New Elementary School Hosts 13 Korean Students

The new elementary school at The Academy at Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church are hosting 13 Korean students for a month.

The visiting students, who range from grade 2 to grade 5, arrived Wednesday through LAX, according to Tina Maize, an admissions officer at the school.

"While these students may seem too young to be abroad without their parents, children in Korea are often separated from their parents for periods of time," Maize said. "Their schooling includes not just an eight-hour school day, but a four-hour session of extracurricular activities immediately following school."

Mainly, the students will work on their conversational skills, as they already read, write and understand English well, Maize said.

"Their parents provide the necessary funds to cover travel, expenses, tuition, materials, uniform and daily hot lunch," she said.

The students and their Korean chaperones are staying with host nine families.

The school welcomed the students earlier this week with a "huge welcome banner, in Korean," Maize said.

They began attending classes on Thursday, Jan. 5.