Our Mission
The
Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (PVCICS) prepares K-
8th grade students for academic and personal success through rigorous
study and instruction aligned with the state and federal government
standards, augmented with Chinese language and culture. PVCICS's goals
are to graduate students with excellent scholarship, high proficiency
in Mandarin Chinese and English, plus sensitivity to multiple cultures.
PVCICS serves the Pioneer Valley region.
Our students learn
Chinese and English in a a natural interactive setting.
(Photo: Don Treeger,
1/21/08, Springfield Republican)
School Calendar and Hours
PVCICS complies with state requirements for the minimum number of days and hours open. PVCICS operates 180 days a year. PVCICS’s Kindergarten and 1st grade operates on a full-day 7 hour schedule from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. For older students, PVCICS operates on a full-day of 7 hours and 45 minutes from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM. Students may start arriving at 8:15 AM. The longer day is seen in other charter schools and allows more time for instruction and enrichment activities.
| Educational Program
Our students learning in an interactive small group activity.
PVCICS uses a "one-way" immersion model,
meaning most students will enter the program with no knowledge of Chinese.
Chinese language acquisition will occur naturally by using Chinese as the
language of instruction during a portion of the day. This approach is becoming
very popular because it produces high
academic outcomes and bilingual/biliterate
students.
As a Massachusetts public charter school, PVCICS
offers a curriculum aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. PVCICS
students receive instruction in core subjects (mathematics, English
language arts, science, and social studies) and in art, music, health, and
physical education. Students also study Chinese Language Arts and culture. PVCICS will administer the MCAS tests.
Six-year-olds sing a
Mandarin song in Portland, OR's Chinese immersion program. (Photo: Rick Bowmer,
AP, 1/3/06)
In grades K-1st, 75% of the daily instruction
is in Chinese and 25% in English. In grades 2nd-5th, 50% of the daily
instruction will be in Chinese and 50% in English. In grades 6th-8th, 25% of the
daily instruction will be in Chinese and 75% in English. English Language Arts
will always be taught in English by a teacher with native English proficiency.
Subjects taught in Chinese are taught by a bilingual Chinese/English teacher
with native or near-native proficiency in Chinese. Art, music, health and
physical education is taught in English or Chinese.
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