Week in Comments: Moms Council and More

This week we had our first , where our council of parents discuss a topic or answer a question. This week we chatted about MCPS' foreign immersion programs.

Council member Kristen Walker Painemillia is hoping to get her son into one of the Spanish immersion programs:

For me, the immersion programs are important as we are bringing our children up in a bilingual home and this type of program provides ongoing support and strengthening.

My son will enter kindergarten next year so I have already register him in our local school and sent in my lottery form for the 3 Spanish programs although they are not all the same.

Next up is going to all of the open houses!

Readers chimed in with their own experiences. Sandra Masone writes

I am a mother of three. My oldest daughter is in first grade in the French Immersion at Sligo Creek ES. My second daughter will begin kindergarten at Sligo next year in the French Immersion. My husband and I are thrilled with the immersion program. My daughter did not speak any french at the beginning of kindergarten. She is now reading and writing in french. And her accent is perfect! The faculty works impressively hard alongside consistent budget cuts to the immersion programs. If anyone is interested they should apply. If you are invited to the program and you decide it isn't right for your child, you can decline the invitation. Montgomery County needs to know there are plenty of parents interested enough to apply to the immersion programs. This is a wonderful opportunity for your children.

JustAMom's kids have finished with the immersion program:

Benefits: 
Students come out of the program reading, writing & speaking Spanish very well. My children didn't continue to Westland but did enter in Spanish for Spanish Speakers Level 1 in middle school. In high school my daughter is taking Spanish Honors Level 4, which I believe is the same class she would be taking had she continued on at Westland and then BCC. Their accents are blended as they had teachers from many locations around the world & it makes for a great accent.

Downside: 
Spanish 
They don't teach WHY you use which verbs or words when you speak because it's taught as a native class. They still don't like to read in Spanish for pleasure.

English 
Parents needs to be aware that the school is NOT going to teach your child English spelling or grammar. That this is something your child is almost always going to be a little behind on or using spell check for or you tutor them. But don't panic... It all works out in the end. My children are currently in Pre IB English and Adv 8 English (a high school level English for 8th graders).

When we were at RCF, they had an exchange program with teachers from Spain & this was an amazing program. Sadly, MCPS stopped this program & this did impact the quality of the program. While they still have native speakers, it's just not the same as having these young teachers from Spain.

We also introduced a new feature, , highlighting great students and unique kids from our area. Johnny commented the same day:

Congrats nephew. You just don't know how good it feels to say that's my lil nephew. You keep it up with this great accomplishment, with many more to come.