Dear SCIS Families,
Students and teachers transitioned back to the rhythm of school seamlessly following the Chinese New Year holiday. MYP students in grades 6-10 are working toward completing summative assessments across their courses as we approach the mid-semester mark. IB Diploma students in grade 12 are in their final phase of course work completion and have begun preparation for exams–their internal “mock” exams are just weeks away, the final round of preparation for the external examinations coming in May. DP students are also completing their Internal Assessments which are assessed by their teachers here at SCIS but moderated externally by the International Baccalaureate. As we approach the busiest stretch of our school year, we encourage everyone to pay close attention to the calendar of events so you can stay apprised of the many opportunities to participate in the school community.
This week students also experienced a number of extra-curricular activities and events. Middle school volleyball teams were in action, badminton practice began, and high school varsity soccer tryouts were held. In the Design space students were also hard at work preparing for next week’s First Lego League robotics competition which we are hosting here on our Pudong campus. SCIS will welcome students from all over Shanghai and the surrounding area for this exciting event. We hope many of you will be able to make it out to campus to cheer on the students in the competition. We would like to thank Mr. Johnson in advance for all of the work and energy he has put in preparing for this event. The week ended with a social event Friday night with the high school formal.
MYP Inquiry in Action
MYP Design provides an excellent tangible example of the inquiry approach to teaching and learning at SCIS. We seek to contextualize student learning in authentic situations where students learn by solving real world problems. Mr. Willauer’s Design class is demonstrating this approach to learning with their living wall project. Students are exploring the benefits of green design as they plan and design their own living wall for their chosen area of the campus. Inquiry in the Design class follows the Design Cycle:
Students work through the Design Cycle in each unit of class allowing them to experience the importance of each stage of the process. Students explore this cycle through various media including digital and physical products. This approach allows students to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in cooperative teams as they seek to meet the design challenge. Stop by the Design Studio next time you’re on campus to see our students talent and creativity first hand.
Looking forward to the coming weeks we would like to draw your attention to a few of the important upcoming events. On March 8th all MYP students (grades 6-10) will be participate in a field trip to the Guangfulin Relics Park. Please stay tuned for additional information regarding this exciting experience to connect with our host culture. We would also like to remind everyone that Student-Led Conferences will be held on March 21st. Further information on the conferences and their scheduling will be shared with parents in the coming weeks.
Warm regards,
Upper School Principal Upper School Vice Principal
