Dear SCIS and HIS Students, Staff, Community and Friends,
What a difference a mere three months makes! Over the course of less than a semester we have made great strides in a number of very important areas while maintaining excellence in others. I am pleased to briefly update you on some highlights of the first semester:
SCIS/HIS students continue to outperform their peers on standardized test measures while still having a wonderful time in extracurricular programming that is growing regularly.
HIS has competed successfully for the first time in extra-curricular sports, including the inaugural (and friendly) Dragon-Cup competition between all three SCIS/HIS schools in volleyball. Further competition is planned this year for football (soccer) and basketball. Additionally, HIS has hosted a very successful Model UN conference and is also already in preparation for their next musical in the coming weeks. HZ is also preparing for its Mid-term WASC review in March.
The HQ pool is up and running and already hosting swimming lessons and after school activities for over 100 students. Also, the HQ coffee shop and fine Arts Annex are open and being put to great use and are being enjoyed by our upper school students and our parent community. Further, the crown jewel of our Performing Arts Center, the theater, is now open and well worth a visit. SCIS is now providing students with the very finest platform in Shanghai for its music and dramatic programming. Plans are also well underway for the kick-off for the HQ International Baccalaureate Diploma program next year. The pre-approval visit was conducted in November and we are confident that the small modifications they recommended can be handled quickly and that we are well on schedule for IB authorization for next fall.
- In Pudong the plans are now complete for Pudong II a world-class upper school facility that will boast the finest set of performing arts spaces for upper school students in Shanghai. We have planned high quality instrumental music, drama, and dance facilities as well as both a ‘black box’ theater and a grand theater that will be as sensational as the one in Puxi. Yes, Pudong II will also have a coffee shop. Stay tuned to these pages for a link to floor plans, etc. Our aim is to have the very finest performing arts program in China! We are working on a better name than Pudong II.
Overall, a highlight of this first semester has been the visit of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and NCCT (Chinese) accreditation team to our Shanghai campuses. In addition to helping us hone our improvement planning, they affirmed that SCIS has a warm, nurturing, environment for children that successfully meet its goals for students. The NCCT team was particularly enthusiastic regarding the great strides our Mandarin program has made in a very short period. The full WASC/NCCT report is available on line for you to review at http://www.scisdragons.net/
If you are new to the school, I invite you to review these pages to learn what we are about and why so many people have decided that SCIS/HIS is the school for them. Further, if you are already part of our community, you will find access to much information that will be helpful in assisting you to take advantage of everything our school system has to offer.
Sincerely,
Bill Parker
Headmaster
