Chinese language schools for kids in Dallas area? (Fort Worth, Arlington: homes, neighborhoods)

[pulpo]

Does anyone know of any chinese language schools for kids in the Dallas area? My husband and I are thinking of relocating to Dallas. He's Chinese and wants the kids to speak Chinese-- he speaks to them sometimes in Chinese, but they also are learning Spanish and English of course. We currently live in West Los Angeles where there are a number of schools for kids starting around age 5.

We're also looking to live in the Park Cities to be close to work. Do you think our kids would be facing a lot of negativity being Asian (I'm Vietnamese)? I grew up in an almost exclusively white community in the South and being Asian was never really an issue for me. Is Dallas much the same? HP/UP area? It seems that the northern suburbs are more culturally diverse.

[loves2read]

the HEB ISD district which is between Dallas and FTW has begun Mandarin classes for junior hi and hs students--small classes--kids must apply to be accepted...one of the few hs in TX to offer it
and they also are starting classes in Hindi

[nsumner]

I think you'll find the Dallas International School appropriate. It is also located very close to the Park Cities. I personally highly recommend it.

Home - Dallas International School

Naima

[Mardrew]

There are many Chinese schools that offer weekly classes on Saturday or Sunday. I know there is at least one that meets in West Plano and several that meet in Richardson. Your best bet is to pick up a Chinese Newspaper over the Summer where most of the Schools advertise.

[Big G]

DING DING DING!!!

Mardrew has the correct answer. There is a large Chinese community here in DFW. Most of them send their kids to one of the weekend Chinese schools in town. These would be very similar to what's available in CA.

As for HP/UP, if I were you, I'd avoid it. You pay a HUGE premium for the address, and I think you would find it hard to be comfortable there. The northern suburbs are much more Asian-friendly.

[CMDallas]

They're are various Sunday and Saturday school serving the Chinese community. I am actually involved in some of them (I am of Chinese Decent myself)
Sunray Chinese school is know, and teaches culture as well as language.
Sunray isn't an actual school, it is an organization that borrows a few buildings on Saturday and Sunday, and kid attend these buildings.
They have several 'Schools' One In Carrollton, and the Other in Arlington. they teach more then language.
Sun Ray Chinese School - A Leader in Academic & Cultural Education
Here are a few others:
Dallas Chinese School
DMCLS (http://www.dmcls.org/default.htm - broken link)
Chinese Calligraphy & Language Classes in Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Texas
Hua Hsing Chinese School | HHCS | Dallas, Texas
Welcome to Fort Worth Chinese School
ACC - Arlington Chinese Church (Community - Chinese School) (http://www.accdfw.org/community/chineseschool.asp - broken link)
The Mandarin Chinese School

^ like the poster above said, most Asians Reside in Northwestern Dallas County. With Others in Southern Collin County and Easter Tarrent.
They're two major Chinatowns. One in Garland, the other in Plano.
But Vietnamese and Korean supermarkets usually do a good job of supplying you with Chinese goods. The Korean population is large here, but a large number of Chinese reside in: Plano, Richardson, Coppell, Garland, Irving, Arlington, and Carrollton. North Dallas has quite a few too.
This isn't California though. only a few cities break over 10% Asian.
although if you divide up the areas more you will find more favorable demographics, Las Colinas, for example, is about 20% Asian. Although it is a sub-city of Irving...or a section.
The DFW is largely Vietnamese with both Tarrent and Dallas county being in the top 10 counties with the most Vietnamese.
The Park Cities will tend to be most white, University park is slightly more diverse. But I would stick to the Valley Ranch, Las Collinas, Coppell area. Either that or around Plano.
They're about 4-6 little Saigon's in the DFW metro.
1) In Arlington, this is not like the one you have in OC but the Asian population is growing quickly but is still fiarly medium sized. This one is amongst the biggest
2) Garland
3) Southern Irving, they have a supermarket called 'little Saigon Mall'. This is where I go to get my goods
4)Carrollton
5)Richardson
and they're various Pho joints and smaller localized Vietnamese stores and Businesses throughout the metro. Coming from Los Angeles you should be used to a large Korean Population, but just in Case the Korean enclave in the Biggest one in my opinion. Localized Indian enclaves throughout Irving and Plano can be found.
If you're looking for Upper class homes, Hackberry and some of the Coppell Neighborhoods might be best as the asian population is stronger then in the park cities. This is also closer to the Chinese schools.
The areas are generally safe.

[pulpo]

Thanks everyone for all your input. We'll definitely look into these ideas!

[EliSeTexas]

There is one in Plano:
abou us (http://mysite.verizon.net/yieducation/aboutus.htm - broken link)

[MaryS80]

Garland, Richardson, and Plano have a lot of Chinese. The Chinese community seems to be centered around Walnut Street running through Garland and Dallas. There is a Chinese supermarket on Walnut and Audelia. I would not recommend living in off Walnut though.

Hong Kong Market Place

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http://www.dallaschinesenews.com/

Dallas Chinese Community Center Home (http://dallasccc.net/index.htm - broken link)

By far Vietnamese account for the largest percentage of Asians in the area. The Vietnamese community seems to be more centered on Garland. There is a Vietnamese mini-mall here, a Vietnamese community center, Buddhist meditation center, and Supermarket.

[bearjr]

I'd like to recommend the Dallas Overseas Chinese School. They've been teaching weekend Simplified and Traditional Chinese classes at the Richardson North Junior High School (near UT Dallas) since 1994.Some of their teachers and staff go to my church and I know that they are sincere and very involved in the community's educational programs.