1. Rock Creek Forest Elementary School
¡Bienvenidos!
Welcome!
Rock Creek Forest Elementary School

2. Agenda Welcome and Introductions A Brief Tour of Rock Creek Forest
An overview of our Immersion Program
The MCPS immersion Program Application Process
Questions

3. *
07/16/96
Our Vision
At Rock Creek Forest Elementary School, we provide all students with the knowledge, skills, and habits that will empower them to become leaders in our society. *

4. Our Mission We strive to fulfill our vision by:
providing a rigorous instructional program for all children
developing relevant skills for students to compete in a global society
establishing healthy relationships to foster a positive environment for students, staff, and parents in our community.

5. Goals for Our Students
By the completion of fifth grade students are expected to: 1. Demonstrate literacy across all content areas by reading complex texts, writing for multiple purposes, speaking in a variety of situations, and using language effectively. 2. Perform at a proficient or advanced level on standardized achievement tests. 3. Apply skills and demonstrate knowledge in the content areas of the curriculum in keeping with state standards.

6. Curriculum 2.0 Renewed focus on teaching the whole child
Nurtures skills that build confidence and success
Engages students beyond reading and mathematics, to spark greater interest in science, social studies, information literacy, art, music, physical education, and health.
Integrates thinking, reasoning, and creativity, for a lifetime of learning.
Enhances learning by connecting subjects.
Communicates student progress through a “standards based” report card
Provides parents with more information about the student knows and is able to do in relation to grade-level expectations.

7. School Tour

8. Spanish Immersion Program
The Spanish Immersion Program follows the MCPS Program of studies at all grade levels.
Most children in immersion program not only learn the second language, but they achieve skills appropriate to their grade level

9. Class Capacity
Grade
Class Size
Kindergarten
26 students
1st
27 students
2nd
3rd
4th
28 students
5th

10. Assessments
Students in the Spanish Immersion program are evaluated in a variety of ways.
Assessment in Spanish:
Teacher and team made assessments:
Exit cards
Observations
Quizzes
DRA (Evaluación del desarrollo de la lectura)
Assessments in English:
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
Computer-based
Primary Math (MAP-P), Grades K-2
Math (MAP-M), Grades 3 -5
Reading (MAP – R), Grades 3-5
The Maryland Schools Assessment (MSA)
Grade 5 Science
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)

11. Language of Instruction

12. K- Orientation Kindergarten Orientation: May 19th and 20th 2016
Application for Immersion Program begins February 1st with a deadline of April 8, 2016.

13. Together We Achieve!

14. Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services (DCCAPS)
Montgomery County Public Schools Elementary Immersion Programs
Division of Consortia Choice and
Application Program Services (DCCAPS)
Facilitating the Outreach and School Assignment Processes for the Consortia, Application, and Elementary Immersion Programs

15. Elementary Immersion Application Process
Immersion Interest Form
Step #1 Complete an Immersion
Interest Form Fill in the circle of each
program in which you would
like your child to participate.
Introduce self, questions will not be taken from the floor, but can be asked in a more intimate, small-group setting after the presentations are completed
An Immersion Interest Form must be submitted for every
student participating in the immersion process.

16. lottery (school assignment) process:
Step #2
Immersion forms are run
through a computerized
lottery process.
Step #3
Immersion school assignment letters are mailed to
students’ homes in late April.
Factors which may impact the
lottery (school assignment) process:
School capacity (space availability)
Sibling link – Please note that younger siblings of students currently in the immersion program in Grades K-4 have preference to the same immersion program on a space available basis.
Eligibility
Selection area priority (based on home address)
Number of applicants

17. What are some frequently asked questions?
How many students entered the last lottery year?
1002 students
651 of these students applied for a
kindergarten slot
How many seats were available for all of the immersion programs?
Click after the 89% comes up for next question.
Kindergarten: 286 seats
Grades 1- 5: Seats vary from year to year.

18. What are my options if I want to continue this program in middle school?

19. Elementary School (ES)
Montgomery County Public Schools Elementary Immersion Programs At-A-Glance
Elementary School (ES)
Language
Eligibility/
Selection Area Priority
Program Type*
Middle School (MS)
Continuation
Grades 6–8^^^
Transportation
College Gardens ES
1700 Yale Place
Rockville, MD 20850
Chinese
Countywide
Partial
Herbert Hoover
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) provides transportation from central stops for elementary school language immersion students from the areas served by the program.
Transportation may be provided for many of the special programs to and from central stops (usually at MCPS schools) determined by the MCPS Department of Transportation. Stops may be several miles from the student’s home. Parents are responsible for arranging transportation to and from central stops. Bus trips are usually significantly longer than local school transportation and may vary by program or location. It is important to carefully consider transportation options and responsibilities.
The continuation of transportation for the 2016–2017 school year for regional and countywide immersion programs is pending budget approval.
Potomac ES
10311 River Road Potomac, MD 20854
Local, then countywide
Maryvale ES
1000 First Street
French
Regional^
Total
Gaithersburg MS
Sligo Creek ES
500 Schuyler Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Regional^^
Silver Spring International MS
Burnt Mills ES
11211 Childs Street
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Spanish
Local, then elementary schools that feed into Francis Scott Key MS, then countywide
Rock Creek Forest ES
Temporary location:
7000 Radnor Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20817
Westland MS
Rolling Terrace ES
705 Bayfield Street
Takoma Park, MD 20912
Click after the 89% comes up for next question.
* Total immersion programs: The core curriculum (reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, and science) is taught in the second language.
Partial immersion programs: A portion of the curriculum is taught in the second language.
^ The following high school clusters: Winston Churchill, Clarksburg, Damascus, Gaithersburg, Richard Montgomery, Northwest, Poolesville, Rockville, Quince Orchard,
Seneca Valley, Sherwood, Watkins Mill, Wheaton, Thomas S. Wootton, and the Northeast Consortium–North (Residences north of Fairland and Randolph Roads)
^^ The following high school clusters: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, Walter Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Northwood, Walt Whitman, and the
Northeast Consortium–South (Residences south of Fairland and Randolph Roads)
^^^ To participate in a middle school continuation, parents must complete a Notice of Intent form by the February 20, 2016, deadline.

20. How will I know if my child is selected?
Parents will be sent a letter in late April. This letter will include:
The program/s that their child has been invited to and/or
A number indicating their rank order on the waitlist for the programs that they selected on the Immersion Interest Form.
How can I find out more information about the lottery process and programs?
Visit an immersion open house at each immersion
program and/or
Visit the website:

21. Is transportation available?
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) provides
transportation from central stops for elementary school language immersion students for the areas served by the program.
Transportation may be provided for many of the special programs to and from central stops (usually at MCPS schools) determined by the MCPS Department of Transportation.
Stops may be several miles from the student’s home.
Parents are responsible for arranging transportation to and from
central stops.
Bus trips are usually significantly longer than local school
transportation and may vary by program or location.
It is important to carefully consider transportation options
and responsibilities.
Click after the 89% comes up for next question.

22. Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services
What immersion programs are offered by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)?
MCPS offers seven elementary foreign language
immersion programs:
Two Chinese
Two French
Three Spanish
The two French programs and one of the Spanish programs are
total immersion. Two of the Spanish programs and both Chinese
programs are partial immersion.
In total immersion, all core subjects, including reading/language arts
are taught in the target language.
In partial immersion, some core subjects are taught in the target
language.
For more information, please call:
Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services

23. Can my child participate in multiple lotteries?
Yes, students may participate in one to all
seven lotteries.
Can my child continue in a middle school
immersion program after elementary school?
Yes, students can continue into the middle school
program. Parents must fill out a Change of School
Assignment Form (COSA) to make the request.
(See chart on slide 5)

24. Note: Students may apply to multiple programs.
Timeline
Open Houses – December through March
(varies per school)
For more information, visit each immersion school’s website.
Interest Forms Available February 1, 2016 Interest Form Deadline April 8, 2016
Parent Notification Late April 2016
Note: Students may apply to multiple programs.

25. as well as each school’s website
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information about the immersion lottery process, contact:
Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services (DCCAPS)
Karen Danco
Laura Johnson
John Rottiers
For information about each immersion program, visit
as well as each school’s website