Sela Public Charter School

6015 Chillum Place Northwest

Washington, DC 20011

School District

Sela Pcs
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:9
Type

charter

GreatSchools Rating

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 19, 2017

Our son is currently enrolled in PK-3 at Sela. We were a bit unsure how he would handle the language immersion environment, but he has done nothing but thrive. He loves going to school and can't say enough good things about his day. His teachers are caring and communicative and, as cliche as it sounds, the school environment really is that of a family (parents and students greeted by name by everyone from the Head of School to the front desk staff). Dr. Smith, the head of school, sets the tone of appreciating diversity and striving for excellence.Like all relatively new organizations, Sela certainly has areas in which it is continuing to grow and improve (for example, avenues for family participation in the school community), but it has clearly mastered the most important functions of a school -- providing a first-class education in a safe, nurturing environment. We look forward to returning next year.
Submitted by parent on June 28, 2016

Our son just finished his PK-3 year. Sela greatly surpassed our expectations. It is a wonderful community that is just small enough to feel like a family. Everyone in the school knew our son's name and helped him feel comfortable from the very first day. The teachers are lovely and warm and provide a supportive atmosphere for the children to encourage their growth and development. The staff and the Head of School are very approachable and responsive. The school is wonderfully diverse and the exposure to a new language and culture has been an invaluable experience. Our son already misses school tremendously and can't wait for his PK4 year to begin. My only complaint is I wish they had better outdoor space (the school isn't in the prettiest location) but you can't have everything.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2016

My daughter started in September and absolutely loves it. Her PK-4 teacher, Ronit and her assistant, Ben are great. This is a fairly new school so their is not as much competition as the older Charter Schools in the District so it is actually possible to get in. This also means that new parents have a say in what direction the school is heading and the leadership is extremely supportive of parent involvement.This school is a Hebrew immersion program. So what does it look like? The kids are exposed to Hebrew all day everyday, learn about a different culture and different people. This is the best way to learn a new language and the kids pick it extremely fast. The English is not forgotten and it is part of the curriculum. They will be bilingual within a couple years. What a great gift for our kids!My daughter has already picked up a lot of the Hebrew and is able to switch between the two languages. She also speaks some French as we speak it at home. Others speak Spanish at home. That's right, you will have multilingual kids coming out of this school!While Hebrew may not be as popular as Spanish, Chinese or French it is a great choice for a second language. Kids do not have a lot of opportunity to learn Hebrew latter in life but will have plenty of opportunities to pick up Spanish and French in High School. This program will give them an edge when all their peers speak some Spanish or French.This is not a Jewish School but a Hebrew Public Charter School. This is why you will find a very diverse population in the children attending this school. It is a reflection of our society and it is really great to get our kids exposed to this diversity.But this is not the only great thing about this school. They have a new STEM program that is picking up this year and it is really exciting. Thanks to a grant, the school is purchasing great equipment to support the Science and Technology program. Once again, this is a new program so parents input is really encouraged by the Principal and her team.A few words on the staff. As mentioned above, they welcome parents input. They also are really passionate about teaching at Sela and that is really refreshing. The Principal is really excited to have the parents involved in the life of the school and the teachers and their assistants are really great with the kids.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2016

Sela has been a phenomenal experience. The staff communicates; are informative; and are very passionate about the teaching. I appreciate the time, talent, and effort to ensure she transitions smoothly into this language immersion program. She has knowledge of some of the material they are currently working on due to previous school experience but is not bored because she is partnered with similar groups of kids/learners, This keeps her challenged and consistently learning. Which she shares and demonstrates when she is at home "teaching us". She is enjoying Sela, learning Hebrew, and going to school. Thank you Sela. We appreciate the opportunity. This experience ("Community") has been phenomenal.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2015

There are so many things I love about this school so this will have to be long.Israel has the #1 most effective language immersion program in the world (not kidding - that's how they assimilate people from so many different countries), so I knew this school would be on point with foreign language instruction. Boy was I right. No rote memorization like when ivwas in school. No vocabulary lists! The teacher plays the guitar and they sing songs, and they use hand gestures can easily guess what is being said. We speak French at home, and and not only is she speaking Hebrew after only 4 months, her French dramatically improved as well! I guess what they say about immersion programs enhancing that part of your brain is really true. They also purchased an iPad for every child this year, and will be teaching the kids programming and other activities through their STEM program. We are not Jewish, but we have also found that being part of a Hebrew charter school connects us to our Judeo-Christian heritage in meaningful ways. The principal is talented, visible, accessible and extremely hard working. She does not tolerate mediocre teaching, and has already fired one teacher this year. The director for the English curriculum used to be the trainer for all the early childhood development specialists in DCPS, and uses the same teaching theory as School within a School (creative learning, I think it's called?)Best of all, the teachers are so loving, they just open their hearts up to the kids. My daughter cried every Saturday and Sunday morning for the first 10 weeks of school because it was not a school day.
Submitted by parent on November 30, 2015

I can't say enough wonderful things about Sela. My daughter is currently in Ms. Lital and Ms. Orit's pre-K 3 class and to say they are fantastic teachers is an understatement. They make learning so much fun for the kids via song and dance (sometimes even with yoga!) and my daughter was singing and counting in Hebrew after only a couple of weeks in their class. Not only do these amazing teachers maintain a class website to regularly communicate with parents about what the kids learned that week, but they welcome individual phone calls and emails from parents as well. (They even called me the first day of school just to ease my anxiety!) The head of school, Dr. Smith, and the administrators are equally communicative and responsive - they get back to me even on evenings and weekends! I am still amazed that the teachers and administrators know every child and his or her family by name. Needless to say, I would give the school more than five stars if I could!
Submitted by parent on November 23, 2015

Sela is a great school. Our daughter is in PK3 and the teachers are wonderful. They find fun ways for children to learn Hebrew through games, dance, stories, even yoga! Our daughter has learned so much already. The administration is very responsive to parents' concerns and ideas.
Submitted by parent on November 09, 2015

Sela is awesome! This is my daughter's first year (PK4) and she loves it! The staff and parents are invested in the school and work together to make the learning experience top notch. Since school began, my daughter has picked up on several terms and is getting better and better at understanding the Hebrew language. In fact, she sometimes responds to me in Hebrew (after only roughly 2 months). It's truly a family oriented atmosphere that is welcoming to all. I can't wait until my son starts school at Sela next Fall. 5 STARS for sure!!!!
Submitted by parent on November 03, 2015

Sela is an amazing pace. I have two kids that are there this year 2015-2016. My daughter in is pre-k 4 and my son is in first grade. This is our first year and already we are loving it. The school, particularly the Head of School Dr. Smith and rest of the administration are completed invested in making the school a success. They know each kid's name and their family. They are focused on making sure each and every kid gets exactly what they need. Whether it is more advanced math or Hebrew work or extra help with reading and writing in English - it doesn't matter they are there to make it happen. The art classes are wonderful and even the gym teacher is awesome! We are delighted with school so far and it is absolutely amazing how much Hebrew my kids have learned in this short time. The school is very caring, nurturing and provides a safe space for my kids to learn in a positive and respectful way all while be academically challenged. It is a great place..
Submitted by parent on February 14, 2015

My son has been at Sela since September and his Hebrew already far surpasses what I learned in eight years of Hebrew school. Not only does he get to exercise that part of his brain and have a whole new concept for language, but through Hebrew he'll have access to his Jewish heritage in a way I wish I'd had. Parents who want to raise Jewish kids should consider Sela. For Jews who can't swing JPDS or DCJCC tuition or whose kids are too old to attend, Sela is a great alternative. Something else I love about Sela is that it's completely secular, which makes my work as a secular Jewish humanist parent much easier. The staff is fantastic--enthusiastic, attentive and kind. Classes are small and the administration is as involved in my child's success as his teachers are.
Submitted by parent on December 10, 2014

SELA has been an amazing start to my sons education, he is only in Pre K. From the star he jumped right in and the teachers and administrators were right there with him! He fully immersed himself in learning Hebrew, telling me what common household items were called in Hebrew and even writing his name in English and Hebrew for family and myself. I love how the staff is hands on and willing to help the child. It is a family oriented school and that means a lot to me as a mom. My son will be continuing his education at SELA!
Submitted by parent on November 25, 2014

My daughter has been in the Sela language-immersion program for only two months, and she is already able to have extensive conversations in a foreign language. Most importantly, she begs to go to school every day! This proof speaks to the high-quality of Sela's teachers, who instill a true love for learning through games and songs, all while imparting the education and life skills that compete with the best private schools in the nation.
Submitted by parent on November 25, 2014

Im so Grateful that I found Sela!!! Sela is a wonderful school, my son is excelling academically, he is almost fully immersed in Hebrew day to day (Prek4) but I also see improvements in his English communication. As another parent pointed out, its amazing how much Hebrew he knows after just a couple of months, he comes home and teaches me! Sela has fantastic Administration and Teachers, they are extremely communicative and instill a love of learning in the children daily. The children at Sela will be amongst the Top in the city academically due to their great program and dedicated staff. Sela is a Brand New school with a foundation modeled after Yu Ying, each year a grade level is added as students progress. I fully expect Sela to be a school with a mile long waitlist after a few years but right now its one of DC's best kept secrets, a free public charter with a private school quality education! Get your kids in Sela while you still can! :)