MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Career Center has a sister school in China — Chibi, pronounced “sure bee.” The KCCC Board of Education in March formally accepted the Chibi schools as KCCC partners, and KCCC superintendent Bernie Pachmayer visited China this spring and cemented the sister school agreement.
Pachmayer said the agreement means KCCC has opened its doors to allow visitors from Chibi. The formal arrangement is necessary because the Chinese government is careful of the visas it grants, Pachmayer said.
“For them to be granted a visa to come visit us,” she explained, “we have to say we accept them to visit us. It’s not like us Americans. If we want to go, we buy a ticket and go. In their case, they have to be granted permission by their government to go.”
“We have a reciprocal agreement with them,” she continued. “If our students or teachers want to visit China, they would be welcomed at our sister school.”
