Kindergarten Enrollment

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Mandarin Immersion Program
​of the Capistrano Unified School District 
2023-2024

Capistrano Unified School District is proud to provide the first publicly offered (no cost) Mandarin Chinese Immersion Program in Orange County. It is a well-proven educational model that provides academic instruction in English and Mandarin Chinese during the 6-year elementary period at Marian Bergeson Elementary. The specific goals of this language immersion program after the 6th year are for students to develop high levels of language proficiency and literacy in both program languages, to demonstrate high levels of academic achievement, and to develop an appreciation for and an understanding of diverse cultures. Students matriculate into Fred Newhart Middle School and Capistrano Valley High School MIP programs.

KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT STEPS

1. Child must be 5 years old by September 1, 2023 in order to apply for the 2023-24 school year.

2. All incoming kindergartners need to apply.

3. Attend a mandatory Mandarin Immersion Program Information Meeting
Bergeson Elementary School hosts information meetings for interested parents with the purpose of providing an overview of the Mandarin Immersion Program and its expectations. 

​4. Complete the Language Immersion Program Application 
Parents complete a paper or online Language Immersion Program Application within the application window for Language Immersion. Parents may submit only ONE application for one language immersion school. 

5. Written Notification
Within three weeks of the closing of the application window, parents receive a written notification as to whether or not their child is accepted into the Mandarin Immersion Program. Mandarin Immersion Enrollment will be done on a Lottery System. Notification of acceptance into the program begins in spring. 

6. Enrollment Packet
Once parents receive written notification of acceptance into the program, an enrollment packet is picked up at Bergeson. Enrollment packets must be completed and turned in to the school within the established time frame. Failure to return a completed packet within the school's timeline may result in revocation of acceptance and placement on a waiting list. 

For more information about Language Immersion at CUSD, please visit the CUSD Language Immersion information page.

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Tours and Information

This is a very popular program and space is extremely limited.  For more information, please attend one of the required informational meetings. 

For more information contact Bergeson Elementary School at
949-643-1540 or Capistrano Unified School District.

Mandatory Informational Meeting Times

Our informational meeting times have passed, but please call Bergeson Elementary for more information on how to enroll your Kindergartener for the 2023 - 2024 school year at 949-643-1540

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Parent Commitment 

For students to be successful in the Mandarin Immersion Program, there will need to be a partnership between the school and family.  

Students should remain in the program at least through eighth grade in order to gain the full benefit of the program. Parents need to make this long-term commitment and are expected to be active participants in their child’s education at school and home.

• Parents agree to provide transportation for their child to and from school daily and to arrive on time.

• Parents agree to a six-year minimum commitment to the
  One-Way Language Immersion program.

• Parents agree to support fundraising activities and direct donations to the program.

Parent Responsibilities

It is every parent’s responsibility to...

• be involved in their child’s education; 
  
• volunteer and be involved in our program and school;
• ask questions when answers are needed; 
• raise issues with teachers and other appropriate individuals when problems or questions first arise; 
• become educated in the model of immersion education so that sound decisions for the program can be made; and
• support their children fully in the acquisition of both program languages.