The regions HongDe Elementary School offers busing from are:
Additional notes: Offering regular riders, AM and PM.
How we see HongDe Elementary School
HongDe is the very definition of a bilingual school—students live and learn in two languages. They also arrive proficient in either. This isn’t a school where Anglophones learn Mandarin, or Mandarin speakers learn English; rather, it’s both. Language learning is important, and bilingual fluency has its own benefits. But there are other benefits to learning languages that are less obvious, maybe, though eminently valuable. They include gaining a sense of the world, interacting meaningfully with other cultures, and gaining a unique sense of mastery. HongDe was formed very much with all of those things in mind. Given that it’s an elementary school, the introduction to a second language comes at the right time, that when kids are best able to take it on board. Facilities are crisp, clean, and the school is a hub to a vibrant, engaged parent and student community.
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How HongDe Elementary School sees itself
"HongDe Elementary School is a BC Ministry of Education certified Not-For-Profit Kindergarten – Grade 5 Independent School, offering a Mandarin / English bilingual program. The name HongDe can be translated as “Promoting virtue through learning traditional culture.” "
"In a caring and supportive learning environment characterized by small class sizes and a rich multicultural setting, students embark on a transformative journey to acquire both English and Chinese languages. Our program is thoughtfully balanced, with 40% of instruction delivered in Mandarin and 60% in English."
"Our educators embrace the revised BC curriculum with its focus on engagement, the core competencies, essential learning and literacy and numeracy foundations. We strive to educate students for the future; one in which the ability to collaborate and think critically and creatively will be invaluable."
"HongDe Elementary School’s performing arts component in the Mandarin Program is a holistic creative journey that nurtures students in traditional Chinese music and dance."
"Mandarin is the most relevant and useful second language, spoken by more than 900 million people world-wide. Our students will receive Mandarin instruction in Chinese Language Arts, Arts Education, Physical Education and Health education. This will give them the opportunity to acquire the skills needed for speaking, reading, writing, listening, and communicating in both Mandarin and English."
"Provide a Chinese/English bilingual education in a safe and supportive learning environment that recognizes the individual needs of each student; Encourage students to reach their full academic, social-emotional, and physical potential; Provide the opportunity and incentive for students to become bilingual; Enable students to learn and think about the world around them from different perspectives."
How people from the school’s community see HongDe Elementary School
Top-down influence on the school’s direction and tone
Brittany Conlon, Principal
MEd
As Principal, it is my pleasure to introduce you to HongDe Elementary School, a BC certified Mandarin/English bilingual school where students and teachers learn and collaborate together.
At HongDe Elementary School, teachers and staff strive to ensure that all students are learning in a safe, inclusive, and welcoming school environment. HongDe teachers focus on facilitating the development of critical thinking and inquiry in students by following the BC Curriculum (Core Competencies, Curricular Competencies, Content, First Peoples Principles of Learning), while also modeling and teaching virtues.
HongDe Elementary School is a small and unique learning community that values the diversity and talents of all students and staff. By learning at HongDe Elementary School, your child will not only acquire language proficiency in both Mandarin and English, but will most importantly feel proud of their achievements as bilingual learners.
If you’re considering a small school for your extroverted child, make sure it offers plenty of social opportunities, including the ability to seek out and interact with different peer groups. Since smaller schools have smaller and less diverse student populations than big schools, it can sometimes be more challenging for your child to find a like-minded group of friends—friends with similar interests, values, etc.
“It’s important to look at the social makeup of the school,” says Ruth Rumack of Ruth Rumack's Learning Space. "Is there enough variety that your child will have a group that they feel connected with? Because you want to have friends that are like-minded and you want to be in a social situation where you feel honoured and respected. Variety can also be found in extracurriculars, leadership programs, and sports activities, which tend to have kids with a wide range of personalities.”
Also, make sure a school’s teaching and learning approach is suitable for your social child. “For instance, a school focusing on individual learning instead of group learning may not play into your child’s strengths,” say Ann and Karen Wolff, Toronto-based education consultants at Wolff Educational Services. “You want to make sure the social, emotional, and academic realities of the classroom are a match for your child’s personality.”
Smaller schools often have small classrooms and tight-knit communities, which can make it easier for your introverted child to come out of their shell, make friends, and feel like they belong. Since they’re less socially overwhelming, your child should find it easier to navigate their social environment. And since they’re conducive to group work, small classes often have plenty of interaction, which can help your child develop critical interpersonal skills.
Of course, small schools normally have a less diverse student population than big schools, which can sometimes make it more challenging to find a group of like-minded peers—peers with similar personalities, interests, values, etc. This makes it especially important to ask a school about its extracurricular programs, which can help your introverted child establish an intimate social circle.
THE OUR KIDS REPORT: HongDe Elementary School
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