Tag Archives: Bellaire

HISD names principal for Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School

HISD has selected Bryan Bordelon as the principal of the new Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School

Applications are currently being accepted for Pre-K, Kindergarten, first, and second grades for the 2012–2013 school year. Visit the HISD Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School website (click image above) for more information about the school or to download a copy of the application.

Bordelon speaks Mandarin Chinese with advanced proficiency and has a Master of Arts degree in China Studies from the University of Michigan. He is also pursuing a Master of Educational Administration as part of the University of Texas Collaborative Urban Leadership Project, a joint endeavor between HISD and the University of Texas. Bordelon has worked as a classroom teacher and currently serves as an HISD Teacher Development Specialist providing job coaching and support for English Language Arts teachers.

“After conducting an international search, we found the right person to lead this exciting new school right here in HISD,” Superintendent Terry Grier said. “Bryan Bordelon is a perfect fit for this position. He recognizes the importance of preparing students to be global citizens and shares our commitment to offering a rigorous academic program at every grade level.”

Bordelon was raised abroad and spent 18 years living in Asia, the Middle East, and South America. In addition to speaking English and Mandarin Chinese, he also has some proficiency in Spanish and French.

“I look forward to engaging the students in Chinese,” Bordelon said. “The kids are going to pick it up quickly. It is going to be second nature to them. They will have a much easier time learning the language than students in middle school, high school, or in their college years.”

Click here for school website.

Click here for video about the program.

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HISD accepting applications for Mandarin Chinese magnet school in Bellaire

HISD’s first ever Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School will open in time for the 2012-2013 school year. It will be located at 6300 Avenue B in Bellaire and will initially serve students in the early elementary school grades, with additional grades to be added in subsequent years.

HISD Trustee Harvin Moore, who took the lead in proposing the new school, said it will serve students from throughout the city. “This is a program for everyone,” Moore said, adding that such programs in other U.S. cities have drawn heavy interest from families of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the world and Texas trade with China has increased more than 600 percent over the past decade. Texas is second only to California among states that do the most business with China.

National leaders in Chinese language and culture education recently visited HISD to discuss the district’s plan to expand programs that teach Chinese language and culture.

Applications are currently being accepted for Pre-K, Kindergarten, first, and second grades for the 2012–2013 school year. Click here for Magnet applications and submit a completed application to the Office of School Choice located at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. 4400 West 18th St.  Houston, Texas 77092. Telephone: 713-556-6947

Read the full press release (.pdf).