The Japanese Immersion Program began in 1989 with two kindergarten classes at Richmond Elementary School. Now it is a complete K-12 language immersion program with students starting at Richmond for kindergarten and staying through 5th grade. Students move to Mt. Tabor Middle School for grades 6-8 and Grant High School for grades 9-12.
Richmond Elementary School is a learning community that focuses on integrating Japanese Language and Culture into the standard Oregon curriculum. This is accomplished through a partial immersion approach where students spend half of each day with a Japanese speaking teacher and the other half with an English speaking teacher. At the elementary level teachers coordinate instruction across the curriculum in science, social studies, math and problem solving, health and literacy in both languages, with complimentary lessons that reinforce district, State and National standards. This Model program (Center for Applied Linguistics, 2000) is continued at Mt. Tabor Middle School and Grant High School for an articulated experience in second language acquisition.
After 5th grade, students have the opportunity to travel on a parent-sponsored trip organized by Oya No Kai. Students stay with families in Japan, attend sister schools, visit historical landmarks, and participate in cultural and recreational activities with their host families. For many students, it is the experience of a lifetime.
In 8th grade, students go on a school-sponsored trip to Japan and take the lead by researching airfares, interviewing chaperones, and selecting gifts for city officials. Once in Japan, they complete field assignments and hands-on research on a topic of their choice. Upon their return they make a formal presentation of their travels to friends and families with a sense of pride and ownership of a job well done.
High school students are required to complete a Community-Based Learning credit. This real-world experience might include studying or volunteering in Japan, interning with a local Japanese company, or tutoring Japanese with elementary students.
Benefits of Our School
Richmond provides students with a warm and supportive learning environment and a bilingual curriculum that is stimulating, rigorous, and fun.
The self-esteem of our students grows as their speaking, reading, writing and listening fluency develops in Japanese and English.
Learning about another culture fosters diversity of thought among our students and nurtures a global view of the world.
Student learning is enriched by Richmond's highly skilled and committed staff.
Our history of strong achievement assures families that academic excellence is the norm.
Experienced Teaching Teams
Our English and Japanese teachers work as partners to determine which part of the curriculum is best taught in each language. This complementary approach allows our students to make connections between their English and Japanese learning experiences and improve their fluency with each language.
Family Support and Involvement
The commitment and involvement of our families is something that really sets Richmond apart from ordinary schools.
Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) promotes parent and staff cohesiveness and provides funds and enrichment opportunities across our classrooms.
Richmond Site Council is a committee of parents and teachers charged with school improvement.
Oya No Kai is a non-profit organization to support and promote Japanese culture at Richmond. Oya No Kai, or "parent organization," provides funding for our Japanese teaching interns. They also coordinate cultural exhchanges with our sister schools in Japan.
Awards and Recognition
Richmond named an "Exceptional School" by the Oregon Department of Education for achievement in 2006 and 2007.
Richmond receives the prestigious 2005 Award for Excellence in International Education by the Asia Society and the Goldman Sachs Foundation (2005)
George Lucas Foundation produces a short film about the Japanese Magnet Program at Richmond (2003)
Center for Applied Linguistics publishes the article "Japanese Immersion: A Successful Program in Portland, Oregon" by Douglas F. Gilzow (2001)
Portland Schools Foundation awards the New Vision Grant for Richmond’s Mathematics Collaborative Project (2000-02)
The Center for Applied Linguistics recognizes Richmond as one of seven model language immersion schools in the country in their report Lessons Learned: Model Early Foreign Language Programs (2000)
Excellence in Education award from the Portland Schools Foundation for Renee Ito-Staub, Richmond Principal (1997)
Why Should Your Child Learn Japanese?
Fluency in a second language will ...
Enrich and enhance your child's cognitive development.
Lead to greater achievement in reading, writing, social studies, science and mathematics in both languages.
Help your child develop different learning styles and problem-solving and reasoning skills.
Foster a sense of humanity and friendship across cultures.
Increase your child's ability to adapt to different environments.
Improve your child's understanding of and fluency with his or her native language.
Increase your child's ability to be more flexible in their thinking.
Open the door to other cultures and help your child increase his or her sensitivity to and understanding of the language, values, customs and traditions of others.
Lead your child to discover and examine his or her personal values and civic responsibilities.
Increase career and educational opportunities in many professions.
Adapted from the book Languages and Children: Making the Match (3rd edition), H. Curtain and C. Pesola, (2003).
Language and Children: Making the Match (3rd edition), H. Curtis and C. Pesola, (2003)より引用
How can I find out more?
If your child is preparing to enter kindergarten, please contact us at 503-916-6220 or visit our enrollment page.
