Enrollment

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Students must be at least 4 years of age to enroll. The school will evaluate to determine admission eligibility if a student is under age 4. Students from all backgrounds and cultures are welcome. Make sure you read through the KCA rules before the first day of class.

Class Location and Time

For the 2023-24 school year, our classes will take place on Sunday afternoons at the Zhang Portage Community Senior Center. The fall semester will start on Sunday, September 10, 2023. There will also be a few in-person social events throughout the year. We follow the KRESA academic calendar for start and end dates, as well as most scheduled breaks and holidays.  Please see our class schedule and academic calendar for details.

Class Offerings

Visit our Programs page for class descriptions.

• Chinese language for heritage students: $310 (31 sessions, class assigned by teacher, ages 4-18)
• Chinese language for non-heritage students: $310 (31 sessions, class assigned by teacher, ages 4-18)
• AP Chinese prep: $310 (31 sessions, virtual)
• "Little Star" dance: $310 (31 sessions, 3-4pm, ages 5-10)
• Beginner youth dance: $310 (31 sessions, 2-3pm, ages 11-18)
• Youth dance: for existing members only
• Lion dance and youth martial arts: $100 (17 sessions, starting 11/5/23, 4-5pm, ages 5-18)
• Chinese YoYo (diabolo): $110 (16 sessions, 5-6:30pm, ages 5-18)
• Chinese art: $70 + $7 materials fee (7 sessions, 9/10/23-10/29/23, 4-5pm, ages 6-14)
• Tea ceremony: $60 + $18 materials fee (6 sessions, starting 9/10/23, 5-6pm, ages 12+)
• Body charm: $100 (10 sessions, 4-5pm, ages 16+)
• Asian-inspired mixed media art: more info coming in spring 2024

Registration and Tuition

• The non-refundable annual registration fee is $35 per family, or $25 per family if registered by Aug 15th.
• KCA hosts many cultural events throughout the year. Registered families gain discounts and special access to KCA events.
• You only need to complete on form per family. Course selections and payment information can be found at the end of the form.
• There is a cumulative $5 discount per additional course enrolled per family. For example: If you enroll in language, dance, and art classes, that means $5 x 3 classes = $15 off.
• Need-based financial aid is available upon request. Contact info@kzooca.org for more information.

Tuition Discounts: (Limit one type of discount per household - either Family or Staff.) 

• Family discount (cumulative): 
  • $10 discount per additional course enrolled per family.
• Staff discount (non-cumulative): 
  • $20 discount per family for KCA staff and board members and for WMU employees.

Additional Info:

• Performance opportunities are available through audition only. There's a $10 costume charge.
• Advanced YoYo performers will be awarded $50 scholarships to reduce the tuition to zero; the students must sign up for the new “Practice Buddy" program in order to receive the scholarship. 
  • The program will pair one new student with each advanced student during a practice session at the beginning of the academic year. The pairing will typically not change during the school year so they can build strong relationships. 
  • The program is designed to help advanced students gain leadership and teamwork skills so that they can become candidates for our upcoming student leader roles. The program will also help new students feel welcomed by other students and gain technical skills more quickly. 

Payment

We accept checks, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle.

Please make the check payable to Kalamazoo Chinese Academy (KCA) and mail it to:

KCA, PO Box 343, Portage, MI 49081-0343

PayPal Link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kzooca

Venmo Link: https://account.venmo.com/u/kzooca

Zelle: Use your banking app to pay info@kzooca.org

Refund Policy (each semester)

• Full tuition refund for students who withdraw within 2 weeks of classes.
• 50% tuition refund for students who withdraw within 4 weeks of classes.
• No tuition refund after the 5th week.
• Registration fee is non-refundable.

Late Enrollment

Students who wish to attend KCA after the school year starts will go under a language readiness assessment by the teachers. If accepted, the students will pay a prorated tuition based on each individual case.

KCA Instructors

All KCA instructors are experienced in teaching Chinese language and Chinese culture in both China and the US. They are native Chinese speakers and speak English fluently. KCA partners with the Asian Initiatives at WMU, who provides select qualified Chinese language and culture instructors to the school.

Class Assignment

Each student who is enrolled in KCA will be given a language assessment, as deemed necessary, to help determine which level or class is the most suitable for the student. During the school year, students may be moved to a different level or class based on their individual progress.

School Cancellation Policy 

Student safety is KCA’s first priority. The school follows the KRESA academic calendar, and may cancel classes in case of inclement weather and emergencies. The cancellation announcement will be sent to families via email and posted on the KCA Facebook page.