WEST VANCOUVER KINDERGARTEN IMMERSION

a Chinese Immersion Program will start next fall at Franklin Elementary School in West Vancouver.

The Vancouver School District plans to have full-day kindergarten taught mostly in Chinese. Parents are asked to commit to the full five years. The first year, it costs $2,900, the difference between half and full-day kindergarten. In subsequent years, there's no tuition charge. Kids in the Franklin district have first preference, then other VSD kids, then from outside the district. This looks very good, but it's only for kindergarteners. They said the whole school will learn about Chinese culture, so that might be good for older kids. The school people said they hope to eventually offer Chinese at other levels all the way through high school.

More meetings about this will be held at 6:30 p.m. on March 24 and April 21 at Franklin. You can apply as early as March 3. They'll have a lottery if too many kids apply, though they might add a second class if the demand is high enough.

For more info, see www.vansd.org and click under News Releases. Or e- mail Howard Yank, who's in charge of the program, at howard.yank@vansd.org.
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