By Caroline Kath / News Editor and Evelyn Watlington / News Reporter
When Harpeth Hall students step back onto campus for the 2026-2027 school year, the school’s world language program will look different. For many students and alumnae, the Chinese program and its faculty have long been a Harpeth Hall staple. From learning difficult tones in the Middle School to creating in-depth culture presentations in the Upper School, the program gradually immerses students in all aspects of the Chinese language and culture.
In recent years, however, the program has seen a decrease in enrollment in both the Middle and Upper School. This year, there are only six students in Honors Chinese IV — regular Chinese IV is not offered due to low enrollment — and two students in AP Chinese.
juniors Abby Perkins and Zarai Armstrong. Photo by Olivia Decastro
The school has decided to make the following changes: the Middle School will no longer offer Chinese as a language option; the Upper School will begin to phase out its Chinese program as current students graduate; and Latin will open up to fifth and sixth grade students.
The administration has put a clear plan in place dictating how students can move forward. In the Middle School, where there is no language graduation requirement, current Chinese students will enroll in a new language — Spanish, French or Latin — this coming year.
In the Upper School, however, current Chinese students will be able to fulfill their language requirements.
According to Madame Jenny Jervis, Department Chair of Upper School world languages and Upper School French teacher, in each of the next three years, the lowest level of Upper School Chinese will be phased out until the class of 2029 completes AP Chinese and graduates.
In addition, Upper School Chinese students will experience another change as Ms. Jingli Jurca, Upper School Chinese teacher, retires after the 2025-2026 school year.
“We’re going to miss Ms. Jurca so much. She has been an important member of our language team and our community,” Madame Jervis said. “Moving forward, we will hire a teacher to support our Chinese students through this transition period.”
Harpeth Hall recognized the need for the change in language programming while also acknowledging the importance of the Chinese program to the school community.
“My experience as a Harpeth Hall girl has been shaped by Chinese in so many ways,” said Harpeth Hall junior Iya El-Sayed, who has been taking Chinese for three years. El-Sayed said the class has enriched her student life as a whole by helping shape her ethos towards her work, and she will certainly miss Ms. Jurca.
Mr. Jerard White, Upper School Latin teacher, explained the benefits of the other change to the world language program — offering Latin to fifth and sixth graders. “It will give them another option for their language and a headstart for learning vocabulary, understanding the structure of both the Latin and English languages, and exploring the wonderful world of Greek and Roman mythology, history and culture,” he said.
According to Madame Cécile Lainé, Department Chair of Middle School world languages, “We have been looking at bringing consistency in our world language offerings so the path is the same no matter what language you choose.”
Many Harpeth Hall girls will experience the effects — whether positive or negative — of these changes in their foreign language education. However, the school is ready to guide students as they finish their language requirements or rethink their language path.
