Register here or please click on the register tab at the top. If you are a new family, you will need to create an account first. If you are a returning family, please log in and you will see the options for registration. Payment can be made via cash, check, zelle or paypal for credit card payments. However please note paypal/credit card payments are at a slightly higher rate to offset credit card fees. Any questions please email registrar@nwcsny.org or info@nwcsny.org

Students in Pre-K, K or first grade are typically best suited for the corresponding grade they are in for regular school (ie. Pre-K, K or level 1). For older students please reach out to us via info@nwcsny.org and we can work with you to determine the right class based on your child’s abilities.

Please see the curriculum page for more information. In addition, the teacher typically adopts the pace of learning depending on the pace of the students. Then each class moves through the levels together, so learning is tailored to each class.

We offer an 8-week course in the fall and spring for toddlers 3 years or younger. The toddler and their parents are invited to attend class and get exposure to Mandarin together! Parents are expected to attend with their children.

All language classes are Saturdays from 9am to 11am with a 10 minute break where students are able to go to the cafeteria to take a break and have a snack. However, pre-K does not leave the classroom for their break. Elective classes are from 11am to 12pm.

Parents for children under the age of 10 should plan on meeting their child(ren) during this this break time, or arrange to have their child(ren) meet with a designated classmate’s parent. We have a comfortable cafeteria where parents can gather and socialize during this time.

Parents will also be asked to volunteer once per semester for Parent Duty. NWCS depends on parent volunteers to help with the safe operation of the school. Parents will be asked to help monitor the hallways, make sure that the classrooms are clean and returned to their original arrangement once NWCS classes are finished, and to assist in other school activities that are taking place that day. Assignments will be made by the school counselors, and a Parent Duty list will be distributed by email. As a Parent-on-Duty, you will be responsible for being at the school from 8:45 am to 12:15 pm on your assigned date to assist the school counselors or the Breakfast Club volunteers.

We do, provided there is enough interest. If you and a friend are interested in taking a course together, please let us know! We will have more details closer to the start of the school year.

Please see the curriculum page for more information. The learning process starts with the Zhuyin (bopomofo) phonetic alphabet and traditional Chinese. However, depending on the class progress, Hanyu pinyin and simplified Chinese characters are then introduced at a suitable level (typically level 2 and up), which varies from class to class. Our textbook contains all 4 forms: Zhuyin, Pinyin, Traditional, and Simplified to best meet our student’s learning needs. Character recognition will always emphasize traditional to start, as simplified is easier to pick up once students have a traditional foundation (but not vice-versa).

Please see the curriculum document for more information. We teach Zhuyin phonetic alphabet (bopomofo) at an early age for the following reasons:

1. It helps with pronunciation as the phonetics align best with the tones of Mandarin.
2. Young students are often learning the English alphabet / reading at the same time (K, 1st grade) and this approach avoids confusion at this early age.
3. The phonetic alphabet introduces foundational Chinese character shapes and stroke order that eases future learning of Chinese characters.

We have found that our students often have higher quality pronunciation and often are able to supplement their learning of reading and writing (in higher levels) because they are able to read the phonetic alphabet when they do not know a particular character.

Students still learn pinyin in our curriculum. Depending on the students / class, we typically start pinyin after Level 2.

We teach traditional characters because while they are harder to learn, once learned it is then much easier to learn simplified characters. It is more challenging to go the other direction and learn traditional after starting with simplified.

Textbooks in later levels also have simplified so students can learn simplified as well, but they will have a stronger foundation having started in with traditional.

We do have a tutoring elective where students can go for extra help during the 3rd hour, if they choose to do so. In addition, some of our teachers and advanced students offer 1:1 tutoring outside of school hours. Those are arranged separately from the Chinese school at varying rates, though we are happy to make the introductions.