Mandarin, the world’s most-spoken language, is coming to Flossmoor School District 161.
Superintendent Craig Doster told Board of Education members Monday that the district will be contacting parents to gauge interest in Mandarin, the most common Chinese language. Classes will will be taught at Homewood-Flossmoor High School starting next year and junior high students will have to travel to H-F for Mandarin instruction.
Parker Junior High School students can only take foreign languages in eighth grade. Parker also offers Spanish and French to interested students.
Doster said parents must agree to bring their students to H-F for the 7:30 a.m. class. Following class, students will be bused back to Parker and to James Hart Junior High School in Homewood, which is also taking part in the program.
Last November, H-F board of education members approved the school’s first-ever Mandarin classes as a joint program with the two K-8 districts.
“Mandarin is a difficult language but there is interest in our community in having it offered,” Doster said.
He said surveys to parents regarding the Mandarin program will go out within the next week.
Related story:
Mandarin Chinese added to H-F High School curriculum (The Chronicle, Nov. 19, 2014)
Contact Tom Houlihan at [email protected]