Elementary School Choice (1 Viewer)

[Sinn Fein]

So, quick background, both of our kids attend a Spanish Immersion elementary school - they are taught math and science in Spanish, and Reading and Social Studies in English. The elementary school is a stand alone school (the entire school is part of the program). For middle school, and then high school, the program is a sub-set of a bigger school. Older daughter is finishing 5th grade this year, and continuing on with the program. At the 5th grade level, she is conversant in Spanish, and can read/understand Spanish on about a 3rd grade level. The program starts with 100 students chosen via lottery, but as students leave the program they are rarely replaced - students can start after kindergarten, but have to test into the program on the Spanish side. There are 28 graduates this year, and all of them have full scholarships to college, primarily because they have good counselors who have found a plethora of bi-lingual scholarship money.

Our younger daughter is finishing 3rd grade and has been accepted into the Accelerated Cluster program. This is done by invite only based on 96 percentile test scores on three separate standardized tests: reading, math, and a general IQ test. This program takes students starting in the 4th grade, and bumps their curriculum one year ahead. So she will be in 4th grade next year, but will be taught the 5th grade curriculum, with other 4th graders. This program also lasts through high school, and is the district's most challenging academic program. Kids graduate with an average of 9 AP classes, and seem to have their pick of colleges (with significant scholarship money awarded).

Younger daughter is young for her class, and is small for her age - but she is a hard worker, and mature enough to handle a tougher workload. Both programs are public schools, and we have to provide transportation to either school. She can opt out of either program at anytime, but if she leaves the Spanish Program she is unlikely to be able to get back in.

So the question is: would you stay with Spanish Immersion or shift to the Accelerated Cluster.

TIA. Will answer yours.

 

[Cjw_55106]

Accelerated Cluster for me. Outside of any possible bi-lingual scholarship money, I just dont see the benefit of knowing Spanish these days. Of course, that can differ depending upon what part of the country you live in.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

I'm a teacher and I don't know what the F all that means.

 

[Cjw_55106]

I'm a teacher and I don't know what the F all that means.

That is disheartening.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Accelerated Cluster for me. Outside of any possible bi-lingual scholarship money, I just dont see the benefit of knowing Spanish these days. Of course, that can differ depending upon what part of the country you live in.

Well, I think being bi-lingual is a life skill that will open more opportunities than it closes. And, with the growing Hispanic population in the country, I think it will be a useful skill to have. Obviously, you can always learn a language later in life, but I think it is easier learned organically as kids than later as an adult.

 

[Sinn Fein]

I'm a teacher and I don't know what the F all that means.

1. Kids are taught in Spanish, and are bilingual when they graduate high school.

2. Kids skip a grade, but do not graduate earlier, and remain with kids in their same age group

 

[Cjw_55106]

Accelerated Cluster for me. Outside of any possible bi-lingual scholarship money, I just dont see the benefit of knowing Spanish these days. Of course, that can differ depending upon what part of the country you live in.

Well, I think being bi-lingual is a life skill that will open more opportunities than it closes. And, with the growing Hispanic population in the country, I think it will be a useful skill to have. Obviously, you can always learn a language later in life, but I think it is easier learned organically as kids than later as an adult.

At least we know where the young lady got the book smarts.

 

[Cjw_55106]

I kid, I kid. Of course both are good options, I just think the second one is the better of the two.

 

[Keith R]

I voted Accelerated Cluster but would feel like I need a lot more information before making a real-life decision.

Let me ask this - 1) Does daughter understand her options? and 2) Does she have a clear, or even slight preference?

 

[Steve Tasker]

Will she be continuing her Spanish education even in the Accelerated program? Obviously not at the same level, but will she continue taking Spanish classes? As much as I love the concept of a Spanish immersion program, there are other ways to progress in learning Spanish other than the immersion classes.

 

[Cjw_55106]

I voted Accelerated Cluster but would feel like I need a lot more information before making a real-life decision.

Let me ask this - 1) Does daughter understand her options? and 2) Does she have a clear, or even slight preference?

Wouldnt that be ironic if she didnt?

 

[Sinn Fein]

I voted Accelerated Cluster but would feel like I need a lot more information before making a real-life decision.

Let me ask this - 1) Does daughter understand her options? and 2) Does she have a clear, or even slight preference?

She does understand - but I don't know that I am particularly happy about that. She knows that she is smart - and while she is still a hard worker, she can sometimes act like "I am smarter than you". She has two friends who are also faced with the same choice, although they will be attending different elementary schools, before coming back to the same middle school program. She will not know anyone in the new school.

We have toured the new school with her, and her preference is to attend the Accelerated Cluster. She does fine with the current Spanish part, but has not embraced it as much as her older sister - she tolerates, I suppose. She does not seem concerned at all about going to a new school.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Will she be continuing her Spanish education even in the Accelerated program? Obviously not at the same level, but will she continue taking Spanish classes? As much as I love the concept of a Spanish immersion program, there are other ways to progress in learning Spanish other than the immersion classes.

If we go down that road, we are certainly going to try - at a minimum, its likely that would be the language she takes in high school, and she should have enough background to hit the ground running. We are also looking into an online version of Rosetta Stone to at least keep the language fresh in her mind.

 

[James Daulton]

Curious as to why you're pushing Spanish so hard? I agree that it will be very useful to be able to speak it but if I were to push anything to young kids, it would be some sort of STEM curriculum.

Kids can also learn Spanish quite well as part of a typical school program. My son started in 6th grade, is now a college sophomore, and is fluent. My daughter is a high school sophomore and not fluent, but she understands it well and she will likely be close to proficient by the time she's out of high school.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Curious as to why you're pushing Spanish so hard? I agree that it will be very useful to be able to speak it but if I were to push anything to young kids, it would be some sort of STEM curriculum.

Kids can also learn Spanish quite well as part of a typical school program. My son started in 6th grade, is now a college sophomore, and is fluent. My daughter is a high school sophomore and not fluent, but she understands it well and she will likely be close to proficient by the time she's out of high school.

I actually lean the other way. But I think part of the dilemma is that once she leaves the Spanish program she can't get back in.

The Advanced Cluster is a great program, and it opens a lot of doors that most students don't have available to them. We have spoken with parents and teachers involved with both programs - and we have heard good arguments for each program.

 

[Sinn Fein]

And, the flip side to learning Spanish later in life is that instead of learning Spanish in High School and College, you can use that time to learn something else - things she can't study now.

The advantage to the Immersion program is that you learn Spanish and another subject (math and Science) simultaneously.

 

[johnnycakes]

Accelerated Cluster for me. Outside of any possible bi-lingual scholarship money, I just dont see the benefit of knowing Spanish these days. Of course, that can differ depending upon what part of the country you live in.

Well, I think being bi-lingual is a life skill that will open more opportunities than it closes. And, with the growing Hispanic population in the country, I think it will be a useful skill to have. Obviously, you can always learn a language later in life, but I think it is easier learned organically as kids than later as an adult.

Switch em to Chinese if you want them to learn a skill that is not only useful but probably valuable in the future.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Accelerated Cluster for me. Outside of any possible bi-lingual scholarship money, I just dont see the benefit of knowing Spanish these days. Of course, that can differ depending upon what part of the country you live in.

Well, I think being bi-lingual is a life skill that will open more opportunities than it closes. And, with the growing Hispanic population in the country, I think it will be a useful skill to have. Obviously, you can always learn a language later in life, but I think it is easier learned organically as kids than later as an adult.

Switch em to Chinese if you want them to learn a skill that is not only useful but probably valuable in the future.

I wish it was available...but its not in our district.

 

[James Daulton]

Curious as to why you're pushing Spanish so hard? I agree that it will be very useful to be able to speak it but if I were to push anything to young kids, it would be some sort of STEM curriculum.

Kids can also learn Spanish quite well as part of a typical school program. My son started in 6th grade, is now a college sophomore, and is fluent. My daughter is a high school sophomore and not fluent, but she understands it well and she will likely be close to proficient by the time she's out of high school.

I actually lean the other way. But I think part of the dilemma is that once she leaves the Spanish program she can't get back in.

The Advanced Cluster is a great program, and it opens a lot of doors that most students don't have available to them. We have spoken with parents and teachers involved with both programs - and we have heard good arguments for each program.

You think speaking Spanish will be more valuable than a STEM background?