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By Liana Szeto, Principal
In 1984, a group of parents and educators met and discussed the possibility
of implementing a Chinese immersion program in San Francisco. They began
by researching immersion programs in Canada and the United States. After
many hours of meetings, a core group of parents drafted a plan with
the possible school sites, curriculum designs, and teacher qualifications,
and presented it to the Superintendent at the time, Robert Alioto and
the Board of Education. The proposal was accepted and passed by the
Board. In September 1984, the first Chinese Immersion Program was implemented
at West Portal School as an alternative program, with one kindergarten
class of twenty-five students. The students came from different parts
of the city to enroll in the program.
The program received much recognition during its first year and proved
to the public that this "foreign" concept was a viable option for the
San Francisco community. The program grew steadily with one additional
class per year. As the Chinese Immersion Program grew, so did the population
at West Portal School. The space issue was discussed each year and the
program was always searching for a permanent site.
In the school year of 1988-89, under the direction of Superintendent
Cortines, the Chinese Immersion Program was scheduled to move to Mark
Twain School in the outer Sunset. In August 1988 before school began,
the staff was notified that the program could not move due to problems
with the Consent Decree. The program stayed at West Portal and bungalows
were brought in to accommodate the increased number of students.
In 1992-93 a group of parents was very concerned about the Chinese immersion
middle school program as well as the expansion of the program. The group
met for more than six months to plan for the expansion of the Chinese
Immersion Program and the implementation of a middle school component.
In September 1993, the Chinese Immersion Program opened a second kindergarten
class and a sixth grade at Herbert Hoover Middle School. Due to the implementation
of a second strand, there was clearly not enough space at West Portal
School to accommodate this growth. The discussion of a move to a permanent
site continued throughout these years.
After countless hours of meetings with Superintendent Waldemar Rojas,
parents, and community members, the nation's first Chinese Immersion Public
School was finally a reality. The school opened in September 1995 with
seven classes at the old Columbus site on 12th Avenue and Lawton as Chinese
Immersion Alternative School (CIAS). At the same time, a strand of Chinese
Immersion Program remained at West Portal School. In January 1996 CIAS
was renamed after San Francisco's first Chinese American teacher, Ms.
Alice Fong Yu.
The realization of Alice Fong Yu School (AFY) and the increased popularity
of Chinese immersion education are products of many people's hard work
and commitments. Administrators, teachers, parents, and students contributed
to the genuine quality of the Chinese Immersion Programs in the San
Francisco Unified School District.
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