Denny International Middle School in Westwood is abuzz with excitement right now – in two languages – Mandarin and English. Dignitaries from China are part of a high-powered delegation visiting the school right now to celebrate the launch of the Confucius Institute language program – to be based here at Denny until the new Denny/Sealth campus is open a few blocks east. The visit began with a classroom tour (photo above) and is now moving on to a big assembly, with students from Denny, Chief Sealth International High School, and Beacon Hill International Elementary, as well as dignitaries galore (including state schools Superintendent Randy Dorn). This will conclude with processions, including a lion dance, from Denny to the new Denny-Sealth campus in a little more than an hour, and as we mentioned earlier today, that means SW Thistle will be briefly closed in the area. “A very historic day for the state, city, and Seattle Public Schools,” as Karen Kodama, SPS international education administrator, has just proclaimed this to be. More to come! ADDED 3:16 PM: We’ve got lots of photos and video to put in a second report, but while we work on that, here are the Denny and Sealth musicians playing short version of both the China and USA national anthems at the new Sealth/Denny campus as the event ended:

ADDED 4:54 PM: And here are two of Christopher Boffoli‘s photos: First, from the start of the procession down SW Thistle from Denny to the new Sealth/Denny campus – lion dancer/break dancers from Franklin HS, followed by Denny/Sealth musicians – video of the parade will be in our second report:

From the auditorium event, Madame Xu Lin, who leads the Confucius Institute from its headquarters in China, with Superintendent Dorn:

She told the Denny audience this is the first middle-school-based Confucius Institute she has visited on the occasion of its grand opening.