Chinese Representatives visit Schodack

The district had an opportunity to show off its schools to a trade and business representative for China on September 28 as part of its efforts to promote the Schodack community to potential businesses and homeowners.

Millay Yuan, president of the Jiangsu (China) Trade & Business Representative Office, visited Schodack schools after he connected with Board of Education member George Warner.

Mr. Warner and Superintendent Robert Horan attended a trade conference over the summer to create connections with businesses potentially interested in locating in the area or possibly their employees.

Mr. Horan noted there is growing interest in the Capital Region, particularly with the growth of GlobalFoundries and other nanotechnology companies. Given the district's challenges with declining enrollment and lack of commercial tax base, the district has made promoting the school and the community a priority.

Mr. Yuan, whose office is in Albany, contacted the district asking for a visit to learn more about the district and the community.

During a tour of Schodack's schools, Mr. Horan talked with Mr. Yuan about the district's excellent academic standing as well as the strong community support for its schools.

"We have very high academic expectations and one of the highest graduation rates in the region," Mr. Horan said. "And the school district is the community center."

Mr. Horan also talked about how Schodack CSD was one of only a few Capital Region school districts that a delegation of Chinese educators visited in February. Educators were so impressed that they asked to create a sister school with a school in China to provide opportunities to learn from each other.

High School Principal Ron Agostinoni also showed Mr. Yuan the district's distance learning lab, which the school hopes to use to connect with its sister school in China. Mr. Agostinoni also mentioned how the district teaches Mandarin Chinese not only to its own students but students in Averill Park and Saratoga Springs school districts through the distance learning lab.

At the end of his visit, Mr. Yuan told Mr. Horan and Mr. Warner how impressed he was with Schodack's schools and thanked them for the opportunity to learn about it.

"We're a very unique community and we want you to understand what we have here," Mr. Warner told Mr. Yuan. "We want to know how we can help you."