Janesville, China forge school ties
Photo
Superintendent Karen Schulte and Chief Information Officer Robert Smiley, center and right, talk to students in an English class at Beijing Second Experimental Primary School in Beijing, China, last week. At left is the school’s executive principal, Baker Liang. Janesville public school officials were in China to arrange teacher and student exchanges.
JANESVILLE — Two teachers from China will join the Janesville School District's faculty next month, and 40 students from China are scheduled to spend part of the summer here.
Those are two results of Superintendent Karen Schulte's recent trip to China.
Schulte flew to China to forge relationships with Chinese universities and schools. Accompanying her was Robert Smiley, the district's chief information officer.
More results: A Beijing primary school will become the sister school of Janesville's Kennedy Elementary School, and up to six student teachers from China will work in Janesville high schools next fall.
Kennedy won a national award last year, based on relatively high tests scores and poverty rate. Officials at No. 3 Primary School in Beijing were so impressed that they want to set up a model classroom based on Kennedy, a high honor, Schulte said.
Smiley said he's working on ways to make it easy for students in each country to talk via Skype, an Internet video and audio communication system. One problem is the 14-hour time difference.
This summer, 20 fourth- and fifth-graders from China will attend a program with a like number of Janesville students for cultural and academic activities. At the same time, 20 Chinese high school students will be matched with 20 of their Janesville peers.
The 40 students coming in July will pay tuition. Schulte said the amount they will pay is still being worked out.
Schulte has said previously that she eventually wants Janesville to host tuition-paying Chinese students. She said Tuesday those students would likely study here in their last two years of high school in preparation for attending universities here.
That tuition could be a new revenue stream for the district, as it is for schools in Oxford, Mich., which Schulte and others local officials visited in November.
Schulte said Tuesday she didn't know when students would start attending school here regularly.
Speaking of money, a Wisconsin donor who asked not to be identified paid for Smiley's and Schulte's trip, Schulte said.
Schulte said she signed three memorandums of understanding last week: with Beijing Normal University; with Zhong Guan Cun Primary School No. 3, also known as No. 3 Primary School; and with Far East China School, a K-12 school, all in Beijing.
No. 3 Primary resembles a university campus, with 6,000 students and 40 to 60 students in a classroom, Schulte said.
No. 3 Primary is so big it has 31 English teachers, all of whom want to chat via Skype with Janesville teachers, Smiley said. Details are being worked out.
One thing prized by the teachers is the rare opportunity to talk to native speakers of English, Smiley said.
Smiley and Schulte stressed that the Americans and Chinese have much to learn from each other. Schulte, impressed with Chinese scores in math and science, wants to get some of that teaching expertise in Janesville, but that hasn't worked out, yet.
The teachers coming at the end of February are named Jessie, a woman, and Steven. It's common to adopt Western names because Chinese names prove too difficult for Westerners to pronounce, Schulte said.
The pair will work in the district six months.
Steven teaches software such as Photoshop and PowerPoint. He will work at Harrison and Kennedy elementary schools.
Steven also has interests in Chinese art and music, so he may be asked to share that with Janesville students who are studying Chinese, Schulte said.
Jessie has taught in New Zealand and has been in the Untied States before. She will bring her daughter, Fiona, 10.
Jessie is a teacher of gifted students and will work in the district's Challenge Program at Madison and Roosevelt schools.
Jessie and Steven will stay with host families and receive $300 a month, paid by the same anonymous donor, Schulte said.
Schulte said the teachers' school supports them and will holding their jobs for them, but she did not know if they would receive compensation during their six months.
Smiley said the schools that have become Janesville's partners are among the best in China.
The possibilities for Janesville-China connections keep on growing. After she returned, Schulte received an offer from a Beijing high school to host Janesville students.
Feb 4, 2013 at 12:41 p.m.
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As a private citizen, I am conducting a survey. This is not in connection with or authorized by the SDJ. If you are a parent, student, teacher, employee or taxpayer in Janesville, please fill this out, and join me at the School Board meeting on February 12th to discuss the results. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L3L7S98
Jan 26, 2013 at 7:22 a.m.
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Sorry, sign guy, you're right. I don't know how often they're painted. It just looked pretty worn when I drove past it, and hard to see. There's a sign, but in the chaos of morning and traffic, it would be pretty easy to miss that sign. Some bright white paint might help.
fear, thank you, yes, that was my point.
wasp, no I haven't. I volunteer in other areas in the school district but you're right. Maybe I should do more. Thanks for the suggestion.
Jan 25, 2013 at 11:13 p.m.
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I believe what luvyvls point was, what is the focus of this goofy district? Trips to China, dress codes, parking fees, etc.... How much of ANY OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH EDUCATING KIDS?
We have a board that wants NOTHING to do with negotiating a deal with the community's most important people. We have a superintendant taking vacations to China, um I mean a work trip?? Janesville is quickly becoming a laughing stock due to a partisan school board doing NOTHING but nonsense. If I had my way they would all be gone. A superintendant going to China with the IT officer? What is the....purpose of that?
Joke of a School Board, Joke of a superintendant. How would you like to be a teacher in Janesville working under this group of clowns?
Jan 25, 2013 at 5:21 p.m.
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Luvujvl, yeah actually it did get a new coat of paint last fall just before school started, just as every school crosswalk does every fall. I know this because I'm the one that painted it. Don't go off with your comments with things that you have no idea about.
Jan 25, 2013 at 5:01 p.m.
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"..That tuition could be a new revenue stream for the district..." Do you really think this is in the "best" interest of our students? This China Connection...No it is trying to find more revenue to put in the districts bank account.. problem with this I'm sure we the tax payers will be picking up the tab somewhere down the line. Maybe not this year but it's coming. Has any of our school officials put a pen to the paper and figure out what the cost will be and what the income will be and really see the revenue benefit? I believe this is just a trying to keep up with the Jones (other districts doing this) If there is a generous donor in our community why not help with some of the programs we already have going that are in need of additional funds.
Jan 25, 2013 at 7:48 a.m.
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luvujvl - I assume that you have contacted the affected schools that have low scores, to see if you could give some volunteer help. They are always looking for people to give the kids extra attention. But then some people would rather just complain.
Jan 25, 2013 at 6:59 a.m.
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Yet we still have a crosswalk at Franklin that didn't even receive a new coat of paint, not to mention a crossing guard...we have about half of our students living in poverty...we have test scores in core areas that need improvement... but this is where we are focusing our collective energy?? Sad.
Jan 25, 2013 at 5:55 a.m.
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Gift tax ?? Sure these two trips surpassed the allotted amount.
Jan 25, 2013 at 12:27 a.m.
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i suggest we ship SCHULTE, to china and along with her hair brain ideas.
Jan 24, 2013 at 3:10 p.m.
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Congratulations to the school board and Karen Schulte for their forward thinking. And a big thank you to the anonymous donor of the transportation funds.
Jan 24, 2013 at 1:29 p.m.
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With all the struggles the school district has and is facing, this is where the Superintendent focuses her energy? Beyond odd partnership to me.
Jan 24, 2013 at 1:07 p.m.
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"Smiley and Schulte stressed that the Americans and Chinese have much to learn from each other. Schulte, impressed with Chinese scores in math and science, wants to get some of that teaching expertise in Janesville, but that hasn't worked out, yet."
I applaud the Janesville school system for thinking "outside the box" to try and improve the effectiveness of our already above average education system. And thank you to the anonymous financial donor for investing in both our school district, our children, worldwide learning, and ultimately our future.
Jan 24, 2013 at 9:47 a.m.
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I believe the public should demand to know who is funding these trips and to what end. Sounds suspicious to me.
Jan 24, 2013 at 9:28 a.m.
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Maybe they should hire teachers that are more connected the minority already here in the schools. It is fine to bring in teachers from other countries, yet realistically how many Chinese students does Janesville have, compared to other races/cultures? ***Schulte said the teachers' school supports them and will holding their jobs for them, but she did not know if they would receive compensation during their six months****. Now I hope they are not working for free As that would be SLAVE LABOR IMO!!!! Also Bring back the teachers that were cut during the big budget crisis first. I thought tax payers are allowed a voice in changes like this.
Jan 24, 2013 at 7:16 a.m.
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I figured it was for when the US defaults and China takes ownership of everything.
Jan 24, 2013 at 6:35 a.m.
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And it was a great way for Schute to get a free trip to China! Congrats!
Jan 24, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.
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I live in Hong Kong. Let me tell you this is just a self-serving public relations item for the Janesville naive involved, and a monetary self-serving greed item for the Chinese.
After 16 years here, China is more capitalistic than the USA. Very sneaky and very intuned. Somehow or someway there is an advantage for them here. Watch and see! Just wait!
I guarantee something will occur to the deficit of our over-agressive locals!
Yeah, tying connections with China is CUTE, but they have exterior motives!
What a joke!
Jan 24, 2013 at 6:19 a.m.
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Secret private donor, what’s his/her/its agenda? What interests might the superintendent be representing here? How about some TRANSPARENCY? Open records anyone?
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