Mandarin Immersion Parents Council

KSHB Kansas City Aug. 16, 2023

Parents worry about future of Blue Valley Schools Chinese Immersion Program

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wednesday marked the first day of school for kids in Blue Valley Schools.

It also marked the first time not everyone could enroll in one of the district’s unique programs.

The district said it is evaluating the Chinese Immersion program which has been available for the last five years.

It allows students to spend half their day learning in English and the other half of the school day learning the same subjects in Chinese.

Parents were not able to enroll kindergartners in the program for the first time this year.

Please read more here.

Here’s the District’s page about the current program. There are currently two Mandarin immersion grade schools in Kansas City:

Wolf Springs Elementary

Blue Valley Schools’ inaugural language immersion program began in the 2017-18 school year at Wolf Springs Elementary. Up to one-half of immersion students at Wolf Springs come from the Blue Valley Southwest attendance area. Students must be enrolled in in-person learning to apply. 

Valley Park Elementary

Valley Park Elementary is the district’s second Chinese Immersion program site. The first class started in the 2018-19 school year. Students must reside in the VPE attendance boundary to be considered for the VPE program. Siblings of current immersion students will have preference regardless of home school. Students must be enrolled in in-person learning to apply.