Where is Bergen Chinese School located?
Bergen Chinese School physically operates out of Tenafly High School, located at 19 Columbus Dr., Tenafly, NJ 07670.
What is the schedule at Bergen Chinese School?
All classes meet every Sunday from 1 pm to 3:45 pm on an academic year basis (30 weeks from September to June). The day is broken up into 3 periods: 1-1:50pm, 2-2:50pm, 3-3:45pm with 2 ten-minute breaks. These breaks for are for students to rest, have a snack, use the restrooms, etc.
What programs are offered at Bergen Chinese School?
We only offer three programs, Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) and Chinese Heritage Language (CHL) programs for children, and the TCML (Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning) program for adults.
CSL classes are designed for students who are learning Chinese for the first time and are not generally exposed to Chinese language. More English is used in the classroom to facilitate understanding and pronunciation is taught using pinyin.
CHL classes are designed for students who are regularly exposed to Chinese and speak Chinese at home. These classes use little to no English in the classroom and pronunciation is taught using zhuyin fuhao 注音符號 (so-called “bopomofo”).
Both CSL and CHL tracks go from K to 8 or 9th grade (depending on demand) and students progress through the grades on an academic year basis. We have a preK class, but it is not tracked.
The TCML adult program is only for adults 18+ years old. Further details at this link.
What program should my child be enrolled in?
All students are placed into either the CSL track or CHL track (except PreK, which is not tracked) according to the parents’ choice.
Students are placed at the appropriate grade level according to previous Chinese language or Chinese school experience, and not according to age. An assessment will be conducted by BCS staff for prospective students who have previous Chinese language or Chinese school experience. A complete beginner is usually placed into the K level class, unless the student is 4 years old. 4-year-old students usually enter the PreK class.
Are simplified Chinese characters taught at BCS?
No, all tracks are taught using traditional Chinese characters.
Can my child enroll in a culture class without enrolling in a language program?
No, the Culture Activity classes at BCS are part of the regular CSL or CHL program. Students attending CHL3/CSL3 and above participate in Cultural Activity classes as part of the curriculum. Each fall and spring, students elect one instructional activity class from current offerings (may change year to year according to availability) and attend 6 periods (one period each week for six consecutive weeks) of that class.
Does Bergen Chinese School offer summer classes or private/1-to-1 tutoring?
No, BCS is closed during the summer and does not offer any classes during this time. BCS also does not offer private tutoring.
Can I visit Bergen Chinese School?
Yes, when school is in session from September to June, we encourage prospective families to visit us. We ask that you let us know ahead of your visit so that we can arrange your child(ren) to observe a class. Please note that we are closed during the summer so there is no opportunity to visit during the summer before school starts.
Can I stay on the premises while my child is in class?
Certainly. Most parents and siblings (who are not students) stay in the cafeteria. Parents are certainly welcome to be on-site while their child(ren) is/are in class and it is strongly recommended. We have parents who play basketball or badminton or participate in Chinese brush painting class while their kids are in class.
Can my child skip a grade?
Yes, BCS has a procedure for students who are advanced and are motivated to skip a grade. A student interested in skipping a grade is required to submit a skipping grade application with application fee at the end of the school year. The student will undergo an evaluation shortly before the beginning of the next school year to determine whether the student is ready to skip a grade.
What is the Parent Duty Deposit?
All families that register for the first time at BCS are asked to submit a Parent Duty Deposit of $200 (when enrolling 1 child) or $320 (when enrolling 2 or more children) per family.
Since BCS is largely a volunteer-led school, parents are asked to volunteer their time during school hours to help run the school. Requested services may include monitoring a designated area of the school building to ensure a safe and comfortable learning environment; assisting the PTA at the snack bar; or other general tasks relating to the daily operations of our school. For more information, please see “Parent Duty Q&A” on school’s website at this link.