oyster from MV in mid elementary -- they were not happy with the academics at MV, but knowing Spanish helped them lottery into Oyster (which I think doesn't take kids who don't know Spanish after a certain grade?)

Anonymous wrote:Problem is we absolutely looooove their current DCPS, which is a wonderful school. Also one sibling has single digit WL numbers at Oyster, Stokes, and most other bilingual schools, which is the only reason why I entered them in the lottery. If not for bilingualism, there's really no reason we should leave our beloved and wonderful DCPS. What do you think?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. This is a very tough decision. I am fluent in three languages (English is my third language) and used to be fluent in a 4th but lost a lot of it due to no longer using it. My kids only know English and I would love for them to know at least one other language but I know making the move will be very tough and perhaps even traumatizing for the kids, who do not respond well to big changes.

Ah, okay, this is helpful context.

First, how much outside supplementation do you plan to do if you switch to an immersion school? If exposure was your goal, I wouldn't worry. But if you expect anything more than basic conversational skills, you have to put in outside effort. Particularly at the charters because there isn't a preference for native speakers. Don't uproot your children unless you're realistic and comfortable with the level of fluency immersion kids achieve in these schools, both with and without outside supplementation.

Second, there is no longer a guarantee at DCI, which is the middle and high school feeder for the charters. People debate this strongly, but there's probably about 50/50 shot at DCI from MV, maybe less if it gets more popular and fewer people at feeders choose Latin and Basis over DCI. Balance that against leaving a "beloved" DCPS with a middle that is making "great strides."

Third, you will not get a spot at Oyster for either grade. You can check the historic waitlist data for that. They usually make 0 offers for both grades, last year was the first year since 2015 they made any offers and it was 2 for K and 4 for 1st. That was likely a fluke and I wouldn't count on it again. Same with Bancroft and Marie Reed, if you listed those. They make 0-3 offers for those grades and they're usually to kids with sibling preference, i.e., not your kids. If it's your kindergartener with the good WL number, you may get an offer at DCB this year since they're expanding that grade. You will probably get an offer at Stokes, plus MV8 and LAMB SD if you listed those schools. LAMB doesn't usually fill seats after K, so I don't think your 1st grader would get an offer or be pulled off the waitlist from the K offer. I would go through the historic waitlist data for all of your schools and familiarize yourself with how many offers the immersion DCPS schools make versus the charters. https://public.tableau.com/views/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay?%3Aembed=y&%3AshowVizHome=no&%3Adisplay_count=y&%3Adisplay_static_image=y

What is your current DCPS? I'd be very hesitant to move kids from a school that you are happy with to either Stokes or MV, unless you feel very strongly about the language exposure and have realistic expectations about how strong the language instruction is. Likely your DCPS has stronger academics as well, so consider that versus the language exposure as well.

It depends what your DCPS option is. But Stokes and MV are wonderful schools, and the path to dci is a bonus. Also, as to DCI feeders, I expect that DCI will expand its MS/HS in order to accommodate the expanded elementary school enrollment. At least they've talked about doing this in the past, so if demand continues, t should be a reality by the time your kids reach MS/HS. Plus, you can always go back to your DCPS - you typically only get a shot at DCI through a feeder, and then usually only in the very early grades. And the DCI feeders don't have "weaker academics" than the popular DCPS schools. They just generally have more socioeconomic diversity than the coveted WOTP schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would pull them for Oyster for sure, and Stokes maybe, but not MV.

Stokes has been a disaster with IPL. The kids will be way behind and teachers will have many challenges. I would not choose Stokes.

At least Oyster and MV offered more robust IPL. MV also has summer camp to catch up kids.

If there is any chance you will be staying long term, I would definitely make the move.

+1 I will make the move. It is very unlikely to get an offer from Oyster in K or 1st. After this year I don’t think stokes is worth it anymore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would pull them for Oyster for sure, and Stokes maybe, but not MV.

Stokes has been a disaster with IPL. The kids will be way behind and teachers will have many challenges. I would not choose Stokes.

At least Oyster and MV offered more robust IPL. MV also has summer camp to catch up kids.

If there is any chance you will be staying long term, I would definitely make the move.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. This is a very tough decision. I am fluent in three languages (English is my third language) and used to be fluent in a 4th but lost a lot of it due to no longer using it. My kids only know English and I would love for them to know at least one other language but I know making the move will be very tough and perhaps even traumatizing for the kids, who do not respond well to big changes.

Ah, okay, this is helpful context.

First, how much outside supplementation do you plan to do if you switch to an immersion school? If exposure was your goal, I wouldn't worry. But if you expect anything more than basic conversational skills, you have to put in outside effort. Particularly at the charters because there isn't a preference for native speakers. Don't uproot your children unless you're realistic and comfortable with the level of fluency immersion kids achieve in these schools, both with and without outside supplementation.

Second, there is no longer a guarantee at DCI, which is the middle and high school feeder for the charters. People debate this strongly, but there's probably about 50/50 shot at DCI from MV, maybe less if it gets more popular and fewer people at feeders choose Latin and Basis over DCI. Balance that against leaving a "beloved" DCPS with a middle that is making "great strides."

Third, you will not get a spot at Oyster for either grade. You can check the historic waitlist data for that. They usually make 0 offers for both grades, last year was the first year since 2015 they made any offers and it was 2 for K and 4 for 1st. That was likely a fluke and I wouldn't count on it again. Same with Bancroft and Marie Reed, if you listed those. They make 0-3 offers for those grades and they're usually to kids with sibling preference, i.e., not your kids. If it's your kindergartener with the good WL number, you may get an offer at DCB this year since they're expanding that grade. You will probably get an offer at Stokes, plus MV8 and LAMB SD if you listed those schools. LAMB doesn't usually fill seats after K, so I don't think your 1st grader would get an offer or be pulled off the waitlist from the K offer. I would go through the historic waitlist data for all of your schools and familiarize yourself with how many offers the immersion DCPS schools make versus the charters. https://public.tableau.com/views/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay?%3Aembed=y&%3AshowVizHome=no&%3Adisplay_count=y&%3Adisplay_static_image=y

What is your current DCPS? I'd be very hesitant to move kids from a school that you are happy with to either Stokes or MV, unless you feel very strongly about the language exposure and have realistic expectations about how strong the language instruction is. Likely your DCPS has stronger academics as well, so consider that versus the language exposure as well.

It depends what your DCPS option is. But Stokes and MV are wonderful schools, and the path to dci is a bonus. Also, as to DCI feeders, I expect that DCI will expand its MS/HS in order to accommodate the expanded elementary school enrollment. At least they've talked about doing this in the past, so if demand continues, t should be a reality by the time your kids reach MS/HS. Plus, you can always go back to your DCPS - you typically only get a shot at DCI through a feeder, and then usually only in the very early grades. And the DCI feeders don't have "weaker academics" than the popular DCPS schools. They just generally have more socioeconomic diversity than the coveted WOTP schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. This is a very tough decision. I am fluent in three languages (English is my third language) and used to be fluent in a 4th but lost a lot of it due to no longer using it. My kids only know English and I would love for them to know at least one other language but I know making the move will be very tough and perhaps even traumatizing for the kids, who do not respond well to big changes.

Ah, okay, this is helpful context.

First, how much outside supplementation do you plan to do if you switch to an immersion school? If exposure was your goal, I wouldn't worry. But if you expect anything more than basic conversational skills, you have to put in outside effort. Particularly at the charters because there isn't a preference for native speakers. Don't uproot your children unless you're realistic and comfortable with the level of fluency immersion kids achieve in these schools, both with and without outside supplementation.

Second, there is no longer a guarantee at DCI, which is the middle and high school feeder for the charters. People debate this strongly, but there's probably about 50/50 shot at DCI from MV, maybe less if it gets more popular and fewer people at feeders choose Latin and Basis over DCI. Balance that against leaving a "beloved" DCPS with a middle that is making "great strides."

Third, you will not get a spot at Oyster for either grade. You can check the historic waitlist data for that. They usually make 0 offers for both grades, last year was the first year since 2015 they made any offers and it was 2 for K and 4 for 1st. That was likely a fluke and I wouldn't count on it again. Same with Bancroft and Marie Reed, if you listed those. They make 0-3 offers for those grades and they're usually to kids with sibling preference, i.e., not your kids. If it's your kindergartener with the good WL number, you may get an offer at DCB this year since they're expanding that grade. You will probably get an offer at Stokes, plus MV8 and LAMB SD if you listed those schools. LAMB doesn't usually fill seats after K, so I don't think your 1st grader would get an offer or be pulled off the waitlist from the K offer. I would go through the historic waitlist data for all of your schools and familiarize yourself with how many offers the immersion DCPS schools make versus the charters. https://public.tableau.com/views/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData/MSDCPublicDisplay?%3Aembed=y&%3AshowVizHome=no&%3Adisplay_count=y&%3Adisplay_static_image=y

What is your current DCPS? I'd be very hesitant to move kids from a school that you are happy with to either Stokes or MV, unless you feel very strongly about the language exposure and have realistic expectations about how strong the language instruction is. Likely your DCPS has stronger academics as well, so consider that versus the language exposure as well.

Anonymous wrote:OP again. This is a very tough decision. I am fluent in three languages (English is my third language) and used to be fluent in a 4th but lost a lot of it due to no longer using it. My kids only know English and I would love for them to know at least one other language but I know making the move will be very tough and perhaps even traumatizing for the kids, who do not respond well to big changes.