Vietnamese student shines spotlight on Asian homeland

By Kevin O’Brien

One of roughly 20 new Vietnamese students attending the Abbotsford School District this year spoke to the school board Monday night about her home country, covering everything from tourist destinations and cuisine to the differences in public education compared to America.

Harmony Le, a senior at Abbotsford High School, led board members and district staff through a short tour of Vietnam, which has a much different climate and culture than Central Wisconsin. Her presentation started with an overview of the weather patterns in different parts of the long, narrow nation, some of which only have two seasons, dry and rainy.

Later in the meeting, board member Eric Brodhagen asked her if she had ever experienced a snowstorm. She laughed and said “no,” and wasn’t sure she was ready for one.

“I think you’ll like it – at first,” he said. Le’s presentation also featured stunning photos of Vietnam’s most famous geographic features, including Son Doong Cave and Ha Long Bay, along with its most revered historical sites, such as Hue Imperial City and Hoi An, an ancient city listed as a World Heritage Site. She also showed pictures of traditional gowns and food and explained Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year that revolves around family reunions.

One of the highlights of Le’s presentations was her explanation of Vietnam’s school system, which starts with primary school in grades 1 through 5 and ends with high school in 10th through 12th, which requires an entrance exam. She said the school start at 7 or 7:30 a.m. and goes until at least 5 p.m., though many students take “extra classes” that can go as late as 9 p.m. There is a heavy emphasis on math and science and not so much on the arts, she said.

All students are required to wear uniforms so that classmates are equal, she said, and each class has 30 to 40 students in it, with just one teacher.

If Wisconsin students thought long bus rides were tough, Le showed pictures of students zip lining over rivers and riding on rafts to get to school in remote areas.

“So, snow days won’t be a problem here,” joked superintendent Ryan Bargender.

When asked why her family decided to move to the United States, Le said they wanted to have greater opportunities, including in education. She said her goal is to become an architect, and she’s grateful to have a chance to do that here. Her parents love the U.S. and were willing to wait seven years to be allowed here.

“I love America, too,” she said.

See VIETNAM/ Page 5 Vietnam

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High school principal Melissa Pilgrim said Le was a “huge help” in enrolling other students from Vietnam this past summer, calling her an “amazing” resource.

Board member Ivone Vazquez said Le did an “awesome job” of explaining her culture to board members, and urged the board to learn more about the increasingly diverse study body, which now includes kids from Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Korea, Vietnam and Portugal.

“I would really push to get a presentation like that from all the countries that we have here in the district,” she said. “So, that way, at least the board gets to learn a little more of the behind-the-scenes on how they got here and what some their cultures are. I think that would be helpful.”

Vasquez resigns

Later in the meeting, the board accepted Vasquez’s resignation, leaving an open seat that will be filled at the board’s next meeting on Nov. 18. Bargender said the district will be accepting letters of interest from those interested in filling the vacancy and then the board will interview applicants before voting to chose someone to carry out the remainder of the term until April elections.

As parting advice, Vasquez encouraged other board members to “keep advocating for all students” and to take advantage of Abbotsford’s status as a “melting pot” of different cultures from around the world.

“If we don’t know their culture, their backgrounds, their educational work, this district is not going to become any better,” she said. “I don’t want to say it’s going to go downhill, but there’s going to be more issues, more fights, more suspensions.”

Vasquez praised the district’s pupil services staff and board members for doing a “great” job, and suggested that the board consider choosing another Hispanic community member to replace her.

“That way we have some representation,” said. “It’s hard to find someone to say ‘yes, I want to do it.’ Most of them are afraid to speak up.”

Other business

■ ■ Georgia Kraus, the district’s accountability coordinator, told the board that nearly 80 percent of the student population is considered economically disadvantaged, and the number of English Learner students is trending upwards. Kraus said the goal with EL students is to get them to score high enough on the ACCESS test so they can keep up with other students at their grade level.

■ ■ The board accepted the resignations of four-year-old kindergarten teacher Kasey Phillips, middle school volleyball coach Jenna Schneider and middle school basketball coach Ethan Kramas.

■ ■ The board approved the hiring of kindergarten teacher Maddi Coutley, middle school volleyball coach Shyann Mendoza, middle school wrestling coach Luis Nav, girls wrestling coach Chance Clement, middle school boys basketball volunteer Sydney Falteisek and varsity girls basketball coach Larry Lecheler.

■ ■ The board reviewed the student head count from the third Friday in September, which showed a grand total of 807 students from preschool through 12th grade. After factoring in the impact of open enrollment and half-day students, the district has about 800 full-time equivalent students.

■ ■ The board renewed the district’s fiveyear charter with the Rural Virtual Academy, which allows students to take classes online but remain eligible for co-curricular activities. Since the district still receives state aid for the students, Bargender said it still comes out ahead financially.

■ ■ The board formally accepted its annual evaluation of Bargender and approved his goals for the 2024-2025 school year, which includes three new tasks: developing an exit survey for departing staff, surveying surrounding districts to determine the best pay rates for staff and providing additional professional development for teachers aides.

SHOW AND TELL - Harmony Le, a senior from Vietnam, speaks to the Abbotsford School Board Monday night about her homeland. She is one of several students who have enrolled from Vietnam in the school district this year.

STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN O’BRIEN