Keystone Academy is an innovative and unique school in China and the world. It draws from Chinese, American and International learning traditions and weaves them into a powerful bilingual education model. It is truly one-of-its kind in China. The curriculum is bilingual in the primary years with more intensive instruction in English through middle and high schools. We focus on inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and creative problem solving in a rigorous intellectual environment. This prepares Keystone students for the challenges of the modern integrated world. Keystone’s academic program is international in scope with a strong and intentional central Chinese focus on national identity, language, culture, and history. Our school is from foundation year through grade 12.

Our school includes a boarding program, optional in grades seven and eight, and mandatory in grades 9-12. Through our residential program, our students will develop the values, close relationships and independence that are essential for positive leadership and success. Western educational approaches in a Chinese context enable a model of true cultural fusion and international understanding.  The majority of our students will be Chinese, but we will also have a healthy representation of other nationalities.

Please read more here.

Students are now entering their second year of the dual language Chinese immersion program at Paradise Valley Elementary School; a program that started last year with a kindergarten class of 44 students.

Principal Aaron Wilson, PVES says, “when there are kids present our mandarin teachers only speak mandarin.”

For full immersion of the foreign language, students spend half their day studying subjects in English, and the rest of the day learning subjects taught in a new language.

Lisa smith, parent of a Kindergarten student in the program says, “Ms. Lee never speaks English to them, she only speaks mandarin. So for half of the day, they are just taught in mandarin Chinese.”

But why teach this language? Why not teach a different tongue? Principal Wilson says mandarin is identified as a critical language by the US government.

Principal Wilson says, “in order to have diversity in Casper with the languages, knowing that park would eventually come onto Spanish, we had enough interest of parents who wanted their children to learn Mandarin.”

Please read more here.

 You can see the website, with lots of great info for programs,here.

You can see the full list of all 118 schools and language here.

And here’s their new statewide immersion website