End of Year Message from Dr. Gale, Head of School – Pudong Campus / SCIS Deputy Director of Schools
Dear SCIS-Pudong
Dragons,
We’ve
made it! The incredible 2020-2021 school year has officially concluded. While this year has undoubtedly been characterized by ongoing challenges related to the
global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also been a year that has been characterized by tremendous
strength, resilience, perseverance, and compassion. These traits have permeated every aspect of
our community over the course of the school year and have served as a
foundation surrounding our commitment to supporting each other and doing our utmost to
persevere and ultimately prevail during the challenges we have faced this
school year.
Our ability to
overcome the difficulties encountered this year have repeatedly proven that
SCIS-Pudong is a world-class environment where teachers, parents, and the
administration continually work together to provide students with meaningful
experiences and 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 relevant
new skills and knowledge, accept responsibility, work collaboratively with
others, and most importantly laugh and enjoy their learning journey each day.
As we prepare to head
into the summer holiday, I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank
you. Thank you to our amazing 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 SCIS-Pudong
teachers
who have repeatedly demonstrated an
unwavering commitment to ensuring each and every student experiences success
and develops a life-long passion for learning. Thank you to our support staff
who play a vital role in the success of the SCIS-Pudong campus and supporting
the achievement of our mission. And
thank you to the SCIS administration for dedicating countless hours to ensuring
all stakeholders are supported and have the resources needed to provide an
exceptional student experience each day.
I would specifically
like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Frank Volpe for the tremendous work
he has done for the SCIS Pudong Upper School program and community over the
past five years. Dr. Volpe’s vast knowledge,
commitment to research-based best practice, and quest for continuous
improvement has allowed for the ongoing growth and development of an
exceptional Upper School program. While
we will miss Dr. Volpe and his family tremendously, we are very excited for him
as he takes on a new position as Director General at the American School of
Quito.
Additionally, I would
also like to thank Mrs. Dawn Brews for her contributions and commitment this
year as the Lower School Principal.
Despite the challenges Mrs. Brews has encountered this year being
separated from her family, she has demonstrated incredible flexibility,
organization, a deep knowledge of curriculum, and a “positive can-do attitude.” She has shown great strength, determination, and resilience throughout
the entire year and the SCIS-Pudong Lower School has grown under her
leadership.
For our departing
faculty (Mr. Johnson, Mr. Shearer, Ms. Williams, Mrs. Caban, Coach Caban, Mr.
Demas, Ms. Broad, and Ms. Jauch), as well as our departing staff (Mr. Justin Zhu,
Ms. Liz Wang, and Ms. Xinyi Wang) we are so appreciative of your contributions
and commitment to the SCIS-Pudong community and wish you the very best in all
your future endeavors.
For all departing
students and families, whether
you have been at SCIS for one year or many, you will always be part of the SCIS-Pudong dragon
community. We wish you the best of luck as you embark on exciting
learning adventures in new schools, cities, and countries.
For all returning students and families, I hope you have a fantastic summer, and I look forward to seeing you when we
return to school in August.
It has been an honor
and privilege to serve the SCIS-Pudong community as the Head of School this
year. I look forward to the 2021-2022
school year and collaboratively carrying forward our relentless commitment to
developing inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring learners who contribute
positively to their communities.
Go Dragons!
Dr. Gale
New SCIS Parent Portal
It is our great pleasure to announce the soft launch of our brand new SCIS Parent Portal. Living in the same space as our newly revamped website, www.scis-china.org, the new SCIS Parent Portal will eventually replace the current existing campus website: http://pd.scis-his.net/
In this endeavor, we have partnered with Finalsite, an award-winning content management software company dedicated to providing communication solutions for independent and public schools around the world.
The SCIS Parent Portal has been designed with the users in mind, you the parents. The platform aims to provide you with personalized access to all relevant information you will need to stay abreast of all things SCIS.
Re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is well underway and seats
are filling up quickly across
grade levels. In fact, several grade levels are currently
close to capacity.
As such, if you are confident that you would
like your child(ren)
to continue at SCIS-Pudong for the 2021-2022
school year, we
encourage you to submit your re-enrollment as quickly as possible. Additionally, if you
have friends or acquaintances who are interested in enrolling their child(ren)
in SCIS-Pudong, please encourage them to connect with our admissions department
as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges
we have faced surrounding the tightened border restrictions and the impact that
has had on welcoming new families from abroad, we continue to attract new
students and families from across Shanghai who have heard about SCIS-Pudong and
the exceptional student-centered experience we provide. We are grateful for the continued support
from our parent community and appreciate the ways in which you constantly
advocate and champion for our world-class and forward-thinking school. Your
support and belief in our ability to provide a personalized and holistic
educational environment is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions regarding the
process for re-enrollment, please do not hesitate to reach out to the SCIS
Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Middle School performance bookended this week, starting with the grades 7 and 8 Arts Rotation performance Monday and ending with the grade 6 flash mob on Friday. Students completed their final Arts Rotation this week, rotating through Drama, Visual Arts, and Music. Drama students adapted Polynesian folktales, writing their own script and designing their own costumes. Inspired by these adaptations, Visual Arts students created original works that were projected on stage and on display in the gallery. Finally, music students created original compositions that were performed between scenes. This Art Rotation is a great example of how students at SCIS gain experience and develop skills in the arts. Special thanks to Ms. Riddle, Ms. Whiteside, and Mr. Demas for their leadership in keeping the arts at the center of the SCIS experience for their ongoing support of our students.
Another rite of passage for our students took place this week with the annual grade 6 flash mob. Each year, students choreograph and perform a flash mob to raise awareness for a social issue they been studying through the relationships and sexuality curriculum. This year’s focus was raising awareness on the fight to end racism and homophobia and to promote awareness around feminism. The surprise flash mob performance took place during lunch on Friday, to the delight of staff and students. A big thank you to coach Vic for getting this tradition started and keeping it going!
Last Week of School Events and Notifications
As the year draws to a close, here is a list of events and notifications for our final week of school. Please note that students will be asked to bring a dish of food to share with their classmates for our annual international breakfast on Friday June 11.
Monday June 7: Last Day of Exams Tuesday June 8: Field Day and Lower School Carnival by 7/8 Design Wednesday June 9: Day 2 Thursday June 10: Day 3 Friday June 11: Advisory, International Breakfast, and Semester Celebration Assembly and 11:30 dismissal.
New SCIS Parent Portal
It is our great pleasure to announce the soft launch of our brand new SCIS Parent Portal. Living in the same space as our newly revamped website, www.scis-china.org, the new SCIS Parent Portal will eventually replace the current existing campus website: http://pd.scis-his.net/
In this endeavor, we have partnered with Finalsite, an award-winning content management software company dedicated to providing communication solutions for independent and public schools around the world.
The SCIS Parent Portal has been designed with the users in mind, you the parents. The platform aims to provide you with personalized access to all relevant information you will need to stay abreast of all things SCIS.
Parents play an active role in the school community at SCIS. Our parent association is known as the Parents and Friends Association (PAFA) and all parents are automatically members. PAFA coordinates parent involvement with the school and is a source of strength and support, knowledge, experience and a place where many of our families find lifelong friends. We are currently seeking parent volunteers to serve on our SCIS-Pudong PAFA Executive Board for the 2021-2022 school year. If you are interested in undertaking one of the below roles, or would like to nominate an SCIS-Pudong parent please complete this 2021-2022 PAFA Executive Board Nominations survey. Once the survey has been submitted, Dr. David Mazer, the School Community Relations Officer will follow up with each parent directly. We will be accepting nominations until next Friday, June 4th. If you have any questions about this process or the below positions please connect with Dr. Mazer at dmazer@scis-china.org.
Once nominations or volunteers have been received the campus administration will oversee a voting process if needed, and the PAFA executive team will be set for the 2021-2022 school year. Below is an overview of the open positions. For additional information on the position, descriptions please the SCIS-Pudong PAFA Website.
President:Working closely with the SCIS Faculty Representative, the PAFA President is responsible for chairing monthly Executive Committee Meetings and PAFA General Meetings. The President sets agendas and supports all other PAFA Executive Committee members in fulfilling their roles.
Secretary: The Secretary is responsible for attending and keeping accurate records of all Executive Committee Meetings and General Meetings, make such records available to members, submit Executive Committee minutes for a school publication, and model the Code of Conduct.
Treasurer: The Treasurer is responsible for tracking and managing income and expenses.
2020-2021 Yearbooks on sale now!
SCIS 25th Aniversary Party (June 5th)
SCIS Pudong’s NEW Parent Portal
Ongoing Reminders
RE-ENROLLEMENT UPDATE
Re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is well underway and seats
are filling up quickly across
grade levels. In fact, several grade levels are currently
close to capacity.
As such, if you are confident that you would
like your child(ren)
to continue at SCIS-Pudong for the 2021-2022
school year, we
encourage you to submit your re-enrollment as quickly as possible. Additionally, if you
have friends or acquaintances who are interested in enrolling their child(ren)
in SCIS-Pudong, please encourage them to connect with our admissions department
as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges
we have faced surrounding the tightened border restrictions and the impact that
has had on welcoming new families from abroad, we continue to attract new
students and families from across Shanghai who have heard about SCIS-Pudong and
the exceptional student-centered experience we provide. We are grateful for the continued support
from our parent community and appreciate the ways in which you constantly
advocate and champion for our world-class and forward-thinking school. Your
support and belief in our ability to provide a personalized and holistic
educational environment is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions regarding the
process for re-enrollment, please do not hesitate to reach out to the SCIS
Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Summer Camp 2021
Shanghai
Community International School (SCIS) is excited to offer a specialized summer camp designed
with the whole child in mind. This year, our SCIS-Pudong summer camp program will be
a non-academic,
thematic experience filled
with action-packed fun for children in the ECE through grade 5. Enrolling your child in the summer program
will ensure that their days are filled
with games, sports, outdoor exploration, water activities, art, music, drama,
Mandarin language/culture fun, and more! All ECE
through Grade 5 students
at SCIS-Pudong are
welcome to enroll. Summer camp offers flexible
weekly enrollment options for families with limited availability or travel
plans. For more information on Summer
Camp please contact the SCIS Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Thursday we celebrated the culminating milestone in the lives of our seniors, the Graduation Ceremony of the Class of 2021. We were fortunate this year to be able to resume our traditional graduation ceremony in the theater. Despite the face masks and physical distance, the ceremony had a reassuring sense of normalcy along with the celebratory atmosphere.
This year’s graduating class will be remembered for their tight bonds, academic excellence, and their artistic talent. Every year, graduation is a bittersweet moment, as the sadness of leaving friends and family behind combines with the excitement for what’s to come. One of the most unique aspects of our SCIS Pudong campus is that our small size allows for us to develop exceptional strong relationships. Last night’s Graduation Ceremony was a shining example of how these relationships provide the caring support necessary for our students to mature into the best possible versions of themselves.
The common refrain across all of the fantastically delivered student speeches was the role all of these individual relationships played in their development into the young adults they have become. Whether talking about their best friends, classmates, teachers, or parents, each of our student speakers eloquently explained how these relationships had shaped them. Stories of how the fears and stresses within the DP program were overcome through mutual support and encouragement were heartwarming. The accounts of teachers helping students find and develop their passions were delivered with deep gratitude. By far the most emotional moment of what was a very sentimental evening came as the student speakers thanked their parents for the support, care, and love they have provided.
There are many people to thank for last night’s ceremony and for helping our graduating class achieve this important milestone. First and foremost our deepest gratitude to the class of 2021 for the significant contributions they have made to SCIS in their time with us. A special thank you to Ms. Shanks, our Upper School Vice Principal and IB Diploma Coordinator and Ms. Maja Kelly, our Upper School Counselor, for their neverending support of the class of 2021 and for the long hours they put in preparing for the graduation ceremony. We also thank the faculty and staff for their tireless efforts teaching, coaching, and mentoring the Class of 2021 throughout their time with us. Finally, last but not least, we would like to thank the parents of the class of 2021 for placing their trust in SCIS and for your partnership and support. It truly takes a community working together to help our students grow into the accomplished men and women they have become! Best of luck Class of 2021!
2021-2022 PAFA
Parents play an active role in the school community at SCIS. Our parent association is known as the Parents and Friends Association (PAFA) and all parents are automatically members. PAFA coordinates parent involvement with the school and is a source of strength and support, knowledge, experience and a place where many of our families find lifelong friends. We are currently seeking parent volunteers to serve on our SCIS-Pudong PAFA Executive Board for the 2021-2022 school year. If you are interested in undertaking one of the below roles, or would like to nominate an SCIS-Pudong parent please complete this 2021-2022 PAFA Executive Board Nominations survey. Once the survey has been submitted, Dr. David Mazer, the School Community Relations Officer will follow up with each parent directly. We will be accepting nominations until next Friday, June 4th. If you have any questions about this process or the below positions please connect with Dr. Mazer at dmazer@scis-china.org.
Once nominations or volunteers have been received the campus administration will oversee a voting process if needed, and the PAFA executive team will be set for the 2021-2022 school year. Below is an overview of the open positions. For additional information on the position, descriptions please the SCIS-Pudong PAFA Website.
President:Working closely with the SCIS Faculty Representative, the PAFA President is responsible for chairing monthly Executive Committee Meetings and PAFA General Meetings. The President sets agendas and supports all other PAFA Executive Committee members in fulfilling their roles.
Secretary: The Secretary is responsible for attending and keeping accurate records of all Executive Committee Meetings and General Meetings, make such records available to members, submit Executive Committee minutes for a school publication, and model the Code of Conduct.
Treasurer: The Treasurer is responsible for tracking and managing income and expenses.
SCIS 25th Aniversary Party (June 5th)
SCIS Pudong’s NEW Parent Portal
Ongoing Reminders
RE-ENROLLEMENT UPDATE
Re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is well underway and seats
are filling up quickly across
grade levels. In fact, several grade levels are currently
close to capacity.
As such, if you are confident that you would
like your child(ren)
to continue at SCIS-Pudong for the 2021-2022
school year, we
encourage you to submit your re-enrollment as quickly as possible. Additionally, if you
have friends or acquaintances who are interested in enrolling their child(ren)
in SCIS-Pudong, please encourage them to connect with our admissions department
as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges
we have faced surrounding the tightened border restrictions and the impact that
has had on welcoming new families from abroad, we continue to attract new
students and families from across Shanghai who have heard about SCIS-Pudong and
the exceptional student-centered experience we provide. We are grateful for the continued support
from our parent community and appreciate the ways in which you constantly
advocate and champion for our world-class and forward-thinking school. Your
support and belief in our ability to provide a personalized and holistic
educational environment is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions regarding the
process for re-enrollment, please do not hesitate to reach out to the SCIS
Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Summer Camp 2021
Shanghai
Community International School (SCIS) is excited to offer a specialized summer camp designed
with the whole child in mind. This year, our SCIS-Pudong summer camp program will be
a non-academic,
thematic experience filled
with action-packed fun for children in the ECE through grade 5. Enrolling your child in the summer program
will ensure that their days are filled
with games, sports, outdoor exploration, water activities, art, music, drama,
Mandarin language/culture fun, and more! All ECE
through Grade 5 students
at SCIS-Pudong are
welcome to enroll. Summer camp offers flexible
weekly enrollment options for families with limited availability or travel
plans. For more information on Summer
Camp please contact the SCIS Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
It has been a week of reflection and celebration
across SCIS campuses as teachers, support staff, students, parents, and
administration took part in the IB/WASC Synchronized Virtual Visit.
This IB/WASC Synchronized Virtual Visit served as the
culmination of the SCIS IB/WASC self-study, an ongoing school improvement process that assisted SCIS
administration, faculty, support staff, students, and parents in looking in-depth at
what currently exists and what needs to be improved throughout the
organization in relation
to student learning, as well as the school’s program. Basic concepts addressed in this process
focus upon student success in meeting the SCIS mission, schoolwide
learner outcomes, and academic standards. The process centered on inquiring into the
following questions:
How well are
the students achieving?
Is the
school doing everything possible to support high achievement for all its students?
Through the self-study process, SCIS fulfills the requirements for accreditation and uses the findings to form the basis for the school’s strategic action plan through the use of research-based criteria from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).
At the conclusion of this week’s visit, the IB and WASC Visiting Teams consisting
of 18 educational leaders from around the world presented their findings
surrounding schoolwide areas of strength and areas for growth across all
aspects of the organization. Below are
some examples of the feedback received from the IB Visiting Team.
The school
demonstrates a clear commitment to and affirmation of a holistic approach to education.
The school
demonstrates a clear purpose and commitment to learning that is grounded in the
school mission and schoolwide learner outcomes.
The school
embodies and upholds the mission, values, and principles of an IB education as
evidenced by the daily experiences of students, parents, and faculty, as well
as through cohesive and clear documentation (learning handbooks, policies,
planners, etc.).
The school
culture is one that is collaborative and there is a shared drive to foster a
fully inclusive program that enables all students to access the programme(s)
and achieve success.
There is
clear evidence that supports the existence of a strong, coherent, and united
school community.
Strong
relationships and communication channels have been established between parents,
students, and the school, and parents understand and appreciate the IB
programmes.
Similarly, the WASC Visiting Team reiterated sentiments expressed from the IB Team and highlighted the fact that the “C” in SCIS is a distinctive attribute that permeates every aspect of the school. The WASC Visiting Team findings confirmed that SCIS is truly a vibrant, robust learning community that is characterized by a caring, supportive, and inclusive school culture, a dedicated staff of teachers, those who serve in support roles, and a leadership team that is committed to empowering others to achieve.”
In closing,
the IB/WASC Visiting Team acknowledged the school for the extraordinary context
in which the self-study and visit has taken place, and commended faculty for
the resilience, strength, and perseverance demonstrated by conducting the
self-study during a period that was incredibly challenging given the ongoing
impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The team also extended their congratulatory wishes to the entire SCIS community
for accomplishing such a significant and important milestone in the school’s
history.
As the SCIS IB/WASC Self-study Chair, I’d like to take this opportunity
to say thank you to all members of the SCIS community for your support of and
contributions to this incredible process.
Thank you to our amazing 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 faculty of teachers and teaching assistants who
have repeatedly demonstrated an
unwavering commitment to ensuring each and every student experiences success
and develops a life-long passion for learning. Thank you to our systemwide
personnel and support staff who play a vital role in the success of the school
and supporting the achievement of our mission.
And thank you to the SCIS administration for dedicating countless hours
to ensuring all stakeholders are supported and have the resources needed to
provide an exceptional student experience each day.
It has been an honor
and privilege to lead the SCIS community through the IB/WASC self-study process
over the past 24 months, and I look forward to collaboratively carrying forward
our strategic action plan and ensuring our relentless commitment to developing
inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring learners who contribute positively to
their communities.
In Service,
Liz Gale, Ed.D Deputy Director of Schools Head of School – Pudong Campus Shanghai Community International School 198 Hengqiao Road, Zhoupu Town, Pudong, Shanghai 201318, China Email: egale@scis-china.org Website: www.scis-china.org
School Picture Ordering Information
Dear Parents, The school pictures taken during Pret-a-Portrait’s recent visit are now available. If you haven’t already, please use the card that your child brought home to view the lovely range of pictures taken.
Orders placed before the 31st of May will receive a 25% discount. Orders placed for digital images will be emailed to you within 5 working days; orders placed for prints will be shipped to your home address within 21 working days.
If for any reason the card did not make it home, you can contact Pret-a-Portrait directly for assistance.
Just a reminder – if your family plans on traveling outside of Shanghai this weekend please ensure that you have informed the school by completing the SCIS Traveler Health Declaration Form.
RE-ENROLLEMENT UPDATE
Re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is well underway and seats
are filling up quickly across
grade levels. In fact, several grade levels are currently
close to capacity.
As such, if you are confident that you would
like your child(ren)
to continue at SCIS-Pudong for the 2021-2022
school year, we
encourage you to submit your re-enrollment as quickly as possible. Additionally, if you
have friends or acquaintances who are interested in enrolling their child(ren)
in SCIS-Pudong, please encourage them to connect with our admissions department
as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges
we have faced surrounding the tightened border restrictions and the impact that
has had on welcoming new families from abroad, we continue to attract new
students and families from across Shanghai who have heard about SCIS-Pudong and
the exceptional student-centered experience we provide. We are grateful for the continued support
from our parent community and appreciate the ways in which you constantly
advocate and champion for our world-class and forward-thinking school. Your
support and belief in our ability to provide a personalized and holistic
educational environment is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions regarding the
process for re-enrollment, please do not hesitate to reach out to the SCIS
Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Summer Camp 2021
Shanghai
Community International School (SCIS) is excited to offer a specialized summer camp designed
with the whole child in mind. This year, our SCIS-Pudong summer camp program will be
a non-academic,
thematic experience filled
with action-packed fun for children in the ECE through grade 5. Enrolling your child in the summer program
will ensure that their days are filled
with games, sports, outdoor exploration, water activities, art, music, drama,
Mandarin language/culture fun, and more! All ECE
through Grade 5 students
at SCIS-Pudong are
welcome to enroll. Summer camp offers flexible
weekly enrollment options for families with limited availability or travel
plans. For more information on Summer
Camp please contact the SCIS Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
This week, Hakim Bellamy, an American poet, educator and community activist joined the SCIS community to share his work with students and lead virtual writing workshops. Over the course of four days, he met with students in their English and Humanities classes to explore poetry and share his approach to the creative process. The workshops he led were based on the idea of auto-enhnography, the study of one’s own culture through self-reflection and writing. Mr. Bellamy encouraged students to use creative language to explore and communicate their unique identity, culture and values.
Despite the distance and the virtual environment, the students truly enjoyed this dynamic and unique workshop experience. Mr. Bellamy performed many of his own works of poetry and rap and gave students opportunities to ask questions about his meaning and process. Middle school students wrote collective poems by participating in the online chat and were guided to give their peers feedback on the poetry they created. High school students had the opportunity to collectively create poetry using prompts and online tools. Throughout the workshops, students were challenged to think about themselves and the way they use language in new, expansive ways.
We are thankful for PAFA’s generous support of this exciting week of virtual learning, creativity and collaboration.
School Picture Ordering Information
Dear Parents, The school pictures taken during Pret-a-Portrait’s recent visit are now available. If you haven’t already, please use the card that your child brought home to view the lovely range of pictures taken.
Orders placed before the 31st May will receive a 25% discount. Orders placed for digital images will be emailed to you within 5 working days; orders placed for prints will be shipped to your home address within 21 working days.
If for any reason the card did not make it home, you can contact Pret-a-Portrait directly for assistance.
Just a reminder – if your family plans on traveling outside of Shanghai this weekend please ensure that you have informed the school by completing the SCIS Traveler Health Declaration Form.
RE-ENROLLEMENT UPDATE
Re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is well underway and seats
are filling up quickly across
grade levels. In fact, several grade levels are currently
close to capacity.
As such, if you are confident that you would
like your child(ren)
to continue at SCIS-Pudong for the 2021-2022
school year, we
encourage you to submit your re-enrollment as quickly as possible. Additionally, if you
have friends or acquaintances who are interested in enrolling their child(ren)
in SCIS-Pudong, please encourage them to connect with our admissions department
as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges
we have faced surrounding the tightened border restrictions and the impact that
has had on welcoming new families from abroad, we continue to attract new
students and families from across Shanghai who have heard about SCIS-Pudong and
the exceptional student-centered experience we provide. We are grateful for the continued support
from our parent community and appreciate the ways in which you constantly
advocate and champion for our world-class and forward-thinking school. Your
support and belief in our ability to provide a personalized and holistic
educational environment is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions regarding the
process for re-enrollment, please do not hesitate to reach out to the SCIS
Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Summer Camp 2021
Shanghai
Community International School (SCIS) is excited to offer a specialized summer camp designed
with the whole child in mind. This year, our SCIS-Pudong summer camp program will be
a non-academic,
thematic experience filled
with action-packed fun for children in the ECE through grade 5. Enrolling your child in the summer program
will ensure that their days are filled
with games, sports, outdoor exploration, water activities, art, music, drama,
Mandarin language/culture fun, and more! All ECE
through Grade 5 students
at SCIS-Pudong are
welcome to enroll. Summer camp offers flexible
weekly enrollment options for families with limited availability or travel
plans. For more information on Summer
Camp please contact the SCIS Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
This week students had the opportunity to take their learning outside of the classroom and apply it to challenging situations in unique environments across Shanghai. While we weren’t certain we’d be able to make these trips a reality this year, our patience paid off. These trips are designed to support the IB curriculum we offer, help students connect to our amazing host culture, and provide shared experiences for students to deepen their relationships and strengthen the bonds of our community. A huge thank you to the teachers for their time away from home and their families this week to make these trips possible for our students! Congratulations and thank you students for helping to make this year’s trips a great success!
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
TRAVEL REMINDER
Just a reminder – if your family plans on traveling outside of Shanghai this weekend please ensure that you have informed the school by completing the SCIS Traveler Health Declaration Form.
RE-ENROLLEMENT UPDATE
Re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is well underway and seats
are filling up quickly across
grade levels. In fact, several grade levels are currently
close to capacity.
As such, if you are confident that you would
like your child(ren)
to continue at SCIS-Pudong for the 2021-2022
school year, we
encourage you to submit your re-enrollment as quickly as possible. Additionally, if you
have friends or acquaintances who are interested in enrolling their child(ren)
in SCIS-Pudong, please encourage them to connect with our admissions department
as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges
we have faced surrounding the tightened border restrictions and the impact that
has had on welcoming new families from abroad, we continue to attract new
students and families from across Shanghai who have heard about SCIS-Pudong and
the exceptional student-centered experience we provide. We are grateful for the continued support
from our parent community and appreciate the ways in which you constantly
advocate and champion for our world-class and forward-thinking school. Your
support and belief in our ability to provide a personalized and holistic
educational environment is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions regarding the
process for re-enrollment, please do not hesitate to reach out to the SCIS
Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Summer Camp 2021
Shanghai
Community International School (SCIS) is excited to offer a specialized summer camp designed
with the whole child in mind. This year, our SCIS-Pudong summer camp program will be
a non-academic,
thematic experience filled
with action-packed fun for children in the ECE through grade 5. Enrolling your child in the summer program
will ensure that their days are filled
with games, sports, outdoor exploration, water activities, art, music, drama,
Mandarin language/culture fun, and more! All ECE
through Grade 5 students
at SCIS-Pudong are
welcome to enroll. Summer camp offers flexible
weekly enrollment options for families with limited availability or travel
plans. For more information on Summer
Camp please contact the SCIS Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
School Picture Ordering Information
Dear Parents, The pictures taken during Pret-a-Portraits recent visit will soon be ready. If you haven’t already, please use the card that your child brought home to pre-register your interest in the school pictures and you will be sent an email the moment your pictures become available.
If you have any questions or need assistance, Please contact Pret-a-Portrait directly via: WeChat: Pret-a-Portrait Phone: 131 2078 2068 Email: chinasupport@pret-a-portrait.net
After a year of anticipation and waiting for approval, our China Go! trips are finally here! These trips are designed to support the IB curriculum we offer, help students connect to our amazing host culture, and provide shared experiences for students to deepen their relationships and strengthen the bonds of our community.
As a reminder, students in grades 6-11 will depart from school on May 5th and return to school on May 7th. Students will take the normal morning buses to school on Wednesday May 5th and depart from campus at approximately 8:30. Students will return to school on Friday, May 7th in time to take the 3:00 buses home. Please note that we will ask students not to use their phones during the day but each evening they will have time before bed to communicate with families. If there is an emergency during the trips and you need to contact your child immediately, you can call the school during office hours and we will make sure you can communicate with your child. If there is an emergency after hours, you can reach Dr. Volpe at 185-2141-0773.
Please help your child prepare for the trips by ensuring they have all of the materials suggested in the packing lists they were provided. Specifically, please don’t forget to make sure your child brings their PASSPORT on Wednesday May 5th. We truly appreciate your support as a community in making these trips a memorable experience and an opportunity for growth for our students. In closing, I would like to thank the teachers for going above and beyond, spending time away from their own families and personal lives to be there for our students in making these trips a reality. Thank you teachers!
Spring Arts Night: Celebration of the Arts at SCIS
On Tuesday night, SCIS celebrated our Spring Arts Night. It was a truly wonderful evening with a festive, supportive atmosphere. We hope families were able to join via the live stream link. If you missed it or would like to see it again, please note that all performances and presentations are still available. Scroll down to the previous post for links to the various records. Congratulations to our students on their hard work in preparing for Tuesday’s performances and presentations. It was truly impressive to see the hard-earned skills and talent on display and the warm encouragement students offered each other. A huge thank you to all of our Arts and Design teachers, Ms. Whiteside, Mr. Demas, and Mr. Willauer as well as our teacher volunteers Coach Vic, Ms. Riddle, Mr. Vanta, Ms. Roberts, and Mr. Shearer for their support. Also a huge thanks to Justin and Barry Johnson for their technical support of the performances and the live streams. Finally, we want to recognize Mr. Demas in his last year with SCIS for the tremendous contribution he has made in developing our music program in particular and our Arts program in general. Thank you Mr. Demas for all that you have done! And congratulations again to all of our students!
Update from Dr. Liz Gale, SCIS Deputy Director of SChools/ Head of School SCIS-Pudong April 20, 2020
Dear SCIS-Families,
It has been another incredible week of learning and celebration at
SCIS-Pudong that
included the Upper School Spring Arts Night, a Lower School Assembly, grade
level learning celebrations and more! It
is hard to believe that following the coming 3-day weekend we will be entering
the final 6-week stretch before the end of the school year. As you know, the end of the school year is
always filled with fun events and happenings for students, and I encourage you
to continue to carefully read through the weekly Principal’s Posts, as well as
other information sent from the school to ensure you’re kept up to date on the
upcoming events as the end of the year draws near. As always, if you have any immediate
questions, please feel free to connect with any member of the administrative
team or the divisional secretaries Ms. Vicki Xu for Lower School (vxu@scis-china.org) or Ms. Jelly Ling for Upper
School (jling@scis-china.org).
BINGO NIGHT
SUCCESS
A huge
thank you to the members of the PAFA Executive Committee, as well as the
parent volunteers for planning and organizing a wonderful BINGO night
celebration last Saturday evening, April 24th at the Pudong Marriot
East Hotel. Approximately 160 members of
the SCIS-Pudong community joined the event, which not only served as a symbol
of the communal commitment our families have to SCIS-Pudong, but it actually
represented much more than that in year that has been characterized by many
hardships and challenges due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19. It was an
event that symbolized our strength and resilience as a community, as well as
our dedication to supporting each other and doing our utmost to persevere and
ultimately prevail during the challenges we have faced this school year.
A BIG DRAGON THANK YOU to the members of the PAFA
Executive Committee for your efforts in making this night possible.
Freda
Yiu
Loewe
Lu
Preeti
Shah
Queenie
Wong
Sammy
Yi
Sanna
Korsstrom
Silvia
Gatti
I would also like to thank the following parent volunteers, Athina Ferpozzi and Judith Varnai, as well as the following student volunteers, Allison Peng, Ellen Kim, Francesca Cordischi, Gunit Rana, Jazmin Varnai, Johanna Schultz, Veera Kortelainen, Zazu Varnai who all devoted their time and creative energy to this event.
In addition to all of the preparations
that went into planning BINGO night, our PAFA team has done a phenomenal
job this year creating opportunities to bring parents and families together
outside of school given the continued restrictions we face surrounding parental
access to campus. The cultural lunch celebrations and grade level outings
have been a huge success and certainly had a very positive impact on our
community. Thank you PAFA!
SCIS SCHOOL ACCREDITATION UPDATE
Over the past 24 months, administration, faculty, staff, students, and parents across all three SCIS campuses have engaged in the IB / WASC self-study process. The “Focus on Learning” self-study is an ongoing school improvement process that assists a school in examining in-depth what currently exists, as well as what needs to be improved in relation to student learning and the school’s program. Basic concepts addressed in this process focus upon student success in meeting the school-wide learner outcomes and academic standards. This includes critical reflection on the following questions:
How
well are students achieving?
Is
the school doing everything possible to support high achievement for all its
students?
The accreditation process is a perpetual cycle of
reflection, assessment, designing, and planning, implementing, monitoring, and
reassessment: the process is guided and
assisted by tools and structures within the self-study, visit, and
follow-up.
At this time, the school has completed the self-study
process by ensuring communal engagement in the following five tasks:
Task
1: Analyze and reflect upon the school’s
progress and the impact on student learning since the previous SCIS full
self-study in 2013.
Task
2: Refine the student and community profile
based upon analyzed and disaggregated data; clarify the schoolwide learner
outcomes.
Task
3: Evaluate the quality of the school program in
relation to the IB / WASC criteria.
Synthesize the information, determine strength and growth needs.
Task
4: Summarize identified student critical
learning needs based on the profile, progress and focus group analysis and
findings.
Task
5: Revise or create a comprehensive schoolwide
action plan that will drive achievement of the schoolwide learner outcomes and
academic standards.
All of the work that was accomplished as a result of
the above tasks was compiled and organized into a self-study report that has
been submitted to the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in preparation for the SCIS
IB/WASC synchronized visit that will take place during the week of May 17th-21st. During the visit, a team of 18 educators and
leaders from around the world will engage in dialogue with SCIS faculty, staff,
students, and parents surrounding the self-study process and accompanying
findings and provide an outside perspective of the school’s ability to
effectively meet the established WASC criteria that defines organizational
excellence.
Due to the thorough nature of the SCIS self-study
process we are very confident that both WASC, as well as the IB Visiting Teams
will affirm the school’s findings, as well as the new 2021-2024 systemwide
strategic action plan that has been developed as a result. The
2021-2024 SCIS systemwide strategic plan will guide the work of the systemwide
Educational Administration Team, as well as the systemwide Operational Team
until completion and/or refinement of the action plan in preparation for the
next self-study in 2027. More
information on the IB / WASC synchronized visit, as well as the findings from
the visiting team will be shared in the coming weeks.
If you have
any questions surrounding the SCIS IB/WASC self-study process, please feel free
to connect with me at egale@scis-china.org. We greatly appreciate the
support we have received from the community surrounding the IB/WASC self-study
process this year.
TRAVEL
REMINDER
Just a reminder – if your family plans on
travelling outside of Shanghai this weekend please ensure that you have
informed the school by completing the SCIS Traveler Health Declaration Form.
RE-ENROLLEMENT
UPDATE
Re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is well underway and seats
are filling up quickly across
grade levels. In fact, several grade levels are currently
close to capacity.
As such, if you are confident that you would
like your child(ren)
to continue at SCIS-Pudong for the 2021-2022
school year, we
encourage you to submit your re-enrollment as quickly as possible. Additionally, if you
have friends or acquaintances who are interested in enrolling their child(ren)
in SCIS-Pudong, please encourage them to connect with our admissions department
as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges
we have faced surrounding the tightened border restrictions and the impact that
has had on welcoming new families from abroad, we continue to attract new
students and families from across Shanghai who have heard about SCIS-Pudong and
the exceptional student-centered experience we provide. We are grateful for the continued support
from our parent community and appreciate the ways in which you constantly
advocate and champion for our world-class and forward-thinking school. Your
support and belief in our ability to provide a personalized and holistic
educational environment is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions regarding the
process for re-enrollment, please do not hesitate to reach out to the SCIS
Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
Summer
Camp 2021
Shanghai
Community International School (SCIS) is excited to offer a specialized summer camp designed
with the whole child in mind. This year, our SCIS-Pudong summer camp program will be
a non-academic,
thematic experience filled
with action-packed fun for children in the ECE through grade 5. Enrolling your child in the summer program
will ensure that their days are filled
with games, sports, outdoor exploration, water activities, art, music, drama,
Mandarin language/culture fun, and more! All ECE
through Grade 5 students
at SCIS-Pudong are
welcome to enroll. Summer camp offers flexible
weekly enrollment options for families with limited availability or travel
plans. For more information on Summer
Camp please contact the SCIS Admissions team at admissions@scis-china.org.
School Picture Ordering Information
Dear Parents, The pictures taken during Pret-a-Portraits recent visit will soon be ready. If you haven’t already, please use the card that your child brought home to pre-register your interest in the school pictures and you will be sent an email the moment your pictures become available.
If you have any questions or need assistance, Please contact Pret-a-Portrait directly via: WeChat: Pret-a-Portrait Phone: 131 2078 2068 Email: chinasupport@pret-a-portrait.net
Window Into the School Week
Senior Walk-Off
An important tradition at SCIS for our graduating students is a celebration of their last day of class. The class of 2021 had their last day of class this past Tuesday and the entire school community came out to celebrate and mark the occasion. Upper School and Lower School students lined the hallways and staircases as the seniors “walk-off” from their last day of classes. Grade 12 students are now focused on their end-of-semester and IB Diploma exams. This was the first of many events that will celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating students.
Staff vs. Varsity Girls Soccer Team
Last Friday, brave staff members stepped up to help the girl’s soccer team have one more game before the season ended. The game
PSAT
Students in grade 10 had another opportunity to practice their testing skills for college entrance Wednesday as the wrote the Preliminary Scholastic Apptitude Test (PSAT). Students will receive feedback on their performance before the end of the year which will help them prepare for the SAT in their grade 11 year if they plan to apply to universities that require it. If you have any questions about the PSAT or SAT please don’t hesitate to reach out to our University and Social-Emotional Counselor Ms. Kelly.
