Anonymous
Post 09/28/2024 10:57     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Ooh- yeah, PP here. The French immersion teachers at Sligo Creek ES are long-timers. I don’t know what the difference is, but the same is not true for Spanish at RCF.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2024 10:55     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
PP with the long post.

My comment about teacher turnover is just based on my kids’ experience there. It is my impression only. Some of the regular teachers have been there forever. Only a few of the immersion teachers are long timers.

An AP once told me it’s hard to find legit native speakers who are also certified MCPS teachers. And they have to be willing to still do MCPS curriculum, just in Spanish- there’s no “immersion curriculum”. So I think it’s maybe a hard job?

Still worth it, I hope that comes across in my post. You wind up with kids who speak another language without any special enrichment!
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2024 21:27     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.


My kid graduated 3 years ago but the program remains the same.

It will make your child fluent and literate in Spanish in the most natural way possible. All without you having to speak it. You don’t even need to have your child practice over the summer.

The classes are large and they use the same curriculum as the rest of Montgomery county, for better or worse.

There are only two classes for each grade so the kids know each other very, very well after six years, again for better or worse.

The teachers are actually native speakers, unlike high school Spanish teachers sometimes.

The school itself is new and well run with an active PTSA.

Immersion teachers turn over at a higher rate than other elementary school teachers.

If your child is discovered to have a disability like dyslexia, you have to be okay pulling them from the program.

Overall it’s great. The new dual language programs like at Oakland Terrace (and eventually at middle and high schools) are the new trend. MCPS will never add more full immersion schools like RCF.







Is teacher turnover really *high* in Spanish at RCF? If so, it’s the opposite at SCES in French. Just wondering if that was a typo or what you meant to say.

PP said turnover is “higher,” not “high.” So if other ES teacher turnover is 5%, immersion turnover could be higher at 5.1%.


Ok fair! I’m still a bit surprised though.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2024 20:20     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.


My kid graduated 3 years ago but the program remains the same.

It will make your child fluent and literate in Spanish in the most natural way possible. All without you having to speak it. You don’t even need to have your child practice over the summer.

The classes are large and they use the same curriculum as the rest of Montgomery county, for better or worse.

There are only two classes for each grade so the kids know each other very, very well after six years, again for better or worse.

The teachers are actually native speakers, unlike high school Spanish teachers sometimes.

The school itself is new and well run with an active PTSA.

Immersion teachers turn over at a higher rate than other elementary school teachers.

If your child is discovered to have a disability like dyslexia, you have to be okay pulling them from the program.

Overall it’s great. The new dual language programs like at Oakland Terrace (and eventually at middle and high schools) are the new trend. MCPS will never add more full immersion schools like RCF.







Is teacher turnover really *high* in Spanish at RCF? If so, it’s the opposite at SCES in French. Just wondering if that was a typo or what you meant to say.

PP said turnover is “higher,” not “high.” So if other ES teacher turnover is 5%, immersion turnover could be higher at 5.1%.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2024 17:55     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.


My kid graduated 3 years ago but the program remains the same.

It will make your child fluent and literate in Spanish in the most natural way possible. All without you having to speak it. You don’t even need to have your child practice over the summer.

The classes are large and they use the same curriculum as the rest of Montgomery county, for better or worse.

There are only two classes for each grade so the kids know each other very, very well after six years, again for better or worse.

The teachers are actually native speakers, unlike high school Spanish teachers sometimes.

The school itself is new and well run with an active PTSA.

Immersion teachers turn over at a higher rate than other elementary school teachers.

If your child is discovered to have a disability like dyslexia, you have to be okay pulling them from the program.

Overall it’s great. The new dual language programs like at Oakland Terrace (and eventually at middle and high schools) are the new trend. MCPS will never add more full immersion schools like RCF.



For those wondering about dual or immersion, here is an old post from a different forum:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/98769.page
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2024 17:33     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.


My kid graduated 3 years ago but the program remains the same.

It will make your child fluent and literate in Spanish in the most natural way possible. All without you having to speak it. You don’t even need to have your child practice over the summer.

The classes are large and they use the same curriculum as the rest of Montgomery county, for better or worse.

There are only two classes for each grade so the kids know each other very, very well after six years, again for better or worse.

The teachers are actually native speakers, unlike high school Spanish teachers sometimes.

The school itself is new and well run with an active PTSA.

Immersion teachers turn over at a higher rate than other elementary school teachers.

If your child is discovered to have a disability like dyslexia, you have to be okay pulling them from the program.

Overall it’s great. The new dual language programs like at Oakland Terrace (and eventually at middle and high schools) are the new trend. MCPS will never add more full immersion schools like RCF.







Is teacher turnover really *high* in Spanish at RCF? If so, it’s the opposite at SCES in French. Just wondering if that was a typo or what you meant to say.
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2024 17:24     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.


My kid graduated 3 years ago but the program remains the same.

It will make your child fluent and literate in Spanish in the most natural way possible. All without you having to speak it. You don’t even need to have your child practice over the summer.

The classes are large and they use the same curriculum as the rest of Montgomery county, for better or worse.

There are only two classes for each grade so the kids know each other very, very well after six years, again for better or worse.

The teachers are actually native speakers, unlike high school Spanish teachers sometimes.

The school itself is new and well run with an active PTSA.

Immersion teachers turn over at a higher rate than other elementary school teachers.

If your child is discovered to have a disability like dyslexia, you have to be okay pulling them from the program.

Overall it’s great. The new dual language programs like at Oakland Terrace (and eventually at middle and high schools) are the new trend. MCPS will never add more full immersion schools like RCF.





Anonymous
Post 09/27/2024 11:22     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.


Do you have a family in your neighborhood who has attended the immersion school? Start there.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2024 20:24     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 19:54     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.


Don't you mean a head librarian or a former head librarian? Maybe it was a different school think kid had one like that.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 11:54     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Which private has Spanish immersion? Will wait for your list.


Not PP but WIS definitely does.


Immersion? Or a Spanish class that can be taken while in ES/lower school?


WIS has immersion at the ES level.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 11:49     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.


As was a former counselor and admin? So the trend continues?

I think change has been good. New AP is great.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 09:40     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.


As was a former counselor and admin? So the trend continues?
Anonymous
Post 09/21/2024 18:34     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Anonymous wrote:Insufferable parents. Let the counselors and Admin get their work done. They are not sitting at their desk waiting for you to call.

Better yet, try private school. PUBLIC school is for the MASSES.


Are you a parent there? If you are, and this is the way parents at this school communicate to prospective families, better to skip over this school, or is it that MCPS lawyer and MCPS communications admin that always replies in this forum? Smh.
Anonymous
Post 09/21/2024 18:19     Subject: Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
Insufferable parents. Let the counselors and Admin get their work done. They are not sitting at their desk waiting for you to call.

Better yet, try private school. PUBLIC school is for the MASSES.