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Help! Looking for Spanish Immersion Schools
kaimonogirl January 2, 2009
We are relocating our family to Chicago and are looking for Spanish Immersion schools for our son. He's 3, so we're looking for a preschool for now, but also trying to look ahead for elementary schools. We were looking at the Lincoln Square/Roscoe Village areas, but I've yet to find anything other than Language Stars (which doesn't seem structured enough) for Kindergarten readiness. I'm open to Chicago Public Schools , too, as long as the school is a good one and safe. I'm not finding any direction/information in our desired area. Is Oak Park my only option with their multiple montessori schools? Thanks for any and all advice!
healthy11 January 3, 2009
Hi. Have you looked at http://www.cps.edu/Programs/Academic_and_enrichment/Language/Pages/DualLanguageImmersionProgram(Spanish).aspx
I'm not sure at what age their programs begin, but there is contact information listed, so you can probably phone them to ask, once school resumes after winter break on Monday....Hope this helps.18339
bellegogo January 30, 2009
I live in Roscoe Village. Both neighborhoods are great. As your child gets older you might find that the language emphasis isn't as important as you think it is when they are so young and impressionable. I have two 10 year olds and it is just something I noticed.
LAnguage Arts is just an afterschool type program. My sister loves her Spanish Immersion program in Barrington but you have to choose rolling hills versus city living. If you are looking for quality neighborhood schools, consider Bell, HAwthorn, LaSalle(not in the neighborhood.) St Bens and St Andrews have performed well also. You have to weigh a Spanish immersion versus a school that might be better able to focus on a enriching critical thinking education. I would opt for better overall test scores and culture of a school over the immersion. Good luck and enjoy Chicago.18338
drjohnson January 30, 2009
kaimonogirl
I know someone in Evanston who sent her kids to this pre-school in Evanston.
http://www.puerta-abiertapreschool.com/
This school is located on the south end of town, near the Chicago border. The pros are that it's less expensive than the north end of town, but with an activist community that will probably bring a rise in property values. However the con, is that being the less expensive part of town, there are more social problems here. There are good, ok and bad pockets.
Another neighbor sent her kids to Language Stars on top of regular pre-school, a very pricey proposition.
Then she enrolled them in Evanston Public Schools in their TWI (Two-Way Immersion) program. There are several schools where this magnet program has classrooms. But the magnet program is run by lottery. It's very popular. You may not get in, or you may end up having your child bused to a school farther than your neighborhood school. There is some talk about trying to put all of the classrooms in one building, but so far it's scattered.18337
kaimonogirl January 31, 2009
Thank you kindly for your helpful information. I had not yet heard of Puerta Abierta.
It's unfortunate that the American school system does not automatically integrate foreign language acquisition in all schools. Parents shouldn't have to choose between a "good school" and a language acquisition school. If the rest of the world can figure it out, why can't we?18336
bellegogo January 31, 2009
Most all of the schools that I have researched with excellent test scores offer french or spanish just not immersion from either SK or at the very latest 1st grade. If the focus is on language at the school, by 3-4 grade they begin to offer another language. My children have been studying French since Kindergarten and this year added Latin and it is quite easy, having had the brain exposed. Chicago schools, public and private, offer a diverse offering whether arts, language, altruism, etc. I think it is rather amazing how diverse our city's school offerings are considering the lack of homogeneity in our culture. It is frustrating as a parent when you have an ideal for your child.18335
mayatin February 4, 2009
Both of my children attend Intercultural Montessori Language School. The school is opening a second campus in the Chicago West Loop. I liked the school so much that I took a part time job in the office. The school's website is www.interculturalmontessori.org if you want to get more information about the dual-language immersion programs.18334
e19tellez July 21, 2009
My daughter attends Namaste charter school which is located in McKinley Park ( 38th and Paulina) They have a Dual language program. It's a year round school were they start at 8:30 till 4:00 pm Mon thru Thursday and then on Friday they get out at 1:30. Here is the schools website for more info. The only thing is that they don't offer preschool. They start in Kindergarten.
www.namastecharterschool.org18333
verdon9 October 19, 2011
One program that was not mentioned is the inter-American Magnet school in Chicago which is a dual language program from pre-k through 8th grade. If you are serious about having bilingual children, this is great program. It is however a lot more work for English dominant families as much of the homework comes and must be done in Spanish. 74248
jamesfcy689 April 25, 2012
I live in Rockton/Rosco, IL and I'm looking for some sort of program for my little ones to learn Spanish. I would like something like an immersion program or even an after school program where they go several times a week. Right now my oldest is 3 but I would like to start her as soon as possible. Can anyone else?78042
vmjimenez May 9, 2012
My daughters attend Intercultural Montessori Language School.
They have a campus in Oak Park and Chicago off of Racine and Jackson.
I am very happy with the program. My oldest is in 1st grade and is reading and writing at a third grade level in two languages. They have Spanish, Japanese and Chinese.
Hope that helps.
You would have to apply to CPS schools if you are looking for language schools.
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