About Us

PANDA CLASS was founded in July of 2010 to meet the needs of children seeking to learn free expression in areas of language and art. Our studio space in Newcastle and Bellevue hosted over 1000+ local students and families. In the past, we mainly focused on art and Mandarin classes for non-native families. Since moving to Newcastle in 2016, we now have the capacity for local working families in need of afterschool care and camps. Our facility is within walking distance from Hazelwood elementery and has easy access to many outdoor recreation and parks. We are nearby (Newcastle, south Bellevue, and north Renton). We have a spacious play yard, interactive classrooms, and experienced teachers. We offer weekly Mandarin, Spanish and art classes for students PreK-5th.

CHEN LAO SHI
As an educator, I have worked with families with children (0-12) since 1995. My work experiences include (Panda Class, the Bush School, KPL, CISC bilingual preschool, Sponge School, Saint Thomas, Open Window, YMCA, Northwest Chinese school and Gymboree) I am a children’s art instructor as well as a Chinese language instructor. Our art curriculum uses various mediums and techniques to explore and expand one’s creativity. I have taught art to children for more than two decades and have a background in architecture. I was introduced to Mandarin teaching in 2006 through Sponge as their lead Mandarin teacher. Over the years, I have developed various curriculums for both non-native and native families. I am currently a Mandarin faculty at the Bush School’s upper school.
In 2011, my husband and I co-founded PANDA CLASS, and it’s been such a wonderful journey growing and learning with the students and their families. Our goal is for our center to become a happy hub where children can learn, grow and form friendships together.