Spring 2012 - Oxford Community Schools

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4 w w w . O X F O R D S C H O O L S . O R G
Goal
Create a model global learning community that maximizes
student achievement and promotes excellence.
Oxford international
residence Academy
The international
boarding school
opened fall 2011.
It is a three-year
international
high school for
international
students seeking
an American education. We have
Chinese students attending Oxford
High School for one to three years in
order to earn a diploma and attend an
American University.
fifth Core World
language & Culture
Oxford is
creating a model
global learning
environment
in which every
student will be
fluent in another
world language and its culture/
customs (Spanish or Chinese) by
8th grade. Fifth Core is the largest
proficiency-based world language
program in Michigan. There are over
2,200 students studying Mandarin
Chinese and over 2,200 students
studying Spanish. This is an 11-year
required program for grades pre-K
thru ten. We expanded the Chinese
immersion program in 2010 to include
preschool in cooperation with the
Confucius Institute. As preschool
students advance into the elementary
schools, we will add one grade per
year to the program. We are also
researching a third world language
at Oxford High School (to augment
fluency), such as Arabic or Indian, for
which demand and job opportunities
are growing.
Asia Society
Confucius Classroom
network
We are one of only 100 districts
nationwide to be accepted into
this network of “Model” Confucius
Classrooms. Oxford has the largest
proficiency-based Mandarin Chinese
language and culture program within
the network, five
times larger than
the next largest
program in the
U.S.
OxfordnEt
We are
implementing
classrooms without
walls with cuttingedge
technology
using OxfordNET
so students can
participate in collaborative projects
and distance learning locally,
statewide, nationally and globally.
OxfordNET is our instructional
delivery mechanism for effective and
efficient instruction that supports
teachers in their endeavor to teach
Net Fluency.
Sister Schools
NET
We now have a total
of eleven premier
sister schools in
China that share
similar educational
philosophies
and support our
Oxford
Networking for Educational Transformation
Mandarin Chinese program. We also
have sister schools in England, South
Africa, Spain, and Mexico.
international high
School in China
Oxford is the first American public
school to open an international high
school in China, the Northeast Yucai
Oxford International High School.
Opening ceremonies
were held
September 1, 2011.
Plans are underway
to open another
school in China the
fall of 2012.
OBA Global Village
OBA is a global education network
coordinated by
the College of
Education at
the University
of Oregon.
Members are
connected
through an
online learning platform that provides
a secure environment for schools to
connect globally with multiple levels
of functionality for students and
educational leaders. Oxford is one of
only 25 schools worldwide selected
for this pilot. The OBA community
organizes events such as science fairs,
global expedition, teaching contests,
film festivals, festivals of the arts,
app and game contests, and creative
writing.
fun in four languages
Spanish, Chinese,
American Sign Language
and English students
had quite a time during
Oxford High School’s world
fair week. Making the décor
fit the cultures, they hung
brightly colored posters in
the hallway depicting symbols
and slogans from each
language. The classrooms
were just as decked out with
cultural art and artifacts, as
well as authentic foods to sample. Traveling to one another’s classrooms,
students enjoyed the pastimes of other cultures, including salsa dancing,
Ping-Pong, and crafts. Authentic pastries from Mexican Village in Detroit were definitely a fan favorite! What a creative collaboration by
teachers JAn SMITH (Spanish), dIAnA MCCOnnELL (Spanish), CYnTHIA WHITE (Spanish), dEb bROWn (American Sign Language), FAn LI
(Chinese), and CRYSTAL CORbETT (English).
Oxford honored at the national Chinese
language Conference
in Washington, D.C., Dr. Skilling and Dr. Schwarz accepted the
Confucius Classroom plaque from Madam Xu Lin, Director General
of the Hanban. Dedicated to encouraging dialogue in the field of
Chinese language education, the National Chinese Language Conference
included a whole host of speakers, workshops and cultural events.
It is the largest gathering of practitioners, policymakers, and school
leaders with an interest in Chinese language teaching and learning in
North America, and a key venue for bringing together U.S. and Chinese
educators in the field.
Preschool Spring Concert
About 150 of Oxford’s littlest darlings took to the Fine
Arts Center stage to delight the audience with songs
in Chinese, Spanish, and English. Dressed to the nines,
the students from eleven different programs drew a capacity
crowd to watch them perform in the Oxford Early Learning
Center’s first annual spring concert. A lot of practice went into
learning the musical selections, which included “Caminar” (a
movement song in Spanish), “Octopus” (aka “Slippery Fish”),
“Liang Zhi Laohu” (“Two Tigers” in Chinese), and “One Small
Voice.” All those sweet little voices together resonated in a
really big way for every child, family member, and staff in
attendance. Great job, OELC!