Kyung Park had no idea what information was available to help her understand the Howard County school system when she moved from South Korea to Clarksville five years ago with her two sons.
“I did feel a little lost,” she said through Young-chan Han, who served as an interpreter for Park during an recent interview at a local county school.
“My church staff informed me about the [Office of International Student and Family Services]. They told me that the office would be able to answer my questions to support my children.”
As the English for Speakers of Other Languages outreach specialist for the county schools, Han places bilingual school liaisons who interpret for families with limited English-speaking skills and translate school documents.
Park said the translated documents have helped her understand high school graduation requirements and the mandated tests. As a result, she enabled her children to achieve their goals. Her son, John, who recently graduated from River Hill High School, wants to study music. His brother, William, is a ninth-grader at Atholton High School.
“[William] has an incredibly good work ethic,” and his English skills have improved, giving him “more confidence” with his peers, his mother said.
In Korea, she said, she didn?t think her children really enjoyed school because the school system did not allow children to discover their strengths. In America, the school system encourages them “to become creative,” she said.
Her husband, Seung Min Back, a real estate developer who works in South Korea, didn?t initially agree with separating the family, but he has changed his mind.
“He sees how an American education is developing good character in our children, and he thinks it?s the best decision we?ve made,” she said.
Park urged all immigrant families to understand what the school system has to offer its children.
“Parents should tap into the resources that are available,” she said.
Stats for Howard
» The percentage of Asians has more than doubled from 1990 to 2004, from 4.3 percent of the county population to 10.2 percent, according to the U.S. Census.
» Asian students and their parents make up 13 percent of the county?s nearly 48,000 students, said Young-chan Han, English for Speakers of Other Languages outreach specialist for the county schools.
