Barrington Chinese Immersion Council 220

10/30/2026

💛 CI Parent Night Out | November 13

Our Chinese Immersion journey is about more than learning a language. It's about the community we build along the way!

BCIC is bringing CI parents together for a casual night out - a chance to meet fellow parents, reconnect with familiar faces, and build friendships beyond the classroom. You can also learn more about ways to get involved with BCIC and support our program. Whether you're new to the program or have been part of the community for years, we'd love to see you there!

Friday, November 13, 2026
6-8 PM
Kelsey Road House - Garden Room

RSVP required. Please RSVP through the link in our bio so we can plan accordingly.

We look forward to bringing our CI families together!

10/26/2026

Tonight's the Night! 🏮 District 220 MultiCultural Night🏮

Join us this evening as D220 celebrates the many cultures that make our school community so special! Hosted by the District Equity Team, the night brings food tastings, performances, storytelling, art displays, and interactive exhibits for the whole family.

It’s a wonderful chance for our Mandarin immersion families to connect with neighbors, share our love of Chinese language and culture, and learn about the traditions of others. 🌏❤️

📍 Barrington High School, Lower Atrium & Cafeteria
📅 Monday, October 26
⏰ 6:00–8:00 p.m.

We hope to see you there! 欢迎大家! (Everyone’s welcome!)

Join us for an evening of cultural exploration, meaningful connections, and community celebration as we honor the many backgrounds, traditions, and experiences that make Barrington 220 special!

Monday, October 26
6:00–8:00 PM
Barrington High School Cafeteria & Lower Atrium

Hosted by the District Equity Team, this event will feature a variety of opportunities to experience and celebrate cultures from around our community, including:

* Cultural food tastings
* Live performances
* Storytelling and traditions
* Cultural art displays
* Interactive exhibits

Bring your family and join us for an evening of learning, sharing, and celebrating the diversity that brings us together.

08/20/2026

Welcome back to a new school year!
A warm welcome to our CI kindergarteners who started today!

07/11/2026

⏳ Only a few weeks left to apply! Could your family host a Chinese exchange student this summer?

If you’ve been thinking about hosting but are wondering what it actually looks like day-to-day, take a look at the flyer below. Essentially, your main role is just to treat the high school student like another member of your family!

❓Still have questions? Drop a comment below or send a DM. We would love to connect you with a local Barrington family who previously hosted for Exchange , so you can get the real, parent-to-parent scoop.

They are still looking for 9 host families to make this short-term trip a reality for these students.

📱 Ready to chat or ask questions? Contact Tammy Zilinski at 847-489-8426 or email [email protected].

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Please note that Greenheart International is an independently operated program with no affiliation to BCIC. BCIC is sharing this information solely as a courtesy to our community. This communication does not constitute a formal endorsement or recommendation.

07/08/2026

🌏 Your child learns Chinese... now bring China home! 👋

The Barrington Chinese Immersion Council is thrilled to share a unique summer opportunity from our friends at Greenheart Exchange. They are looking for 9 host families to welcome a Chinese exchange student into their home for just two short weeks (July 26 – August 9).

This is an incredible, bite-sized way to bring language learning to life, build an international friendship, and give your family a global experience right from your living room!

📅 Dates: July 26 – August 9
🔗 Learn more & apply: greenheartexchange.org/coordinators/tammy-zilinski
📱 Questions? Reach out directly to Local Coordinator Tammy Zilinski at 847-489-8426.

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Please note that Greenheart International is an independently operated program with no affiliation to BCIC. BCIC is sharing this information solely as a courtesy to our community. This communication does not constitute a formal endorsement or recommendation.

05/30/2026

BCIC wrapped up the school year with another epic party celebrating the End of the School Year! 💥

Barrington area families enjoyed an evening of cultural crafts, games, dragon boat races, playground play, and food trucks! Nearly 200 people attended the event at North Barrington Elementary - a testament to the enduring sense of community between Chinese Immersion families and their friends!

👉 Do you have pictures? Share them with us!

05/29/2026

📢 Congratulations to our K-6 Midwest Chinese Speech Contest Contestants 📢

On May 9, 6th grade student Austin earned a gold medal at the Midwest K-6 Chinese Speech Contest, a competition spanning nine states.
Representing District 220’s 50/50 Chinese Immersion program, Austin surpassed competitors from 100% fully immersive programs, making his achievement especially remarkable. His exceptional performance even drew national attention. We are incredibly proud of Austin’s dedication, talent, and outstanding accomplishment.

We also want to celebrate our other wonderful participants who entered the contest:
👏 6th Grade: Claire and Keira
👏 4th Grade: Tiffany, Marielle, and Amador
👏 3rd Grade: Ibrahim, Maryam, Gayatri, and Catherine

🙏 A special thank you to Mrs. Weerts, Mrs. Du, and Mrs. Zander for working so hard to prepare all of these students!

05/22/2026

This week BCIC visited students at North Barrington to kick off the school’s C**T PRIDE Countdown to the end of the school year. “C” day was “Chinese Culture.” The whole school was encourage to wear red and make paper lantern crafts in their classrooms. As an added bonus volunteers passed out Chinese stickers and temporary tattoos to all students during their lunch periods, and 5th grade Chinese Immersion students assisted with the morning announcements. What a fun day!

05/20/2026

Join us in ONE WEEK for our End of Year Party! 🎉

We’re excited to celebrate a fantastic school year with our Barrington community—come enjoy a fun, casual evening with games, activities, and playground time for the kids!

✅ Free admission
✅ Free snack with registration
🍕 Kurbside Pizza Truck & Kona Ice available for purchase

📅 Wednesday, May 27
⏰ 5:00–7:00 PM
📍 North Barrington Elementary School

👉 Register here: https://www.bcic220.org/event/ci-end-of-the-year-party/

Let us know if you’re coming—we’d love to see you there! 💬

05/18/2026

Chinatown day is here! Last week, our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students set out for this much-anticipated annual field trip.

Students enjoyed a guided walking tour of the neighborhood, with stops for lunch, bakery treats, boba tea, and shopping along the way. They explored the area’s unique architecture, visited a beautiful local park, and even spent time in the public library browsing Mandarin-language books.

Thank you to Mrs. Weerts, Mr. Yu, and our dedicated parent chaperones for making this meaningful cultural experience possible!