Barnard Elementary is the only Mandarin dual immersion program at elementary school level in the San Diego Unified School District. Our school feeds directly into the PB Middle School and Mission Bay High School Mandarin program. Weakening Barnard’s Mandarin program means weakening the potential of this program at the high school level.  

The current budget proposal eliminates crucial resources from the Mandarin immersion program:

• Mandarin Resource Teacher: Our Mandarin Resource teacher, is essential in ensuring the coherence of the Mandarin learning through the elementary grades and aligning the Mandarin pathway for the full Mission Bay cluster. This position is key for ensuring student success from elementary through high school.
• Level Learning: Level Learning is the software that the kids use to practice listening and pronunciation in Mandarin. With limited ability to converse outside of school, this tool is essential to their listening comprehension and speaking skills. It also provides unparalleled access to Mandarin books online.
• AVANT: In order for our students to leverage their Mandarin in the future, they must test to meet educational standards. The AVANT testing software is used throughout the Mandarin cluster and enables our schools to assess our kids’ learning progress.  

Without these essential resources at Barnard Elementary, the District’s only Mandarin program will be gutted. Keeping the Mandarin program viable is in your hands!

Please, you must  reverse the budget decision and keep this successful program alive. Do not jeopardize our students’ achievements by cutting the essential funding that makes the program successful.