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HCPSS STARTALK Chinese Language After-School Virtual Program

September 27th, 2021

Request enrollment between Monday, September 27, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. and Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 8:00 a.m.

The HCPSS STARTALK Pilot Chinese Language After-School Program offers a free, 15-week immersion program for current 7th and 8th grade students interested in learning the language and culture of China. The program will focus on the theme, “2021: A Chinese Odyssey,” where students will build their proficiency in the Chinese language through a virtual trip to China. The students will engage in the journey through a fun and interactive learning environment.

The language instruction program will be complemented with cultural activities such as virtual field trips, computer activities, and cultural games. The focus for novice-level students will be on speaking the language, while students at the intermediate level will also develop reading and writing skills.

The program will be held on Tuesdays from 5-6:30 p.m., October 12, 2021 through February 8, 2022 (excluding November 23, 2021; December 28, 2021; and February 1, 2022). Participants are expected to attend all 15 sessions. No meals or transportation will be provided. Classes will be held via Google Meet.

Enrollment will be handled through a lottery system because space in the program is limited. To enter a child/children in the enrollment lottery process, parents/guardians must submit an enrollment request via HCPSS Connect for each 7th and/or 8th grade child within their household who wishes to participate in the program. Enrollment requests will be accepted between Monday, September 27, 2021 at 8:00 a.m and Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. Completion of the request form does not guarantee enrollment in the program.

Children must be entered into the lottery to be eligible to enroll. Only one child from a household must be drawn in the lottery for all the eligible children in the household to be enrolled.

Parents/guardians will be notified via email of whether their child has been enrolled or placed on the waitlist by the close of business on Thursday, October 7, 2021. If their child is enrolled, parents/guardians will be required to submit additional paperwork (e.g. signed attendance policy, discipline policy, program statement of permissions/notifications/policies) before registration can be considered finalized. The additional paperwork will be provided to parents/guardians of the enrolled student(s) by email.

For any questions or concerns related to registration or the STARTALK Program please contact STARTALK@hcpss.org or call (410) 313-5663.

The STARTALK program is made possible through a grant from the National Security Agency.