History

History of Sister School Relationships
 
 
Honglian Ren, a teacher from No. 1 Middle School in Tanggu, China, came to the Delano faculty during the 1991-92 school year as part of the American Field Service (AFS) student and teacher exchange program. Cathy Gunderson was the AFS representative for this area and was instrumental in bringing Ren to Delano. In the summer of 1994, Chuck and Kathy Johnson, members of the Delano staff, traveled to Ren's school at his invitation. At that time, a sister school relationship was formalized with Delano Public Schools. In 2005, No. 1 Middle School ended the relationship, and Lindsay Wallace and Lanette Faul became the final teachers to visit. That same year, Delano Schools entered into a sister school partnership with Ziyun (Purple Cloud) School in Tanggu. During that same time, Delano Public Schools also entered into another sister school relationship with Shiyuan Primary School.
Since 2005, our two schools have exchanged visitors every year. A group of students, teachers and other chaperones, visit Ziyun and other parts of China, every year during spring break. Students stay with host families and attend school. Those host students, along with teachers from Ziyun, then visit Delano in late September.
Highlights of the China trip include:
Beijing
  • Great Wall at Mutianyu
  • Forbidden City and Imperial Park
  • Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven
  • Tain'anmen Square
  • Authentic Peking duck dinner and an acrobat show

Guilin and Yangshuo

  • cruise the Lijiang River
  • Tai Chi lesson from a master
  • Liu Sanjie Show - spectacular light show on the river
  • Longsheng rice terraces
  • shopping at open market - bartering is allowed!

Shanghai

  • the Bund - Nanjing Road
  • Yuyuan Old Street - shopping - more bartering
  • Zhujiajiao Water Town
  • Kung Fu show
  • Disneyland