Questions
What families ask us
What ages and hours do you serve?
The twos room is for children ages 2 to 3, the threes room for ages 3 to 4 and the fours room for ages 4 to 5. Mornings run 8:30 am to 12:15 pm and the school day 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The twos room also has a three-morning week.
Who speaks which language?
Teachers speak Mandarin with the children from arrival to lunch, and English after lunch on school days. At drop-off and pickup, parents talk with the teachers in English.
Does my child need to know Mandarin first?
No. Most children who join have heard little or none. Teachers use songs, pictures and gestures, and they comfort any child in the language that helps most.
What will my child take away from the Mandarin mornings?
We can't promise what a child will say or when. Children take a new language at their own pace, and we follow the child. What we plan is a calm, playful morning in Mandarin.
How does a tour work?
Tours run in October and February, in the morning while the rooms are working. A tour takes about an hour. You see the room your child would join, meet the teachers and ask anything you like. Children are welcome to come along.
What sets tuition?
The room, your child's age, the schedule and the days a week. We do not print tuition on this site; we send the figures when you ask and go through them on a tour.
How is a place held, and how does the waitlist work?
An enrollment form and a first payment hold a place. When a room is full, families join a waitlist by room and schedule, and we offer places in the order families joined.
Is the school licensed, and what are the ratios?
Yes. The school is licensed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
What happens when a child is ill?
A child with a fever or a contagious illness stays home. If a child becomes ill at school, we call you right away, and a teacher stays with the child until you arrive.
What about photos of my child?
We ask your written permission before we share any photo of your child, on this site, in newsletters or on social media, and you can change your answer at any time. We never put a child's name with a photo, and the photos on this site are examples until we replace them with our own.
What should my child bring?
Lunch on school days, a water bottle, and a spare set of clothes in a labeled bag. Rooms also hold a pair of indoor shoes for each child.
How do you handle toilet learning?
In the twos room, toilet learning is part of the day and goes at each child's pace. The threes and fours rooms ask children to manage the toilet on their own, and teachers help when a child needs it.
How do you handle a hard day?
A teacher stays close, speaks quietly and offers a place to sit, a book or a drink of water. We tell you about it at pickup, and we talk with you if it keeps happening.
Still wondering?
Send us a question or book a tour, and we will answer in person.