Status | Complete
In April 2017, the Calgary Board of Education indicated that the South Mandarin Bilingual Program would be expanded at Harold Panabaker School for the 2018-19 school year if there were enough students planning to register.
An
online survey was conducted in January 2018 to determine if interest was strong enough to move forward. We are pleased to say that there is sufficient interest to offer a Grade 5-7 Mandarin Bilingual Program at Harold Panabaker School in 2018-19. As students advance in the program, the program will eventually expand up to Grade 9 (2020-2021) provided that there are a minimum of 20 students per grade.
Students Currently Enrolled in Grades 4-6 at Midnapore School
If you are currently attending Midnapore School in Grades 4-6, you do not need to register at Harold Panabaker. Your registration will automatically transfer to Harold Panabaker for the 2018-19 school year unless you advise the school otherwise.
Students Not Currently Registered in a CBE Mandarin Bilingual Program
If you indicated your intention to register in this program for 2018-19 and your child is not currently registered in a CBE Mandarin Bilingual Program, please contact Harold Panabaker School at 403-777-7890 to arrange a proficiency assessment.
Students with previous Mandarin language experience may start the Mandarin Bilingual program at various grade levels. Students will need to demonstrate the necessary skills in reading, writing and speaking Mandarin and English by completing a proficiency assessment.
Transportation for All Grade 5-7 South Mandarin Bilingual Program Students
All students using CBE transportation to get to and from school must pay transportation fees which are set each spring for the following school year. Students attending alternative programs such as Mandarin Bilingual and who access CBE transportation do so under a congregated stop model.
What is a congregated stop?
Congregated stops are used when a small number of students from multiple communities congregate or gather at one stop to take a bus to their chosen school. At the CBE, a congregated stop model is for students attending alternative programs and accessing yellow school bus transportation. When choosing a congregated stop location – we look at a number of factors including student safety, ease of access for the bus, public space for students to gather and available parking for parents. Stops are located along collector residential roads and are located centrally within the community to minimize changes year to year. Bus stops may not necessarily be within walking distance and could be located in adjacent communities and beyond. Bus stop locations are established annually based on the registrations received by the registration deadline.
We are excited to welcome students in the South Mandarin Bilingual Program to Harold Panabaker School in September. There will be more information coming soon about opportunities to learn more about the school.
Contact the Area 5 Office at 403-777-8412 and area5@cbe.ab.ca if you have any questions or comments about this initiative. 
