QINGDAO AMERASIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NEWSLETTER!
2 DECEMBER, 2011
The AMERASIAN An Education in Appreciation Good News! Amerasian Thanksgiving celebrates our international community
“In many ways, the spirit of Thanksgiving has never been more alive than it is today in Qingdao,” began Principal Chris Vicari, welcoming over 150 attendees to the First Amerasian Thanksgiving at Qingdao Amerasia International School. The event provided a true community Thanksgiving spread (with traditional American fixings as well as pot luck provided by parents) as well as student performances and a parent-run flea market, raffle and auction to raise funds for Qingdao Orphanage. Altogether ¥7,250 was raised at the event, in addition to diapers, blankets and warm weather clothing.
In his remarks, Mr. Vicari pointed out a number of parallels between the traditional ‘First Thanksgiving’ in North America and the QAIS event in Qingdao. Among them, of course, was the amazing selection of food; perhaps more importantly, though, of respect for our host society, and overwhelming appreciation for all those who have come together to support the school in providing a world-class, individualized education for students from all imaginable backgrounds. In raising funds for Qingdao Orphanage, the event also echoed Native Americans’ empathy for European settlers in their time of need.
With excellent food, student performances, a warm sense of community, and gorgeous views of the Yellow Sea glistening in golden Autumn sunshine, guests had a lot to be thankful for. Most important, as Principal Vicari urged, was to “give thanks for the beautiful children of QAIS — for in the end, this long and sometimes arduous journey all becomes worth it when we think of how our children will benefit from our efThe perfect turkey and pumpkin pie were forts to love one another and to create a donated and catered by nearby Cafe Roland, strong community with a common vision.” whose owner Mandy Zhao has been a proud QAIS parent for two years. The quality of the selection was praised by parent Jayne Shirra, whose daughters are in Early Childhood and Grade 2: “Along with foods from all over the world that were made by students’ families, everybody's tastes have been catered for on a grand scale,” she said.
QAIS is IB World School Candidate! It’s official - Qingdao Amerasia International School is a candidate to offer the rigorous and deeply rewarding Diploma Program authorized by International Baccalaureate. The IB Diploma Program emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, and deep understanding of issues across ‘disciplinary’ lines. The program is also recognized by colleges and universities around the world for developing students who are uniquely prepared for the challenges of higher education and career success. The Diploma Program will be available to QAIS students from Grade 11 starting in Fall 2013. In the meantime, we continue to ensure that all students have the skills and knowledge in place for success in any pursuit. (We also offer a full range of AP courses.)
Sister School Agreement As Principal Vicari announced at Thanksgiving, QAIS has signed a sister-school agreement with the Whitby School of Greenwich, CT (USA). The two schools share some common passions Whitby is the oldest Montessori school in North America and, like QAIS, is committed to fusing Montessori methods with the International Baccalaureate framework. Through the exchange of staff, students and ideas, these two world-class learning communities will continue to nurture the qualities of international-mindedness and love of learning.
On the Horizon Christmas is Coming!
ABOUT OUR SCHOOL Qingdao Amerasia International School offers Early Childhood through Grade 12 education, with certified Montessori instruction for ages 2.5-5, and US Common Core Curriculum for Grades K-12 (see article overleaf). We are a full member of the American Montessori Society. More than half of our teachers have a Master’s degree in their field, and all are native English speakers (excepting the Chinese language instructors) with advanced teaching certification. QAIS is a candidate to become an International Baccalaureate World School offering the Diploma Program. We are the only international school located in Qingdao’s central business district. If you’re looking for a place where your child will flourish with dedicated, individualized instruction, come visit our beautiful campus! Email info@qais.cn, or call 8388-9900.
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At QAIS, we believe that love of learning is the gift that keeps on giving. By providing individualized, inquiry-based curriculum at all age levels, we give students the tools and the passion to take on the challenges of a lifetime. In December and January, every family that visits QAIS will receive an educational ‘stocking stuffer’ that your kids will love. Call Eric Blocher at (+86) 139 6395-6913 to schedule a visit.
Winter Events Join us for our Christmas presentation at 9:30am on Friday, 16 December! QAIS will be closed for holidays from 16 December to 2 January, and from 21 January to 1 February.
(+86 532) 8388-9900
QINGDAO AMERASIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NEWSLETTER!
2 DECEMBER, 2011
LEARNING FROM THE EXPERTS QAIS Speakers Bureau Kids around the world are asked what they want to be when they grow up. At QAIS, we look for ways to cooperate with our s t u de nt s, t h e i r f a m il i es Qingdao’s international community to make those dreams a reality. Our Speaker’s Bureau gives students access to professionals in a variety of careers, showing them the world of opportunities that are open to them, communicating with their parents in hope of developing a shared vision for the future, and making a realizable plan. “When we sur veyed our students in September, I was amazed to learn that we had aspiring video game designers, photographers and songwriters in addition to lawyers and engineers,” said adviser Sean Ledet. “As students meet people who are living their dream jobs, it makes that future tangible to them. Many students said they had never shared their desire with anyone, including their parents.” Before each Speaker’s Bureau presentation, the Speaker sends an abstract about his or her work and background, as well as key
Giraldo, a Private Banking Business Consultant from Italy who currently works with Bank of Qingdao (and who is a QAIS parent). Senior Kevin Park found himself moved by Mr. Giraldo’s presentation. “I have been planning to stu dy acco u nt i ng a nd international trade, but I was amazed to see the role that bankers play in driving the global economy, from helping people buy houses and cars to funding major business ventures,” he said. “I’ll stick with accounting for my first year at university, but it’s definitely an interesting option.”
terms that are relevant to the job. QAIS students do a short research project and prepare questions for the presentation. The presentation itself typically takes place ‘on location’ at the Speaker’s place of business, allowing for a deeper sensorial experience of the career. Finally, in the week following the presentation, each student responds to some aspect of the presentation that made Email info@qais.cn to share your a particularly strong impression. The success with tomorrow’s leaders! response may be an essay, graphic artwork, or digital presentation. So far this year, Speakers have included: Attorney Iris Li, who has earned law degrees in China and in the UK and currently practices in Qingdao; Zhang Baibo, a prominent artist who employs his own highly-technical method of printing to render images of Chinese history and culture in striking bas-relief; and Giamberto
WHAT ARE THE ‘COMMON CORE STANDARDS’? Answer: The leading edge of education reform in the United States The Common Core Standards aim to bring consistency and rigor to content standards across the United States for the first time ever. The standards align a wide range of K-12 education content standards into a single, unified platform. Although this is a national effort, it is not a federal project. Rather, it was led by states through the associations representing governors and chief state school officers. The intent of the Common Core is to bring greater rigor to standards driving instruction and expectations, to focus curriculum and instruction on deeper student understanding of a few critically important areas rather than skimming a multitude of topics, and to provide clearer direction to educators on what American students should know and be able to do as they pursue their advanced educational goals.
Examples of Common Core Standards Grade 5 Mathematics
Understands decimal notation for fractions, and compares decimal fractions Geometry: Draws and identifies lines and angles, and classifies shapes by properties of their lines and angles ...
Grade 5 Writing
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develops and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing Draws evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research ...
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At QAIS, the Common Core Standards form the backdrop of our instruction and assessment at every grade level. Each student’s grade report lists the individual standards from every subject area, and indicates the extent to which the student has met that standard within the marking period. This style of grade reporting helps students, parents and teachers to identify specific areas of strength and areas where the student needs additional support. The standards identify literacy skills that students should be able to apply across the relevant subject areas in order to effectively acquire and demonstrate factual knowledge. The standards explicitly help us to ensure that our students are excelling in their ability to inquire, and also to effectively communicate what they have learned in a variety of ways. In addition to the school’s internal evaluations, QAIS students periodically take Measuring Academic Progress (MAP) tests, which track how they are progressing with regards to the standards for their grade level. Analyzing MAP results also help us as a school in identifying areas where a different approach to instruction would be beneficial for student learning. MAP tests are administered four times over the course of a school year, allowing us to track each student’s progress against the Common Core Standards. Give your child the tools to explore concepts, ideas and issues of local and global significance, to understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively, and to truly love learning.
Email info@qais.cn to schedule a visit this week.
(+86 532) 8388-9900