Project Director/K-16 Chinese Initiative Global Education Cheryl McCord Project Director/K-16 Chinese Initiative Jenks Public Schools

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” ---- Yogi Berra

“Because we live in a globally interconnected and interdependent world, the idea of local community has become something of the past.” --- Yong Zhao Catching Up or Leading the Way, American Education in the Age of Globalization

Challenges for education: How can we help our children secure a job that will provide for them and their families? What can we do to help our children live, work, and interact with people from different cultures and countries? C) What can we do to help our children adopt a global view in their thinking?

Although our schools may be locally funded, we must transform our thinking to include a global perspective.

Implementing a vision Every child who enters Jenks Public Schools will choose to follow either a Spanish track or a Chinese track and an articulated program will exist to allow them to study that language from the first day of their career as a Jenks student through their graduation day.

East Elementary Dual Language Spanish Program 24 students: 12 native Spanish speakers, 12 non- native Spanish speakers 1 bilingual teacher / grade (K-4) AM completely in Spanish / PM completely in English 1st Kindergarten class began in August, 2004

East Intermediate Spanish 1 class period / day in Spanish: Social Studies Spanish instruction provided in after-school enrichment class Exchange program with school in Costa Rica

K-16 Chinese Initiative: 5 year / $500,000 FLAP grant (Foreign Language Assistance Program) Create 1st partial immersion Chinese program in the state of Oklahoma at Southeast Elementary Articulate a Chinese curriculum for students through year 16 (partner: OU) Provide appropriate professional development to support teachers involved in program

The aim of the JPS Chinese Partial Immersion program is to develop proficient readers, writers and speakers of Mandarin Chinese who are globally competent, interculturally skilled, and prepared to actively participate in the global community. Partial Immersion Program to begin in August, 2010 First year of program: one section of K and one section of 1st grade Chinese teacher will teach 50% of day in K and 50% in 1st grade One additional grade “rolled out” each year until there is one section of Chinese, K-4

Sino Trojan Academy: 3 year / $300,000 FLAP grant Create a school- within-a- school at East Intermediate (grades 5-6) Increase Chinese enrollment at Jenks Public Schools Provide appropriate professional development to support involved faculty

The aim of the Sino Trojan Academy is to develop future leaders who are globally competent and interculturally skilled through a rigorous and unique experience melding American and Chinese best practices and educational philosophies. First year: 120 5th grade students Chinese infused content-based instruction Longer school day / extra class period to accommodate Odyssey of Mind type class Longer school year to accommodate student exchange to China 6th grade class will be added in 2011 with 120 students

East Intermediate Teacher Exchange with Yibin, Sichuan Province 2 Chinese teachers arrive in fall to stay three months and teach Chinese language to 5th & 6th grade students 2 EI teachers travel to Yibin in spring for 3 months to teach English in high school classes

Secondary World Languages: French I – AP 3 teachers American Sign I-III 2 teachers Latin I - AP 1 teacher Spanish I - AP Lit 6 teachers Chinese I – AP 2 teachers

Middle School Exchange with Shenyang, Liaoning Province 10 students and 2 teachers apply/selected in fall prior to exchange semester Travel to Shenyang for 2 week stay in March; hosted by Chinese students 10 Chinese students and 2 teachers travel from Shenyang to Jenks Middle School for 2 week stay in April; Shenyang students hosted by JMS students

Jenks High School Chinese Exchange 14 students and 2 teachers apply / selected in spring prior to exchange year to allow for summer Chinese classes and fundraising opportunities 14 students and 2 teachers arrive in September from Chengdu #7 and are hosted by Jenks student and faculty Students stay 3 weeks / teachers stay 1 semester JHS students and 2 faculty members travel to Chengdu where they are hosted by students and faculty for 3 weeks during subsequent spring semester

“At the risk of being a self-appointed cheerleader, I think all of us can take pride in this exchange. Can you conceive of something more important today than supplanting mistrust and misinformation with genuine friendship and understanding?” Joe (a proud parent)

Cheryl McCord Project Director / K-16 Chinese Initiative Jenks Public Schools Jenks, OK 74037 (918) 299-4415 Ext. 5707 cheryl.mccord@jenksps.org