All children who are eligible to attend a traditional public school are eligible to attend any charter school, including students with special needs and those who are English Language Learners. Students are admitted to a charter school through a random lottery. However, charter schools typically must give admissions preference in the lottery to children who reside in the school district in which the charter school is located.
- We have 100% drop-in, guaranteed Beforecare and Aftercare. For instance, you can attend every day or just one day per month. All you have to do is notify your child’s teacher that day, and the school bills you at the end of the month.
- We are one of the only schools in DC that offers staff-led Beforecare and Aftercare.
- Students can experience programming such as yoga, dance, STEM, music, art, GeoPlunge, cooking and more.
- Pricing is scaled based on income, ranging from $5 per day to $20 per day.
Yes! For a very reasonable tuition, Sela offers its own unique brand of Summer Camp to all incoming students, including incoming PreK3 students. This is a great way for students to get accustomed to Sela.
With our brand-new Wallholla playground structure — one of DC’s newest landmarks! — PreK students receive 60 minutes total of outdoor time per day (two 30-minute blocks), while Elementary students receive 30 minutes total of outdoor time per day.
Sela’s class sizes varies from 10 to 20. Each classroom has two teachers (an English teacher and Hebrew teacher).
Foreign language skills offer children a lifelong ability to communicate with more people and a window into other cultures. Not only does language learning support academic achievement and provide cognitive benefits to students, it also affects attitudes and beliefs about language learning. Foreign language competency in many cases has shown to lead to overall increased school performance and superior problem-solving skills. Hebrew is a unique language with ancient roots in Near East culture. At the same time, Hebrew is a fascinating case of an ancient language that was revived in modern times, and is today at the heart of a vital and flourishing culture that bridges Europe and Asia, East and West. Hebrew is an entrée to other Semitic languages, including Arabic. Hebrew introduces young children both to the syntax and to a common vocabulary shared by Arabic and other Near Eastern and Asian languages that are in high demand by the U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Defense, as well as commerce and international development agencies. The Hebrew language has a challenging but not insurmountable level of difficulty for English speakers.
We teach Hebrew in a 50/50 immersion model. Each homeroom (except 5th grade) has a Hebrew teacher and an English teacher. There are dedicated blocks of instruction for both English and Hebrew, and both are taught by 2 teachers. Math is taught by the English and Hebrew teacher together. Hebrew is woven into the rest of the day.
No. Like all other public schools, Sela PCS is completey secular and non-religious. We welcome students families of all religious backgrounds. Diversity by Design is part of our mission.
Hebrew is a distinct language and culture that stands on its own. It is naturally associated with Judaism, but it is not inherently religious – much the same way that Greek is not inherently Greek Orthodox, Arabic is not inherently Muslim, Italian is not inherently Roman Catholic, or English is not inherently Anglican. The best proof of Hebrew’s secular nature is the fact that has long been taught and studied at public schools and colleges across America without raising any First Amendment issues. For example, Hebrew currently is being taught at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, Townsend Harris High School in Queens, in middle and high schools in Long Island, at Bellaire High School in Houston, and at several schools in the Chicago area, among others.
PreK students have quiet time every day, and the time ranges depending on PreK3 or PreK4.
- PreK: Creative Curriculum
- Elementary Math: Eureka Squared
- Elementary ELA: Arts & Letters
- Elementary Science: PhD Science
- Elementary Social Studies: Homegrown Curriculum based on DC standards
- Hebrew: Sela-specific curriculum depending on the grade level
- We use a local vendor, Genuine Foods, to deliver fresh meals cooked daily 2 miles away.
- Breakfast and lunch are free for all students regardless of income.
- We offer vegetarian options but not vegan options.
- We offer allergen-free meals such as soy free, dairy free, etc. A doctor must certify a specific medical form to receive this allergen-free meal.
Sela has an amazing community of dedicated families. There are multiple playdates, meetups, movie nights and more scheduled throughout the year by individual classrooms, the school itself, room parents and the PTSA.
