This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view. (February 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article may have been created or edited in return for undisclosed payments, a violation of Wikipedia's terms of use. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. (February 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Chinese American International School
Middle school
Location
Map
Beijing

China
Coordinates37°46′31″N 122°25′18″W / 37.775330°N 122.421805°W / 37.775330; -122.421805
Information
TypePrivate
Established1981
Head of SchoolJeff Bissell (Chinese name: 毕杰夫 Bì Jiéfū), Ph.D.
Websitewww.cais.org

Chinese American International School (CAIS) is an independent pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8 co-educational Chinese-English dual language immersion school located in San Francisco, California.[1] CAIS offers a Chinese-English language immersion curriculum. Up to 50% of each school day is in Chinese.[2] The school was the first in the United States to have Mandarin immersion education.[3]

Preschool

CAIS also has international travel programs for current students, high school-aged alumni, and faculty and staff.[4] The school organizes trips to Taipei, Beijing, and Yunnan in the fifth, seventh, and eighth grades, respectively.[5]

History

In 1981, San Francisco Supervisor Carol Ruth Silver searched unsuccessfully for a Mandarin-English school where she could enroll her Taiwanese adopted son. Not finding one in San Francisco she decided to start her own. She did so with the help of deputy district attorney Mimi Luk, Justice Harry Low,[6] Bernard Ivaldi (then Head of French American International School), Maurice Tseng, Yvon d'Argence (then curator of the Asian Art Museum), Joe Chen, Mike Chiu, Donna Furth, Diana Chan, Francisco Hsieh, George Cheng, and Alice Carnes.[citation needed]

Lower school

In September 1981 the school, then known as the Chinese American Bilingual School, began as a Mandarin-English school. It had an enrollment of 4 kindergarten students operating in the basement of the French American International School. Shirley Lee, a faculty member of the Chinese department at San Francisco State University joined as founding teacher and principal, and remained head of school until her retirement in 2000. In 1989 the school moved to the Presidio of San Francisco.[7] In 1992, a middle school was added (which moved to a new campus in 2015.[8]) In 1997 CAIS moved into its current main campus at 150 Oak St, the former Caltrans headquarters,[9] in partnership with French American International School.

CAIS has received national recognition for its program. In 1987 the US Dept of Education designated CAIS the "national prototype for Chinese language education in elementary schools."[citation needed] In 2004, CAIS was awarded the Goldman Sachs Prize for Excellence in International Education.[10]

In 2021, CAIS secured a former catholic high school property for $40 Million to be the new campus location.[11]

Accreditations

References

  1. ^ Mercer Human Res Consulting, Inc. (20 March 2009). Global Manager's Guide to Living and Working Abroad, The: Western Europe and the Americas: Western Europe and the Americas. ABC-CLIO. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-313-35884-5.
  2. ^ Kane, Yukari Iwatani (24 March 2011). "Growing Diversity Fuels Chinese School". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  3. ^ Elizabeth S. Demers Ph.D.; Victor W. Geraci (8 March 2011). Icons of American Cooking. ABC-CLIO. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-313-38133-1.
  4. ^ "Chinese American International School (CAIS), San Francisco, California". Asia Society. Asia Society.
  5. ^ Clydesdale, Heather. "Students Experience the Breadth of China". Asia Society. Asia Society.
  6. ^ "Founders Remember". CAIS. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  7. ^ Koenig, Karen (23 June 1995). "Jewish ex-supe, mother of Chinese boy, helps found school". JWeekly.com. San Francisco Jewish Community Publications Inc.
  8. ^ Butler, Jennie (9 July 2015). "Chinese American International School To Debut New Middle School At Turk & Gough". Hoodline.
  9. ^ Adams, Gerald (6 January 1995). "Chinese, French schools will join at City Center". SFGate. Hearst Communications, Inc.
  10. ^ "2004 Prizes for Excellence in International Education". Asia Society. Asia Society.
  11. ^ "Private School Secures New Campus Location in San Francisco". CoStar. 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  12. ^ "ISTP listing on CAIS' website".
  13. ^ "ISTP listing on WASC's website" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-11-03.

External links

San Francisco schools
International schools in California
Chinese American topics
Categories