The Chinese Immersion Program begins in kindergarten, where 50% of the day is instructed in Mandarin and the other 50% is instructed in English. The 50/50 model continues through 5th grade. The program teaches students to become bilingual, bicultural and biliterate in Mandarin. Click here to watch an informational video.
Student Selection:
- Students with a Chinese language background (pre-school, home language, etc.) are weighted 2 times. This background must be substantiated with a proficiency assessment interview or proof of previous, significant study and approved by the program manager before weight will be given in the lottery.
- To determine which English dominant students are selected for the program, there will be two lotteries.
- Students from the host school will be selected through a Host School Lottery. (12 students)
- Host school students who are not selected will NOT be entered into the other lottery. Instead, they will be placed on a Host School Waiting List based on the order in which their names were drawn in the Host School Lottery.
- District-wide students (who are not from the host school) will be entered into a District-Wide Lottery.
- District-wide students who are not selected will be placed on a District-Wide Waiting List based on the order in which their names were drawn in the District-Wide Lottery.
Preferences
Within the Chinese Immersion lottery, preference is given based on the following:
- Students who have siblings in the program are weighted 3 times.
- If one twin (or other multiple) is selected, the other(s) is automatically accepted into the program.
Program Entry
Students may enter through the kindergarten cohort. Empty spaces may be filled up to Grade 2 if a student possesses the requisite background knowledge as determined through assessment by the program coordinator.
For more information, please contact:
Becky Wiegel, Director of Languages rwiegel@barrington220.org
