Chinese language offered

As part of last Tuesday's Board meeting there were other significant actions that will positively impact our students in RUSD. The approval of the Chinese course is significant and should be offered by us. I would hope that it expands to ALL of our high schools as an option. The partnership with the local Chinese School makes the course that much more powerful and relevant. I don’t think you will find that to be a “normal” offering at many high schools – it sets our schools and students apart and better prepares them for the "globalized" world of the future.

A 2nd course – Spanish PreAP for Middle School – for native Spanish speakers is equally significant, though in a far different way. Elevating this opportunity is a powerful message to those native Spanish-speaking students. The research has long shown that when students have good skills in their primary language (as demonstrated by Spanish AP) they can transfer those language skills to English most easily and effectively. This also begins to provide the prospective that students that possess the legitimate skills of bilingual (or multi-lingual), bi-literate, and bi-cultural have a real ASSET. Third, this affirms the self-esteem of these students, as they understand that they are academically capable. I believe we will see great rewards not only with these students, but they also will have a positive impact on the performance of other students.