SCIS Pudong Lower School Principal's Post

June 11, 2020June 11, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #38

Dear Lower School Families,

*Lilia in KM shows off a sign she made that expresses her feelings about school.*

We made it! The incredible 2019-2020 school year has officially concluded. While this year has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging years I have ever encountered in my 17 years in education, it has also been one of the most rewarding.

As the Lower School Principal, one of my goals each day is to ensure that students are safe, happy and learning. This year that goal was truly put to the test, as teachers, students, and parents were forced to quickly shift from our traditional face-to-face learning environment to an online setting. Although we were given little time to prepare for our new virtual reality, our group of passionate and dedicated teachers, assistant teachers, and support staff worked tirelessly to ensure that students continued to have an exceptional school experience where both academic and social-emotional progress was made.

*Lower School teachers take time during Monday’s faculty meeting to reflect on their proudest accomplishment from the school year.*

Our incredible parent community undoubtedly also played an integral part of the success of our Virtual Program. Without the continued encouragement and support from parents we would not have been able to achieve the level of success and growth that our students demonstrated both online, as well as upon their return to campus. The unwavering commitment from our parent community to the school is truly appreciated and signifies the strength of the SCIS home-school connection.

As we prepare to officially end the school year, I find myself feeling extremely proud and honoured to be part of this school and community. The experiences encountered this year have repeatedly proven that SCIS-Pudong is a unique place where teachers, parents, and the administration continually work together to provide students with meaningful, real-world opportunities. Opportunities that constantly foster the development of the SCIS schoolwide learner outcomes; students who are innovative thinkers, knowledgeable inquirers, self-directed learners, and positive contributors. Students who learn new skills and knowledge, accept responsibility, work collaboratively with others, and most importantly laugh and enjoy their learning journey each and every day.

*Marx in Grade 5 proudly displays his Grade 5 Promotion Certificate at the conclusion of Tuesday’s Moving On event.*

Before we close out the school year and begin the summer program, I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you. Thank you to our wonderful parents for your support this year and always. Thank you to our extremely talented students for your ongoing enthusiasm, positivity, open-mindedness and ability to be resilient and adaptable learners. A huge thank you to our incredible Lower School faculty who have an unwavering commitment to ensuring each and every student experiences success and develops a life-long passion for learning both online and face-to-face. Undoubtedly, we should all be very proud of our accomplishments this year!

I’d also like to say good-bye to all departing families. Whether you have been at SCIS for one year or many, you will always be part of the SCIS Dragon community. I wish all students and their families the best of luck as you embark on exciting learning adventures in new schools, cities and countries. For all returning families, I hope you have a fantastic summer and I look forward to seeing you when we return to school.

End of the Year Community Videos

A big thank you to Dr. David Mazer for putting together this compilation of end-of-the-year videos from students, parents, faculty, and administration. Please take some time to view this collection of thank-you’s, well wishes, and memories by clicking this link.

Semester 2 Reports

*Ms. Stacey plays a fun Peek-a-Boo game with Nursery students who were very successful with their transition back to campus this week.*

Please note that access to Semester 2 Reports will be sent home via scis-parent email accounts today, Thursday, June 11^th. Please know that report comments were based both on the period of Virtual Learning, as well as on campus learning. As you know, Virtual Learning occurred during the majority of Semester 2. As such, if your child had limited participation in a subject area during the period of virtual learning, they will likely receive the achievement indicator “IE” on their report. “IE” stands for Insufficient Evidence and this means that the teacher did not have enough evidence to assess a student’s progress on grade level content due to the student’s limited participation. If your child receives an IE, they are not being academically penalized, rather this indicator will provide valuable information for their future teacher on areas that will need to be revisited in the coming year to determine if students are meeting grade level expectations.

Thank you and Good-Bye to our Departing Faculty:

*Thank you Mrs. Johnson for all you have done for the SCIS-Pudong community and your students during the past 5 years!*

I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our departing lower school faculty for their tremendous contributions to the school during their tenure at SCIS-Pudong. Some of our departing faculty will be moving on to new positions both in China and around the world, while others will be returning to school to pursue a master’s degree, or taking the year off. I would like to thank all departing faculty and wish the below teachers the very best as they embark on their next adventure.

Ian Sylvester (PYP Coordinator) – 1 year at SCIS
DeVeor Rainey (Music Teacher) – 2 years at SCIS
Gina Zhang (Mandarin) – 2 years at SCIS
Yang Liu (Mandarin) – 3 years at SCIS
Matthew Ruf (Gr. 4) – 3 years at SCIS
Ethan Schultz (Gr. 2) – 3 years at SCIS
Emilee Van De Laarschot (Gr. 3) – 3 years at SCIS
Whitney Ruf (Gr. 5) – 4 years at SCIS
Laurie Luebbe (Lower School Counselor) – 4 years at SCIS
Aleksa Moss (PS/PK) – 5 years at SCIS
Tiffany Johnson (Gr. 3) – 5 years at SCIS

I’d also like to thank our Head of School, Mr. Derek Luebbe for an incredible four years. Derek has been an inspiring and motivating leader who has definitely left a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of the entire SCIS-Pudong community.

End-of-the-Year Transitions:

*Our PS/PK students show us how much they have grown based on their ability to easily climb the rock wall located on the ECE playground during recess.*

As we draw near to the end of the school year, it is important to remember that your child may be experiencing both feelings of excitement for the summer holiday, as well as feelings of sadness or worry about leaving their friends, teachers, and their daily routines behind. It is likely that this year especially, will bring about a range of feelings considering the challenging situations students, parents, and the community have faced. With so many elements of this year being truly unexpected, it is important for children to have an opportunity to bring closure to the school year so they can head into the summer feeling happy and settled. In order to support your child’s transition into the summer holiday, below are some ways to help your child bring closure to the end of the school year:

Look Back and Reflect: It is important to make time to connect as a family and process through the different emotions that were likely experienced at various points throughout the school year. Reflect on the progress that your child has made and help them acknowledge new skills they acquired during the period of campus closure. Here are some examples of questions you may ask:
What did you learn this year?
What did you enjoy the most about the year?
What challenges were you able to overcome?
What were some of your favorite activities or learning assignments?

Keep in Touch: Quality friendships are very important for each child’s overall wellbeing. Create opportunities for your child to stay in touch with their classmates whether this is in person or through various online platforms. Exchange contact information with other parents and look for ways to help your child maintain friendships with their peers.
Restructure Your Day Together: Work with your child to create a plan of new activities you can do over the summer holidays. Ask what they miss the most about being at school and brainstorm ways you could bring those experiences into the home environment.

Grade 5 Moving On Event

*Julia proudly accepts her Moving On certificate.*

On Tuesday, grade 5 students participated in a Moving On event which honored the completion of Lower School and the Primary Years Programme and marked the transition to Upper School and the Middle Years Programme. During the event, students shared words of gratitude about their time in Lower School and what they will miss the most. Students also played a game, and watched a music video they created based upon the song “Memories” by Maroon 5. During the event, students were commended for their ability to be resilient, flexible, innovative and open-minded learners who continually demonstrate their ability to see the “glass half full.” A huge thank you to Mrs. Luebbe for coordinating the event, to Mr. Johnson for providing tech support, and to Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Ruf for their support of the Grade 5 students this year. Congratulations to all the Grade 5 students on their tremendous accomplishment!

Please click the below link to access the video of the Moving On event, as well as individual photos of our Grade 5 students receiving their certificate of completion:

Grade 5 Moving Up Ceremony

SCIS-Pudong Lower School Summer Program

*Ms. Briton reads a story to KM before they embark on Open Studio Day for their Visual Arts class.*

On Monday, June 15^th we will begin our 2-week summer program. If you have enrolled your child(ren) in the summer program you should have received information from Miss Malika Meidinger surrounding the structure of the program. Over the course of the next two weeks students will be participating in a variety of activities that will support their continued academic, physical and social-emotional growth and development. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 will participate in a full-day summer program, while students in Nursery, Preschool, and Prekindergarten will be provided with a half-day program. Student Health and Safety forms will still need to be completed each day and brought to school. If you require more daily Health and Safety Forms please contact the Lower School Secretary, Ms. Vicki Xu at vxu@scis-china.org.

Student Illness

*Members of the ECE Team take a group photo on Thursday. This week we successfully welcomed back our youngest dragons!*

All Lower School Parents are encouraged to carefully read through the information provided in the SCIS-Pudong Return to Campus Webpage. In addition to return to campus procedures there is also information about the necessary steps families must take in the event a child has a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea during the school day or outside of school hours. Students who develop a fever will only be allowed to return to campus with a doctor’s report that clearly states the diagnosis and prescribed action. Additionally the student must be fever free for 48hrs without the use of fever reducing medication. Additionally, students must receive approval from the school nurse. In the event a child has vomiting or diarrhea the student will only be allowed to return to campus with a doctor’s report that clearly states the diagnosis and prescribed action. Additionally the student must be free of vomiting / diarrhea for 72 hours and receive approval from the school nurse prior to being allowed to return to school. If you have any questions surrounding illness protocols please connect with Nurse Jan at jjin@scis-china.org

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #37

Dear Lower School Families,

*Students in 2S showing their Greens and Jeans school spirit on Friday!*

There are only 3.5 official school days left until the end of the 2019-2020 school year and before we transition into our Summer Program on June 15^th. As a Lower School, we have experienced an incredible journey this year as we collectively navigated the uncharted territory of having to close our campus, launch a virtual learning and parental guidance program, and then reopen campus with new health and safety requirements; all while doing our best to deliver upon our mission of developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring learners who contribute positively to their communities. Despite the challenges we have faced as a community this year, I am continually amazed and inspired by the fact that through it all, students have demonstrated their incredible ability to be resilient, positive, and adaptable learners. The apparent joy and enthusiasm that was expressed this past week by many of our Kindergarten – Grade 5 Lower School students who have returned to campus and reunited with their teachers and peers was remarkable. Students easily transitioned back into their school routine and respectfully followed the health and safety guidelines we have implemented.

*Students in 1K listen to Ms. Kridl as she reads a funny class favorite.*

At the heart of the obvious excitement of students is a group of amazing Lower School Faculty who have dedicated countless hours to ensuring students feel safe and happy whether they are at school or learning virtually. Additionally, all teachers have repeatedly shown their commitment to the implementation of best practices across subject areas and disciplines; practices that nurture the development of curious inquirers and ultimately children who love to learn.

Next Monday, we will bring our youngest dragons (Nursery, Preschool, and Prekindergarten) back into the building. We are extremely grateful to have this opportunity to have our entire community together before we officially end the school year.

Return to Campus Video for our Little Dragons:

Below is a video made especially for our little dragons to help them develop an understanding of some of the new health and safety requirements implemented on campus.

End-of-the-Year Transitions:

*Today is the Mila’s last day at SCIS. She has been with SCIS for 2 years and is now moving to Hong Kong. Good luck Mila! We will miss you!*

Look Back and Reflect: It is important to make time to connect as a family and process through the different emotions that were likely experienced at various points throughout the school year. Reflect on the progress that your child has made and help them acknowledge new skills they acquired during the period of campus closure. Here are some examples of questions you may ask:
What did you learn this year?
What did you enjoy the most about the year?
What challenges were you able to overcome?
What were some of your favorite activities or learning assignments?

Keep in Touch: Quality friendships are very important for each child’s overall wellbeing. Create opportunities for your child to stay in touch with their classmates whether this is in person or through various online platforms. Exchange contact information with other parents and look for ways to help your child maintain friendships with their peers.
Restructure Your Day Together: Work with your child to create a plan of new activities you can do over the summer holidays. Ask what they miss the most about being at school and brainstorm ways you could bring those experiences into the home environment.

As a reminder, please let your child’s teacher know if they are experiencing difficulty surrounding end of the year transitions or good-byes, as we want to ensure that all students feel positive and supported during their remaining days of school. Next Thursday at the Lower School Virtual Farewell Assembly we will be recognizing all students who are leaving SCIS and wishing them all the best as they move on to new schools and adventures.

Get Your 2019-2020 Yearbook!

The Grade 5 PYP Exhibition Goes Virtual

A big congratulations is in order for our amazing Grade 5 students and teachers who have successfully completed their PYP Exhibition this week. The PYP Exhibition is the culminating project of the PYP and allows students to build on all of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they have developed at SCIS. Grade 5 students engaged in an 11 week Exhibition, both virtually and in-person, guided by Mrs. Ruf and Mr. Kelly. Students chose personal projects connected to their interests, then researched, designed, created, and reflected on their learning journey. The Grade 5 students were also supported through mentors within the SCIS community and a special thank you goes out to Mr. Ian, Ms. Briton, Mr. Berezowski, and Mr. Johnson for all of their invaluable support. Grade 5 students inquired into a wide range of questions from why history is important, to how to code an app, to what choices film makers make when creating. We ask that the SCIS community takes the opportunity to view the Grade 5 Exhibition projects through our Padlet. Each student created a presentation to share their process and knowledge. The link to students presentations can be found here. https://padlet.com/wruf/pypx2020 We wish all Grade 5 students the best as they move up from the Lower School.

Grade 5 Moving On Event

Next Tuesday, our Grade 5 students will be celebrating their completion of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and movement into the Middle Years Programme (MYP) during the Grade 5 Moving On Event which will take place at 9:00am on Microsoft Teams. All community members are invited to attend this celebratory event by clicking this link.

Grade 1 Reading Stars by Ms. Kridl

Recently our Grade 1 students heard about a problem – that there were students that did not have enough books at home! As a result, students decided that since they have been practicing how to read fluently, they could create books for these students! Each student practiced reading their book like a star, including scooping up words, changing voices to sound like a character and to show feeling, adding sound effects, and reading loud and clear. We hope that anyone who is looking to listen to a book can enjoy our renditions. Enjoy!

Click here to listen to our Grade 2 Reading Stars: https://teachersh.scis-his.net/pudonglowerschool/grade-1-reading-stars/

Lower School Leadership Teams

*Lower School faculty get together to review back-to-school health and safety guidelines.*

In addition to both internal and external professional development that is provided for faculty throughout the year, the vast majority of the Lower School faculty also participate as members of one or more of the Lower School Curricular Teams. These teams have been instrumental in shaping the direction of the curriculum to ensure the consistent implementation of research-based best practices in Literacy, Mathematics, Early Childhood, and Technology. Additionally, the Lower School Pedagogical and Organizational Leadership Teams have been extremely influential in providing insightful input into the ways in which we can better our processes and procedures in order to meet the needs of students and encourage the development of caring learners who contribute positively to their communities. A HUGE THANK YOU to all Lower School Faculty who dedicated extra time this year to participate as a member of one or more of these teams as we continue our quest to provide an exceptional online and face-to-face learning experience for students and families.

Return of our Youngest Dragons

*Timur in KLM decides to start his day by exploring the classroom library and then delving into a book.*

We are so excited to be welcoming back our youngest dragons (Nursery, Preschool, and Prekindergarten) next Monday, June 8^th for a half-day program.

As a reminder, if you are a parent of an ECE child and you plan to have your child return to campus, please ensure that you have adhered to all the return to campus procedures below. If we do not have 5 consecutive days of health information prior to your child’s return to campus, they will not be allowed to enter the school building. It is very important that our entire community follows through with the required health and safety protocols to ensure we are providing a safe and secure environment for all students, teachers, and support staff.

Return to Campus Procedures and Reminders:

Before returning to campus, each student must:

*Michael in 3V sanitizing his hands as soon as he enters the building. Good just Michael!*

have been physically present in China and have not travelled to Hubei province within the past 14 days
have completed all quarantine requirements and have a Green Health Code. [Students who do not have smart phones may use their parents codes.
monitor their daily temperature and other symptoms for a minimum of five days before their first day of coming to campus. Here is the link to the online form for N/PS/PK students.

If your child does not yet meet the above requirements, we will continue to support their virtual learning as long as is needed.

Return to Campus Procedures

*Ms. Muy is demonstrating thorough hand washing techniques to students in 2M.*

All parents/guardians must take their child/ren’s temperature and check them for other symptoms every morning before school. Please do not send your child/children to school if they have any symptoms of illness. Students with an elevated temperature of 37.3°C or above will not be permitted to board the bus or to enter the school building.
Morning home health checks, along with other pertinent information, must be documented on the Daily Student Health Card. Students are required to bring a hard copy of their Daily Student Health Card every day. Parents will need to show their Green QR Code (QR Code Procedures Here) to the Bus Monitor before their child is allowed to board the bus. The Bus Monitor will collect the student’s health card and give the card to the Lower School Secretary upon arrival. Students who do not submit their Daily Student Health Card and a Green QR Code (theirs or a parents) will not be permitted to board the bus or enter the school building.
Students must board the busses and arrive to school with masks. Once on campus ECE children will be directed to remove their masks before entering their classroom. All staff are required to wear masks for the duration of the school day. It is recommended that parents provide surgical masks for their child. N95 masks are not recommended.
Only students and staff are able to enter the SCIS-Pudong campus at this time. Parents will continue to participate in campus life virtually, through Seesaw and Microsoft Teams.
Students should ensure they bring the following items with them to school each day: a water bottle that is labelled with the child’s name, and a hearty and healthy daily morning snack.

Return to Campus Parent and Student Information

*Students in 2S are practicing using the meter markers to maintain physical distance in the hallway.*

All SCIS-Pudong families are encouraged to visit the SCIS-Pudong Return to Campus Webpage that has been developed in effort to provide clear information surrounding what to expect upon a return to campus. The webpage contains informative videos depicting new processes and procedures to ensure health and safety protocols are met, as well as information related to health tracking for students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, school bus protocols, general health and hygiene protocols, and entrance and exit procedures are clearly articulated to ensure clarity and transparency surrounding return to campus procedures. The content on the webpage will continue to evolve so we encourage families to visit the page regularly.

Return to Campus Video for Students and Parents

In addition to the information provided in the parent portal we have also prepared an orientation video for students. This will provide all students with an idea of some of the new procedures we have implemented to ensure the ongoing health and safety of the community.

Student Illness

Class Placements for 2020-2021

*Grade 3 students are enjoying a fun game of four square at recess!*

This morning an important letter was sent to all SCIS-Pudong Lower School parents surrounding class placements for returning students. Please take a moment to read through the letter in order to gain a deeper understanding of the tremendous amount of thought that is put into establishing balanced classes. As mentioned in the letter,

“In order to establish balanced classes, we are unable to consider parent requests for specific teachers. We are also unable to accept requests for students to be placed in the same class with a particular child. Please do not submit such requests, as they will not be considered.

We will however, accept emails in which you may share particular information about your child and his/her academic and social needs that you think the school should take into consideration when formulating class lists as described above. While we accept such correspondence, it should be noted that we believe that all our teachers are well placed to meet the needs of our students and it will be more important to meet with your child’s teacher at the commencement of the new school year to discuss your child’s individual circumstances. Should you wish to share specific information regarding your child’s needs, please email me at egale@scis-china.org before June 11^th.”

SCIS-Pudong Lower School Summer Program

*The routines and procedures for the summer program will be very similar to what they are now. Students will eat in the lunchroom during their normal daily lunch times.*

All parents should have received information via their scis-parent email account surrounding Summer Program registration. Within the Lower School, the Summer Program will be structured through a transdisciplinary approach based upon the IB PYP Primary Years Programme. Each week, students across grade levels will inquire into various aspects of one transdisciplinary theme that will include elements of literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies. Additionally, students will also be participating in a variety of activities that will support their continued physical and social-emotional growth and development. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 will participate in a full-day summer program, while students in Nursery, Preschool, and Prekindergarten will be provided with a half-day program. If you have any questions surrounding the structure of the Summer Program please connect with Miss Malika Meidinger, the Lower School Summer Program Coordinator.

May 29, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #36

Dear Lower School Families,

*On Thursday afternoon Lower School Teachers along with Grade 4 and 5 students lined the hallways to cheer on the graduating class of 2020.*

We are so excited to be welcoming back our Kindergarten through Grade 3 students next week. On Tuesday, June 1^st our first, second, and third grade students will join us on campus, while on Wednesday, June 2^nd we will welcome back Kindergarten students. Although students will only be in school for 7 or 8 days with their current grade level teacher prior to the end of the school year, we are looking forward to having this opportunity to reconnect with these students and be together as we wind down the final days of what has been an incredible and unprecedented 2019-2020 school year.

*Mila in 2S shares the creation of Milaville*

As a reminder, if you are a parent of a child in Kindergarten through Grade 3 and you plan to have your child return to campus next week please ensure that you have adhered to all the return to campus procedures below. If we do not have 5 consecutive days of health information prior to your child’s return to campus, they will not be allowed to enter the school building. It is very important that our entire community follows through with the required health and safety protocols to ensure we are providing a safe and secure environment for all students, teachers, and support staff.

For parents of students in Nursery, Preschool, or Prekindergarten you will be receiving information about the return to campus procedures for our youngest dragons via your SCIS-parent email account.

Welcome Back Kindergarten – Grade 3 Students! We’ve missed you! We hope you enjoy this video from your teachers!

Return to Campus Procedures and Reminders:

Before returning to campus, each student must:

*Grade 5 students completing their morning work*

have been physically present in China and have not travelled to Hubei province within the past 14 days,
- have completed all quarantine requirements and have a Green Health Code. [Students who do not have smart phones may use their parents codes.]
- monitor their daily temperature and other symptoms for a minimum of five days before their first day of coming to campus.
  - For students in Grades 1-3, parents must start taking students’ temperatures on or before Wednesday, May 27^th. Here is a link to the online form that will need to be completed by parents of students in Grades 1-3 each day until Tuesday, June 2^nd. Parents will need to submit this form on Saturday and Sunday as well.
  - For students in Kindergarten, parents must start taking students’ temperatures on or before Thursday, May 28^th. Here is a link to the online form that will need to be completed by parents of students in Kindergarten each day until Wednesday, June 3^rd. Parents will need to submit this form on Saturday and Sunday as well.

If your child does not yet meet the above requirements, we will continue to support their virtual learning as long as is needed.

Return to Campus Procedures

*Students in Grade 3 share their feelings about returning to campus.*

All parents/guardians must take their child/ren’s temperature and check them for other symptoms every morning before school. Please do not send your child/children to school if they have any symptoms of illness. Students with an elevated temperature of 37.3°C or above will not be permitted to board the bus or to enter the school building.
Morning home health checks, along with other pertinent information, must be documented on the Daily Student Health Card. Students are required to bring a hard copy of their Daily Student Health Card every day. They will show this card and their or one of their parent’s Green QR Code (QR Code Procedures Here) to the Bus Monitor before boarding the bus. The Bus Monitor will collect the student’s health card and give the card to the Lower School Secretary upon arrival. Students who do not submit their Daily Student Health Card and a Green QR Code (theirs or a parents) will not be permitted to board the bus or enter the school building.
Students must board the busses and arrive to school with masks. All staff and students are required to wear masks for the duration of the school day. Parents are required to provide 2 masks for their child each day. It is recommended that parents provide surgical masks for their child. N95 masks are not recommended.
Only students and staff are able to enter the SCIS-Pudong campus at this time. Parents will continue to participate in campus life virtually, through Seesaw and Microsoft Teams.
Students should ensure they bring the following items with them to school each day: a water bottle that is labelled with the child’s name, and a hearty and healthy daily morning snack.

Return to Campus Parent Meeting

If you are a parent of a child in Kindergarten – Grade 3 and you were unable to attend Return to Campus orientation meeting on Monday, May 25^th at 3:00pm here is a link to the recording. If you have any questions surrounding the content shared within this meeting please reach out to Ms. Gale at egale@scis-china.org.

Return to Campus Parent and Student Information

*Ms. Aleksa greets her PS/PK students virtually with her mask on.*

Return to Campus Video for Students and Parents

Student Illness

*Ashley in 3V portrays her favorite Trolls character.*

GREENS AND JEANS SPIRIT DAYS!

As we come to the end of an incredible year we are encouraging all students and faculty to show their dragon spirit by participating in our end of the year spirit days. On the following days students should come to school dressed in their green SCIS t-shirt and jeans:

Friday, June 5th
Thursday, June 11th

Learner Profile Recognitions:

*Marcus in 1G demonstrates his jumping skills for PE.*

This week we’d like to acknowledge many of our Lower School students who have been recognized by their teachers for displaying one or more of the Learner Profile Attributes over the course of the past two weeks. A big CONGRATULATIONS to all our Learner Profile Recognition recipients!

Alice Cordischi in 1K is being recognized by Ms. Kridl for being Knowledgeable.
Myra Chaudhary in 1K is being recognized by Ms. Kridl for being a Communicator.
Dennis Cho in 1K is being recognized by Ms. Kridl for being an Inquirer.
Emily Cui in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being Caring.
Aedan Pang in Grade 5 is being recognized by Mr. Kelly for being Knowledgeable.
Eleanor Hamlin in Grade 5 is being recognized by Mr. Kelly for being Open-Minded.
Ethan Jiang in Grade 5 is being recognized by Mr. Kelly for being a Thinker.
Marx Lagarto in Grade 5 is being recognized by Mr. Kelly for being a Thinker.
Moira Korsstrom in Grade 5 is being recognized by Mr. Kelly for being Open-Minded.
Xavier Zhang in Grade 5 is being recognized by Mr. Kelly for being Knowledgeable.
Zachary Bergen in Grade 5 is being recognized by Mr. Kelly for being Open-Minded.
Liv Gram in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being a Thinker.
Lucas Chen in 1K is being recognized by Ms. Kridl for being a Thinker.

Class Placements for 2020-2021

Scholastic Books

For parents who placed Scholastic book orders back in October, the book orders have arrived and will be distributed to the students in Grades 4 and 5 who ordered books on Monday. Students in Nursery through Grade 3 who placed an order for Scholastic books can arrange a time to pick up their books from campus by contacting Ms. Vicki Xu, the Lower School Secretary at vxu@scis-china.org

SCIS-Pudong Lower School Summer Program

SCIS-Pudong End-of-the-Year Community Video

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19

For information on how to talk with your children about COVID-19 below are several resources you can refer to:

Supporting families during COVID-19 – Child Mind Institute
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 – The Creative Curriculum
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019
How to Talk with Kids about COVID-19 – Stanford Children’s Hospital
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child – Kids Health
Managing Children’s Fear, Anxiety in the Age of COVID-19 – Medscape

If you notice your child is still worried or anxious, be assured that this is a normal reaction, and continue conversations and providing care for your child. If you find that additional support is needed, please reach out to Mrs. Luebbe (lluebbe@scis-china.org) who can refer you to outside counseling or to schedule time with you or your child to make a plan on how to support them during this time. In the meantime please also refer to the SCIS Virtual Learning Survival Guide in effort to provide some connection, communication, and resources that will support you and your child during this time.

IT Support with Virtual Learning

Given various challenges related to technology access and internet reliability please feel free to reach out to our SCIS-Pudong IT Department at pd-technology@scis-china.org if you experience any issues or complications with Seesaw and/or other technology platforms. We appreciate your support and are here to help you make virtual learning a success in any way we can.

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #35

Dear Lower School Families,

*Mr. Kelly reviews health and safety procedures with Grade 5 students on Monday. Many classrooms have been rearranged to ensure students are able to maintain physical distance*

It has been a wonderful week as we eagerly welcomed back our Grade 4 and 5 students to campus on Monday. Their transition back to campus was reminiscent of the beginning of the school year as students excitedly reconnected with their peers and worked with their teachers to learn new health and safety procedures that have been put in place including consistent physical distancing, handwashing and sanitizing during transitions, regular temperature checks, and mask wearing, as well as assigned seating in classrooms. Students have responded very well to the new protocols and demonstrated their understanding of why these new measures have been put into place.

*Grade 4 students enjoy a fun game of four square during recess.*

We have now received information from the Shanghai Education Commission (SEC) about a return to campus date for students in Nursery through Grade 3. Next week, our ECE classrooms and play spaces (including Kindergarten) will undergo a government inspection to ensure adherence to SEC requirements. We are confident in our ability to exceed the requirements put forth and be more than prepared to welcome back our youngest learners. In order to ensure a successful transition of these grade levels back into the school building and ensure the continued health and safety of the community we have implemented a staggered return plan for these students and their families.

*Grade 4 and 5 students are doing an excellent job in the lunch room adhering to the new procedures. Students sit at tables with plastic dividers but are still able to see and talk with their friends.*

Although there may only be a few school days remaining prior to the last day of school (June 11^th), we are excited to have this opportunity to reconnect with these students and be together as we wind down the final days of what has been an incredible and unprecedented 2019-2020 school year.

*Grade 5 students, Eri, Alex, Athena and Moira enjoying a new game during recess.*

In order for students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 to return to campus, parents will need to ensure their child(ren) follow the below Return to Campus Procedures and Reminders.

Please note that at this time the return to campus information stated below is only applicable to parents of students in Kindergarten through Grade 3. All students enrolled in Nursery, Preschool, and Prekindergarten will continue with the Parental Guidance Program and further information will be shared via scis-parent email surrounding the return to campus procedures for our youngest learners.

Return to Campus Procedures and Reminders:

Before returning to campus, each student must:

have been physically present in China and have not travelled to Hubei province within the past 14 days
have completed all quarantine requirements and have a Green Health Code. [Students who do not have smart phones may use their parents codes.]
monitor their daily temperature and other symptoms for a minimum of five days before their first day of coming to campus.

For students in Grades 1-3, parents must start taking students’ temperatures on or before Wednesday, May 27^th. Here is a link to the online form that will need to be completed by parents of students in Grades 1-3 each day until Tuesday, June 2^nd. Parents will need to submit this form on Saturday and Sunday as well.
For students in Kindergarten, parents must start taking students’ temperatures on or before Thursday, May 28^th. Here is a link to the online form that will need to be completed by parents of students in Kindergarten each day until Wednesday, June 3^rd. Parents will need to submit this form on Saturday and Sunday as well.

If your child does not yet meet the above requirements, we will continue to support their virtual learning as long as is needed.

Return to Campus Procedures

Students pass through the thermal temperature station before exiting the building and boarding their school bus.

All parents/guardians must take their child/ren’s temperature and check them for other symptoms every morning before school. Please do not send your child/children to school if they have any symptoms of illness. Students with an elevated temperature of 37.3°C or above will not be permitted to board the bus or to enter the school building.
Morning home health checks, along with other pertinent information, must be documented on the Daily Student Health Card. Students are required to bring a hard copy of their Daily Student Health Card every day. They will show this card and their or one of their parent’s Green QR Code (QR Code Procedures Here) to the Bus Monitor before boarding the bus. The Bus Monitor will collect the student’s health card and give the card to the Lower School Secretary upon arrival. Students who do not submit their Daily Student Health Card and a Green QR Code (theirs or a parents) will not be permitted to board the bus or enter the school building.
Students must board the busses and arrive to school with masks. All staff and students are required to wear masks for the duration of the school day. Parents are required to provide 2 masks for their child each day. It is recommended that parents provide surgical masks for their child. N95 masks are not recommended.
Only students and staff are able to enter the SCIS-Pudong campus at this time. Parents will continue to participate in campus life virtually, through Seesaw and Microsoft Teams.
Students should ensure they bring the following items with them to school each day: a water bottle that is labelled with the child’s name, and a hearty and healthy daily morning snack.

We have been preparing for this day since our campus closed in February and will continue to do everything in our power to make sure our return and reunion is safe and positive.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. We are all in this together.

Return to Campus Parent Meeting

All Grade Kindergarten through Grade 3 families are asked to join the Return to Campus orientation meeting on Monday, May 25^th at 3:00pm via Microsoft Teams. Please click this link to join the meeting. This meeting will be led by Mr. Luebbe, while Ms. Gale will be available to answer specific questions. If at any point you have questions during this meeting please input your questions into this Microsoft Form.

Return to Campus Parent and Student Information

*When students arrive at school they will turn in their daily health form to Ms. Vicki before entering the building.*

Return to Campus Video for Students and Parents

In addition to the information provided in the parent portal we have also prepared an orientation video for students. This will provide all students with an idea of some of the new procedures we have implemented to ensure the ongoing health and safety of the community.

Scholastic Books

For parents who placed scholastic book orders back in October, the book orders have arrived and will be distributed to the students in Grades 4 and 5 who ordered books on Monday. Students in Nursery through Grade 3 who placed an order for scholastic books can arrange a time to pick up their books from campus by contacting Ms. Vicki Xu, the Lower School Secretary at vxu@scis-china.org

SCIS-Pudong Lower School Summer Program

*Julia and Eleanor in Grade 5 enjoy some of our new playground equipment during recess.*

SCIS-Pudong End-of-the-Year Community Video

Helping Parents Manage Frustration Dr. Molly Myers

As a school we recognize this period of campus closure has been difficult for parents as families struggle to balance work, child care, and self-care while keeping worries – both your children’s and your own- under control. To help parents understand ways they can better manage frustration they may be experiencing with their child(ren), Dr. Molly Myers, a certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator has put together an online webinar to support parents during this time.

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19

For information on how to talk with your children about COVID-19 below are several resources you can refer to:

Supporting families during COVID-19 – Child Mind Institute
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 – The Creative Curriculum
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019
How to Talk with Kids about COVID-19 – Stanford Children’s Hospital
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child – Kids Health
Managing Children’s Fear, Anxiety in the Age of COVID-19 – Medscape

IT Support with Virtual Learning

May 15, 2020May 15, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #34

Dear Lower School Families,

We are thrilled to be welcoming our Grade 4 and 5 students back to campus on Monday. Over the course of the past two weeks, teachers across grade levels and departments have been collaborating on the various ways we can provide support to our Lower School Dragons upon their return, as well as ensure the continued health and safety of our community. As such, we’ve put together the below videos for students as a way to show our enthusiasm, as well as prepare students for some of the changes surrounding new procedures and routines that will need to be adhered to throughout the day.

We are so excited to welcome back Lower School students!

Although, we are only welcoming back students in Grades 4 and 5 at this time, we encourage all families to watch the below video in effort to maintain a continued connection to the school and our lower school faculty, while also participating in celebrating the reopening of campus to Lower School.

Please note that at this time the return to campus information shared in the above video and stated below is only applicable to students / parents in Grades 4 and 5. All students enrolled in Nursery through Grade 3 will continue Virtual Learning or Parental Guidance until further information surrounding a return to campus date is provided by the SEC.

Return to Campus Procedures and Reminders for Grade 4 and 5 Students:
A big thank you to all Grade 4 and 5 families who have fulfilled the preliminary school return-to-campus requirements in preparation for having your child return to campus on Monday.

Eleanor in Grade 5 responds to an assignment on Seesaw.

Before returning to campus, each student must:

have been physically present in China and have not travelled to Hubei province within the past 14 days.
have completed all quarantine requirements and have a Green Health Code. Students who do not have smart phones may use their parents codes.
monitor their daily temperature and other symptoms for a minimum of five days before their first day of coming to campus. Parents must start taking students’ temperatures on or before Wednesday, May 13^th. Here is a link to the online form that will need to be completed by parents of students in Grades 4 and 5 each day until Monday, May 18^th. Parents will need to submit this form on Saturday and Sunday as well.

If your child does not yet meet the above requirements, we will continue to support their virtual learning as long as is needed.

Return to Campus Procedures

All parents/guardians must take their child/ren’s temperature and check them for other symptoms every morning before school. Please do not send your child/children to school if they have any symptoms of illness. Students with an elevated temperature of 37.3°C or above will not be permitted to board the bus or to enter the school building.
Morning home health checks, along with other pertinent information, must be documented on the Daily Student Health Card. Students are required to bring a hard copy of their Daily Student Health Card every day. They will show this card and their or one of their parent’s Green QR Code (QR Code Procedures Here) to the Bus Monitor before boarding the bus. The Bus Monitor will collect the student’s health card and give the card to the Lower School Secretary upon arrival. Students who do not submit their Daily Student Health Card and a Green QR Code (theirs or a parents) will not be permitted to board the bus or enter the school building.
Students must board the busses and arrive to school with masks. All staff and students are required to wear masks for the duration of the school day. Parents are required to provide 2 masks for their child each day. It is recommended that parents provide surgical masks for their child. N95 masks are not recommended.
Only students and staff are able to enter the SCIS-Pudong campus at this time. Parents will continue to participate in campus life virtually, through Seesaw and Microsoft Teams.
Students should ensure they bring the following items with them to school each day: a water bottle that is labelled with the child’s name, and a hearty and healthy daily morning snack.

We have been preparing for this day since our campus closed in February and will continue to do everything in our power to make sure our return and reunion is safe and positive.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. We are all in this together.

Shanghai Health and Travel QR Code Update

Please note that we have updated the Shanghai Health and Travel QR codes we accept as a school. All students must show their Shanghai Green QR code from either WeChat, Alipay, or HealthCloud (pictured above). Students may continue to use their parent’s QR code. Bus riders will show the QR codes to the bus Ayi before entering the bus while bike riders and/or walkers will show their QR codes at the school gate. Thank you for your cooperation.

Return to Campus Parent and Student Information

Sumire in 1G sings a song for Music class.

Helping Parents Manage Frustration Dr. Molly Myers

Scholastic Books

For parents who placed Scholastic book orders back in October, the book orders have arrived and will be distributed to the students in Grades 4 and 5 who ordered books on Monday. Students in Nursery through Grade 3 who placed an order for Scholastic books can arrange a time to pick up their books from the entrance gate to campus by contacting Ms. Vicki Xu, the Lower School Secretary at vxu@scis-china.org

Learner Profile Recognitions:

Madison Chung in 2M is being recognized by Ms. Muy for being Balanced.
Mia Liu in 2M is being recognized by Ms. Muy for being Principled.
Artur Akhpolov in 1K is recognized by Ms. Kridle for being a Risk-Taker.
Emily Wang in 3V is being recognized by Ms. V for being Balanced.
Jeunghyeon Lee in 1K is recognized by Ms. Kridle for being Principled.
Joanna Li in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being a Thinker.
Naomi Chi in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being Principled.
Constantin Trantow in 4B is recognized by Mrs. Rana for being a Risk-Taker.

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19

For information on how to talk with your children about COVID-19 below are several resources you can refer to:

Supporting families during COVID-19 – Child Mind Institute
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 – The Creative Curriculum
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019
How to Talk with Kids about COVID-19 – Stanford Children’s Hospital
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child – Kids Health
Managing Children’s Fear, Anxiety in the Age of COVID-19 – Medscape

IT Support with Virtual Learning

School Attendance and Student Participation:

Ms. Kridl provides an animated read-aloud for students in Grade 1.

During the Virtual Learning period student attendance will not be taken; however, assignment completion will be used to validate student participation and progress in virtual learning. Students will be afforded a flexible 48-hour window in order to participate in a way that allows them to complete assignments. Students / parents should communicate with their teacher(s) if more time is needed surrounding specific assignments.

Additionally, we recognize that students may not be able to complete all assignments due to families varying circumstances including access to appropriate technology and internet reliability. Please know that while students will not be penalized academically, lack of participation in the online learning platform may hinder progress against the grade level core or subject area standards. As such, if students do not partake in the learning experiences it will be difficult for teachers to assess and report on student progress which may potentially result in students receiving the achievement indicator IE (insufficient evidence), AE (approaching grade level expectation), or NME (not meeting grade level expectation) on the student’s semester report.

May 8, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #33

Dear Lower School Families,

Michael in 3V shows off his PE moves while wearing his SCIS shirt.

As mentioned in last week’s Principal’s Post we will be welcoming Grades 4 and 5 back to campus on Monday, May 18^th. This past Wednesday, students in Grades 10 and 12 returned, and next Monday, May 11^th, Grades 9 and 11 will join their peers on campus. At this time, the SEC and District Educational Bureaus have not provided information surrounding return to campus dates for students in Nursery through Grade 3.

As we welcome our Grade 4 and 5 students back to campus please know that our highest priority is the health and safety of each and every member of our community. We are committed to making SCIS a safe space to learn and to work for all Dragons: students and teachers, support staff and drivers, ayis and cafeteria workers…each and every one of us. In order to do so, we have developed a detailed plan based on guidance from the World Health Organization, the Centers of Disease Control of multiple countries, and the local authorities with whom we are in constant communication. We understand that keeping each individual safe will require constant vigilance by the entire community. The “C” in SCIS is more important now than ever before.

Gabriel in 4R shows his mathematical thinking using pictures, numbers, and words.

This week Lower School faculty have been involved in reviewing the Health and Safety guidelines and working through various procedures, protocols, and scenarios to develop a shared understanding of how we will ensure the health and safety of our entire community during this transition back to on campus learning.

In addition, we are relying on every Dragon family to support the health and safety of our community through these essential measures:

Please note that at this time the return to campus information stated below is only applicable to parents of students in Grades 4 and 5. All students enrolled in Nursery through Grade 3 will continue Virtual Learning until further information surrounding a return to campus date is provided by the SEC. If you have any questions surrounding Return to Campus procedures, please input your questions into this form and we will post answers to your questions on the Return to Campus section of our Pudong Web Portal.

Before returning to campus, each student must:

have been physically present in China and have not travelled to Hubei province within the past 14 days,
1. have completed all quarantine requirements and have a Green Health Code. [Students who do not have smart phones may use their parents codes.]
1. monitor their daily temperature and other symptoms for a minimum of five days before their first day of coming to campus. Parents must start taking students’ temperatures on or before Wednesday, May 13^th. Here is a link to the online form that will need to be completed by parents of students in Grades 4 and 5 starting on or before next Wednesday, May 13^th.

If your child does not yet meet these requirements, we will continue to support their virtual learning as long as is needed.

Return to Campus Procedures

All parents/guardians must take their child/ren’s temperature and check them for other symptoms every morning before school. Please do not send your child/children to school if they have any symptoms of illness. Students with an elevated temperature of 37.3°C or above will not be permitted to board the bus or to enter the school building.
Morning home health checks, along with other pertinent information, must be documented on the Daily Student Health Card. Students are required to bring a hard copy of their Daily Student Health Card every day. They will show this card and their or one of their parent’s Green QR Code (QR Code Procedures Here) to the Bus Monitor before boarding the bus. The Bus Monitor will collect the student’s health card and give the card to the Lower School Secretary upon arrival. Students who do not submit their Daily Student Health Card and a Green QR Code (theirs or a parents) will not be permitted to board the bus or enter the school building.
Students must board the busses and arrive to school with masks. All staff and students are required to wear masks for the duration of the school day. Parents are required to provide 2 masks for their child each day. It is recommended that parents provide surgical masks for their child. N95 masks are not recommended.
Only students and staff are able to enter the SCIS-Pudong campus at this time. Parents will continue to participate in campus life virtually, through Seesaw and Microsoft Teams.
All families are asked to review together the safety protocols that will be laid out at the Return to Campus orientation meeting on Tuesday, May 12^th at 3:30pm. Students and parents should attend the presentation together on Microsoft Teams. A link to join the presentation will be sent to all parents of students in Grades 4 and 5 on Monday. The presentation will be posted online after the meeting.

We have been preparing for this day since our campus closed in February and will continue to do everything in our power to make sure our return and reunion is safe and positive.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. We are all in this together.

Edward in 1G celebrates Crazy Hair Day virtually!

Return to Campus Parent and Student Information

Rory in PS presents a beautiful bouquet of flowers

Happy Mother’s Day!

Wishing all of our AMAZING DRAGON MOTHER’S a very happy Mothers Day this Sunday. Being a mother is hard work and we want to say thank you for all you do each and every day for your child(ren) and for our school. We hope you are showered with love this weekend and know how much you are appreciated!

Aubreigh in 3J writes a lovely poem to honor her Mother on Mother’s Day.

Information on Masks for Students at School

In light of the recent tragedies experienced during PE class at a couple of local Chinese schools outside of Shanghai we set out to further explore best practices for keeping all of our students safe. For those of you who may not know, students at the Chinese schools were participating in the mandatory endurance run required for the following school years admission application. In an attempt to be safe from Covid-19, both students were wearing N95 masks while participating in this endurance run exam. In response to this tragedy, the SEC has allowed some flexibility on how Shanghai schools can improve their PE programs to allow students to remove their masks as long as social distancing is ensured.

In order to learn more about the usage of masks and their role in PE class we reached out to our long time medical partner and advisor, XpertHealth. Over the past 3 years XpertHealth has provided both our Pudong and Hongqiao campuses with certified Athletic Trainers (ATs) to care for all of our dragon athletes and to provide free consultations for our faculty & staff. On this topic of masks, the Xperthealth recommendation was clear, “No N95 masks should be used during physical activity”. They state that there is “too much restriction in oxygen intake and CO2 output for any activity level”. When we asked them to share their thoughts on the possible effects of general surgical masks, which are the most commonly used around town, they commented that they would fine for “low to mid level activity, but would recommend to not use any masks for heavy activity”, like the endurance run examinations that took place at the schools mentioned above. In addition to masks, Xperthealth recommended that all teachers be aware of other factors that may have an effect, especially when wearing masks including: the temperature, the humidty, whether the class/event is taking place outdoors vs indoors, pre-exisiting respiratory issues, etc.

XpertHealth will continue to update us as more information becomes available and further research done. On our end, here at SCIS, we have communicated the following policy to our PE teachers and the entire faculty:

PE classes will continue and students can expect to be appropriately active. Students will need to continue wearing masks as noted on the SCIS faculty (and student) website. Exceptions to this policy will be made by the PE teacher based on their professional judgement according to activity level, weather, and social distancing within the activity.

The safety and wellbeing of all of our students continues to be a top priority for us while providing them the best learning experience possible.

Virtual Parent Community Circles

Ivy in 4R shares her beautiful art work she created for open studio day.

The SCIS Social Emotional Support Team, made up of divisional school counselors, has been working to support the SCIS community during the school closure. As we continue to transition and settle into the shifts that are taking place in the larger world around us, the SCIS-Pudong Lower School Counselor, Mrs. Laurie Luebbe would like to invite any interested parents to join in a Virtual Community Circle as a way to explore and process emotions stemming from the complex facets of Covid-19’s impact on our lives. We invite you to join this virtual circle as a way to connect with other parents and create a safe space through which to acknowledge the journey you are on, as we continue to navigate that which is unknown.

If you would be interested in joining a Parent Community Circle please let us know your preferred days and times by completing this short interest survey.

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19

For information on how to talk with your children about COVID-19 below are several resources you can refer to:

Supporting families during COVID-19 – Child Mind Institute
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 – The Creative Curriculum
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019
How to Talk with Kids about COVID-19 – Stanford Children’s Hospital
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child – Kids Health
Managing Children’s Fear, Anxiety in the Age of COVID-19 – Medscape

IT Support with Virtual Learning

School Attendance and Student Participation:

April 30, 2020April 30, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #32

Dear Lower School Families,

Siblings Gigi in 2S and Bella in 3J do something in their community in response to a learning assignment posted for Gigi’s current Unit of Inquiry.

This week all administrators and members of our support staff were on campus preparing for the return of students in Grades 10 and 12 next Wednesday, May 6^th. As you likely saw from Mr. Eschtruth’s email that was shared on April 26^th we will welcome students back by grade levels according to the following schedule in the coming weeks:

Grades 10 & 12: Wednesday, May 6
Grades 9 & 11: Monday, May 11
Grades 4-8: Monday May 18
All other grade levels will have return to campus announcements made once we have confirmation from the SEC and District Educational Bureaus.

Please know the Return-to-Campus Team has been working extremely hard to ensure that we are excelling in adhering to all the Health and Safety Guidelines that have been set forth by the Shanghai Education Commission. Starting on Monday, all Lower School faculty that are in Shanghai will be working from campus. As stated in last week’s Principal’s Post, out of 32 Lower School faculty members, 28 are currently located in Shanghai. We feel extremely fortunate to have such a large percentage of our faculty in Shanghai so that we can work together to ensure a safe and successful return for Lower School students in the coming weeks.

Students in 3V go on a virtual field-trip together as part of their current unit of inquiry.

Once again, all lower school faculty whether they are in Shanghai or abroad continue to work extremely hard to ensure that all students needs are met during this time. If at any point you have any questions surrounding your child’s virtual learning experience please do not hesitate to reach out to their homeroom or specialist teacher(s).

Alice in KM shares the steps she takes to prepare a comfy reading spot.

Return to Campus Parent and Student Information

Aria in 2S provides 3 convincing reasons as to why her teacher should drink natural juice.

All SCIS-Pudong families are encouraged to visit the SCIS-Pudong Return to Campus Webpage that has been developed in effort to provide clear information surrounding what to expect upon our return to campus. The webpage contains informative videos depicting new processes and procedures to ensure health and safety protocols are met, as well as information related to health tracking for students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, school bus protocols, general health and hygiene protocols, and entrance and exit procedures are clearly articulated to ensure clarity and transparency surrounding return to campus procedures.

Students in 4B have been discussing ways they can make safe and responsible choices upon their return to school on May 18th.

May 1^st Holiday:

Please note that tomorrow, Friday, May 1^st is a legal Chinese holiday and teachers will not be posting assignments or holding live learning sessions on this day. We hope you use this 3-day weekend as an opportunity to enjoy time together as a family – especially with the warm Spring weather that is starting to appear for those currently in Shanghai.

Liah in 1K shares her dance moves in response to a music assignment focused on dancing to the beat.

Learner Profile Recognitions:

Bijou in 2M proudly shows off her Learner Profile Recognition.

Aaron Parrish in 2M is being recognized by Ms. Muy for being Knowledgeable.
Abi Jung is Grade 5 recognizedby Mr. Kelly for being a Thinker.
Alice Sant Anna Da Silva is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being a Risk-Taker.
Bijou Harima in 2M is being recognized by Ms. Muy for being a Thinker.
Julie Lee in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being a Communicator.
Eri Zhao in Grade 5is recognizedby Mr. Kelly for being Reflective.
Mehansh Gupta is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being a Communicator.
Lucy Marcos in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being a Communicator.
Rodrigo Encinas in Grade 5is recognizedby Mr. Kelly for being Principled.
Tate Valenza in Grade 5is recognizedby Mr. Kelly for being Principled.
Tommaso Auriemma in Grade 5is recognizedby Mr. Kelly for being a Communicator.
Victor Wang in Grade 5is recognizedby Mr. Kelly for being Knowledgeable.
Shrivisakan Balasubramanian in Grade 5is recognizedby Mr. Kelly for being a Thinker.
Yi Heng Jiang is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being a Knowledgeable.

Virtual Parent Community Circles

Yu Vern in Ms. Amy’s class shares her watermelon creation.

If you would be interested in joining a Parent Community Circle please let us know your preferred days and times by completing this short interest survey.

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19

Ms. Gutierrez checks in with students in 1G by asking them to share what “color” they are and why. Students have been taught to associate different colors with feelings.

For information on how to talk with your children about COVID-19 below are several resources you can refer to:

Supporting families during COVID-19 – Child Mind Institute
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 – The Creative Curriculum
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019
How to Talk with Kids about COVID-19 – Stanford Children’s Hospital
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child – Kids Health
Managing Children’s Fear, Anxiety in the Age of COVID-19 – Medscape

IT Support with Virtual Learning

Graham in 1G explains how to tell time in increments of 5 minutes.

School Attendance and Student Participation:

April 24, 2020April 24, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #31

Dear Lower School Families,

Liv in 3J shares her creative response to a Visual Arts learning experience that required students to create white paper designs.

As we come to the conclusion of our 11^th week of Virtual Learning I’d like to take this opportunity to share the results of our recent Grade 2-5 student survey which has provided us with very valuable insight into how our students are coping during this time and the ways in which we can continue to provide encouragement and support in order to meet the needs of each and every student. There were 88 students that participated in the survey representing Grades 2-5. While the specific results to each question are shared below, there were some common trends that emerged within the students comments that included their continued enjoyment of the live learning sessions, as well as their desire to return to campus and reunite with their teachers and peers. Several students commented that staying organized and maintaining balance was an area where they could use more support.

In addition, the responses to measuring how students are feeling most of the time revealed that while many students indicated they were happy, excited, and hopeful, there were also others who feel lonely, stressed, scared, sad, and frustrated. Please know that teachers have received individual responses from students and will follow up accordingly through class meetings and one-on-one sessions to ensure each student feels supported during this time both academically, as well as emotionally. Similarly, if you have concerns surrounding your child’s social-emotional wellbeing please reach out to Mrs. Luebbe (lluebbe@scis-china.org) who can refer you to outside counseling or schedule time to meet with you or your child to make a plan on the ways we can work together to provide them with additional support during this time.

Kindergarten students happily participating in a counseling lesson with Ms. Luebbe.

Return to Campus Update from SCIS Director of Schools

Emily in 3J shares some creative ideas for ways to keep busy while at home.

SCIS has received notification that we will begin the process of campus inspections for both the Hongqiao and Pudong campuses on Friday, April 24^th. We are working with the various authorities (SEC, CDC, Health Bureau, Transportation Dept., etc.) to make sure we will be well prepared for each element of our inspections. We understand that once we have completed the inspection period, we will be given approval to announce start dates for specific grade levels. We are pleased to be in the position to begin our process of returning to campus learning. We also recognize that we will be going through a very precise structure of regulations that enhance our commitment to the health and safety of our community. Our focus is on meeting and exceeding all requirements for an eventual return to campus. We will share all meaningful updates on our status and appreciate your continued understanding as we move through the next phase of preparing our campuses for an eventual return to campus, welcoming students again.

SCIS 已接到通知，我们明天将迎接相关部门对虹桥和浦东校区进行校园检查。我们正在与各部门（上海市教委、疾控中心、卫生局、运输部等）合作，确保做好检查的每一项内容的准备。据我们了解，一旦我们完成了检查期，我们将获得批准，宣布特定年级的开始日期。我们很高兴能够开始我们重返校园学习的过程，但也认识到，我们将经历一系列极其严格细致的审查，以加强我们对社区健康和安全的重视。因此，我们将继续专注于达到并超越重返校园的所有要求。我们将分享任何有关于我们状态的有意义的新进展，我们感谢您的持续的理解，我们将进入下一个阶段，为迎接我们的学生最终回到校园学习做好准备。

Preparing for a Return to Campus

Lucas in 1K demonstrates his flexibility by completing a PE learning experience focused on yoga.

Over the past two weeks, SCIS-Pudong administrators, teachers and support staff have been working extremely hard to prepare for our return to on-campus learning. Within the Lower School there are three teams that have been created to address the following: Health and Safety, Blended Learning, and Community Wellbeing.

The Health and Safety Team led by ECE Coordinator Ms. Stacey Poncia is basing their efforts on the guidelines put forth from the Shanghai Education Commission on the various protocols and practices that need to be enacted before students and faculty return to campus. Ms. Poncia is working directly with Mr. Vic Caban in the Upper School, and Mr. Luebbe to ensure that the Lower School has the necessary safety equipment, established protocols and procedures, and a shared understanding of how we will make certain we are following all requirements in effort to protect all members of the community.

Jasmine in 1G explains the cycle of how the sun rotates around the earth as part of the current Grade 1 Unit of Inquiry on Cycles.

The Blended Learning Team led by PYP Coordinator, Mr Ian Sylvester is working with a team of teachers to develop a plan to ensure that upon our return to campus, both students on campus, as well as those that are abroad, due to the current Chinese border closure, are provided with a robust learning program that ensures students are continuing to make progress against core and specialist standards.

The Community Wellbeing Team led by the Lower School Learning and Student Support Coordinator, Mr. Zachary Berezowski is working on developing resources for students, teachers, and parents to ensure the emotional and psychological safety of the community given the impact that COVID-19 has had on our lives over the course of the past 3 months. Ensuring the wellbeing of our community will remain a priority both upon our return to campus, as well as into the new school year.

3J spices up their live lesson by showing off their crazy hair styles!

Lower School Faculty Location Update:

Ms. V works with students in one-on-one sessions to provide students with direct feedback and answer questions they have.

Recently we have received a few inquiries from parents surrounding the current location of lower school faculty. Out of 32 Lower School faculty members, 28 are currently located in Shanghai. We feel extremely fortunate to have such a large percentage of our faculty in Shanghai, especially given a potential return to on campus learning in the near future. All faculty, whether they are in Shanghai or abroad continue to work extremely hard to ensure that all students needs are met during this time. If at any point you have any questions surrounding your child’s virtual learning experience please do not hesitate to reach out to their homeroom or specialist teacher(s).

May 1^st Holiday:

Trizstan in 1K responds to the class daily read aloud.

Please note that next Friday, May 1^st is a legal Chinese holiday and teachers will not be posting assignments or holding live learning sessions on this day. We hope you use this 3-day weekend as an opportunity to enjoy time together as a family – especially with the warm Spring weather that is starting to appear for those currently in Shanghai.

Parent Appreciation:

We continue to appreciate the tremendous support from our incredible parent community. We know this period of virtual learning has not been easy for families; however, we have been amazed by your dedication and continued involvement in your child’s learning journey. Here is a link to a video that we hope will make you smile.

The Grade 5 PYP Exhibition:

Matilda in 4B shares her incredible piece of art she created while at home.

Over the last three weeks, Grade 5 students have been participating in the PYP Exhibition. The PYP Exhibition is the culmination of the PYP programme and brings together the knowledge and skill students have learned through their Lower School education. Students develop their organization and research skills, monitor their progress through self-reflection, and will share their understanding with the school community through a 10 week personal project. In the virtual learning classrooms setting, students have been encouraged to explore personal interests of interest and make real life connections to the UN Global Goals. Ms. Ruf, Mr. Kelly, Ms. Briton, Mr. Berezowski, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Ian are supporting students as mentors. We look forward to seeing the curiosity, creativity, and expertise of grade 5 students continue to blossom.

The PYP exhibition has a number of key purposes:

for students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry
to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning
to provide students with an opportunity to explore multiple perspectives
for students to synthesize and apply learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP
for students to design an authentic process for assessing their own work
to demonstrate how students can take action as a result of their learning
to unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP
to celebrate the transition of learners in the primary to secondary education

We are very excited to see the outcome of this year’s exhibition inquiries and wish all of our Grade 5 students the best of luck on their inquiry journeys.

Virtual Parent Community Circles

Students in 2M prepare to start one of their live learning sessions this week with Ms. Muy.

If you would be interested in joining a Parent Community Circle please let us know your preferred days and times by completing this short interest survey.

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19

Students in Ms. Adika’s class come together during their live learning session to ask questions and share experiences from their week.

For information on how to talk with your children about COVID-19 below are several resources you can refer to:

Supporting families during COVID-19 – Child Mind Institute
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 – The Creative Curriculum
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019
How to Talk with Kids about COVID-19 – Stanford Children’s Hospital
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child – Kids Health
Managing Children’s Fear, Anxiety in the Age of COVID-19 – Medscape

IT Support with Virtual Learning

School Attendance and Student Participation:

Olivia in 3J shows off her flexibility by sharing different moves.

April 17, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #30

Dear Lower School Families,

*Brooks in PK shares information he has learned about the lifecycle of a bee.*

To begin, if you haven’t had an opportunity to read Mr. Luebbe’s Head of School post, please do so as it contains very important information related to communication from the SEC about a return to campus date, as well as additional information on a restructuring of administrative roles at the Pudong campus for the 2020-2021 school year. You should have also received two emails sent to your scis-parent email account from both Mr. Luebbe and Mr. Eschtruth, the Director of Schools. If you have questions about any of the content within these emails please submit your questions or comments via this form.

*Inesu in Ms. Adika’s class is learning about the impact of Tsunami splashes.*

Virtual Learning Reflections:

This week I spent several hours reflecting on the tremendous growth our students have demonstrated throughout this period of virtual learning. Scrolling through the class Seesaw Journals and comparing student posts from the first week of virtual learning until now was an inspiring process. The quality and caliber of student work has increased exponentially, and it is readily apparent that students’ ability to demonstrate essential 21^st century skills has flourished. In particular, I have been extremely impressed by student’s ability to think critically, creatively, and flexibly. There is no doubt that students have faced many challenges during this virtual learning period, however, they have also worked with their teachers, peers, and especially parents to actively develop solutions. These life skills have been cultivated because of the way in which teachers have designed learning experiences that engage and motivate students to push themselves to be independent and responsible learners. This has not been easy for many; however, the strength, perseverance, and life skills demonstrated by all members of our community during this time will inevitably stay with us and our children for a lifetime.

*Ethan in Grade 5 shares his art drawing titled “Staying Indoor.”*

*Emily in 3V shares her art project titled, “lovely rose.”*

Virtual Learning Parent Feedback:

*Jazmin in 4B demonstrates her ability to complete a new movement activity in PE.*

It has been several weeks since we have gathered Parent Feedback and it is time for us to once again seek your input surrounding your child(ren)’s virtual learning experience thus far. We greatly appreciate the support of families during this virtual learning period and wholeheartedly recognize that supporting your child with virtual learning is not an easy task. Please know we are here to help you in any way we can. Please note, the parent survey has been updated to include some targeted questions on student and parents social-emotional well-being. We believe that it is extremely important to gain an understanding of how we can better support the wellbeing of community during this time.

Additionally, we appreciate your feedback surrounding the areas that you believe are going well with regards to virtual learning, as well as the ways that we can improve.

Please complete this survey to let us know how we are doing.

Congratulations to Arul Meshram in 4B!

Congratulations to Arul Meshram in 4B who was recently published in the online version of the China Daily for his artwork. His drawing of his favorite anime, Naruto, depicted this character wearing a face-mask while also conveying an expression that states, “We will get through this.” What a beautiful and powerful piece of art Arul!

Learner Profile Recognitions:

*Congratulations to Jaiden in KM for demonstrating his ability to be Caring.*

Hera Gu in KLM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being a Thinker.
Isabella Auriema in 2M is recognized by Ms. Muy for being a Communicator.
Isabella Hellestam in KM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being Knowledgeable.
Jaiden Chen in KM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being Caring.
Jesse Nevalainen in KM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being Open-Minded.
Kai Park in 3V is recognized by Ms. V for being a Communicator.
Lisa Feng in KM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being Principled.
Lucas Buisman in 3V is recognized by Ms. V for being an Inquirer.
Marko Mladan in 3J is recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being a Thinker.
Mia Accad in KLM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being a Risk-taker.
Olivia Chen in 3J is recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being a Communicator.
Roman Akulov in KLM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being Balanced.
Shravya Kumar in 2M is recognized by Ms. Muy for being Principled.
Suhani Nagpal in 2M is recognized by Ms. Muy for being Balanced.
Timur Akhpolov in KLM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being an Inquirer.
Graco Verduzco in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being an Inquirer.
Nick Zhou in 3J is being recognized by Mrs. Johnson for being a Risk-taker.
Veyron Lin in KM is recognized by Miss Meidinger and Ms. Mount for being a Communicator.

Return to Campus:

*Luise in 2S completing an art inquiry at home.*

As parents, we want you to be aware that the school is undertaking all of the necessary operational preparations to ensure we are prepared to open on the first possible date allowed by the SEC. SCIS, along with all other international schools in Shanghai, have received additional clarification surrounding that the communicated May 6th date is understood to be the date by which we should be operationally ready for a return to campus, having completed all mandatory preparation work, and submitted our application for the inspection. This is not the return-to-campus date. We still do not have a specific timeline for our return-to-campus learning which would include students and teachers. If we learn of a date, we will share this with all of you.

We will also provide detailed information on our preparations as well as new health and safety guidelines over the coming weeks. There are also a number of guidelines that are being published by the SEC that will prevent us at least temporarily from returning to operating as we did prior to the pandemic. For example, non-educational gatherings are currently prohibited, and outside visitors will not be allowed on campus. Once we have received and reviewed all of these directives from the SEC we will communicate them to the community.

Support for Students Outside of China

*Amit in 4R takes time to practice Mandarin by singing the songs she has learned.*

While the news of a return to campus is certainly exciting for those of us here in Shanghai, we recognize that not all families have been able to make the return trip. Please rest assured that we are making provisions to ensure that learning continues online for students that are unable to return to Shanghai. SCIS is committed to supporting all of its students wherever they are until the boarders reopen and families are able to return to Shanghai.

Message from SCIS Admissions: Revised 2020-2021 Enrollment Deadlines

*Ryan in 2S sharing a wonderful pose with the community.*

Dear SCIS Community,

During this health emergency, the SCIS Admissions Office remains open and committed to fostering the SCIS community. Of course, first-and-foremost, our priority is the health and safety of your family and our entire SCIS community. We continue to work with current and new families as we strive to effectively plan for yet another successful school year. For current families, our re-enrollment process is in full swing; and for prospective families, we have already begun accepting new students for the 2020-2021 school year. We are confident that SCIS will once again be able to foster one of the strongest and most diverse learning communities within Shanghai.

As this health emergency continues, we understand that it may be difficult to progress through the standard re-enrollment process with certainty. Thus, in order to further support our current SCIS community, we have adjusted the re-enrollment timeline in order to provide a flexible timeframe that ensures all current families have first priority to register for the upcoming school year.

Please review the adjusted re-enrollment timeline below and visit our re-enrollment webpage for more information. We thank you again for your continued support and involvement in our school community and hope to welcome your family for yet another successful year at SCIS.

If you have any questions regarding re-enrollment or need any assistance, please contact our admissions office at admissions@scis-china.org or visit our re-enrollment webpage for more information.

Virtual Parent Community Circles

*Chef Hugo bakes some delicious cinnamon buns. Cooking naturally lends itself to teaching children about mathematics, and helping them develop their fine motor skills.*

If you would be interested in joining a Parent Community Circle please let us know your preferred days and times by completing this short interest survey.

*Xavier in Grade 5 shares his perspective about the current COVID-19 pandemic.*

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19

*Eleanor sharing her artwork titled “colossal cake.”*

For information on how to talk with your children about COVID-19 below are several resources you can refer to:

Supporting families during COVID-19 – Child Mind Institute
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 – The Creative Curriculum
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019
How to Talk with Kids about COVID-19 – Stanford Children’s Hospital
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child – Kids Health
Managing Children’s Fear, Anxiety in the Age of COVID-19 – Medscape

*Victor in Grade 5 practicing the “egg and pencil roll” for PE.*

IT Support with Virtual Learning

School Attendance and Student Participation:

*Rory in PS practices understanding the concept of “greater than” and “less than” with dot cards.*

April 10, 2020

Lower School Principal’s Post #29

Dear Lower School Families,

Mila in 2S actively engaged in her learning assignment.

I hope the increase in Live Learning sessions this week for K-5 students has helped your child(ren) feel a greater connection to their peers and teachers as we come to the conclusion of our 9^th week of Virtual Learning. As you may have seen from the Director of Schools email sent yesterday, the Shanghai Educational Commission (SEC) has announced a potential return to campus date for Shanghai schools. Currently we are looking into the announced timeline of April 27^th or May 6^th and whether or not those dates will be applied to SCIS and other international schools in Shanghai.

Elie in 2S practicing some yoga moves for PE.

Please know that we have been preparing for a potential return to campus for some time and are looking extremely forward to being together again as a community. Maintaining a strong sense of community and belonging is something that SCIS has consistently delivered upon. We pride ourselves on the strong relationships we have established with students, families, and each other.

As we continue to navigate the realities of the current situation and the multifaceted global impact COVID-19 has had not only on economic and financial stability, but also on the emotional and physical health and wellbeing of our community, I want you to know that we remain wholeheartedly committed to serving your children and our families in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. While it may be difficult to pinpoint the silver-lining during these uncertain situations, I am extremely confident of our collective ability as educators, parents and students to use the tremendous qualities of perseverance, resilience, commitment and care that have continued to characterize this historic moment in time for our community as the building blocks that will get a through the journey that lies ahead.

Sara in 4R describing her virtual learning experience to a student in the USA who is just beginning the journey.

Return to Campus:

Students across grade levels practiced their flexibility for their PE assignments this week.

As parents, we want you to be aware that the school is undertaking all of the necessary operational preparations to ensure we are prepared to open on the first possible date allowed by the SEC. We will provide detailed information on our preparations as well as new health and safety guidelines over the coming weeks. There are also a number of guidelines that are being published by the SEC that will prevent us at least temporarily from returning to operating as we did prior to the pandemic. For example, non-educational gatherings are currently prohibited, and outside visitors will not be allowed on campus. Once we have received and reviewed all of these directives from the SEC we will communicate them to the community.

Support for Students Outside of China

We also ask that you please update the family travel survey as soon as possible to reflect any recent changes in our students’ whereabouts as this will ensure we are best able to support our learners wherever they may be.

Jodan in 4R appears to be very focused on his learning tasks.

Message from SCIS Admissions: Revised 2020-2021 Enrollment Deadlines

Hugo and Isabella share their learning space.

Virtual Parent Community Circles

If you would be interested in joining a Parent Community Circle please let us know your preferred days and times by completing this short interest survey.

How to Talk with your Child about COVID-19