Alice Fong Yu Alternative School (K-8)

Alice Fong Yu Alternative School is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school. The school is nestled on a quiet hillside in the Inner Sunset neighborhood. We offer a rigorous Chinese language immersion instructional program from kindergarten through eighth grade. The students at Alice Fong Yu have the unique opportunity to acquire Cantonese (K-8) and Mandarin (6-8) in a supportive and nurturing environment, with a strong focus on high academic achievement and student leadership. We also seek to prepare our students to be responsible stewards of the environment by making informed choices about their consumption of the earth's valuable natural resources. Our mission is to prepare our students to become caring, responsible, and competent citizens with Chinese bilingual skills and global perspectives.

In order to ensure the success of all students, we provide comprehensive before and after school tutoring as well as during the school day support programs for all students who need additional support. In a K-8 environment, personalization comes naturally. We have a strong care team which meets every week to discuss the progress of all students. Keeping parents informed through a weekly Chinese bilingual parent bulletin is a priority for us. We believe joyful and authentic learning is when students are actively involved in the learning process rather than completing busy work. Our teachers achieve this through lessons that foster exploration and require the students to think critically, apply learned concepts and make connections. In addition to a strong academic program, our students are engaged in many enrichment activities such as ceramic arts, visual arts, perceptual motor skills, creative movements, and dance. Authentic application of the students' knowledge and skills are uniquely presented through projects and opportunities such as the Chinese poetry recital, the middle school Science Fair, and the Cultural Exchange Project, which is the annual trip to China for all 8th graders.

• http://www.afypa.org/