Application to Washington International School

Howdy readers! Snowpocalypse 2010 is upon us. As I type, Bob Ryan is on the 11pm news with his primary colors weather maps reporting that we're heading into the worst of the storm. Mike has already been outside three times shoveling accumulation off our porch and walk. I put the boys to bed around 9:30p but I am tempted to grab them and nestle them in between us when we finally retire.

Today was kinda nuts, I woke up at 5am to hit up the Safeway and get a weeks worth of rations, as instructed by all the area emergence management agencies. I thought going at 5am was a better plan than trying to go last night and I was probably right but the store was still nuts. Contrary to many reports warning that shelves were bare, I did find bread, milk and eggs... guess that means I'm making french toast!

Before everything shut down this afternoon, I was researching what to do next to take our case to the board of education when I remembered that I needed to check on the status of Andrew's application to Washington International School.

We applied there last October and have diligently been completing the numerous steps involved with the application process. We took him to get the requisite intelligence test, scheduled and attended his play visit with other kids his age at the school and asked his current school to fill out a student assesment. It feels like we're applying to college, but it also feels like it's totally worth it.

Washington International School (WIS) is amazing. Conveniently located (full sarcasm here) in Georgetown, WIS has a campus that inspires learning and growth. The school/grounds are beautiful. On the first floor, the Kindergarten rooms have ceiling to floor glass walls facing the hallway and mostly glass walls facing the outside, which offers a view of the custom built playground. Every Kindergarten room has its OWN door opening up to the playground. Each classroom has 2 teachers for roughly 12-15 students-- don't quote me on these numbers. I wasn't taking detailed notes back in October when I toured. Back then, I wasn't thinking about writing a blog chronicling this journey.

The program is similar to the one at Rolling Terrace as far as it being immersion, HOWEVER, the amazing thing is that it's an elementary International Baccalaureate curriculum. It's inquiry based and the children help generate what they want to learn about. But then when they choose what they want to learn about, what they need to learn is craftifly embedded in the subject they selected. Confused? Just check out the link. The IB people think this helps create more engaged world citizens. The curriculum blew us away. We are sincerely hoping he gets in.

WIS makes clear that after taking kids who have siblings at the school, and carefully thinking about balancing the ratio of boys and girls there may be only 3-4 slots for boys or 2-3 slots for girls, etc. Then there's the price tag. WIS Kindergarten costs $25,525 per year. Yeah, I typed that right. We can't afford the sticker price, which is why I am fighting so hard to try and get Andrew into Rolling Terrace, but we are filling out the financial aid forms and we'll see if we could get assistance if he is somehowbythegraceofgod admitted. We should know by mid-March.

Next week, I'll be folowing up with the Montgomery County Board of Education. I think it involves going and speaking during "open comments" time at a BOE meeting. I'll keep you posted... Also next week, we'll see what's up with Burnt Mills elementary's Spanish Immersion Program.