About Saint Polycarp Vietnamese School



    Saint Polycarp Vietnamese School is relatively new compared to others in Southern California.  In 1993, with the assistance and blessings of Father Thanh Van Nguyen, the school was established.  Additionally, with the eloquence and dedication of Father Thanh, the program was able to acquire permission to utilize the facilities of the private elementary, involving over 20 rooms containing decent classroom materials such as desks and chalkboards.  In the beginning, there were fewer than 100 students.  But because of families from the H.O. program immigrating to America, the number of students rose.  This signifies the worries of parents for the future of their students to remember their Vietnamese heritage.  Our first principle was Ms. Kim Oanh Thi Huynh.  Following her were Mr. Duong Nguyen 1996-1999, Mrs. Lana Nguyen 2000-2003, and Ms. Chau Uc Vo 2004-2006.



    Over the past 10 years, the Saint Polycarp Vietnamese school bloomed into a well developed, organized institution, which continues to only advance further in the future.  Now, the number of students has multiplied to over 300 students forming six different grade levels.  Not only has the number of students increased, but the number of instructors as well.  We now have about 25 dedicated instructors, not including wonderful individuals that assist these fine teachers.  The Saint Polycarp Vietnamese School is known for its young instructors.  Although the instructors are young in age and appearance, most have college degrees in which the emphasis is on teaching.  Starting 2001, under the coordination of Ms. Lana Nguyen, Saint Polycarp Vietnamese School became a partner with California State University, Long Beach as a teaching site for individuals aiming for their teaching credential.


    We would like to thank all the supportive parents, devoted teachers, and enthusiastic students for their continuous encouragement to allow us to be in this advanced stage today. School hours is every Saturday from 3:00-4:30 p.m.  We welcome all to come and visit us!