Mainely Media LLC – Ben Meiklejohn
“After traveling to China as part of an education delegation sponsored by the College Board, Superintendent Dominic DePatsy is hoping to offer Mandarin, the most widely spoken language in China, as a subject matter in Saco middle schools next year. Thornton Academy already teaches four years of Mandarin as an elective at the high school level…“We really value the importance of world languages,” said Rene Menard, headmaster at Thornton Academy. “Our mission is preparing students for a changing world. We encourage students to think globally. It would be fantastic if they could offer (Mandarin) at the middle school, it would give kids confidence and a base of knowledge.” Menard said the U.S. Department of State has identified Mandarin as one of the most important languages to learn. Menard said multi-lingualism is common among students and other people around the world.”(more)