Immersion schools-is Mandarin too weird for Austin?

[zhugeliang1]

OWLS - One World Learning School @ Doss may be the link you want to find out more about the Doss program.

Native speakers in an immersion program help "ramp up" the language level of non natives especially in peer to peer interactions in and out of the classroom.

[FueledByBlueBell]

Originally Posted by lederhosen

Hello,

My family has been weighing a move from SF (where we live) to Texas (where we are from) for some time. We'd probably to move to Austin, where my husband's family has a place in the country, which our son is incredibly attached to. One consideration has been the availability of a proper Mandarin immersion school experience. His nanny has cared for him while speaking to him entirely in Mandarin and he's starting pre-k3 at a private Mandarin immersion (100%) elementary school in Berkeley next year. We're committed enough that we're going to leave the city specifically for this school.

On a visit to Austin last month, I looked into options, and it seemed that there were few. I visited Magellan School, and <30% time is devoted to the language. I don't believe it's enough as the language initially requires considerable character memorization and is tonal. We learned that Doss elementary is starting a small program. The park next to the school is nice, the administrators seem awesome, but the school is a little overwhelming in its size. The kids in the cafeteria were also feasting on fried chicken fingers, pre-k was parked in front of cartoons during nap time, and there were Texas flags proclaiming proud nationhood in many places, which reminded us of George Bush and made us nervous. The best interests of their dedicated administrators aside, I also don't know whether there will be money and the parent support to launch an authentic immersion program.

I'd love to learn what people know of the options for Austin. Are there options? Are there parents in the same boat?

Is there an enterprising parent out there who is currently plotting to create a true Mandarin immersion private school/charter school in Austin? If so, please send me a line!

Or is Austin too parochial for Mandarin? Houston is starting an all-Mandarin public magnet school this fall, but it's a large cosmopolitan city. That said, Minnesota, Utah, Connecticut, and even a very un-Chinese corner of the Florida panhandle have public Mandarin immersion programs. Mandarin is the fastest growing immersion language in the US. So when, Austin?

Thanks!

Can you expand on the quote below? We are considering Magellan and would love to know more:

I visited Magellan School, and <30% time is devoted to the language. I don't believe it's enough as the language initially requires considerable character memorization and is tonal.