On the 17th, the Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy (ICIA), the first IUSD-approved public charter school, held its grand ribbon-cutting ceremony. This inaugural year, the academy has enrolled over 250 students, ranging from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) to the third grade.
The ceremony witnessed heartfelt speeches from several dignitaries. Dr. Benson Kwok, the Principal of ICIA, expressed his gratitude for the unwavering support received from various quarters. He was joined by Ferrah Khan, the Mayor of Irvine; Terry Walker, the Superintendent of the Irvine School District; and Yulan Chung, the CEO of the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center and the Principal of the Irvine Chinese School. Each of them emphasized the significance of the collective efforts of the city, school district, and parents that made the establishment of this bilingual immersion school a reality in less than a year. They highlighted how the academy offers a new avenue for students of diverse backgrounds to learn the Chinese language and culture.
Several esteemed guests graced the ribbon-cutting event. Among them were members of the IUSD's Board of Education: Cyril Yu, Paul Bokota, Lauren Brooks, and Jeff Kim. Diane Kim, the Board President of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, was also present, along with key members of the ICIA founding team, including James Guo, Dr. Pao Ling Guo, Stephen Hsu, Wendi Chen, Beatrice Tseng, Rose Tsai, Vincent Diao, Alice Wang, Andrew Mar, and Janie Tsao.
Adding to the event's distinction, the Chief of Police for the city of Irvine, Michael Kent, Anthony Kuo, the former Vice Mayor, and Mike Chen, the former President of the South Coast Chinese Cultural Association, also attended to extend their congratulations and support.
The establishment of the Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy is not just an educational milestone for Irvine, but a testament to the city's commitment to fostering multicultural understanding and appreciation.
由爾灣學區核准成立的第一所公立雙語小學Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy，17日下午舉行開幕剪綵，第一年招收從幼稚園預備班（TK）到三年級學生共250多人。
ICIA校長郭秉生（Dr. Benson Kwok）、爾灣市市長Ferrah Khan、爾灣學區總監Terry Walker 及南海岸中華文化中心執行長暨爾灣中文學校校長鍾幼蘭先後致詞，感謝來自各方的支持，凝聚市府、學區及家長的力量，在不到一年時間內，促成這所中英雙語沈浸式小學在爾灣市成立，提供各族裔學生學習華語文的新選擇。
當天應邀剪綵的貴賓還包括爾灣學區教委余凱澤、Paul Bokota、Lauren Brooks、Jeff Kim、爾灣公立學校基金會董事長Diane Kim、ICIA創校團隊郭俊良、王寶玲、許清松、陳俊蓉 、曾尚儀、蔡玟慧、刁冠群、王錦輝、馬德康、吳健等人。爾灣市警長Michael Kent、前任副市長郭正明、南海岸中華文化協會前會長陳景星等人也出席致賀。