Schools
District 25: Mandarin Chinese and Spanish Instruction to be Offered in Fall
After funding for the world languages program ended, the D25 school board voted not to continue it in February. Starting in October, both Mandarin and Spanish will be offered for a yearly fee, the Daily Herald reports.
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade in District 25 will soon have a chance to receive instruction in Mandarin Chinese or Spanish for a yearly fee of $150, the Daily Herald reports.
The school district has chosen to use Language Star instruction and instructors, according to the paper, and classes of up to 25 students will be offered before or after school, or during lunch, beginning October.
Superintendent Sarah Jerome stated in a letter to parents before a meeting Thursday, May 30 that she was aware of the interest many parents had in continuing world language for their children, and that administration was looking into a number of options.
Those included summer school courses, online programs such as Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, Salsa, Muzzy and Zon. Saturday school was also put forth as an option by administration, as well as offering after school language labs.
Mandarin Chinese language instruction was eliminated in February after a $200,000 FLAP grant that helped to fund the program ended. More than 2,000 students participated in it.
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