Maryknoll School

First-graders holding the Chinese Spring couplet on the Lunar New Year day

First-graders holding the Chinese Spring couplet on the Lunar New Year day (Wang Na)

Professional lion dancers performing in the Maryknoll Community Center on the Lunar New Year day

Professional lion dancers performing in the Maryknoll Community Center on the Lunar New Year day (Wang Na)

Immersion class students’ name tags in Chinese characters

Immersion class students’ name tags in Chinese characters (Wang Na)

Chinese immersion class display board

Chinese immersion class display board (Wang Na)

First-grader doing a Chinese worksheet

First-grader doing a Chinese worksheet (Wang Na)

Kindergarten student practicing traditional ink brush painting

Kindergarten student practicing traditional ink brush painting (Wang Na)

First-graders playing the Chinese characters matching game

First-graders playing the Chinese characters matching game (Wang Na)

First-graders holding Chinese lanterns in the classroom

First-graders holding Chinese lanterns in the classroom (Wang Na)

Kindergarten students wearing Year of the Rat headbands and holding red “fu” good fortune lanterns

Kindergarten students wearing Year of the Rat headbands and holding red “fu” good fortune lanterns (Wang Na)

Chinese learners performing the rainbow dance in the Maryknoll Community Center on the Lunar New Year day

Chinese learners performing the rainbow dance in the Maryknoll Community Center on the Lunar New Year day (Wang Na)

Third-grader assembling the Chinese lantern on the Lantern Festival day

Third-grader assembling the Chinese lantern on the Lantern Festival day (Wang Na)

Second-grader drawing the Chinese traditional painting with Chinese brush in the Chinese culture class

Second-grader drawing the Chinese traditional painting with Chinese brush in the Chinese culture class (Wang Na)

Third-grader wearing Chinese traditional costume making the Chinese Lantern on the Lantern Festival day

Third-grader wearing Chinese traditional costume making the Chinese Lantern on the Lantern Festival day (Wang Na)

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Maryknoll School

Honolulu, Hawaii
www.maryknollschool.org
Serves more than 1,000 students in grades K–12

Program Description

Maryknoll School is a Catholic, parochial school in Honolulu, Hawaii. The school has the only Mandarin immersion program in Hawaii that takes place during the school day. The program was started at the Kindergarten level during the 2017–18 school year; each year a new grade level is added. Currently, the program is offered in grades K–3, and 150 students are enrolled. Parents enrolling their children in Kindergarten or Grade 1 can choose from the Immersion Kindergarten/Grade 1 pathway or the Kindergarten/Grade 1 pathway. Students are asked to remain in their selected pathway through Grade 8.

There are currently 12 teachers in Maryknoll School’s Mandarin Immersion Program: 2 teachers and 2 co-teachers for each of the Kindergarten and Grade 1 Mandarin and English classroom teams, and 2 teachers for each of the Grades 2 and 3 Mandarin and English classroom teams.

Maryknoll School plans to follow the 50/50 dual language model until Grade 5 and then move to an 80% English/20% Mandarin model for Grades 6–8. All core courses will be in English, and students will have two Mandarin language/culture courses each year. Plans will be made to offer college-level Mandarin language courses in high school for those who successfully complete the AP Chinese exam. The immersion model to be followed in Grades 9–12 will be determined as we get closer to adding those grades.

Grades K–2 subjects taught in Mandarin are Mandarin Literacy, Math, and Science. Grades 3–5 subjects taught in Mandarin are Mandarin Literacy, Science, and Math reinforcement (math topics that are now taught in English are reviewed using Mandarin).

Program Contact

Mrs. Christine M. Loomis, MEd., MA, BEd.
Grade School Principal
chris.loomis@maryknollschool.org
1526 Alexander Street
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 952-7110

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