This is a listing of Chinese Schools and Camps (private and public) in the area with programs for adoptive families

Rockville Chinese School is a non-profit organization that has been open to the public for 20 years. Its primary goal is to teach Chinese language, and to promote Chinese culture and traditional values. People of Chinese and non-Chinese heritage are encouraged to enroll. For information regarding the language program, please call Mrs. Grace Chen at (301) 424-4331. For information about the cultural arts classes, please call Mrs. Lily Fang at (301) 738-8495

Fairfax Chinese Academy: Contact Yuh Mei at 703-503-9097, $120 per semester. Classes held Sundays 2-4 PM at the George Mason Middle School, Rte 7 in Falls Church. For a parents perspective call Nancy Provenzano at 703-255-3198 or email at tprovenz@erols.com .

The Mei Hwa Chinese School offers 4 levels of Chinese language/culture classes (K-Mei) for children where Chinese language is not spoken in the home. A number of children from FCC families have been enrolled in these classes over the past four years. Classes mix culture, songs, stories, crafts and instruction in basic vocabulary and grammar in English and Mandarin. New students must be at least 3 years of age to enter the program. Additionally, there are parallel language classes offered to the parents of K-Mei students. Classes are currently forming for the upcoming 2002/2003 academic year. Starting September 8, 2002, classes will meet on Sundays from 2:00 to 3:40 pm. Parents who wish to find out more or to enroll their children in the program should contact Deborah Chen at (301) 317-9455 in the evenings or by e-mail to Deborah.Chen@jhuapl.edu as soon as possible to reserve a place in the class. The Mei Hwa Chinese School meets at James Hubert Blake High School on Norwood Road in Montgomery County (near Olney).

Hope Chinese School offers classes in Mandarin for children whose parents do not speak Chinese at home. Classes are being held at the Tilden Middle School on Old Georgetown Road in Rockville on Sundays form 2-4. For more information, call the teacher, Annie Liu, at 301-585-5812 (home) or 301-458-4348 (office). This school may also offer classes in Gaithersburg if there is sufficient interest, contact the principal, Joe Zhou at 301-838-0678 for additional information.

Shing-Hwa Chinese Academy offers classes for children who do not have the opportunity to speak Chinese at home. Our classes consists of singing, story telling, crafts, and instruction in basic Chinese and English vocabulary and grammar. The students need to be at least 3 years of age to participate in this program. There are Chinese classes being offered to parents as well. These classes meet once a week on Sundays from 2-4 pm. Beginning on September 8, 2002, these classes will be held at W.T. Woodson High School located on Main Street in Fairfax, Virginia.

Shing-Hwa Chinese Academy also offers a summer camp program, starting June 24 to August 2, 2002, Monday through Friday from 8am until 5pm. For more information regarding these programs, please contact: principal Amy Lin (703-323-8448) or Susan Hong (703-823-8342)

Golden Phoenix Chinese Language Program Beginning Chinese Language: Speaking and Characters.

This is a 15-week structured children's program of Chinese language and characters. Cultural components such as songs, poems, games and use of traditional holidays as vehicles for learning are included. The class is appropriate for children ages 6 through 10 who may have already had some previous minimal exposure to Chinese language, or, who have expressed an interest in learning the language. Parents will be encouraged to review lessons with their children between classes.

Our bilingual instructor is a language professional who has taught Mandarin to young children. She currently teaches Mandarin at Georgetown University and taught previously at Sidwell Friends School language program in D.C.

Classes meet once a week. Class size will be kept very small. There are 2 separate sessions: (A) Wednesdays 3:30 to 4:30, and (B) Thursdays 4:00 to 5:00. Class fee for either (A) or (B) 15-week session is $225 (which can be prorated for students starting after the first session). (A small materials fee may be collected additionally for take-home aides.) * Wednesday (A) session will run January 23rd through May 8th 2002. Thursday (B) session will run January 24th through May 9th 2002. * There will be no class the last week of March. To register, please call Susan Lukowski at 202-965-2636. Classes will be held at the D.C. Guy Mason Recreation Center (at Calvert and Wisconsin, above Georgetown near Fresh Fields. Free parking is available on the grounds.)

Public Schools with Chinese Programs

Marco Polo Program of the World Charter School Enrolling three to ten year-olds in English and Mandarin on alternate days. Please see our website for general information: http://www.worldcharterschooldc.org/. (It has a '98 date, but the curriculum and general plan are exactly the same.) School Business office: 202/362-2946.

Potomac Elementary School, Potomac, MD, has a Mandarin Immersion program for grades K-5.

Chinese After-School Program (CASP) at Sligo Creek Elementary School, 500 Schuyler Dr., Silver Spring, Maryland.

CASP seeks to provide young children with Chinese (Mandarin) language instruction in an immersion-type experience. It also includes physical activities such as calisthenics and movement to music and cultural activities such as folktales, Chinese songs, paper folding, and arts and crafts. CASP has two sections, one for children in grades K-1, the other for children in grades 2-5. Snack is provided and occasionally features Chinese food items.

Meets Mon-Wed-Fri from 3:30 to 5:30 PM from October 1, 2001 through June 7, 2002. Classes are not held on school holidays, early release days or snow emergency days based on the Montgomery County Public School system calendar. Cost is $21 per week (three 2-hr classes). Children not attending Sligo Creek ES

Chinese Language and Culture Summer Camps

SILVER SPRING YMCA CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE CAMP - 2003

A unique program combining a Chinese language immersion experience with good ol' summer camp fun for children ages 5-7 years

General Information

The camp is divided into 2 two-week sessions. You may sign up for one or both sessions. The sessions may not be split.