TRAVERSE CITY -- Traverse City parents have an opportunity to send their children to an international school-right here in town.
Bertha Vos Elementary school is undergoing renovations to re-open in the fall - as a free, all-day, pre-K through 5th grade International Baccalaureate (IB) school. Classrooms have been painted. new floors are in, playground equipment has been ordered, the driveways are being renewed, and new library materials and tech-smart classroom tools are on the way.
The students will learn Chinese, as studies show that is the fastest growing language learned in schools across the country. For now, the shcool will only offer Chinese, and then in middle school students will have a choice between Spanish, German, and French. They hope to add on in the future.
As of now, the plan is to have the school day run from 8am-3:30pm. BATA will provide in-town stops for their Acme route, and it's still to be determined if the bus will shuttle just kids or if they will be public also. An IB Coordinator is still being searched for-this person works with the school and teachers to make sure requirements are being met and students are being taught in the best way possible. A lot of staff is still being hired and trained, but the Chinese language teacher has been hired through working with the Confucius Institute at Michigan State- her name is Ms. Yiling Liu.
You can contact TCAPS for enrollment information and application material. They are also holding an ice cream social in June and holding another informational meeting June 7th, or will set up an appointment with you-contact Tracy Wallen at 933-1762.
There will be an open house for Bertha Vos in August.
