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NORTHERN WESTCHESTER CHINESE SCHOOL

Pleasantville, NY · EIN 133119415 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A230 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · nwcsny.org
revenue
$148K
expenses
$75K
net assets
$337K
employees
mission · from form 990

Teaching Chinese Mandarin Language (Level Pre-K thru 12) and Chinese Cultural Education

profile · synthesized from sources

NORTHERN WESTCHESTER CHINESE SCHOOL provides Mandarin language and Chinese cultural education for children from infancy through 12th grade. The school offers structured language instruction beginning with phonetic alphabets (Zhuyin and Pinyin), traditional and simplified characters, and cultural immersion through play-based and academic methods. Classes are held on weekends at a middle school in Briarcliff Manor, NY, serving families primarily in Westchester County.

named programs · 8 · from sources

What they call their work

Adult Conversation Classes
Offered based on demand; designed for adults interested in conversational Mandarin, typically arranged in small groups
Chinese Calligraphy (Levels 5 & 6)
Required elective for 5th and 6th graders focusing on stroke order, character formation, and artistic expression through traditional calligraphy
Level 1
Builds on Zhuyin proficiency; introduces combined phonetics and basic traditional characters; focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing foundational skills
Level 2 and Above
Progressive curriculum introducing vocabulary, sentence structures, and character writing; uses textbooks with Zhuyin, Pinyin, traditional, and simplified characters; classes move as a cohort
Level K
Instruction in Zhuyin (bopomofo) phonetic alphabet, tones, and basic phrases; prepares students for reading and writing in Mandarin
Parent & Me (Xiao Long Bao / Xiao Ping Guo)
8-week fall and spring courses for toddlers (up to age 3) and their caregivers, focusing on exposure to Mandarin through songs and play; classes divided by age: Xiao Long Bao (up to 18 months), Xiao Ping Guo (ages 2–3)
Pre-K Mandarin Class
Introduction to basic Chinese phrases and culture through songs and play for children age 4+; taught in mixed English-Chinese, no textbook used
Tutoring Program
Optional 3rd-hour tutoring during school hours; additional 1:1 tutoring available outside school hours arranged through the school
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • East Asian Language and Cultural Education 4 activities
    • Facilitate private 1:1 Mandarin tutoring connections for families
      Connects families with teachers or advanced students who offer private one-on-one Mandarin tutoring outside of regular school hours, supporting extended language learning opportunities.
    • Offer adult Mandarin conversation classes based on community interest
      Provides adult Mandarin conversation classes when sufficient participant interest is demonstrated, extending language education to adult learners within the community.
    • Offer early childhood Mandarin programs for toddlers aged 3 years and younger
      Provides 8-week Parent & Me Mandarin courses, including the Xiao Long Bao (Little Dumplings) and Xiao Ping Guo (Little Apples) classes, designed for children under 3 years old with required parent or caregiver participation, offered in fall and spring sessions.
    • Provide Mandarin language and Chinese cultural education for children from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade
      Offers structured instruction in Mandarin language and Chinese culture for students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, including weekend classes during the academic year. Curriculum includes phonetic systems like Zhuyin (bopomofo), traditional characters, vocabulary, sentence structures, and cultural components.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Deliver supplemental academic support and electives for enrolled students
      Offers a tutoring elective during the third hour of the weekend program for students seeking additional academic help and provides elective classes from 11am–12pm, expanding learning beyond core language instruction.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$148K
Contributions & grants$8651%
Program service revenue$135K91%
Investment income$5K4%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$75K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$55K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$337K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$337K
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +70.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 8
  • Blanca Chien — Board Member
  • Elle Bathnow — Board Member
  • John Nguyen — Board Member
  • Lam Le — Board Member
  • Sharon Fong — Board Member
  • Teresa Hsu Walklet — Board Member
  • Vivian Chen — Board Member
  • Weifang Lin — Board Chairperson
relationships · 1

Who they work with

  • Briarcliff Middle School Partner — Hosts Northern Westchester Chinese School classes at its facility located at 444 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor, NY.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Cohort-Based Differentiated Instruction with Multi-Format Support
    methodology: cohort-based_differentiated_instruction_with_multi-format_support
    By tailoring curriculum progressively by cohort and using multi-format instructional materials (including zhuyin, pinyin, traditional, and simplified characters), the school supports diverse learner backgrounds and promotes inclusive language development, because this flexibility accommodates varying levels of prior exposure and literacy pathways.
  • Foundational Literacy Sequence Strategy
    methodology: foundational-literacy-first
    By teaching Zhuyin (bopomofo) and traditional Chinese characters first, the school builds stronger foundational literacy in Mandarin pronunciation and character recognition, because mastery of these forms reduces confusion with English alphabet learning and enables easier acquisition of pinyin and simplified characters later.
  • Play-Based and Bilingual Pedagogy for Early Learners
    methodology: play-based_learning
    By using play-based activities, songs, and a bilingual instructional approach with custom materials, the school enhances language acquisition and cultural engagement among young children, because these methods align with developmental learning patterns and support contextual, immersive understanding without reliance on formal textbooks.