School is back in session for students of the
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. This year offers more of the same and
something new for students.

Chadds Ford Elementary School Principal Mark Ransford said
on the first day of classes that his students would continue learning about
Spanish culture and language as the Spanish program is extended to
third-graders. Last year’s program was limited to first- and second-grade
students.

But students throughout the district will also get an education
in Chinese culture. In July, Chinese scholar Xuan Yang
arrived in the district. She will spend six weeks each in all six schools in
the district. She’ll be at CFES beginning the end of January, Ransford said.

Ransford likes the multicultural education because it
generates an appreciation for language and cultural differences.

“I find we have more similarities than differences,” he
said.

Ken Batchelor, assistant to the superintendant, said the
idea for the Chinese scholar program came after Superintendant Sharon Parker
returned from a trip to China last year.

District officials learned about a guest scholar program
through the University of Pittsburgh and the Berks County Intermediate Unit,
Batchelor said. The scholars through this program are all master’s level or
doctoral level students and teach Chinese language and share the culture, he
said.

Xuan Yang has been spending her first month
meeting with teachers and administrators to plan age appropriate grade level
appropriate lessons.

“We hope that it will provide exposure to
our students for another culture, provide exposure to our students broadening
their horizons of other languages that are out there and may open up pathways
and interests for future studies,” Batchelor said.

Superintendant Parker is pleased.

“Our staff members are delighted that Xuan
Yang is with us. She comes to us from Hanban, the Confucius Institute of China,
and what an extraordinary ambassador she is. Xuan is bright, spirited,
enthusiastic and actually spoke at our opening day program,” Parker said. “She
had us engaged. She is humor filled and everyone is just delighted to be
able to work with her.”

Yang is 28 years old and has a master’s degree.

Her first six weeks will be at Unionville Elementary. She
then goes to Hillendale Elementary School. Her time there will coincide with
the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival, Parker said. In January Yang be at Chadds Ford
Elementary for Chinese New year.

Parker said Yang is planning some evening activities so
children can share their experience with their parents.