Schools
58 Kindergartners Apply to Learn Chinese
An early enrollment period nets nearly five dozen signups for for the county's first public Mandarin Chinese immersion program, scheduled to start next fall in Capo Unified.
Fifty-eight kindergartners signed up for the county’s first public-school Mandarin Chinese immersion program during an extra-early enrollment period, the announced Monday.
The school district offered an uncharacteristically early application period between Dec. 1 and Dec. 9.
Thalia Tong, one of the parents leading the effort to start the program, reacted to the news: “That’s exciting. I have mixed emotions, though, because I want everybody to get in. It’s definitely a great start.”
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The 58 applicants do not include any transfers from other school districts, said CUSD spokesman Marcus Walton.
“Open enrollment is only for students who reside within the CUSD boundaries,” Walton said. "Out-of-district applications will be accepted beginning Feb. 1, 2012. A lottery will be held monthly beginning in March to fill seats with out-of-district students."
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The , which is to be modeled after the district’s longstanding , at a September meeting. It would start with at least a kindergarten and perhaps a first-grade class if the district can find qualified teachers.
The district solicited applications for kindergartners only in fall 2012.
The district selected to host the program. School board trustees required that the program not increase costs to the district.
To that end, parents are planning a number of fundraisers, Tong said. The first was small-scale, selling Chinese-themed gift items at Bergeson on Friday. Parents raised $250, she said.
The first major fundraiser is planned for Wednesday at the Veggie Grill in the Irvine Spectrum. Parents also plan a rummage sale for January at the school and a late Chinese New Year celebration in either late February or early March, Tong said.
Through donations, parents have already raised $3,700, according to the parent website.
The school district expects the first year of the program to cost about $15,000, mostly in curriculum costs. The board approved an early open-enrollment period to allow parents a jumpstart on fundraising.
Walton said the next open-enrollment period will take place between Feb. 1-10.
There are several public Mandarin immersion programs across the state, in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and one in San Diego County, but none in Orange County. A proposed charter school in Tustin was to offer Chinese as well, but the Tustin Unified school board shot down the proposal.
