After months of discussion the Mid-Prairie School Board has made a decision about the elementary Chinese language program.

The board voted 6-0 not to hire a replacement for Chinese instructor Jean Hussey who is retiring at the end of the school year. The Spanish language instruction will now double its time from 25 to 50 minutes each week at the elementary schools. Superintendent Mark Schneider explains the board’s reasoning for this change, “One of the issues obviously is it’s hard to find qualified Chinese teachers. Jean Hussey has been a wonderful Chinese teacher for us ever since 2007 when we got the first federal grant. That is how Chinese started in the district. We received two grants throughout the years to provide that instruction and she’s been with us since the very beginning and kind of been just a wonderful teacher.”

Cost was also a factor in the board’s decision according to Schneider, as they didn’t have to hire an additional teacher for the increase in Spanish instruction. Elementary Principals Bill Poock and Robin Foster gave ideas on how the schools can celebrate cultural diversity in the future, such as an international fair. The board also requested an annual report of the elementary foreign language and culture program, to which the administrators agreed to provide one likely every spring.