J. L. Long Middle School in Lakewood (Dallas, Forney: foreclosure, how much)

[Lakewooder]

DFW_Mike: Is it your business in life to try to run down the schools in Lakewood? Obviously you don't understand a school that is not completely homogeneous.

[Ramona72]

Originally Posted by DFW_Mike

Interesting use of resources.

Although we don't go there, that would make me raise my eyebrows too. It reminds me in my day when some schools got trendy and offered Japanese. Chinese and Arabic are the new Japanese and Russian. Does Woodrow offer Mandarin? If not, what happens to their language study when they get to high school?

In terms of foreign languages, I would prefer Latin, French, and Spanish and then only expand beyond that if you can ensure continuity and a robust curriculum. A couple of years of stand-alone Mandarin isn't going to do anything for anybody and I also question whether that is the best use of resources.

[Lakewooder]

Please read up on: About Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation which is providing resources for IB and other programs not funded by the district.

[Ramona72]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Please read up on: About Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation which is providing resources for IB and other programs not funded by the district.

Is that who's paying for the Mandarin teacher and have they also arranged for one at Woodrow? I would still question why that language in particular. Do Woodrow and Long already offer French and Latin?

[jennifw]

Originally Posted by Ramona72

Is that who's paying for the Mandarin teacher and have they also arranged for one at Woodrow? I would still question why that language in particular. Do Woodrow and Long already offer French and Latin?

I wonder this, too. I live in Lakewood and my child would attend Long/Woodrow if we chose to go that route. She is on track for a dual-language IB diploma at a different school. It is a specialized school, but does not have enough interest for a Mandarin Chinese track. Perhaps the teacher at Long actually teaches something else but has a free cycle to teach Chinese, too? That is what gets the press instead of just saying they hired a new teacher? Has there been an interst in introducing this language? (ie. are all of the French, German & Spanish classes at capacity?)

Is that the plan for Long/Woodrow? If they are offer Mandarin in middle school, will it be offered at Woodrow for a dual-language IB diploma? I do agree with the other posters who wonder about this being a good use of resources if there are other areas where that funding may be better utilized.

[Lakewooder]

The last I heard the plan is for the Woodrow students to combine with TJ (Thomas Jefferson HS) students for Mandarin.

[Macbeth2003]

Mandarin is the single most spoken language in the world today. It is the spoken language of the country that does the most manufacturing for the US. It is the spoken language of the country that si one of the fastest growing economies in the world. French is offered in most schools only by tradition it is one of the least usable languages one can learn. Same goes for Latin (the it helps with the SAT myth is just that). If there is only one other language taught other than Spanish Mandarin is the most logical candidate. A junior high student in say 2011-2012 will be graduating college and entering the workforce around 2022, and working till into the last half of the 21'st century (how scary is that . Mandarin is a language that will be incredibly valuable to know.

[dallas90210]

I talked to some DISD insiders today, and Long middle school is pretty rough. I would avoid the high school too - it was recently or currently is rated academically unacceptable. You definitely should consider private schools if you live in Lakewood

[Macbeth2003]

For someone who doesn't live in Dallas, and hates it, and considers the Long/Woodrow area the ghetto, you sure spend a hell of a lot of time talking to insiders about it, researching it, posting about it. What feeds your desire to be an anti DISD, and old east Dallas/ Lakewood troll?

[Lakewooder]

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