Starting in preschool, we believe one of our most important jobs as educators is to cultivate in our students a lifelong passion for learning and exploration. What better way to do this, than to lead by example.
Published Authors!
During their first grade year, three PKS classmates created a story called “Friends in the Arctic” as part of their shadow show project.
The story follows a group of friends who live in the Arctic. One day, they are unexpectedly sucked into a black hole and need to make their way home. By working together, they find a diamond that helps them escape and return to the Arctic.
After the project was complete, Sinan Laoshi submitted this story, along with several others, to “Xiao Pi Pa”, the only Chinese language children’s magazine circulated throughout North America.
We are proud to share that “Friends in the Arctic” was recently selected for publication. Congratulations Arjun, Jaclyn, and Lucas on being published authors, and to Jaclyn for her beautiful illustrations!
2018 Yunnan Trip Journal
Getting Ready for Kindergarten
A word, as a dad and an administrator, on the Kavanaugh story
As many of you know, I have a P3 student here at PKS, and a 2 year old son whom I hope will join us when he is old enough. Both kids were in the car with me on Thursday morning as I tuned in to the Judiciary Committee hearings in which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford courageously told her story. I found myself feeling confused, and a bit helpless, as I tried to balance my civic impulses and my fatherly impulses.
Curriculum "Dim Sum"
Building the Future of Bilingual Education
Almost ten years ago, I wrote an article titled "Academic Rigor and Student Engagement: A Perfect Match." While many feared that they would need to sacrifice student engagement in the service of academic rigor, I argued strongly that academic rigor could ONLY genuinely come together with student engagement, and that truly rigorous learning at its core needed to be about exploration, discovery, creativity, inquiry, and pattern recognition.
Reflections from Matt Koidin, Outgoing Board Chair
PKS Selected to Present at National Chinese Language Conference
On the Road with Chris Livaccari
Time to Let Them Fly: A Mother's Story
A personal essay by Denise Svenson, PKS Elementary Math Specialist:
“…My [temporary] presence had an obvious impact on the group dynamic. Students have had the habit of code-switching without realizing it, and the habit was impossible to break…This trip marks a rite of passage for our kids. To make it a family trip would be taking away from everything we’ve hoped for them - independence and confidence navigating in a Chinese-speaking environment.”
Welcome Our New 2018-19 Trustees!
Sharing Best Practices in Immersion Education
PKS was invited to Washington, DC as part of a symposium on immersion education. Seven of our faculty members visited four schools, deepening their knowledge of best practices while sharing some of their own unique insights. Our expertise on how to integrate Mandarin immersion within a progressive framework was noted as "the only model out there combining data-based immersion practices with rigorous PBL."