Almost a year
ago, we started on this journey with the hopes of making available some
form of a Mandarin language program in Redwood City. Since then, we have
spent countless hours planning, writing, designing, emailing,
researching, interviewing, sometimes even going door-to-door to reach
out to the community. We have had many conversations, discussions, and
meetings with parents, educators, administrators, and fellow MIP
organizers throughout the Bay Area. In reward for this hard work, we
really could not have asked for a better time and place for this group
of talented and committed individuals to come together to make this
project a reality. A perfect example of 天时 地利 人和.
At
last Wednesday night's School Board meeting, the School Board gave its
nod of approval to establish a K-8 (and maybe even K-12) Mandarin
Immersion Program in Redwood City Public Schools! We are certainly on
our way to making this real!
"Mandarin Two-Way Immersion Program" was second on the agenda that night. After
presenting the benefits of bilingualism and recommendations on program
implementation, curriculum, and admission, the School Board responded
with a few questions and supportive comments. A dozen or so parents and
children were in attendance and the lobby was abuzz with excitement
afterward. With the School Board's approval, the Superintendent's office
can now officially start planning and set a timeline to start a MIP in
fall of 2015.
A HUGE thanks to everyone involved! Thank you for your continued support!
There
is more work ahead of us to put a brand new program in place. The
school district as well as our parent group have expressed mutual
interest in working together as we move forward. We're looking to form
sort of a "pre-" Parent Teacher Association to help the Superintendent's
office in whatever way we can to make a great MIP for our students.
We're calling it the Mandarin Immersion In Redwood City (MIIRWC) Parents Group. Please email if you are interested in joining!
Mandarin Immersion Program in Redwood City, CA
Friday, September 26, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Meeting with Superintendent on 中秋节
Hope everyone had some moon cake for 中秋节, Mid-Autumn Festival!
Another good reason to celebrate Monday, September 8th is because we had a very productive meeting with the superintendent, several staff, and members of our task force. After spending the last few months researching and writing, we submitted a proposal to the superintendent's office in late August. As it turns out the proposal was well received and the superintendent's office has already started working on it!
The plan is to get the school board's approval to start an elementary level Mandarin Immersion program in fall of 2015!
Please support this program by coming to the School Board meeting on September 24th (see below) and sending emails to the board to share your story and thoughts. They read all the emails.
We met with Superintendent Jan Christensen, Deputy Superintendent John Baker, and Director of English Learner Services Linda Montes. The fact that the Superintendent is in support of the cause and has a plan in place is a huge step in the right direction. We are excited they will be suggesting the following plan to the board on September 24th.
LOCATION: Mandarin Immersion program will be sited at John Gill Elementary School, which has seen a decline in enrollment but is undergoing a revitalization process with the support of Innovate Public Schools.
GRADES: John Gill is K-5, but the district is committed to continue the MI program through 8th grade at John F Kennedy Middle School and possibly at the high school level through to the 12th grade! Currently, Woodside High School offers a Chinese language program. The hope is that other high schools in the district may offer Chinese classes in a few years.
CLASSES: 2 kindergarten and 2 first grade classes starting in fall of 2015. They may even consider a Transitional Kindergarten class for children born between September 2, 2010 - December 1, 2010 (inclusive) if there is sufficient demand.
CURRICULUM: Most likely the classes will be taught 50% in Mandarin and 50% in English to allow more non-native speaking students to join. Dr. Montes will continue her research by visiting other Bay Area Mandarin Immersion programs to determine the best curriculum model for this program.
ENROLLMENT: Redwood City residents will have priority. The remaining spaces will be by lottery for other district students.
TIMELINE: Assuming the board approves the plan, the timeline will be:
Nov. 2014 - Student recruitment; Kindergarten registration
Dec. 2014 - School of choice selection
Feb. 2015 - Notification to families of placement
Mar. 2015 - Teacher hiring
April/May 2015 - Determination of curriculum, assessment methods
June 2015 - Teachers attending the Immersion Conference
HOW YOU CAN HELP: The Task Force and other interested parents will work with the district on recruitment, teacher hiring, curriculum development, and other areas. Please provide any information you may have on affordable housing, because rental costs are a really big issue for teachers right now. Once your child is enrolled into the program, you can volunteer with fundraising through the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), which is a nonprofit organization formed by parents, teachers, and school staff. All funds that we raise would be earmarked for the Mandarin Immersion program, and could be used for hiring after school teachers and organizing enrichment programs such as art and dance, books for take home reading, etc.
Drs. Montes and Baker were instrumental in initiating and administering the successful Adelante Spanish Immersion School. Having them work on the MIP is incredibly helpful. We are very fortunate to have seasoned administrators to facilitate the complex process of starting a brand new program. We look forward to working together and making the program a success!
Next Event: Board of Education Regular Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday September 24th at 7pm
Location: 750 Bradford Street, Redwood City
Dr. Baker will be presenting the plan on implementing the Mandarin Immersion Program to the Board, initializing the formal process of seeking board approval. They will try to place the MI presentation as the first item on the agenda. The final agenda will be posted on the Redwood City School District website a few days prior to the meeting (by September 22nd).
Please come to the meeting to learn more details and show your support! NOTE: Children are welcome; just be sure that you or someone from your family can look after them.
Another good reason to celebrate Monday, September 8th is because we had a very productive meeting with the superintendent, several staff, and members of our task force. After spending the last few months researching and writing, we submitted a proposal to the superintendent's office in late August. As it turns out the proposal was well received and the superintendent's office has already started working on it!
The plan is to get the school board's approval to start an elementary level Mandarin Immersion program in fall of 2015!
Please support this program by coming to the School Board meeting on September 24th (see below) and sending emails to the board to share your story and thoughts. They read all the emails.
We met with Superintendent Jan Christensen, Deputy Superintendent John Baker, and Director of English Learner Services Linda Montes. The fact that the Superintendent is in support of the cause and has a plan in place is a huge step in the right direction. We are excited they will be suggesting the following plan to the board on September 24th.
LOCATION: Mandarin Immersion program will be sited at John Gill Elementary School, which has seen a decline in enrollment but is undergoing a revitalization process with the support of Innovate Public Schools.
GRADES: John Gill is K-5, but the district is committed to continue the MI program through 8th grade at John F Kennedy Middle School and possibly at the high school level through to the 12th grade! Currently, Woodside High School offers a Chinese language program. The hope is that other high schools in the district may offer Chinese classes in a few years.
CLASSES: 2 kindergarten and 2 first grade classes starting in fall of 2015. They may even consider a Transitional Kindergarten class for children born between September 2, 2010 - December 1, 2010 (inclusive) if there is sufficient demand.
CURRICULUM: Most likely the classes will be taught 50% in Mandarin and 50% in English to allow more non-native speaking students to join. Dr. Montes will continue her research by visiting other Bay Area Mandarin Immersion programs to determine the best curriculum model for this program.
ENROLLMENT: Redwood City residents will have priority. The remaining spaces will be by lottery for other district students.
TIMELINE: Assuming the board approves the plan, the timeline will be:
Nov. 2014 - Student recruitment; Kindergarten registration
Dec. 2014 - School of choice selection
Feb. 2015 - Notification to families of placement
Mar. 2015 - Teacher hiring
April/May 2015 - Determination of curriculum, assessment methods
June 2015 - Teachers attending the Immersion Conference
HOW YOU CAN HELP: The Task Force and other interested parents will work with the district on recruitment, teacher hiring, curriculum development, and other areas. Please provide any information you may have on affordable housing, because rental costs are a really big issue for teachers right now. Once your child is enrolled into the program, you can volunteer with fundraising through the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), which is a nonprofit organization formed by parents, teachers, and school staff. All funds that we raise would be earmarked for the Mandarin Immersion program, and could be used for hiring after school teachers and organizing enrichment programs such as art and dance, books for take home reading, etc.
Drs. Montes and Baker were instrumental in initiating and administering the successful Adelante Spanish Immersion School. Having them work on the MIP is incredibly helpful. We are very fortunate to have seasoned administrators to facilitate the complex process of starting a brand new program. We look forward to working together and making the program a success!
Next Event: Board of Education Regular Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday September 24th at 7pm
Location: 750 Bradford Street, Redwood City
Dr. Baker will be presenting the plan on implementing the Mandarin Immersion Program to the Board, initializing the formal process of seeking board approval. They will try to place the MI presentation as the first item on the agenda. The final agenda will be posted on the Redwood City School District website a few days prior to the meeting (by September 22nd).
Please come to the meeting to learn more details and show your support! NOTE: Children are welcome; just be sure that you or someone from your family can look after them.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
We Made the News
WE MADE THE NEWS(letter)!
In a recent school newsletter addressed to parents of John Gill Elementary School, the Superintendent made several announcements which included the following:
"A Mandarin Immersion strand at the school is also a possibility, as a group of parents in the community are asking for this program."
A "group of parents" -- that's us! Looks like we're headed in the right direction. Next step is presenting a proposal to the Superintendent in early September and then hopefully the school board soon after. Thanks for everyone's continued help and support. Let's keep this ball rolling!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Gathering Your Stories
After presenting our survey results to Jan Christensen, Superintendent of Redwood City School District, we now have a road map of what needs to happen next!
May - Collect information from area MI programs regarding budget/costs and curriculum
June - Present RWC MI program proposal to the Superintendent
August - Present proposal to the RWC School Board
We are very excited to get working on this and are hopeful to have more good news to share by middle of this summer.
In the meantime, we are gathering together stories from families in the area about their school experiences:
- Are you considering moving to/from Redwood City because of schools?
- Is your child enrolled in an immersion program that is not your first language?
- Why do you want a Mandarin immersion program in RWC?
Please share your story with us! You can respond in the comments below or email rwcmandarin@gmail.com.
We want to be as informed as possible when we present to the superintendent and school board. Forward this request on to anyone you know with a story to share.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Friday, February 14, 2014
囍 Share the Love ♥
Happy Year of the Horse and Happy Valentine's Day!
Although this year's rainy Lunar New Year Celebration was relocated into the San Mateo History Museum, there was still a big turnout and wonderful activities and performances to enjoy. We passed out flyers and had the pleasure of meeting many families interested in starting an immersion program here in Redwood City.
As of today, here are the results of the survey:
So far we have almost 100 total respondents with 28 3-year-olds, 30 4-year-olds, and 15 5-year-olds. We're aiming to gather at least 60 children of one age group. Let's keep the surveys coming!
Please continue to share the Facebook Group posts, tell your friends, and get the word out there!新年快樂! ♥♥♥
Monday, November 4, 2013
Hello All! 大家好!
Welcome to the home of the Redwood City Mandarin Language Project! We've been working on this little by little on the side and finally decided it is time to join together with the community to help make this project a reality.
欢迎! 这是Redwood City中文语言计划。几年来我们一直在慢慢地经营这个计划。现在决定是和大家携手合作，实现目标的时机了。
WHO ARE WE?
Parents, families, students, teachers, community members interested in organizing a Mandarin language immersion program in Redwood City. Anyone interested in learning, teaching, or supporting this initiative is encouraged to join.
WHY DO WE WANT IT?
For various reasons, from family background to personal interest in learning a foreign language, there has been a growing demand for Mandarin language classes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Immersion programs that expose students to language on a daily basis prove to be the most effective way to learn and retain language skills. Currently, the nearest public programs are in San Mateo, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Hayward, and Fremont. These programs are often oversubscribed. Redwood City’s location is ideal for serving the mid-peninsula communities. In addition, the school district has years of experience administering other language immersion programs (in Spanish).
我们为何努力
无论是家庭背景还是个人兴趣，旧金山湾区对中文语言教学的需求在年复一年地增长。实践证明，沉浸式的教育方式是最有效的学习和掌握语言的方式。目前湾区附近San Mateo, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Hayward, 和 Fremont有公立沉浸式教育学校。这些学校学生报名往往超额。Redwood City的地理位置对湾区中部的家庭来说是理想的。另外该学区已有多年的经验管理另一个西班牙语沉浸式教育学校。
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Based on our initial dialogue with the school district, to establish an immersion program in the public school, our #1 task is to demonstrate sufficient demand. To create a program and hire one teacher, we need the commitment of 60 families (either families living in Redwood City or in other school districts that are willing to do an inter-district transfer). If we are unable to meet the requirement, the program will not happen in the public school. However, we still plan to organize and create Mandarin learning opportunities for children in the community.
欢迎! 这是Redwood City中文语言计划。几年来我们一直在慢慢地经营这个计划。现在决定是和大家携手合作，实现目标的时机了。
WHO ARE WE?
Parents, families, students, teachers, community members interested in organizing a Mandarin language immersion program in Redwood City. Anyone interested in learning, teaching, or supporting this initiative is encouraged to join.
关于我们
我们是居住在Redwood City和附近城市的家长，家庭，学生，老师，和社区成员。我们希望能在红木城组织起一个沉浸式的中文学校。我们敬请所有对此提议有兴趣并愿意帮忙的人士加入我们的组织。
WHAT DO WE WANT?
A Mandarin language immersion educational program starting at the Kindergarten level, in a public school classroom and/or community organized setting in Redwood City, CA, within the next three years (the earlier the better!)
我们的目标
在Redwood City开启一个从幼儿园起的沉浸式的中文公立学校或社区组织学校。我们希望能在三年内达到目标（当然越快越好!）
WHY DO WE WANT IT?
For various reasons, from family background to personal interest in learning a foreign language, there has been a growing demand for Mandarin language classes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Immersion programs that expose students to language on a daily basis prove to be the most effective way to learn and retain language skills. Currently, the nearest public programs are in San Mateo, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Hayward, and Fremont. These programs are often oversubscribed. Redwood City’s location is ideal for serving the mid-peninsula communities. In addition, the school district has years of experience administering other language immersion programs (in Spanish).
我们为何努力
无论是家庭背景还是个人兴趣，旧金山湾区对中文语言教学的需求在年复一年地增长。实践证明，沉浸式的教育方式是最有效的学习和掌握语言的方式。目前湾区附近San Mateo, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Hayward, 和 Fremont有公立沉浸式教育学校。这些学校学生报名往往超额。Redwood City的地理位置对湾区中部的家庭来说是理想的。另外该学区已有多年的经验管理另一个西班牙语沉浸式教育学校。
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Based on our initial dialogue with the school district, to establish an immersion program in the public school, our #1 task is to demonstrate sufficient demand. To create a program and hire one teacher, we need the commitment of 60 families (either families living in Redwood City or in other school districts that are willing to do an inter-district transfer). If we are unable to meet the requirement, the program will not happen in the public school. However, we still plan to organize and create Mandarin learning opportunities for children in the community.
我们最大的问题
在公立学校建立沉浸式教育，最大的问题是需求。为了建立这样一个学校，学校需要雇老师。现在校方要求六十个学生才能开校(无论是在Redwood City学区的，还是周围社区愿意转学校的)。如果我们无法达到需求量，就无法在公立学校开校，但是我们还是会努力通过民间组织提供给孩子们学习中文的环境。
HOW TO SIGN UP?
1. Please fill out this short (2 min) survey so we know you are interested.
2. Join the Facebook Group RWCMandarin to stay up to date and meet other families in the community.
1. Please fill out this short (2 min) survey so we know you are interested.
2. Join the Facebook Group RWCMandarin to stay up to date and meet other families in the community.
Thank you for your interest! 謝謝!
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