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We are considering moving to the Charlotte area in the summer of 2014. Our daughter has been in a 50/50 Spanish Immersion program since Kindergarten. She'll be entering the 4th grade in fall 2014. I know there are 2 Spanish immersion programs in Charlotte: Oaklawn and Collinswood. Has anyone had any direct experience with either of these schools? Neither is in a neighborhood we'd like to be in. But, if the school is worth it, we'd be willing to commute a bit.
I'll be working from home and my husband will be looking for a job in wastewater treatment. We've seen that the Matthews area might be what we're looking for. We'd like a small town feel with good residential options that allow for privacy but accessibility. That being said, I'm not sure if the Matthews-Charlotte commute to school would be too daunting... Not to mention that none of her school friends would likely live nearby.
Collinswood is more established and probably superior.
Not sure where you are moving from, but most of the city south of uptown is quite suburban compared to northeastern cities. You can consider many areas of Charlotte itself and still be in a quiet residential area.
Matthews is nice though - has an actual town center in addition to lots of shopping centers (which are in abundance all over Charlotte)
Both Spanish schools in Charlotte are dual language, which differ from "immersion".
The only language immersion school in Charlotte doesn't offer Spanish. Just German, French, Chinese or Japanese.
But of the dual language schools I think Collinswood is probably better. It's a magnet school too I believe, which should mean it isn't defined by neighborhood boundaries. You may have some magnet competition though since everyone and their grandma speaks Spanish.
If you are okay with the commute, you might want to check out the immersion programs at some Union County elementary schools.
Union County elementary schools just started their immersion program this year, for the 2012-2013 year. So there isn't a fourth grade class for the OP, only a rising first grade class. And only Shiloh and Sun Valley offer the Spanish immersion, which aren't in the best clusters in Union County. Marvin and Kensington offer Mandarin only.
Union County elementary schools just started their immersion program this year, for the 2012-2013 year. So there isn't a fourth grade class for the OP, only a rising first grade class. And only Shiloh and Sun Valley offer the Spanish immersion, which aren't in the best clusters in Union County. Marvin and Kensington offer Mandarin only.
I knew Marvin was new, not the others. Sorry to mislead you, OP!
I must add that I wish they'd add this to ALL the elementary schools. Frustrating that my friends in other schools can do this, but we cannot.
Just to add some insight about language immersion I will share that I have a daughter in the language immersion program at Waddell and all I have to say is WOW!
What an incredible school! My daughter (rising second grader) is fluent in another tongue! And she's showing an aptitude for music (a talent neither her mother or I share). Her fluency has been confirmed by our au pair who expressed outright shock at her ability to converse. She said that our daughter speaks almost like a native speaker the same age. The only "issue" is some confusion between her adopted tongue and mother tongue's syntax, but she described it as slight and impressive nonetheless.
Just to add some insight about language immersion I will share that I have a daughter in the language immersion program at Waddell and all I have to say is WOW!
What an incredible school! My daughter (rising second grader) is fluent in another tongue! And she's showing an aptitude for music (a talent neither her mother or I share). Her fluency has been confirmed by our au pair who expressed outright shock at her ability to converse. She said that our daughter speaks almost like a native speaker the same age. The only "issue" is some confusion between her adopted tongue and mother tongue's syntax, but she described it as slight and impressive nonetheless.
What language is your daughter doing? Both my kids went through the French program. It is a great school.
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