SCIS-HIS Communitas magazine March/April 2015

Shanghai Community International School & Hangzhou International School

P.32-35

150 Students is the Why

MAGIC NUMBER P.6

How We Build

Successful English Students who Score High in the

IB

Believing in Community

March/April 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

P. 12-13 // Student Led Conference

How Student Led Conferences Promote Reflective Thinking P. 16 // Director’s Letter

Features

Why I Chose SCIS -- Katherine Brewer P. 17 // Trophy Case P. 40 // Host Culture

P. 04 // Superintendent’s Letter

How have Women changed in China over the past 60 years?

P. 05 // Editor’s Letter P. 6-9 // Curriculum:

English

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P. 32-35 // Feature Theme:

Believing in Community

P. 28-31 // Hongqiao

One Way to Help Grow Your Child’s Emotional Wellbeing

Campus Highlights

What took place behind the scenes of A Midsummer Night’s Dream — Character Building

P. 22-23 // Hangzhou

The Big Mystery: What Happens in the Rhythm and Movement Class?

P. 38-39 // Hongqiao ECE

Transitions: How We Provide A Safe Bridge for Very Young Students

P. 24-25 // Pudong

Middle School Heroes

Making Our Community and Our World a Better Place

P. 10-11 // Educational Insights

P. 50 // History

4 Ways Students Have Changed the World

Dragon Cup History P. 51-55 // Partner

P. 14-15 // Winter Sports Recap

Are Your Allergies Starting to Kick In?

P. 18-19 // Special Feature

A Week at the Largest Annual MUN Conference P. 20-21 // Educational Insights

Really and Truly a Community School

Should I be Spending Energy to Maintain My Child’s Native Language?

P.26-27// Teacher Spotlight

Mrs Marjo Rautavuori -- LOVING LIFE

Community

P. 38-39 // Community Feature

Paying For University

What You’ve Been Missing Out On: The 5K Run in Hangzhou

20 Amazing Facts about a Child’s Brain

P. 41 // Coach Corner

Famous Dutch Authors Visits De Oranje Draak Draken Club

Meet Lou Salomé Chou SCIS HQ Swim Team P. 44-45 // Family Spotlight

Choosing the Best Mattress for Lower Back Pain

P. 46-47 // Repatriation Spotlight

P. 56 // PAFA

Meet the Spiekermans A Successful Repatriation back to the USA

Boat Party Celebration!

P. 48-49 // Alumni Interview

P. 58-59 // Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Jonah Oswald Making a Difference in People’s Lives

P. 57 // The Librarians Corner

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SUPERINTENDENT ‘S LETTER

Dear SCIS-HIS Community and Friends, SCIS-HIS schools have been bustling through the winter months but Spring has finally arrived. It is truly amazing to be a part of schools where parents and faculty are so committed to providing students with outstanding opportunities to pursue personal and academic excellence. We take pride in this effort and so the theme for this edition of Communitas is ‘Believing in Community’.

Community, Opportunity… Excellence. These are words that truly describe the atmosphere, offerings, and student achievement at our schools. They are words clearly stated in our school vision and mission, and words that drive our strategic planning. At the core of our success in international schooling is a strong belief that it is simply better to involve the entire school community in the development of our students.

It is not coincidence that we named this magazine ‘Communitas’, the Latin word for ‘Community’. Communitas means ‘together, a gift’ and at SCIS-HIS schools we believe in this spirit of working together with our students, teachers, administration, parents and external partners. Our schools exude this caring and familial vibe, which makes it easy to share with new families and visitors. Yet creating and maintaining a community school requires tremendous effort and commitment from all, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have volunteered time, dedicated above and beyond, and helped nurture such wonderful environments for our learning community.

A major highlight of a true community school is the robust range of opportunities available to all. At SCIS-HIS schools we believe in providing students with opportunities that match their potential, interests and motivation with the future world they will live in. As a community school, we welcome the participation of our parent community and external partnerships, as this involvement only multiplies the diverse range of opportunities we can provide to our students. And, as a community school, we believe everyone is, and will always be, a learner.

To this value, we plan and facilitate those opportunities that help us serve our students better. Our schools constantly look to support families with information sessions, parenting forums and strong guidance. We also look to provide our faculty with comprehensive professional growth options. All of these intentions ultimately are geared towards improving student learning and achieving excellence.

On ‘excellence’, Aristotle wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” At SCIS-HIS schools, we believe all students can reach their potential and achieve excellence if we work together as a community and provide opportunities that are just right for each student. We celebrate our successes and we are there to support our students when they receive the ‘gift’ of making a mistake or failing to reach the next level.

Before inventing the electric bulb, Thomas Edison is quoted as saying, “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”. In order for our students to pursue and reach levels of excellence, we need to provide them with a safe and supportive learning environment and opportunities to develop a life-long positive learning attitude and resilient mindset. It is with this commitment that our students can obtain excellence now, and be seen as excellent leaders, artists, academics, and athletes of the present. And their future is only brighter!

I am sure you will agree that SCIS-HIS schools believe in ‘community’. We hope you enjoy the following pages, which intend to celebrate the image, color, and spirit of our commitment to community, opportunity and excellence. As always… GoooOOO Dragons!

Jeffry R. Stubbs Superintendent of Schools 4

EDITOR’S LETTER

Mar-Apr 2015 Editor Jonathan Paulson Publisher Anne Hunt Art Director Mun Yee Choo

...............................................

The Communitas magazine is publishd eight times per year for the SCIS-HIS community in particular as well as for the larger Shanghai-Hangzhou community in general.

The Communitas welcomes letters from readers. Please send all correspondence to jpaulson@scischina.org.

Letters may be edited for publication.

The Communitas welcomes submissions and suggestions.

If you have an idea for a great story, please share it. Remember, nobody like secrets, and nobody like spreading good stories more than us. If you have an idea, please query first to the Communitas editor via email (jpaulson@scischina.org).

Visit us on the web at www.scis-his.org www.scis-his.org/communitas

From the Editor This is my twelfth issue of the Communitas, and I couldn’t be happier. I feel like every issue we release is the best one we have ever done. Over the past two years, we have doubled both the magazine’s size and circulation, all the while working to raise the quality and prestige of the magazine. It has been very successful. Thanks to the community for writing. And thanks to you all for reading!

For this issue’s cover story, I wanted to do something about community. However, what I didn’t want was something bland sharing the common knowledge that our community is diverse, close-knit, and super friendly. That’s old news. Instead, I wanted to know why our community is so amazing. How have we accomplished this? I hopped on a train, met with Hangzhou Head of School Rob Vandereken, and “Believing in Community” was born. It is a fantastic piece, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Also in this issue is an extremely well written piece by Mike Deneef, the Athletic and Activities Coordinator at Pudong. He details the history of the Dragon Cup and how it intentionally contributes to our genial community.

And if you are looking for a way to participate in this community, I strongly suggest you read “What You’ve Been Missing Out On: The 5K Run in Hangzhou”

by Chris Horan. He contacted me back in March (nearly three full months before the event) asking for space to specifically invite the Shanghai crowd. Chris, your wish has been granted, and yours truly will definitely be attending the event.

It is my sincere hope that you enjoy the articles and pictures in this issue. If I missed out on a big event that should have been covered, it is entirely my fault (but shame on you for not telling me about it!). I am always open to suggestions and guest writers. Send me an email—I don’t bark or bite—and your idea or story may end up in a future issue.

Warmest Wishes,

Jonathan Paulson Editor

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Eng CURRICULUM

lish

6

h

CURRICULUM

How We Build Successful English Students who Score High in the IB I

t’s a whole new world when students enter IB DP English, but given the strong foundation students receive at SCIS-Pudong it’s a world they can navigate very successfully. In both English Literature and English Language, our students perform extremely well. This is extra impressive because 75% of our students’ native language is something other than English.

Last year we had a 100% pass rate in both courses, with almost two thirds of our Literature students scoring a 5 or higher, and 70% of our Language students scoring 6’s. Moreover, the literary analysis skills that are built into the English program since grade six help our students achieve excellence in other languages: in 2014, 70% of students scored 6’s or higher in their mothertongue literature courses. Since many universities grant postsecondary credit for IB courses, many SCIS students are able to go directly into 2nd year university courses on the basis of their IB performance. This is amazing! But while the IB courses themselves are extremely important, one of the real secrets is our stellar feeder program.

Grade 6-8 Our Middle School program takes a strong interdisciplinary approach, with significant crossover between the English and Social Studies departments. The best example of this crossover is the upcoming Humanities Fair, in which the entire Middle School student body will showcase their research on the topic of modern slavery. Over several months, students have been developing their research skills by studying different sub-topics such as racism, violence, and human trafficking. In June, they will create spaces in the school dedicated to sharing their learning about modern slavery with the public. They’ll also hone communication skills by creating public service announcements related to their topics.

It’s not all academic, though; SCIS students will make a positive, practical impact on the world by running a donation drive and volunteering at various organizations in Shanghai.

George Orwell’s Animal Farm—in Social Studies class! These crossovers help students understand that English isn’t an isolated discipline, but it is intertwined with history, politics, culture, and art.

Grades 9-10 All that research and writing practice prepares our Middle School students for the High School (and, eventually, the IB program!).

Grade 9 students read Shakespeare for the first time, learning Romeo and Juliet through acting and analysis. Then they move on to a more challenging play, Macbeth, in grade 10, before getting to Hamlet in the IB. Pre-IB literature students are engaged in a wide variety of literary activities: creating “Google-Search” stories, analyzing traditional texts like poetry and novels, writing their own stories, journaling, and acting out scenes from the plays they study in class.

SCIS Pudong offers on-site IB Literature courses in English, Korean and Mandarin, and also facilitates a wide range of self-taught courses in other languages. In grade 10, therefore, some ESOL students may enter a “language” rather than a “literature” strand of English, to build their English language skills in a specialized environment and prepare them for language-based study of English in the IB. These students are currently studying The Hunger Games and are creating video commercials to secure “sponsors” for various characters from the novel.

With the help of dedicated teachers and a supportive, challenging school environment, English students at SCIS Pudong are guaranteed a chance at success in secondary school and beyond!

By MONICA MURPHY Pudong Upper School IB Englsih Teacher

SCIS English teacher Suzanne Byerly is in charge of the whole Humanities Fair, and she’s helping students make interdisciplinary connections. Students write a formal research essay in English class related to their Humanities Fair project and draft action plans for change. Similarly, students are studying a novel— 7

CURRICULUM

HOW WE DECIDE WHAT BOOKS TO TEACH W

hen it comes to teaching English, and literature in particular, there is an absolute wealth of text titles and options to choose from. Choosing the texts to teach to students means focusing on finding texts that are relevant or important to the lives of teenagers today while finding texts that meet the curriculum standards. The main texts for this years IB classes were Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Dante’s Inferno, and a few novels turned movies as well as a few contemporary novels.

But how did we decide on those book? While there are many approaches to selecting these texts, this is what we keep in mind as we set up classes.

The first thing we think about is what will challenge students.

We have extremely capable students and teachers. And we have not only faith that everyone can handle difficult texts but proof from past IB results.

In choosing Beloved as the first text we studied, we tried to challenge the students immediately. This is the most difficult text for our students because of its many references to slavery and American history. It also challenges them to read a text that jumps between sections of stream-of-consciousness and straight narration as well as the very difficult, and particular, vocabulary the novel uses. As challenging as it is, the students grow to appreciate the challenge. 2014 graduate Paul Bonhomme said, Beloved was a great starting point: “It made us work harder than we had before. But completing it meant that the rest of Lang and Lit seemed easier.”

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Shakespeare, while no longer required by the IB, makes it easy to work in another genre and time period in teaching. In choosing Twelfth Night, the focus shifts to the comedies that are more relatable to students rather than the tragedies that frustrate so many students. In Twelfth Night, Viola struggles to make her love for the Duke known—now wonder as she has passed herself off as a man to hide from others hunting her. This idea of difficult love and alternate identities is easy to sell to students. It also makes Shakespeare more fun for the students, helping the class move quickly through the text. While Twelfth Night wasn’t chosen specifically because it was challenging, Shakespeare in general was.

Another book selected to push and challenge students was Murakami’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. It’s a large book—600 plus pages—and we assign it as a summer read. I know; you’re thinking 600 pages!!! Students really like it though. It’s weird. It’s funky. It’s more contemporary (1980’s Japan). There is a mystical sense to parts of the novel that draw the reader in. There is a search for identity. There is violence. There are lots of layers to pull apart and look at. All of these aspects of the book play into getting students to buy-into the reading. And they do, especially once they realize that their study of different text types for the language part of Lang & Lit comes into play with the letters, articles, and message board conversations that make up different parts of the story.

So challenge is a big part of how we choose texts to teach in classes. That point has been made. But we do of course consider other selection criteria. One of the other criteria we consider is relevance to students’ interests. In the literature class the past two years, we have used the school-choice part of the class to examine Literature to Film. Using texts like Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, we can explore the adjustments needed to take a story from

CURRICULUM

one medium to another. When there are several students in the class studying film, the conversations leap back and forth in rewarding ways for everyone.

We also try to select classics as a key part of the curriculum.

This year we used Dante’s Inferno as one of the texts. At first, the choice was met with some skepticism: Is this going to make sense? Is there too much religion? But we were confident students would understand: Dante has been used in so many ways in history that references are everywhere.

One day after class, junior Alissa Johnson summed up the experience of reading Dante this way: “I was going to make fun of the clichés he uses in the Inferno until I realized he created the cliché.” This type of mind-opening connection is what the best texts create for students.

Besides challenge, relevance to students’ interests, and classics, there is another reason that drives the choice of text in our classes: contemporary literature. The last three novels that this year’s grade twelve Literature students read were choices of some of my favorite books of the last twenty-five years: Ondaatje’s The English Patient, Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, and Cotzee’s Disgrace. All three of these novels have quickly found their way onto serious book lists like the IB’s, and all three won the prestigious Booker Prize for Literature. Great contemporary books like these need to be given to students as a way to help them find the connections to the world we currently live in and the part they can play in this world.

The students we teach understand the power of words and of literature. Finding texts to help them further this understanding is key to creating successful classes. Last year after graduation, several students asked for a list of books that they should read or, at least, consider reading. I was more than happy to comply with that request. It meant that I had been successful in helping them find satisfaction in what they were forced to read. They could see the connections I wanted them to see and wanted to keep working on those connections. That is why I teach.

by JEFF DIBLER, IB English Instructor, Hongqiao Campus

How to choose the books you read.

In teaching, we have guidelines for what to teach. In real life, there are no guidelines, so here are some suggestions on finding your next great read.

Challenge yourself. Challenge yourself by stepping out side your comfort zone.

Think new genres. Always read nonfiction? Try a play or science fiction. Like stories? Try short stories or graphic novels (really!).

Don’t overlook the classics. There are lots of books we’ve all heard about but never explored.

Try one. This is especially worth trying if you take a trip to the Foreign Language Bookstore on Fuzhou Lu. Lots of quality copies of classics for as little as 18RMB per book.

Ask your parents/kids. Parents, ask what they’re reading in class. See what they think of the authors.

Maybe you’ll want to look into someone like Murakami as well. It can be a great conversation with you children.

Kids, ask what your parents read or like to read.

Further recommendations These are some of the titles I recommended to past classes as great reads. Many of these titles would be great choices to teach in the right context.

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien A Brief History of Everything by Bill Bryson One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez The Salmon of Doubt by Douglas Adams High Fidelity by Nick Hornsby The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri Plato’s Apology, Crito and Phaedo The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman On Writing by Stephen King 9

EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS

4 Ways Students Have Changed the World T

he 3rd annual Middle School Global Issues Network conference had over 200 middle school students from 24 international schools across East Asia at Stamford American International School in Singapore (March 13th -14th). The conference was appropriately titled ImaGINation 2015, where the guiding vision was to imagine a world where students are at the forefront of creating projects that provide solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. The students connected with inspirational speakers and students who are already “change makers” in their respective communities. The conference featured four keynote speakers, each one of which shared with us their personal stories and the empowering projects they are apart of.

The first keynote presentation was a group of three middle school students from the Philippines, who understood the power of reading through their project called Librery. Combined with the word ‘Libre’, which means free or freedom in the Philippines, and Library, these three students started their organization that provided books for orphanages and local schools in Luzon, Philippines. They currently have ‘Libreries’ in three villages, and plan to achieve their vision of helping every child in the Philippines to read and write. The lasting message Librery left with the everyone was that we are all free to aspire to anything we want, and the only thing stopping each and every one of us is the limits within our own imagination.

The second keynote speaker was the team at Pandoo Foundation. As many parents and teachers already know, 10

kids these days love their video games. Pandoo foundation is utilizing the engagement video games offer kids to connect virtual reality success with real world action. Pandoo games revolve around the concepts of natural disasters, relief aid, and resource management. As kids master these concepts of how all these are interconnected, they earn virtual points that equate to real world money that fund global issue projects. Kids had an opportunity to participate in a 30-minute gaming session that resulted in raising over $1,000SGD (which was donated to the Librery foundation!). This ability to contribute to real world projects through gaming was an eye opener for students and teachers alike.

The 2nd day of the conference saw two world-class speakers take the stage: Spencer West (Me to We Foundation) and Salva Dut (Water for South Sudan Foundation). He was born with a disease that affected the motor development of his legs, and by 5 years old everything below his abdomen had to be removed.

Doctors told his parents he would live a life slightly above non-existence and would not be an active contributor to society.

With the power of belief and never willing to accept this as reality, Spencer not only refused to use his disability as an excuse but in fact used it as a source of inspiration and power to bring about positive change to people around the world. Spencer now runs global projects aimed at helping communities in need by giving them the support and infrastructure to be self reliant and sustainable. After his keynote talk, Spencer opened up the floor for a Q&A session with the students. Spencer left a lasting impression on all the students that anything is possible if your

EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS

mind is set on overcoming any challenge you may face. The honesty, sincerity, and humor Spencer displayed during his talk made for an amazing experience.

Before the 4th presentation, the afternoon had breakout sessions where each school presented their ongoing GIN project. Our SCIS GIN students presented their Plastic Pollution project, which included a series of initiatives we are proud of this year. Starting with removing the use of plastic cups from the water machines in the middle school, we then worked successfully with PAFA on the 2014 International Food Fair to introduce reusable plastic cups. Students were inspired by Ocean Pollution researcher, Asta Mail, who spoke with our students in October 2014 about her project she conducted on the Great Lakes in North America. She focused on the effects micro-plastics had on the ecosystem of Great Lakes. We then began collaborations with the Lower School student council in their efforts to remove the use of plastic cups in their part of the school. Our vision is for SCIS to emerge as a leader in environmental sustainability in both the local community of Shanghai and in the international school community. Our first step towards achieving this vision is to completely remove plastic cups at SCIS-Hongqiao.

ImaGINation 2015 concluded with a much anticipated keynote presentation from Salva Dut, who was the inspiration from the book A Long Walk to Water. At 11-years old, Salva’s life changed forever when war struck his village in South Sudan.

This was the beginning of what would be seven years on the run, surviving dehydration, starvation, military attacks, and life of refuge camps. He emerged as the leader of the Lost Boys of Sudan, leading a group of over 1,000 boys on their journey from South Sudan to Kenya. At 18 years old, Salva was fortunate enough to be granted refugee status and moved to New York, USA. It was at this time he discovered his passion of how he was going to make a difference in the lives of people in Sudan, providing access to clean drinking water. Salva understood that

a lack of water is why young women were not educated, why villages were fighting with each other, and why people were dying. With what began as fundraising to build one well in his home village, it has grown into the organization it is today where they have dug over 300 wells for villages around Sudan.

The development that takes place in middle school is an important part of the growing up process for our children. It is during these years students begin to realize what they are passionate about, who they are, and who they hope to become.

Spending two days in the company of inspirational leaders, change makers, and students who share a common passion for positive change, our students will now take a piece of what they learned from this weekend and use it in their journey of developing into the person they imagine they will become in the future. As Librery reminded us, your only limitations on what you can achieve are the limits of your own imagination. Imagine the world you wish to be apart of, and use your unique passion to be apart of making this dream become a reality.

We leave you with the official SCIS GIN Club “We Will” Statement: “We will show care to our outside community by taking action on the ideas we are passionate about.”

By RICHARD A. FORBES AND LISA CHUI SCIS Hongqiao Campus Middle School Social Studies Teacher SCIS Hongqiao Campus Middle School Art Teacher

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STUDENT LED CONFERENCE

How Student Led Conferences Promote Reflective Thinking T

here are so many exciting things happening in Language Arts at the moment but I would like to reflect on a part of the year all students are involved in—Student Led Conferences.

I know some students grumble when this time of year rolls around again, what am I going to say this time? How interesting can I make this maths test look?

So this semester HIS Upper School did things a little differently.

We took time out from our usual English Language Arts curriculum and ran detailed conference practice and preparation lessons. As a result all our students were prepared like never before. They used cue cards, spoke formally without looking at their notes or computer screens, and got past the “I like this because it was fun and I did well” level of reflection. We had students in beginner ESOL speak confidently, in English, for over 15 minutes, reflecting about their success and struggles this year—something unheard of at the start of the year.

As an English teacher I love to hear my students discussing their learning. By having the students practice their student led conference speeches as a class assignment, I was able to have those important discussions about what schools are really here for and what learning really is. The best part was when I overheard a grade 8 student peer edit another student’s speech by saying “it’s great you got a good grade, but what does that really mean? What did you learn?” And sometimes I think my students aren’t listening!

A common question leading up to Student Led Conferences is “why are we doing this” or “won’t my parents want to hear from the teachers, not me?” To answer the latter question, I

explain that SLC’s are an important part of the year as it is one of the only times that parents really hear about what their students are doing at school. And I explain to them that it is more powerful for parents to hear it from the ones they love most.

To answer the former question, I help them realize it is one of the few times they are forced to think about what they have actually learned, not just what they have done or endured.

And if you’re wondering as a parent or outsider “why are they doing this,” let me explain it. As much as teachers and parents want kids to study more, play computer games less, be better at writing…these are fruitless endeavours unless the child wants to change. The teen brain is an interesting and malleable organ. If we can get students to pause, reflect, and critically think about what they have learnt and done, then we are giving them the platform to change on their own as well as teaching them a valuable life skill for the future. Looking back at my school experience, I never had the chance to practice reflective thinking much at high school; it wasn’t an important skill yet. It took me years to work out how I learnt and the best way I should be studying. I wish I had the chance to practice those skills at least twice a year.

In short, the upper school Student Led Conferences this semester were a great success. Students, teachers, and parents noticed the difference, and I believe we moved students from ‘telling’ about their days at school to truly reflecting on the learning process.

By HANNAH PAYNE HIS Upper School Language Arts Teacher

Are Student Led Conferences Worth It? We surveyed 134 Upper School Parents to find out:

99%

said YES “my son/daughter was well prepared to lead the conference.”

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97%

said YES “my son/daughter’s portfolio was helpful to me in gaining an understanding of the work done in the school.”

97%

said YES, “overall, the student led conference was a valuable experience for me and for my son/daughter.”

STUDENT LED CONFERENCE

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SPORTS RECAP

winter SPORTS

RECAP

HQ Boy’s Basketball Record: 14-6 Coach: Dwayne Friesen Captain(s): Matt Duffy ‘15

HQ Girl’s Basketball Record: 15-2 Coach: Miro Bruan Captain(s): Hailey Gribble ’15 Jutta Korhonen ‘15

HQ Swimming

Record: 1st (at ACAMIS) Coaches: Noah Randall Kelsey Barden Azelea Xin Captain(s): Lou Salomé Chou ‘15

2015 ACAMIS CHAMPIONS

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SPORTS RECAP

PD Boy’s Basketball Record: 7-13 Coaches: Isaac Marshall James Laird Captain(s): Alex Reither ’15 Ryan Montague ‘15

PD Girl’s Basketball

Record: 10-10 Coach: Mike DeNeef Captain(s): Josephine Panafieu ’15, Nina Walther ‘15

PD Swimming

Record: 9th (at ACAMIS) Coaches: Gary John McDonald Candice Botha Anja Santiago Captain(s): James McGee ‘15 Derek Mallon ‘15

5 ASIAN ALL-STAR QUALIFIERS

HZ Boy’s Basketball Record: 4-6 (2-4 at ACAMIS) Coaches: Kelley Redmond Will Hoversen Captain(s): Thomas Wong ’15 MinXiu Kim ’15

DRAGON CUP CHAMPIONS HZ Girl’s Basketball Record: 7-5 (4-3 at ACAMIS) Coach: Rebecca Hamernik Captain(s): Apolline Dubois ’17 Xenia Niesel ‘17

HZ Swim Team

Record: 16th (at ACAMIS) Coaches: Dan & Julie Mullen Captain(s): Lucas Gramann ’21 Callie Phillips ‘22

DRAGON CUP CHAMPIONS 15

DIRECTOR’S LETTER

Why I Chose SCIS time to be a part of an international community, and it is a great time to be in the field of education, especially international education.

I gave a tour to a family who was visiting SCIS a few weeks ago and they asked what set SCIS apart from other schools. Fair question. Great question actually. I gave them my answer from a parent’s perspective rather than from a Head of School’s perspective. After all, I have two children who I have entrusted to the care of SCIS teachers just like I was asking them to do.

I told them that I had twin boys who were in Pre-Kindergarten.

They have friends from Finland, Israel, Sweden, Australia, and Indonesia who they love playing with.

As parents we all want to do what is best for our children. And many times, that seems like giving them the same great experiences we had as children. But the truth is, their adulthood will be vastly different from our own. They will be living in an even more globalized economy, a world that faces challenges of sustainability, a world where they will be forced to create solutions to problems that we never even recognized needed addressing.

I

decided to pursue a career in the field of education because I wanted to make a difference in the world. I wanted to change lives for the better. And I wanted to give hope where there was none, challenging students to become the best they could be. I started down this path over fifteen years ago, teaching at a large urban school in Nashville, Tennessee. I spent more time comforting kids whose parents were in jail, making sure students had enough to eat, and breaking up gang fights than I did teaching.

But despite that, my students made three-year gains in their scores during that first year. When veteran teachers asked how I accomplished that, I didn’t have an answer for them. I didn’t know. All I knew was that I cared about each individual student, that I wanted every single one of them to know that they mattered, and that I would help them realize potential that they never knew they had.

Fifteen years later, I find myself the head of one of the most amazing schools in the world. While job title may have changed, my purpose for being in this field has not. I want students to be empowered not just to be successful in this world but also to change this world for the better. We live in an age where we are realizing our limitations, our short-sightedness as a species, and the impact we have not just on humanity but on the earth itself. Our children’s reality is something that seemed like a science fiction book when I was young. Their challenges will be ones that my grandparents would have never foreseen.

And that is exciting. This is a great time to be alive. It is a great

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And that is what I believe sets us apart as a school. Many parents opt to send their children to schools that look and feel like the ones they grew up in, but our students interact daily with students from all over the world. They form friendships with students who come from vastly different backgrounds, have different cultures and values, and who speak a multitude of languages. And it is within this setting that teachers nurture individual students and develop international mindedness. Our students are being educated in a school that is not preparing them for our past but is preparing them for their future. That is what parents choose when they choose SCIS. Our students are being equipped to work collaboratively with others, to celebrate diversity, and, in short, to change the world for the better.

My first nine months here in Hongqiao have been very special.

I have learned a great deal about SCIS, about our community, and about our students. I have inherited a school that takes its internationalism and its sense of community very seriously—a school where teachers care about their students and who know that these children can change the world. Are there areas where we can improve? Absolutely. And we will, because we will keep moving forward as a community. And through community, our international community, we will achieve greatness.

KATHERINE BREWER Head of School Hongqiao Main Campus

TROPHY CASE

SCIS HQ

2015 ACAMIS Swim Champions

SCIS PD

First Place Trophy MUN Dubai (out of 1000 students & 52 schools)

EMMA MERRITT Best Delegate of the Security Council at MUN Dubai

FIONA HUANG

Accepted into the International Honor Band and Orchestra Festival (the highest award and recognition level given to high school musicians)

ALEXANDRIA LIM

Best Picture at Shanghai Student Film Festival for Dear Seth (out of 150 submissions)

17

SPECIAL FEATURE

XLVII ANNUAL SESSION 2015 The Hague International Model United Nations

A Week at the Largest Annual MUN Conference F

rom January 25th to 30th, I had the honor of attending The Hague Model United Nations conference. This particular conference is the world’s largest and often considered the most prestigious of the MUN conferences. This one even hosted the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan as a keynote speaker a few years ago. 2015’s conference had roughly 5,000 participants from more than 190 schools worldwide serving in eighteen different committees. From 8 AM till 5.30 PM, the city of The Hague (and specifically the trams) was overrun by shivering groups of students in formal attire, clinging onto copies of Munity, THIMUN’s own newspaper, while battling subzero temperatures.

I spent the week serving as one out of 27 participants in the 18

ICJ, working closely with students of 19 different nationalities under the tutelage of Mr. Robert Stern, a former lawyer who has set up the ICJ program at various large conferences including THIMUN and BEIMUN, and has more than 20 years of experience with such simulations. Under his incredible guidance, within a week it was common to walk into the room to hear a group of teenagers discussing things like “the principle of uti possidetis juris” over lunch, or referring to each other as “your honor” and “the counsel of so-and-so”. We argued over the legal implications of hundred-year-old treaties, exhausting every option at our disposal to come to multiple different conclusions, which were then formally typed up as verdicts and sent on to the UN and ICJ, as is customary at THIMUN.

EDUCATIONAL INSIGHT

As is to be expected in the judicial capital of the world, the week did not go without a trip to both the Peace Palace (home of the International Court of Justice) as well as the International Criminal Tribunal. At the Tribunal, sitting behind bullet-proof glass, we watched some of the world’s most renowned lawyers and judges perform a cross-examination of a witness for the opposing counsel in the Mladic case. While on one side of the glass an angry Serbian passionately defended his cause, the other side heard a calm and composed woman in perfect British English, which was quite an experience on its own.

As is normal when you’re having fun away from school, the

week flew by. By the end of the week bountiful memories had been made, and on Friday afternoon PTD (colloquially known as Post-THIMUN Depression) kicked in. While social networks were flooded with pictures (#HaguePlague anyone?) and the friend requests poured in on Facebook, I made my way back to Hangzhou, incredibly grateful for having had such an awesome experience. I’d like to quickly thank the HIS school administration for giving me the chance to represent our school community at THIMUN, and I hope to see an official delegation make it’s way there in the future!

-FLORINE SPIEKERMAN senior at Hangzhou International School 19

EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS

Really and Truly a Community School

A

t SCIS-HIS we work hard to ensure that we are really and truly Community schools. While the academic rigor remains a strong focus during the school day, we have worked hard to guarantee that the time out of school is also full of rich experiences for our international students.

The wealth of sports teams, after school activities, student groups, and service learning opportunities at SCIS provide our students with healthy outlets for their energies outside of the school day.

Working to help our students lead balanced lives has been a priority at SCIS. We encourage our students to get involved and find their passions. They are asked to balance academics with activities, community service, social lives, and family time. Becoming involved in our community is an exciting opportunity for our students, and they grab hold of the chance and run with it.

Our SCIS faculty leads by example when it comes to getting involved in the community. Acting as facilitators, coaches, and mentors before and after school, our staff works hard beyond the hours of the school day to ensure our students’ successes outside the walls of their classrooms. However, that’s not where the involvement stops for many of our staff. During the recent performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at SCIS-Hongqiao, you could’ve seen the acting skills of many of the faculty as they made cameos in the student performance. You’ll frequently notice staff members filling vacant chairs and joining in for music concerts, dance performances, or other student activities. Our students love having their teachers on stage next to them, and I think the teachers relish the opportunity for a little glory too!

Speaking of glory, we could never forget the parents of SCIS. They work behind the scenes for so many major events in our community and they rarely get the acknowledgment they so rightfully deserve! Our Parents and Friends Association (PAFA) does a tremendous job of planning, organizing, coordinating, and sponsoring so many wonderfully successful events at SCIS that we just wouldn’t be the amazing community we’ve become without them. From the Welcome Back Picnic to the Spring Carnival, PAFA is working year-round to make SCIS an absolutely terrific Community school.

As the traditional African proverb goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Here at SCIS we may not have a village, but we’ve certainly worked hard to establish a strong community that achieves exactly the same results. Everyone has come together for the benefit of our students, and we’ve become a strong “village” in order to help them reach the successes we know they can achieve. Thank you to all of those who are involved in making SCIS so amazing and, if you’re wondering how you can be a part of this awesomeness, let this serve as your official invitation to join our amazing community!

By BRET OLSON Hongqiao Main Campus Middle School Vice Principal

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EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS

Should I be Spending Energy to Maintain My Child’s Native Language?

P

arents often ask me how they can support their child’s English language learning at home. My advice? Support their native language learning at home. Our language is part of our culture, and as such it is important that children maintain a level of fluency in their native language. Research has shown that second language learning improves when students have a strong grounding in their first language, and many academic skills are transferrable from one language to another.

But when talking about language fluency, it is important to make the distinction between social fluency and academic fluency.

Social fluency can be kept up just by speaking the native language everyday. However, it is much harder to maintain a level of academic fluency in a native language without using that language in a school setting.

This proves to be a tricky situation. Sometimes children themselves decide they want to focus on English and become hesitant or resistant to learning in their native language. Parents have the challenge of finding a delicate balance between supporting children in English and in their native language.

Due to the importance of working with the native language in an academic setting, SCIS is a big proponent of language schools and offers its facilities and resources as a place for students to learn in their first language. As a result, our school hosts Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, French, Brazilian Portuguese and Italian schools through our Mother Tongue Program. These programs give students a chance to spend either their World Languages block during school hours or their extra curricular time after school to advance academically in their native language.

One of the biggest reasons these language schools are so vital is the potential for difficulty in school if they decide to attend college in their native country. While they might be able to speak the language socially, they will have a hole in their academic vocabulary. Students like this may have the challenge of playing catch-up in their native language to support what they already know and understand in English.

By ANJA SANTIAGO Pudong Lower School ESOL Teacher

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HANGZHOU HIGHLIGHT

The Big Mystery:

What Happens in the Rhythm and Movement Class?

E

verything starts when the students arrive to the dance room and everybody says good morning with a big smile and lots of energy. Here in the dance room, it’s time to play. It’s time to aspire that we can transform into the best dancer in the world or into the most famous opera singer. It’s also maybe time to pretend to be an animal in a zoo or pretend to be running a marathon.

Everything and anything is possible in the rhythm and movement room. We can create a circus or a playground. We can imagine a house or a forest.

We often incorporate whatever the student’s want to do into the lesson. Students may want to sing about stars or their happiest day or maybe about spiders or about “sol si do re.” Sad faces are quickly transformed to smiles as students begin to participate in the games. And what if a little one arrives still sleepy to their morning class? That’s ok! It can also be part of the game. He can go to “bed” and when the rooster starts to sing is time to start again. That’s one of the special things about the dance room: it is a transformer room.

Rhythm and Movement students start each class with some sort of physical activity. Some days this is accompanied with a song. And some songs and lessons are about how to stay healthy. We learn that princesses stay healthy by eating fruits and vegetables. Wait, but not everyone wants to be a princess! Some students want to be strong superheroes! Superheroes are good because there are kind, and they are strong because they eat fruit and vegetables too. But at the earliest stages of schooling two and three year olds do not have the longest of attention spans. Soon they focus on being monsters and after five more minutes are walking on the moon or swimming in the ocean.

To a casual observer a Rhythm and Movement class may look like a lot of play. And it is because 22

children’s principle form of learning is through play.

However, in Rhythm and Movement, we combine play with specific learning objectives children so students can advance throughout the class.

Neuroscientists have discovered various ways to active our brain cells and maintain mental health.

This activity is called neurogenesis. Recent findings show that regular exercise is good for the brain. A study at Columbia University, New York, found that people who exercise regularly were able to grow and maintain new brain cells and nerve cells in the hippocampus region of the brain. Also it was discovered that their ability to develop new neurons was two or three times greater compared to people who did not exercise regularly.

Regular exercise also has profound social benefits.

Such activities are inherently social. They introduce children to society, how to follow rules, to open up to others and overcome being timid. Students learn to overcome impulsivity, to learn to collaborate, to recognize, accept and respect the abilities of others.

And of course there are the physical benefits of muscular and bone development, coordination, the opportunity to overcome possible physical defects, and the all important appreciation of the simple pleasure of moving.

Our youngest students’ brains and bodies receive daily stimulation to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing and development. In this class rule number 1 is enjoy and have fun. Through games and fun activities ranging from playing percussion instruments such as maracas, drums, and rhythm sticks to learning how to jump rope, do a somersault or headstand, dancing salsa, flamenco, or Chinese folk dances there is one thing in common at the end of each class – a desire for more.

By JANNET MOLINA HIS Rhythm & Movement Teacher

HANGZHOU HIGHLIGHT

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PUDONG HIGHLIGHT

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PUDONG HIGHLIGHT

Middle School Heroes Making Our Community and Our World a Better Place

T

he motto of the Pudong Middle School is “Improving the World

by Being My Best”. Being our best as students, teachers, administrators, and a community in order to make a positive difference has been on the forefront of our minds and everything we do throughout the year. As part of our goal to create influential citizens, the grade 7 advisory classes have been working on a Heroes Project since the beginning of November.

The students began by investigating real life heroes in small groups. This idea came from the CNN “Heroes Project.”

Each year, CNN, the television news channel, does a story on ten impressive individuals that somehow improve the world. Student groups had to investigate each individual, create a presentation on that hero, and then try to “sell” the rest of the class on voting for their person.

As part of the process, teachers took advisory time to discuss what a real hero is, how do they make a difference, and what are the things that separate them from those who choose not to act for humanity.

After the vote, the Heroes Project really began to pick up steam. Using their new role models as examples, student groups were tasked with devising their own plan for become SCIS heroes and improving our community by being their best. Students planned projects to begin in the final quarter of the school year that sought to improve our community. The scales of these projects were not grandiose and impractical.

On the contrary, students were challenged to look at small, everyday actions that

would have profound effects. The point was to show students that little acts with love and sincerity are more realistic and achievable, and when combined with the acts of their peers and the positive chain of behavior, can have a ripple affect on the culture of our community. Improving the world does not have to be a tremendous task.

Students devised brilliant plans. These included providing enjoyable music during lunch, posting weekly brain teasers, cleaning teachers’ whiteboards after school, making a room for board games when recess has to be moved indoors, providing public service announcements about how to stay organized, and the dangers of too much gaming. These are only a small sample of the projects that will be launched by the SCIS-Pudong seventh grade in the final fourth quarter.

As a final responsibility, students will also be creating short documentaries about their project that will be posted on the school website by the end of the year.

Feel free to check these out on the PD website in mid June.

The task of improving the world by being our best seems like an insurmountable one. However, when you break it down and look at how others before us have achieved this goal, being a real hero starts with doing little things that make our community and our world a better place to live.

By TY SMEINS Pudong Middle School Principal 25

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

Mrs Marjo Rautavuori

LOVING LIFE M

arjo Rautavuori is in her ninth year at SCIS. Originally from Finland, she has spent much of her life living outside her native country. Her husband works at one of the big international companies here, and they have been soaking up Shanghai for the past eleven years. Luckily, I was able to get her to sit down with me…

Hi Marjo. Thanks for meeting with me. First question: what motivated you to become a teacher?

I was always actively involved in sports and visual arts when I was young and I thought, why not make a career out of everything I love doing? That’s exactly what I did, and I have been fortunate enough to teach arts, sports, and languages ever since—just like I dreamed!

I hear Finland has some of the highest standards for becoming a teacher of any country in the world. Was it a tough road for you to get into a University teaching program and into the world of education?

Finland is, and has been for more than a decade now, one of the top performing countries in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). One explanation behind the success story of small Finland is the professional teachers and internationally acknowledged teacher education.

In Finland, young students are encouraged to know at an early age what they wish to do in the future. They then apply to one specific faculty at university and follow that path. I was lucky and knew very early that I would like to pursue a career as a teacher.

I was able to choose a lot of extra-curricular activities, like coaching and arts that led to university acceptance. I earned my masters degree in education and that concentrated widely on research of educational systems and environments.

9 years teaching at SCIS! Rock on! What keeps bringing you back year after year?

When we first moved to Shanghai, I left an exciting teaching career in Finland behind in attempt to be a stay-at-home mom. I soon realized it wasn’t for me. I was blessed with an opportunity to work at this great school we had chosen for our daughters. I’m still grateful for the prolonged opportunity to continue teaching.

I love everyday of teaching all the enthusiastic students at SCIS. I treasure the culture, values and diversity we have at SCIS. You live down in one of the housing compounds next to SCISPudong. While it might not be a clubbing hot-spot in Lonely Planet Shanghai, how’s that area for raising a family?

Great! It’s safe but active at the same time. We can all find a variety of activities to do within and near the compound, and 26

new interesting restaurants are popping up in the neighborhood nearly every week. The big new roads allow us to get everywhere in the city in a reasonable amount of time.

Speaking of your family, I heard when you first moved here 11 years ago, neither of your daughters could speak English. How are they after a lengthy time spent in the SCIS ESL program?

Our daughters, Sofia and Sandra, had a lot to adapt themselves to, similarly to anyone coming from a different language and cultural background. They coped surprisingly well. They worked hard and immersed themselves in the English language quickly.

We have even been asked if we hail from Michigan, USA due to their accent—thanks to all the wonderful primary school teachers and caring environment at SCIS. They now both take Higher Level English as a part of their IB studies.

You guys look very fit. What’s your secret? Jazzercize?

Healthy combination of exercising and home cooked food.

We all stay active several times a week; swimming, boxing, boot camp, Zumba etc. We also have two dogs that keep us busy with regular walks.

Oh my goodness, I almost forgot. Marjo, what do you do here at SCIS? I currently teach Lower School Art as well as Rhythm & Movement.

Is that exciting? Tell me, what are you guys doing in class right now?

In art, we are wrapping up all pottery units and moving on to Historical art units. Grade 5 is getting ready for their recyclable Fashion Show at the Earth Day Assembly, which is a highly anticipated event for students.

I heard you speak like 25 languages? Is this true? What’s your secret?

Thank you for the compliment, but I surely don’t know that many!

When you come from a small country with a unique language, you tend to learn several languages. Finland is a bilingual country, with Swedish and Finnish as it’s official languages, and that provides an opportunity to start learning languages at a young age.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

Is there any message you want to send to people?

Enjoy your time in Shanghai! Keep an open mind and embrace every exciting moment that this wonderful vivid city offers you.

Serious question now, what’s your favorite thing about SCIS? I love its warm community atmosphere. There is this “homey” feel where everyone truly cares about everyone.

Personal question now, is there a Finnish restaurant in Shanghai that I should try?

To be honest with you, I don’t think there is one. If there were one they would serve a large variety of fish dishes.

Thanks so much for your time. How do you say goodbye in Finnish?

Nakemiin! Heippa!

Interview by JONATHAN PAULSON, Communitas Editor

27

HONGQIAO HIGHLIGHT

One Way to Help Grow Your Child’s

Emotional Wellbeing A

t the lower school at Hongqiao, students engage in an educational program called “You Can Do It” (YCDI).

As the academic counselor here, I support and facilitate this program across grade levels. The program is geared to teach social and emotional wellbeing and provide students with strategies to manage their daily lives. There are five focus keys that are taught consecutively throughout the academic year. We begin with Getting Along, and then follow with Organization, Confidence, Resilience and Persistence.

We recently completed our fourth focus, Resilience. Students identified what resilience means and how a student demonstrates resilience. We discovered that resilience is about “bouncing back” from challenging experiences.

As a fan of the comeback story, I was moved to witness students’ eyes light up as they discovered a little bit more of themselves and each other through making connections to core feelings of joy, fear, sadness, and anger. Much about practicing resilience requires us to learn about what bring us fulfillment and what is discomforting to us. Tuning in to our emotions can be challenging, so we began with the basics and what was tangible, our bodies. Students were asked to bring their awareness to their bodies and identify what happens while joyful or stressed.

Students replied that sometimes they felt hot, knees and legs felt unstable, stomach

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clenched, hands sweat, became tired, overly energetic, throat tightened etc…

Overall, students appeared inspired by the power of emotions and the energy that is often exchanged.

Another activity encouraged students to connect to thoughts that precede or follow their physical feelings. YCDI education separates thoughts into two categories: green light (positive) or red light (negative). These two ways of thinking helps kids establish the understanding that thoughts develop feelings.

As students become more familiar with thoughts, feelings and emotions, they also become attuned to their behavior and performance. Moreover, students are encouraged that they have options and are supported while experiencing challenges. With these choices and openness, we hope for opportunities that teach self-awareness, empathy, connection and responsibility.

About 4 years ago, I worked under the supervision of one of my most influential counselor mentors, Valerie Russo.

Valerie encouraged that a counselor needs to provide something tangible she said, “With each session, present a product, tool, or an opportunity, just something to grab on to”. As I apply creativity the YCDI program, I researched tools to create something unique that aligns with our key focus of resilience. I created and provided classes with journals. Through a “seek and find” game, I hid paper worms around a classroom and asked students to find something that looked odd and hadn’t been there before. Students expressed that these paper creatures looked like worried worms. I asked, “What can we do with these?” Students decided to write their worries or “red light” thought on the paper worms. Often without instruction, I found students coloring and pasting their worried worms into their journals, which is what I hoped they would do. Through this activity, the journal becomes the transitional object and assists children in communicating themselves while minimizing potential escalation of discomfort, rumination and or re-experiencing their perceived threat.

HONGQIAO HIGHLIGHT

Now that the thoughts transitioned to their journal, we colored and indicated on a thermometer from one to ten, ten being extremely worried or fearful and one just a bit worried. Students naturally discussed what their rating meant to them and how their level manifested physically and emotionally. Some expressed that at a level six they’re likely to have trouble sleeping, become disorganized, and other students expressed that if they were at four they might be a little grumpy, or at a two they could carry on as usual.

After all of their hard work and courage facing discomfort, students discovered they had more options to move forward and bounce back. To reinforce their communication and awareness, students

created a coping skills menu in the back of their journals. This menu presents choices for self-care. Some popular coping activities that students felt they would choose were to: play soccer, talk to a parent, take a deep breath, imagine a calm place, listen to music, draw, or clean your room (parents, you can thank me for that last one). With this final step, students identified their own resilience and restructured how they face adversity.

While I probably shouldn’t have a favorite focus within the YCDI education program, I do. Bringing resilience into focus seems to present our students with opportunities to become connected to core emotions.

Tuning in this way creates mindfulness in effort to promote positive decision-

making skills. As a counselor, I’m passionate about intrapersonal and interpersonal connection that ultimately supports the empowerment of individuals and community.

Furthermore, teaching strategies that promote healthy communication, self-care and responsibility, reinforces our drive as a school to contribute to personal and communal success. All of these strategies are about tuning in to our environment, thoughts, emotions, bodies and each other. Our students develop connection, empathy and self-care and seem to be creating their own fulfilling lives.

By MARY FREUEN Hongqiao Main Campus Lower School Academic Counselor

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HONGQIAO HIGHLIGHT

Character Building in

A Midsummer Night’s Dream S

HAKESPEARE!!! A name that can threaten and cast doubts on many a student. But for this group of middle and high school students it has been a challenge and an inspiration.

For over 3 months this group of over 50 young actors and technicians have taken William Shakespeare’s immortal comedy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and given it a new (international school) twist.

experience with singing, dancing, and gymnastics. What people often misunderstand about Shakespeare’s plays is that they were some of the most eclectic forms of entertainment of their time complete with singing, dancing, swordplay, and dogs! Thus, this production has sought to heighten those moments where our talented singers and dancers can show some of the more lyrical and melodic moments of Shakespeare’s script.

When discussing a theatrical production it is very easy to be distracted by the magic of a performance. It is filled with lights, sound, and the undeniable energy of students. What is often overlooked is the process by which stage magic is produced.

What did the student learn through the rehearsal process?

What kinds of critical thinking and problem solving took place both on stage and backstage? What did they learn about the themes of the script itself?

With such a strong dance department here at SCIS we decided to integrate several dances into the dramatic structure of the play. Both the fairies and the mechanicals have dances that were specific to their characters and the dramatic action of the scenes.

Additionally, singing was spotlighted twice; once with a soloist who sang the written lyrics but accompanied by an original tune written by our Choir director, and another time when a singer sang a contemporary song that kept with some of the anachronistic themes of the production.

When researching their characters, these young thespians had to resolve the issues that presented themselves such as arranged marriages and how the victors of wars treated their vanquished foes. When going through rehearsal, Marlo Fowler, who plays Titania the Fairy Queen describes the process as, “Entering a world that we can shape… we have all these amazing, noble and regal characters that we have the power to make a reality.

When we are all onstage together, its not like our characters are onstage in our world, its like we have entered their story.”

This production has tried to capitalize on the natural talents of any student who wanted to be part of this production. The show boasts multi-talented performers who have extensive

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Such opportunities for students were not limited to on stage performers. Student technicians and designers transformed the stage and seating area into a fantastical playground that represents a mystical place at the edge of the world where time and dreams collide. Many aspects of the technical design are the end result of weeks and months of critical thinking and design by the students who have volunteered to take the world and words of Shakespeare and transpose them to visual designs. Senior Daniel Khairallah did a great deal of research, finding dozens of songs and sound effects that would be diverse enough to represent the themes of the production yet consistent enough to hold the plot and characters of the show together as we transitioned

HONGQIAO HIGHLIGHT

from scene to scene. He also explored all aspects of the technology we had on hand to create vocal and sound effects for the more fantastical aspects of the play.

Actors and technicians worked on the flowing curtains used to create most of the settings and even some of the props.

The flowing curtains can be shaped to be any column, wall, or tree. Students participated in the hanging and focusing of the lights to illuminate the action of the play as well as create effects such as shadows for the fairies as they hide in the forests or scare the mechanicals during their chase scene. Lighting was also designed to create exotic lighting angles and colors to create fantastical and out of the ordinary situations of the fairy world. The different colored lighting gels were used to change the colors of the white materials used in the set to change settings and to reflect the different groups of characters.

Daniel Huang did double duty for the show as both actor and Costume Designer. He intimates that, “Costume design thus far, came as kind of a surprise.

Although I never thought it to be simple, it still turned out to be more difficult than I anticipated. It really is a blend of imagination, intuition, and faith in believing that it will somehow look pretty.” Part of the challenges Daniel faces was to manifest the universal themes of the

script by bringing in costumes of people’s and countries from around the world and historical time periods while creating the surreal world of the fairies that was in contrast to the world of the mortals.

Shakespeare’s characters and plots were written hundreds of years ago, but these stories, performed by our young cellphone carrying students, resonate even today across countries and cultures as

we seek to understand the complicated nuances of love and relationships. These students face a harrowing array of decisions as they grow up and they are uniquely capable of working through the issues through their artistic talents. They know that we can be mesmerized by the colorful lights that they themselves helped to hang, but they can’t turn a blind eye to a woman’s value or place in society. They understand that we can wear clothing from around the world and from different historical times but that won’t change who we are in our hearts or how much we have in common as human beings (or fairies).

So, just like the characters who went into the woods, who journeyed through the forest and came out a little better for the experience, these incredible thespians have been on a ‘character building’ journey.

They stand before you today, having faced group and individual challenges as actors and technicians in our theatre company. And they stand before you today, as an experienced Theatre Troupe, one who put on a splendid international Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

By FURSEY GOTUACO HQ Middle School Drama Teacher

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THEME FEATURE

Believing in Community Why 150 is the perfect

number for a school division G

ORE-TEX, founded by Bill Gore, makes high tech outdoor clothing. Gore’s company is the subject of a famous sociological study. Oxford Evolutionary Anthropologist Robin Dunbar studied the growth of GORE-TEX from its beginning in Mr. Gore’s backyard. GORE-TEX continued to grow until Gore opened up a large factory. That, too, continued to grow. Then one day Gore walked into his factory and he realized he didn’t know who everybody was. Gore wondered why this was. “It was his gut instinct,” according to Dunbar, “that the bigger a company got, people working for the company were much less likely to work hard and help each other out.”

Gore did some counting, and realized that after putting about 150 people in the same building, things just did not run smoothly. People couldn’t keep track of each other. The sense of community was lost. Based on this Gore decided to limit the size of his factories to 150 employees. Each time the company needed to expand they would build a new factory, sometimes right next door. Things ran better this way. In smaller factories everybody knew who was who—who was the manager, who was the accountant, or who made the sandwiches in the cafeteria.

Dunbar’s research focused on why the GORE-TEX model was such a success. His findings were based on the idea that human beings can hold only about 150 meaningful relationships in their heads. The number 150 has been dubbed “Dunbar’s Number.”

Ironically, this term was first coined in a place where 150 friends may seem like very few—Facebook. According to Dunbar, Facebook users started commenting that they had too many friends, half of whom they did not really know. Someone connected that feeling to Dunbar’s findings that say you can’t have more than 150 true friends, and “Dunbar’s Number” was born.

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Dunbar’s Number is not only based on GORE-TEX, he traced it through history, noticing that a typical community has almost always been about 150 people. This has held true for such diverse groups as Kalahari Bushmen, Plains Indians, Australian Aborigines, or even in modern times such as the Amish and Hutterite communities. The reason 150 is the optimal number for a community comes from our earliest ancestors.

In smaller groups, primates could work together to solve problems and evade predators. Today, 150 seems to be the number at which our brains just run out on memory.

This limit was developed at a time when most of the people we “knew” lived geographically close to us. But today, for us living as expats in China our relationships may be very complicated.

Our parents may be in one country, our in-laws in another, our grown children studying in yet another, and we may even work for a company based in yet another. This can lead to a very fragmented 150-member network.

Dunbar says there are some neurological mechanisms in place

THEME FEATURE

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THEME FEATURE

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THEME FEATURE

three distinct communities of about 150 students each—an optimal number.

to help us cope with the ever-growing amount of social connections modern living seems to require. For example, we have the ability to facially recognize about 1,500 people.

That equals a pretty impressive number of Facebook friends.

However, so many relationships means that many of our friendships are very casual and don’t have that deep meaning and sense of obligation and reciprocity that we have with our close friends. One solution to this problem can be seen in the modern military. Even as armies have created “super large groups” — battalions, regiments, and divisions — most militaries maintain the sense of community felt at the 150-person or company level.

So, with our sense of friendship and interconnectedness being exponentially expanded by technology and internationalism how is it that we can maintain and nurture a true sense of community?

The answer, according to sociologists is to deliberately and consciously try to create a greater sense of community.

Fostering a sense of community is a challenge for all organizations, including schools. At our Hangzhou International School, we have about 450 students divided fairly evenly with 33% in ECE, 33% in lower school, and 33% in upper school. This gives us

Furthermore, community is something that we at HIS and SCIS take as a core element of our raison d’etat . Placing the concept of community at the centre of our purpose impacts every aspect of our living and studying here in Hangzhou and Shanghai. At our schools the sense of community transcends beyond the key groups of ECE, Lower, Upper School. It goes beyond grade levels and departments. It even transcends our individual campuses. Events such as the upcoming Invention Convention for fifth graders from all three schools or our Dragon Cup competitions provide opportunities for members from our various school communities to bond and build friendships and grow from a core group of 150 to that bigger group of 1500.

The sense of community is one of the most frequently cited aspects of what students and parents appreciate about our schools. This can be seen in a Wordle presentation of the most commonly used words people use when describing what they like about SCIS and HIS. And this can be seen in the number of students that transfer within our organization every year as parents relocate from Hangzhou to Shanghai or vice versa. So as you look around our group of SCIS-HIS schools, don’t assume this sense of community is accidental. Our founders purposefully made the “C” in SCIS stand for community. Administrators have purposefully cultivated groups of 150 (whether it’s 150 in the IB DP or 150 in the Upper School). And our school group has purposefully built in various ways for us all to come together. It is not easy to ensure any organization stays a true community, as Bill Gore can attest. But we believe it is worth it, because we believe in community.

By ROB VANDEREYKEN HIS Head of School

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Fun doesn’t have to take a summer break!

Summer Kids Camp Registration is now

open!

Enrolling students who have completed Nursery through Grade 5

Online application available here: www.scisdragons.net/form/pd-summer-activities

Program dates: June 22 - July 17, with flexible weekly enrollment options 36

ECE Campus

SUMMER KIDS CAMP FUN doesn’t need to take a summer break!

Program dates: June 22 - July 17, with flexible weekly enrollment options Registration available

March 15 Through

May 15*

*while seats available

Enrolling students who have completed Nursery through Grade Two (Date of birth ranging from Nov. 1, 2006 through YES! Now Nov. 1, 2012)

enrolling students through Grade Two!

For all Summer Kids Camp inquiries, please contact summeractivities.ece@scischina.org 37

COMMUNITY FEATURE

What You’ve Been Missing Out On:

The 5K Run in Hangzhou

INTRO

Year after year, Hangzhou International School’s annual 5K “Dragon Run” brings in hundreds of people and is filled with tons of entertainment and fun. The event starts off with a 5K race and a 1K Fun Run. After the race, we have a raffle, a delicious barbeque, live music, and a bazaar in the gym where vendors are both selling and giving away products. That’s not all though—there are also fun games and activities for everyone, young and old! This year, it goes down on Saturday, May 30th.

FOR CHARITY

Although hosting an amazing event and providing a good time for all is important, HIS is excited to be doing it all for a great cause. Like last year, all proceeds from the Dragon Run will go to Carnations School in Hangzhou. Carnations School is one of the few schools in Hangzhou that is dedicated to providing education for children diagnosed with Autism. HIS is hoping to not only provide a monetary donation from the proceeds of the race but we are also hoping to spread awareness about this school and the needs of people with Autism.

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INVITATION

We would love to have our friends from Hongqiao and Pudong come over and join us for the event—the more the merrier! If you haven’t been to Hangzhou yet, this a great time to come and see what “Heaven on Earth” is all about. We would recommend taking the one hour high speed train and coming in Friday night and grabbing a hotel room to make the most of the weekend. If you want to be close to the school and race, the Four Points by Sheraton is just down the road. If you want a great view of West Lake and an easy walk to Hangzhou’s famous attractions, check out The Wyndham Grand or The Hyatt Regency. After the race Saturday, go and enjoy all that West Lake has to offer. HINT: buy tickets beforehand and see the incredible West Lake Impressions show. Before getting back on the train Sunday, make sure to get in a good all-you-can-eat buffet brunch!

Whether you love to run or just want to be a part of a great community and a fun event, come and join us on Saturday, May 30 for the Dragon Run. Please visit dragonrun.meteor.com for more details and to register for the race.

BY CHRIS HORAN HIS Upper School Music Teacher

COMMUNITY FEATURE

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HOST CULTURE

How have Women changed in China over the past 60 years?

E

very year, March 8th is International Women’s Day. In China, it is regarded as an important day for women although it may not be such a significant day for women in a lot of Western countries.

Over the last 60 years, the status of Chinese women has undergone “earth-shaking” changes. Hundreds of millions of Chinese women are no longer the oppressed and fettered group of the past, but masters of the country, the society and their own destiny. I still remember vividly that my maternal grandmother used to complain a lot that she had been deprived of the right to go to school or go to work and was jealous that I am able to enjoy many rights that she couldn’t.

Thanks to Chairman Mao, who said “Women hold up half of the sky”, many Chinese women have been playing positive roles in economic, political, scientific, educational and health areas. In many families, they are also “masters” at home. They 40

may control the family finance and some men give their monthly salaries to the wife due to the women’s authority at home.

If you look at our administration team on the Hongqiao Campus (4 women, 3 men), it’s not difficult to see that women are increasingly playing important roles in many facets of life.

Ladies, I hope you celebrated International Women’s Day in honor of females everywhere. We should be proud of our triumphs and accomplishments. Gentlemen, I hoped you showed your appreciation to the significant women in your life that day and gave a call to your mom and perhaps cooked a meal for your partner.

By HELEN HE Hongqiao Main Campus Upper School Mandarin Teacher & Coordinator

COACHES CORNER

Meet

Lou Salomé Chou SCIS HQ Swim Team

When and how did you get into swimming back in your early days?

I learned to swim before I could even walk properly; I have always been really comfortable in the water. I started swimming competitively when I first came to SCIS back in 2007. I got into swimming because as a child I would always have races with my father. Of course he always let me win but I decided that I wanted to beat him fair and square.

Does swimming run in the family?

Yes. Growing up my parents always encouraged my brother and me to swim. My father swam when he was in high school and at university. And swimming plays a big role in my family—most of the holidays we go on are near the ocean.

Needless to say: all members of my family are quite good at swimming.

What in your past or present do you think has caused the greatest impact toward your recent successes as the ACAMIS high-point winner and a school record holder?

This year the SCIS HQ swim team got a new coach, Coach Noah. Honestly, before him we never had practices like what we are swimming now. Swimming was quite relaxing and fun, because we didn’t train a lot. Now practices are much harder, and twice a day! We are in the pool at six in the morning and we are back in after school until six thirty. Most of the time we are the first ones on the campus and last ones to leave. Coach Noah showed me the self-discipline that was required in this sport Also my teammates had a great impact. For all the times I had trouble or was nervous, they would always find ways to bring me back. We push each other at practice and cheer for each other at meets. Nothing beats the feeling when a younger swimmer of the team comes and cheers for me at my events. Coming out of the water and getting a hug from them is one of the best feelings ever!

The younger swimmers on the team clearly look up to you as a role model; did you have any role models that you looked up to growing up?

Of course! Although there are obvious swimmers like Michael Phelps who was inspiring to watch win more gold medals than any Olympian in history, my favorite swimmers are French swimmers like Laure Manaudou and her brother Florent Manaudou.

Most people know that swim training is quite extensive.

How do you manage it coupled with your responsibilities as a student?

It is unbelievable how just a weekend out of the water can render a swimmer out of shape, and a one-week holiday makes you completely lose your feel of the water. I struggled quite a bit this year, trying to manage IB year 2 and swimming everyday. The key has been good time management. I wake up every morning when I don’t have morning practice to study. Also, I don’t sleep in on weekends and wake up and study as well then. The hour I have free before practice I also work on my homework in my coach’s office.

Interview by NOAH RANDALL Hongqiao Campus Aquatics Director 41

HONGQIAO ECE HIGHLIGHT

Transitions:

How We Provide A Safe Bridge for Very Young Students

“There is nothing permanent except change.” –Heraclitus Change is one thing that internationally mobile students have in common even if they come from very different cultural backgrounds. Along with the many new wonderful opportunities and experiences that change may bring, it needs to be acknowledged, understood, and handled with care. With high student mobility in the international school environment, the need for establishing effective programs to address the transitional needs of students and their families has never been higher.

Our students face a variety of transition stages such as school entry, change of divisions, and sometimes even moving to a new country altogether. Here are the programs we designed at the Early Childhood campus to effectively support students during these crucial change times.

Orientation Program

Starting a new school is a major transition for children and their families. It can be perceived as a stimulating and exciting time; however, some may find the change a little daunting. One thing that can make it less challenging is getting to know the new school prior to the start date. At the beginning of each school year, as well as after the winter break, students and parents are invited to a special Orientation Day the day before school starts.

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This is an opportunity for new families to meet and chat with the teachers, visit the classrooms, tour the school’s facilities, and meet the friendly faces on campus.

Furthermore, the Grade One families at the ECE who are transitioning to Grade Two in the Lower School division are also provided with an opportunity to undertake a tour of the new campus. This gives children a chance a chance to see and slowly become comfortable with the thought of their new environment.

Buddy System

First day jitters about the new learning environment are common for students entering a school. To alleviate some of these worries, a buddy system has been set up at the ECE to help the new students familiarize themselves to our school and to settle in.

The new children are assigned a buddy from their classroom, who often speaks their language. The buddy is the one to look out for their new friend during lunch or recess and can help with translating or explaining a task.

Additionally, Grade One students who are getting ready to transition to the main campus are assigned a buddy from Grade Five, who can show them the ropes and extend a warm welcome during the new campus visit.

HONGQIAO ECE HIGHLIGHT

Grade One to Grade Two Transition

Even though the Lower School division is only a few kilometers away from the ECE, moving to a new campus may feel like an entire new adventure that can cause a range of feelings in the students from excitement about the coming change to fear about not knowing what to anticipate. To prepare the Grade One students for this transition and to make it as stress free as possible, a comprehensive transition program has been designed between the two divisions of SCIS, with a series of activities that extend throughout the year.

Ms. Pendleton, the Vice Principal in the Lower School and Ms. Freuen, the Lower School Academic Counselor, both came to each of the Grade One classes to introduce themselves and engaged the students in a fun activity with dressing up and acting out a story. The students were very excited and eagerly anticipated their next visit. During the second visit, Ms. Pendleton and Ms. Freuen played a video they made for the Grade One students, to show them all of the exciting learning that is happening in Grade Two. They also brought with them some Student Council representatives from Grade Two for a Q&A session, so that the younger students can get answers to all their questions or concerns.

Later in the year, the Grade One students will also visit the Lower School division to tour the facilities, spend time in a Grade Two classroom, and experience some of the learning that happens there. The buddies in Grade Five are also preparing to meet the ECE students to share a book and show them how the lunch system works, as this is often one of the first questions that Grade One students have.

Parent Information Sessions

As transitions are a major life event not only for students, but also for their family members, effective transition approaches need to take the whole family into account. At the start of the year, during the Back to School Night, both returning and new families are invited to an information session given by the classroom teacher. During this time information is shared about the nuts and bolts of the grade level program, homework expectations, and classroom routines.

Additionally, the Lower School Leadership, Mr. Power and Ms. Pendleton, have set up an information session for the parents of current ECE Grade One students. The session is an opportunity to meet the administrative team, the teachers and the counselor of the new campus, visit the facilities and ask any questions about the Elementary School division.

Departing Students Program

To address the high transiency of the student population in an international school environment, ECE has also assigned special times for the departing students to get together with each other.

The small group environment encourages the students to safely express their feelings about the coming change, talk about the friends they made and will miss, and reflect on ways to stay in touch with them. The groups help the children to get a healthy closure and build up their confidence for the move ahead. The parents of the departing students are also invited to a session to learn more about how they can best support their family with this transition.

Information Transfer

To ensure that teachers are best prepared for the students’ next school year, a handover of information is facilitated at the end of every year across all grade levels. This helps teachers to be aware of the students’ strengths and needs prior to the beginning of the school year.

Conclusion

One of our priorities is that all the children at the ECE feel adjusted and secure as quickly as possible. This is achieved through our caring and nurturing staff and explicit programs designed to meet the needs of the students. Well-established transition programs build student connectedness and are proactive as they act early to create a stress-free safe bridge for students. These programs are invaluable in providing support with the social and emotional wellbeing, and they are a strong foundation for student learning.

By TINA NAKOVA ECE Student Counselor

43

FAMILY SPOTLIGHT

Meet the

Spiekermans R

ob and Francis Spiekerman have been in Hangzhou since 2009. Rob works for a big international hotel chain, and Francis has been very active in the community and even served as the HIS PAFA President for multiple years. Their oldest daughter graduated from HIS in 2012, and their other daughter is currently a senior at HIS. Where do you and your family live?

We lived in a few places in Hangzhou. When we arrived in 2009 the hotel was still under construction so we found a nice apartment in a compound that was mainly Chinese and therefore our first experience with the Chinese culture. As soon as the hotel was finished, we moved in and spent the last 3.5 years there. The hotel is located in a CBD area, so after office hours the area was empty and apart from a big shopping mall, there was not much to do. As Rob moved on to Nanjing for his work in August 2014, we moved out of that hotel and we now live next to school in a nice area, full of small Chinese restaurants, fruit markets, vegetable markets and of course, very conveniently close to school.

Are there fun family activities to do near your new home?

We love to hike and cycle and therefore are very fond of the tea hills and, in quiet times, the Westlake area. Right now the botanical garden and the Taiziwan are beautiful parks to walk through. As we don’t have young kids anymore, we don’t really visit amusement parks or other entertainment parks. But Hangzhou is setting up more and more family friendly areas.

For high school kids, having a Starbucks (or any good coffee shop) close to school is already a big plus!

Is there anything you don’t like about your neighborhood?

If there would be something that does bother us it’s the traffic.

But this is something we got used to over the years. Still, that doesn’t stop us from sometimes yelling at a crazy driver.

What’s the best thing about bringing up your kids in Hangzhou?

The difference in the attitude towards education here as opposed to [back home] has allowed the girls to reach their fullest 44

potential. In the Netherlands there is a social stigma surrounding students aiming for high grades; this does not exist at HIS and therefore motivates students to do well. Also, now they are so used to working with different cultures and nationalities. Learning how to deal with the various cultures is a big advantage.

How has Hangzhou been different/similar in reality when compared to your preconceived notions?

It was totally different! In the Netherlands we are sold a different image of China. We did not know that Hangzhou would be such a wealthy city. When we arrived, Hangzhou didn’t have many Western shops and hardly anybody spoke English; nevertheless, it was definitely more modern than we expected.

What issues did you face as a family moving to Hangzhou?

The biggest issue of all: not speaking any Mandarin AND not being able to communicate in English—as hardly anybody spoke

FAMILY SPOTLIGHT

English in Hangzhou at that time. Next to that of course all the other things you have to get used to like the Chinese customs that are so different from our own culture.

Any advice for Newbies?

Start Mandarin lessons as soon as you arrive in Hangzhou. Come in with an open mind: don’t expect anything to be the same as at home. Everything that IS the same is a plus and makes your day! Try to get involved with other international families. Go to coffee mornings; join events in school; it’s the best way to get to know other people and to get started.

To get to know your way around Hangzhou, jump on the bus and see where it goes. With a few subway lines up and running, Hangzhou is easier to travel around without having the burden to wait for a taxi.

especially during the week when it is not so crowded). That whole area has a lot to offer for people who love to be outside.

Favorite Attraction in Hangzhou?

There are a few places that are really worth visiting if you want to do Hangzhou in two days: Lingyin Temple, Hefang Street, the Westlake (with a boatride to the island in the middle of the lake), the botanical gardens, and a lunch at the Green Tea Restaurant in the middle of the tea fields.

Favorite Restaurant in Hangzhou?

Asian Table in MixC mall—wonderful Thai food for a very reasonable price.

Interview by JONATHAN PAULSON Communitas Editor

Favorite Landmark in Hangzhou?

The tea hills at Nine Creeks—such a beautiful hiking are (hint: 45

REPATRIATION SPOTLIGHT

From L to R: Ross, family friend Clint, Heather, Jaymie, Emma. Taken April 2015 in Colorado.

A Successful Repatriation back to the USA Clary Family

Heather and her husband Jaymie worked here in Shanghai for five years.

With the exception of a six month return to Texas, Emma and Ross attended SCIS Pudong’s Lower and Upper Schools.

Heather was kind enough to sit down with me and talk about transitions, repatriations, and reintergrations….

46

REPATRIATION SPOTLIGHT

Hi Heather. Thanks so much for taking the time. How is it going in the Lonestar state?

My pleasure! We’re currently enjoying beautiful spring weather – the bluebonnets are beginning to bloom!

And how are the kids doing?

Both are doing great! Emma just finished a great swim season, lettering twice in her first competitions. Ross had an exciting football season and now he’s in the middle of pony league baseball.

Please take a moment and introduce the Clary family…..

We’re originally from Baytown, TX – a suburb of Houston. My husband and I both grew up and went to school here. Jaymie has worked for Bayer for 17 years; he’s currently a Reliability Consultant.

I have worked in education for 10 years. I was blessed to be recruited for my current position while still in Shanghai. I am the Director of a private Christian preschool – the same school our children attended years ago. It’s been nice to return to roots that run that deep.

Think back to when Emma and Ross first enrolled at SCIS, did you see any noticeable changes from when they started to when they left?

Definitely! They were just babies – 2nd and 4th graders – when we arrived in Shanghai. Today, they are well-traveled, worldly teenagers. Thanks to their experience with SCIS, they’re not shy, and they’re very accepting of differences. They’re the first kids to welcome new friends into their community!

Let’s get right to the most important question: were Emma and Ross able to transfer from SCIS back into Texas public schools smoothly?

We had a rocky start from the social aspect. We returned to a very small-town atmosphere and mentality. It took a long time, even a school change, for both children to integrate. They were harassed, bullied, and – funny enough – called Chinese kids!

About 6 months into the school year, we moved to a different school district. Since then, everything is great. I fully believe their time at SCIS helped them overcome this issue. Having such an open, welcoming, encouraging environment that SCIS provided enabled both children to know immediately

their situation just “wasn’t right” and they needed help. We’re very thankful SCIS taught them what their school atmosphere “should” be.

So, academically there weren’t any issues at all?

Academically, both children have excelled. They were a full school year ahead of the first district we returned to. In their current district, they’re still slightly ahead – especially in mathematics and science.

And how are they doing in life overall at their new school? Has their success at SCIS continued in their new school environment?

They are both thriving in their new district – academically and socially. Just as in SCIS, they are both involved in clubs, groups, and athletics.

Now that you have made the move back to your home country—twice!—what advice do you have for families that might be doing a similar move in the near future?

First, reverse culture shock is very real—more so if you’ve been gone for an extended period. Do your research and prepare yourself; know how to identify the peaks and valleys of the roller coaster. Also, realize that members of your family hit highs and lows at different times. Most importantly, spend lots of time talking to your children. Not all issues can be easily defined by culture shock—sometimes they’re even bigger and require serious attention.

For us, moving to another school district became mandatory.

Lastly, do you have a favorite SCIS memory that you would like to share?

Our favorite memories involve Family Fun Day and the annual Art Auction. Watching Mr. Jubert, Coach DeNeef, Mr. Blanton and others go down the giant slip-n-slide was definitely a favorite for the children! The Art Auction was always a fun-filled night for parents and teachers. We miss that camaraderie!

Thanks so much for your time. How do you say goodbye in Texan: “Don’t be a stranger?”

My pleasure! Yes, that works. But we’re still pretty fond of “zai jian, pengyou!”

Interview by JONATHAN PAULSON Communitas Editor 47

ALUMNI INTERVIEW

Jonah Oswald Making a Difference in People’s Lives

Jonah Oswald studied at SCIS Pudong for two and a half years, graduating in 2014.

He matriculated to the University of Nottingham in Ningbo, China, where he built upon the community service he did in high school to launch awardwinning entrepreneurial company that helps educate children in Urban Slums.

He recently took some time out of his busy schedule to sit down with us and answer a few questions‌

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ALUMNI INTERVIEW

I

heard you won the Hult Prize in Shanghai, given annually to someone who proposes the best solution to a rampant social problem. How exactly did that come about?

A couple of months ago I heard about the Hult Prize Competition. I recruited four team members to participate in the competition. The challenge for this year’s competition was to address the lack of Early Childhood Education in urban slums After winning the Hult Prize @UNNC Competition, we finished 2nd in our group of 6 at the Asia Regional Finals, and therefore did not qualify for the finals in New York. However we did receive constructive feedback and are now only a few steps away from tackling this problem. We are presenting at a Start-Up event called ‘Entrepreneurship Day’, hosted by our university. We will present in front of the public to share our progress and encourage entrepreneurship, as well as in front of investors in the hope of receiving seed capital to kick-start our enterprise. If you would like to know more about our start-up EduCare, please refer to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/akoweducare and feel free to post any questions or concerns.

How has SCIS helped to prepare you for success in university and in life?

On a personal level I would like to state that I do not at all see this as significant

success, this is merely a stepping stone for myself. Participating in this competition is only one of many measures taken by my team to starting-up this social enterprise. In a personal context, I want to apply my entrepreneurial energy in a philanthropic manner. I am currently working on several start-ups that serve the sole purpose of making money, however this project with EduCare is more than that, it is a passion project with which I hope to make a lasting impact on others. That is where SCIS comes in. I have always been an ambitious person who tries to better himself. SCIS did not change that, but it impacted me in a way where I wanted to do more than that. Yes I wanted success in life; however, the SCIS community made a lasting impression: it taught me life is not a competition. It is not about what you do for yourself, but what you do for others that counts.

Were there any specific experiences at SCIS that led you down this path?

At SCIS I played on the varsity football team for three years. These were great experiences that developed me as a person. I felt that for the first time in my life, I was not playing football to be the best, but for the fun of it. That may sound cheesy, but it is a valuable lesson.

In the end no high-school athletics accolade will have a significant impact on my life, however the memories, experiences, and friendship will and do. Hence my motivation for making EduCare a success.

What were you like at SCIS? My time at SCIS was great, however I was not the best student. I ‘merely’ got a 29 on my IB. This was not very good relative to what I could have achieved.

My problem was not being able to motivate myself to study for classes that did not interest me.

Do you have any wisdom then for current students in the IB Diploma Programme?

What I would like to pass on to all current IB students are two things, first of all getting a good IB score can make all the difference in your career trajectory. However it is not the end of the world if you do not get the desired results. It is less about where you go for your undergraduate study and more about what you actually make of that time. That being said, do yourself the favor of getting the best score you can, while keeping in mind that nothing is set in stone. If you are talented and devoted, you will eventually be able to show it.

Where do I see yourself in 5 years?

As the founder/co-founder of several start-ups including EduCare, with which I hope to have reached close to 10 million previously-uneducated children around the world.

The Alumni Association Alumni Mission: The SCIS-HIS Alumni Association has been established in order to foster the continued cordial relations of the SCISHIS community. The Alumni Association seeks to generate and maintain the active interest of all SCIS-HIS alumni in its regular business. It will provide the alumni with regular opportunities to assemble and maintain valued relationships through the promotion of

alumni events and communications.

Alumni Contact: Jonathan Paulson // jpaulson@scischina.org Alumni Requirements: 1. Graduated from a SCIS-HIS school OR 2. Went to school here for at least one year AND be over 18

Social Media facebook site: www.facebook.com/ SCISandHISalumni Linkedin site: www.linkedin.com/groups/ SCISHIS-Alumni-4757677 Upcoming Events June 2015 in Shanghai 49

HISTORY

NEWS

Dragon Cup History competitive games against the J.V. squads from the Shanghai schools.

In the recent past as transportation has improved and all of our schools are more active in each of their sports, HZ began winning against the other school’s varsity program, and the cup truly became anyone’s to win.

I

t is one of the least attractive trophies in our respective cabinets; yet like clockwork come fall/winter and spring the 3 SCIS/HIS Dragon schools join together to compete for THE DRAGON CUP. In the four varsity sports of volleyball, basketball, swimming and soccer our schools spend one weekend a season competing against one another in an effort to make all of our teams and student athletes better.

Like dragons of mythological lore – the Dragon Cup has had many incarnations throughout its history. At the beginning it was a tournament that was created to allow for positive interaction between students of our geographically diverse schools. In the early years “The Cup” itself was dominated by SCIS PD as HQ and HZ slowly built their student bodies and athletic prowess.

At this time the event was seen as a training ground where PD was able to support and guide HQ and HZ as they developed their programs.

As HQ grew in size their ability to compete increased as well and the cup became a highly charged tournament full of intense competition between the two evenly matched schools. The cup began residing on the Puxi side of the river more often during this era. HZ at this time was still growing, but used this tournament to augment its season schedule and get some

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Recognizing this shift in ability and activity levels across all schools the Activity Coordinators from each school re-examined the objectives and purposes of the Dragon Cup. For a number of reasons it was decided that DRAGON CUP needed to get back to its roots of being a training event where the focus was on team development as opposed to wins and losses.

Now the Dragon Cup is not awarded based on wins and losses in a tournament. Instead each sport has a theme and the winner of the cup is the school that best exemplifies that theme on the day. During volleyball the theme was ‘spirit’ as embodied in school and team energy.

For the basketball season the theme was ‘fair-play’ and the cup was decided based on cumulative sportsmanship rubric scores completed by opposing coaches and referees during the tournament. For the soccer and swim seasons…well those are surprise to come in the spring.

If you’ve read any fantasy you know that Dragons never really die, and the Dragon Cup never will either. It will continue to change and adapt as the circumstances require. The main focus however will always remain the same: bringing together the students from Hangzhou, Pudong and Hongqiao to celebrate the truly international community that we are.

By Mike Deneef Pudong Activities Coordinator/Athletics Director

PARTNER

Are Your Allergies Starting to Kick In? A

hh, spring. Warmer weather, longer days, more time spent outdoors….But for some spring is sniffling, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes…For some spring is allergy season. While some people’s allergies don’t come and go with the seasons and the weather, other people suffer when the flowers, leaves, and thus pollen spring forth from their winter sleep.

Causes: Airborne pollen or mold enter through the eyes, nose, or throat and trigger an allergic reaction. In general, these substances would not cause an immune response, but for sensitive individuals, the body sees the offending substance as foreign and activates the defenses. Once the immune cells are sensitized to a particular foreign protein, special white blood cells produce large amounts of histamine and serotonin resulting in localized inflammation, irritation and discomfort.

The allergy response is related to an overactive immune defense.

The affected person’s body sees the offending substance as foreign and activates the defenses. Once the immune cells are sensitized to a particular foreign protein, the special white blood cells called Mast Cells produce large amounts of histamine and serotonin. It is these chemical transmitters that cause the itching, swelling, runny nose, congestion, and rashes associated with allergy.

Early spring allergies are usually traceable to tree pollen. Trees send out their reproductive proteins earlier than grasses, which begin to pollinate in early summer. Weeds tend to multiply and pollinate in late summer. Avoidance can be helped by avoiding exercising outdoors during these times and by keeping windows at home or in the car closed. In the car, using the vent-closed position for air conditioning is wise.

Prevention: For allergies, exposure is important. If you are never exposed to pine trees or to a type of mold, you cannot develop an allergic sensitivity to it. In allergic-prone individuals, it is repeated exposure that stimulates the immune system. Hence, avoidance helps. Best treatment practice always involves keeping exposure to the offending agent to a minimum.

When pollen counts are high, seek refuge in a climate-controlled environment if possible. The pollen count peaks between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. each day. Try to stay indoors during those hours.

Avoid exercising outdoors during these times and keep windows at home or in the car closed. In the car, using the vent-closed position for air conditioning is wise. Wearing sunglasses may also help to keep pollen out of your eyes.

Treatment: Besides avoidance, it may be helpful to use nasal saline solution; you can clean the mucus and pollen several times a day. Avoid regular use of non-prescription nose sprays and decongestants, like Afrin or Sudafed. These become addictive and may aggravate symptoms in the long term. Nasal steroid sprays may be prescribed by your doctor and work well if used correctly.

Over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medications may ease your discomfort. Simple antihistamines like Benadryl, Claritin, or Allegra help by blocking the chemicals that cause the problem. Although OTC antihistamines are effective in minimizing symptoms, they can cause extreme drowsiness. Dry mouth is another common side effect. Less common are confusion and blurred vision.

In certain cases where allergy medications do not work or asthma develops seasonally, allergy shots may be the most effective treatment. “Immunotherapy” involves injecting small amounts of the specific allergen you are allergic to and gradually increasing the Complications and Special Situations: Sometimes allergies cause or aggravate rashes, often called atopic dermatitis. Eye problems may be associated with conjunctivitis, with either allergy or infectious components being more obvious.

Sinus infections may develop due to the congestion and blockage.

Bronchitis or pneumonia may occur. Generally, if there is fever, yellow or green mucus or phlegm, increasing shortness of breath, or any serious change in symptoms your doctor should be consulted.

By Parkway Health Parkway Health is a international hospital with many locations in Shanghai. If you would like more allergy information or want to book an appointment, please call ParkwayHealth’s 24-hour Appointment Service Center at 6445 5999.

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PARTNER

Paying For University

P

roviding a good education can be one of the most valuable gifts parents or grandparents can give to children. The financial implications can vary from manageable to daunting, depending on your planning and the students’ own preferences. The key to successful education planning for expatriate families is to take all aspects into account and plan to ensure freedom of choice in the matter.

Generally, parents looking to help a young student with school will fall into three categories; those planning for the high costs of international universities, those who plan to use the free education systems but still want to support rent and other living costs, or those who prefer for the student to take responsibility for their own education costs.

Planning for greater costs

As the education costs increase at a higher rate of inflation and in our current low/no-interest environment, it is unlikely that bank rates will be able to keep up with the increasing costs. For those who want to invest a lump-sum or set aside regular savings to help make school fees more affordable, an experienced wealth manager can draw up a bespoke investment plan that’s tax efficient in your home country, in case you move back, and flexible to adapt to the sudden changes that expatriate families experience so often.

Considering the other aspects

Where tuition isn’t a concern, living costs can be, especially for a student who wants to study for longer than the average.

There are also added costs to consider for exchange programs or for those who choose to study abroad, which can have a great impact.

For some countries, student debt can be challenging and has similar conditions to normal loans. In others, conditions are quite favorable. One common issue with too much student debt in early life is that it can sometimes limit the ability to save for other important things, such as that first apartment deposit – which we all know can be particularly testing, especially in a major city.

Students’ own responsibility

Parents’ views on paying for education may differ. I personally know many parents who feel that student loans are part of

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taking responsibility for one’s own studies, often like they had to themselves. Therefore, how to plan for education is individual. In these cases a student might limit what, how long, or where they study because they don’t want to take on too much debt.

Conclusion

For many, the point at which younger members of the family are finishing their education often coincides with the stage at which older members of the family might start thinking about retirement or making sure that mortgage is paid off. Whilst legally a person is considered an adult at 18, how long each individual depends on their parents will vary greatly.

With interest rates at an all-time low, it is important to make your investments work as hard for you as possible. The history of financial markets consistently shows that a measured, longterm view is generally the best approach to investing. Today, it’s more important than ever to be fully aware of all the options available so that you can make an informed decision for your personal wealth management.

By LARS WÖLDERN Associate Partner at St. James Place Lars has been based in Shanghai for 9 years and invites parents to discuss their university financial concerns and opportunities. St. James’s Place is a FTSE100 company with 52 billion client funds under management. Financial Planning introductions are being held, strictly by appointment only, at their Shanghai offices in the JingAn Kerry Centre. All meetings are held in the strictest of confidence and without obligation.

Lars.woldern@sjpp.asia +86 186 1685 1702

PARTNER

20 Amazing Facts about a Child’s Brain 1 2

The normal weight human brain is about three pounds.

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The brain stops growing at age eighteen.

Infants have a brain that contains more than 100 billion neuron cells. At birth, all cells are priory connected with one another and this marvelous sewing is known as “brain wiring.”

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New neurons continue to develop throughout the life.

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Reading aloud to your children is known to promote and boost child development.

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The rudimentary brain performs many things correctly right away at birth (breathing and feeding to name two).

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The sense of touch is the first basic sense to develop while the baby is still inside the womb.

4

The sense of touch is the first basic sense to develop while the baby is still inside the womb.

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5

Before the age of three, the infant brain produces more cells and makes more connections than it needs.

Fully developed baby brain can produce up to 20 watts of power that is just enough to light up a small light bulb.

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More than 90% of brain wiring is completed and finished by the age of 5.

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No two brains are alike. All brains are different. The type of connections that babies make depends on their genetics and environment. A deaf baby may not make connections that relate to listening. Similarly, a baby that can hear voices and sounds will always makes connections that relate to talking, communication, and listening.

The type and kind of care that the baby receive in its early life formulates permanent neuron networks.

Constant talking to your baby formulates networks that relate to language and linguistics. Soothing your baby when it cries formulates emotional connections.

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More than sixty percent of energy consumed by a baby is spent towards brain development.

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The peak time for brain development is between birth and three years old.

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Babies usually follow the actions of their parents like pointing, making faces, smiling, and gazing based on the process of repetition.

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Brains grow at an amazing speed! If a baby’s body were to grow at similar speed, it would weigh as many as 170 pounds as soon as one month old.

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Children who learn two or more languages at age five are more likely to perform very well in their professional career. Human brain is known to possess certain brain channels that can absorb syllables and words faster.

Baby brain is rubbery and elastic. Parents can mould it to a certain extent. Love, affection, early reading, singling, talking, holding and cuddling are some of the activities that can help a brain develop faster.

Babies are known to learn at a furious pace in the first three or four months. They learn to articulate and express their emotions be them crying, cooing, laughing, talking or clasping hands. Babbling is the most common form of expression. It is also a method of fine-tuning several useful motor skills.

By ANDREW LOH Henguru

To find out more about brain development program in Shanghai, email: enquiry@heguru.com.cn

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PARTNER

Famous Dutch Authors Visits

E

very 2 years the Oranje Draak school invites a Dutch writer to Shanghai with the intention to make our kids enthusiastic for reading, writing, and illustrating books.

From January 26th to January 29th the famous Dutch author Harmen van Straaten visited our location at SCIS! This was quite a big deal as he is very famous. As a child Harmen won every drawing contest, but he thought drawing was stupid and that anyone could draw. He wanted to pursue something more serious and more skilled, so he went to law school and started a career as a lawyer. A few years into his law career, in 1987, he started illustrating books in his free time. Since then Harmen has illustrated around 400 books and wrote more then 50 books for all ages.

He was so successful that he gave up his job to be a professional writer and illustrator. His books have been translated and sold worldwide from Germany to Korea, and from Norway to America. His books are even translated and sold in China! In 2016 Harmen is scheduled to tour around China with a theatre production of one of his books, and the production will even have a couple of shows in Shanghai!

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Harmen’s visit to our classes was a great success. Harmen explained the process of making books and illustrating them.

He taught our kids how to make illustrations, and under Harmen’s supervision they made beautiful drawings from basic figures as eggs, pears, owls, penguins, bears, cats, dogs, and many more. The kids worked so hard you could hear a pin drop on the floor.

The kids also performed from one of his famous books Tim and The Boat to Timboektoe. The book is about a little boy named Tim who’s taking a bath and playing with his boat in the water. Soon the bath becomes the sea and Captain Tim sails his boat to Timboektoe, getting in many big adventures along the way. Children did a quick audition and filled roles as a giant iceberg, as penguins, as a whale, as a pelican, as a pirate, and of course as Tim. The kids were allowed to stand on tables as they sang, danced, and played acting out this story. It was inspired learning. And it was all thanks to our visiting author, Harmen van Straaten.

By SUSANNE BEUMER De Oranj Draak Marketing & Communications

PARTNER

Choosing the Best Mattress for Lower Back Pain S

leeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. We spend a great deal of our lifetime asleep; we owe it to ourselves to provide the most support to our bodies by getting the ideal mattress. Poor sleeping posture strains muscles and does not keep the spine in alignment, causing lower back pain.

Look for a mattress that matches your individual preference. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce or prevent back issues.

1. Personal preference—determine what mattress is best. Any mattress that helps someone sleep without pain and stiffness is the best for them.

2. Understand and inquire about the physical components of the mattress. Coils and springs provide the support. Find your right combination or number and alignment of these. Padding also comes in different thicknesses. Customize your mattress according to your preferences, but keep in mind….

3. Find a mattress with back support. A good one supports the natural curves and alignment of the spine.

4. Achieve a balance between back support and comfort. This mattress is too stiff, this mattress is too soft, this mattress is just right! Find your porridge (mattress).

5. Maintain your mattress. Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge…. no wait that’s dodgeball. But mattresses get beat up over the years of sleep habits and end up a little beat up. So, flip your mattress, put pillows underneath to shore up weak areas, and/ or put a board underneath it for a temporary fix.

6. Know when it’s time to get a new mattress. An old mattress will eventually sag in the middle and becomes uncomfortable.

That’s when it is time for a new one.

It is highly recommended to follow these 6 Steps to Bed Peace.

After all, it’s your back we’re trying to save. Quality sleep doesn’t come too often for most. See an IWS specialist for more advice for combating back issues. Sleep sweet!

By MAGNUS LOBO Head Athletic Trainer/Community and Communications Associate Institute for Western Surgery (IWS)China’s premium healthcare option for pediatrics, orthopedic spine care and sports medicine. Located at Parkway Clinic-Jin Qiao and Gleneagles Medical Center at Tomorrow Square.

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PAFA

Boat Party Celebration!

It’s time to celebrate with the SCIS Pudong Class of 2015!

Tickets are on sale now for the end-of-year Boat Party on Saturday, June 13! Everyone in the SCIS Pudong community is invited to share in this family-friendly event. The celebration will be held on a multi-level pirate-style boat and will include dinner and dancing with friends and family along the scenic Huangpu River.

The Boat Party is the perfect way to celebrate student achievement, spend time with SCIS families and faculty members, and say good-bye to friends who are moving. Special entertainment will be provided by Curt Mabry of Zmack! (zmack.net) All aboard!

• Who: Everyone in the SCIS Pudong Upper School & Lower School is invited!

• What: Boat Party (Dinner, Dancing & Fun!) • When: Saturday, June 13, 6-10pm • Where: Pudong Sailer Wharf, 4298 Binjiang Ave @end of Zhangyang Lu (near Yangjiadu Ferry) 浦东滨江大道4298 号 @张扬路（近杨家渡摆渡） • Why: Celebrate with the Class of 2015!

Tickets will be on sale during selected lunch hours, special fundraising events, in the Upper School Office with Kathy Yu, or by contacting: Betsy Montague (monties_ca@yahoo.com) or Heike Walther (heike.walther@gmx.com). Graduates: 100RMB; Guests: 350RMB

PAFA NEWS SCIS-HIS has parent organizations called the Parents and Friends Association (PAFA) on each campus. PAFA serves as a way that parents can communicate ideas for the betterment of the school to the administration and Board. SCIS and HIS are proud of the high level of parents participation in their schools and value their partnership with the parent community. PAFA conducts various activities, from community events to charity fundraisers to volunteer support for teachers and students. Each campus has a PAFA board who works closely with each campus’ administrations to plan events that help to make SCIS-HIS schools a unique experience for families, faculty, and students alike. We are always welcoming new members!

For more information about PAFA, please contact us at: Hongqiao PAFA Presidents: LS Vice President: Anu Mehta LS Vice President: Anuja Jain US Vice President: Carmen Freissmuth US Vice President: Crystal Wu, jameswanshi@yahoo.com (main contact person) 56

Hongqiao PAFA President: President: Don Rendall pafapresident.scispafahq@gmail.com

Pudong PAFA Chairs: Lower School: Katie Berkaw katieberkaw@icloud.com

Events Coordinator: Donna Bose events.scispafahq@gmail.com

Upper School: Robin Williams mikeandrobinwilliams@gmail.com

THE LIBRARIANS CORNER

Book Recommendations for All Ages Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi SYNOPSIS: A Finalist of the National Book Award, the 2011 Michael L. Printz Award, and many other awards for Young Adult Fiction, Paolo Pacigalupi’s dystopian novel Ship Breaker is certainly a page turner! Filled with raw, brutal human escapades, Nailer, the protagonist, sails through too many battles and illnesses to be a normal human being. His daily existence is spent scavenging for copper and metals from decaying ships run ashore; even though he is poor, he is eager to live life with the dream of becoming a sailor. Through fate and harrowing survival skills, he earns the name Lucky Boy, meets a swank named Nita, whose privileged life leads them both on a riotous ride toward peril and rescue.

MS MILES TAKE: Set in a grimy, futuristic world near the Gulf of Mexico, this young adult novel teaches the virtues of trusting one’s instincts, letting your heart guide you while using your head, and not being too tided down to tradition to embrace your fate.

Great swashbuckling and daring adventure, along with gory and bloody descriptive scenes, Ship Breaker entertains all who enjoy a satisfying look into how humankind might survive the ravaged ecological abuse human consumption demands of our planet!

Just One Day by Gayle Forman SYNOPSIS: “No one is who they pretend to be”—a line from Allyson Henley, the eighteen year old narrator, who chooses for one day to change her name and her personality to “Lulu.” A dutiful daughter, a solid best friend, a straight-A student; polite, dependable, a do-gooder with an air of snobbish pretention; Allyson does know who she is. However, as she plunges out of who she has always been and into her new self “Lulu,” she spends one wild day romping through Paris with a young actor she just met the day before, causing readers to wonder: who will she become?

MS MILES TAKE: This novel has touches of romanticism found in Nicholas Sparks’ works, along with a plot full of mother-daughter angst, loss of identity, self-agonizing and self-delusion on a road to discover just who is Allyson really. And more importantly, what she might become when she finds out? Part travelogue, part self-awakening, part learning to live life with no fear, this book will engage and fulfill teen reader expectations!

For Younger Elementary

Dot and Ish By Peter h. Reynolds Both of these books are perfect examples of the power of a picture book. With just a few words, picture books can transmit a profound and beautiful message. Both Ish and Dot explore art and the power of creation and imagination.

Ish follows a young artist whose brother laughs at his drawing and asks, “What is THAT?” As a result, Ramon stops drawing all together until he realizes, with the help of his little sister, that his pictures don’t have to look exactly like the subject he is trying to draw, for example: a vase. It can look vase-ish, and that is just fine.

Dot, another gem, has a message of letting your intuition guide you when it comes to creation and selfdiscovery. Vashti thinks she can’t draw, until her teacher invites her to “Just make a make and see where it takes you.” Throughout her own journey, she is even able to inspire someone else.

For Upper Elementary

The Fourteenth Goldfish By Jennifer L. Holm Imagine your 80-year-old grandfather showing up on your doorstep transformed into a middle school aged kid having discovered the key to eternal youth. This is exactly what happens to Ellie, a 6th grader growing up near San Francisco. This book mixes humor, science, art and coming-of-age in a light, but also thoughtprovoking way. The book also explores the implications of what it might mean to have a solution to the “problem” of aging. The scenes with grandpa, who is forced to go to middle school in his plaid shirts and polyester trousers, are laugh-out-loud funny. The Fourteenth Goldfish is one of my new favorite upper elementary books.

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LOOKING BACK

LOOKING BACK MARCH

APRIL April 11-13: Students and faculty had a chance to become certified in CPR and First Aid. April 16: T/PS/PK Concert at ECE Campus

Mar 13-14: SCIS won ACAMIS Swim Meet at Nanjing International School.

March 13 - 14th: the 8th Annual S2F2 Student Film Festival was hosted at Concordia International School. For more info http://www.shanghaifilmfest.org

April 9: ECE Math Learning Night.

April 9: Solo and Ensemble performances for Middle School

April 16: SCIS PD hosted another spring College Fair. 20 Universities from around the world came to meet students and answer questions.

March 17-18: Students led conferences with their teachers and parents, explaining what they were learning in school, why it is important, and what it means.

April 18: ACT Test at HQ Main.

Swim Team competed in tournament in Hong Kong.

Mar 20-21: SCIS Main performed Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream.

April 18: Cultural Craft Fair at ECE Campus (A variety of food vendors will be on site.)

April 10: Students brought poetry to life on stage at the Poetry Alive!

Assembly.

March 24: Students took to the stage and performed songs, dances, and unique skills at the 6th Annual Variety Show in the Black Box. March 24: Bingo Night in the HIS Cafeteria.

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April 10: Math Tournament in Qingdao (for G6) April 10-11: Overnight Outdoor Education trip.

April 20-24: Earth Week at SCIS-PD. Students spent the week learning about how to protect our planet as well as spent time on various green initiatives.

April 21: SCIS PD hosted its 3rd Annual Career Day. Parents and volunteers from the community shared meaningful information regarding their career so that students will be better able to make informed decision about their future.

April 22: Earth Day at ECE Campus

LOOKING AHEAD

LOOKING AHEAD MAY April 22: Spirit Day with Earth Day at Hq Lower School April 23-25: Thousands of books flooded the campus and were for sale at the Book Fair

May 22: Middle School Production of the Orphan Train

May 2: SAT test.

May 4-9: Grades 6-11 go on week long “China Trips” to different locations.

May 23: Family Fun Day at the Lower School.

April 25: MathOlympiad at SCIS SCIS Pudong PAFA would like to thank the following companies and individuals for their gracious donations. Without them this event would not be possible.

70s 80s 90s art auction 2015 presented by pafa

Amelie Becycle Black & decker Blue Fountain Books Casa Pagoda Celita Jackson Chapin House Cherry Zhang Cinthia & Jhenny Cleo Paterson Dea Kudibal Double Tree Pudong DTL Eddie Tam Element Fresh First Cellars Fsjuice Gang of One He Stone Holiday Inn Kangqiao ICONX J&L Salon

Johnson Group Karen, Amy & Nicole Kelly Kristen Shirley Label 88 Laowines Lisa Guide Kiddo’s Mr. Byrne & His Gang Megan Mrs. Miller Mrs. Santiago & Mrs. Laird Nick Togneri ÖB/Pär Nilsson Salus per Salis Shanghai Tai-Tai Spin Sweet Ever After The Nest Mr. Smeins Westin Zotter

May 5: Grades 3 Wax Museum these are the donors we have as of April 7

A special thank you to Kerry Hotel Pudong and The Brew for partnering with PAFA to provide the food and beverage as well as other donations for the night.

May 23: ECE Art Auction

May 8: Middle School “Spring Fling” (dance and lock-In).

May 28 & 29: Middle School Lipgloss

May 8-9: Invention Convention at HQ Main.

May 30: 5K Run at HIS.

Dance Show

April 26: PAFA “Retro Revolution 70s, 80s, 90s” Art Auction.

April 28: Grade 12 Senior Awards Assembly in the Theater.

April 29: Top athletes and sportsman were recognized at the annual Sports Award Night.

April 30: Students took to the stage to perform various talents from magic to singing at the Talent Show.

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ECE Third Annual

Charity Art Auction Celebration of Art and Community

The ECE Charity Art Auction is an opportunity to come together as a school community to show support for Heart to Heart Shanghai, a ​local non-profit organization. In the past two years, we raised over 200,000 RMB to help provide for five heart surgeries and support a school for children with visual impairments. This is an adult only event, centered around the masterpieces created by our ECE students.

There will be an appetizer buffet, dessert bar, free flow beer and wine, raffle prizes, silent and live auctions, entertainment, lucky draw and, of course, the finest art collection in all of Shanghai.

Supporting Heart to Heart Shanghai

Saturday, May 23rd

Event begins at 7:00pm at the ECE Campus. Tickets are on sale April 6th and are 300 RMB in advance. Tickets cannot be purchased at the door. To purchase tickets, visit the ECE Campus Front Desk.

For more information visit our website: https://hq.scis-his.net/content/ece-art-auction

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The major beneficiary of the ECE Art Auction is Heart to Heart Shanghai, a locally based non-profit community outreach organization supporting children who are undergoing heart surgery at the various Shanghai hospitals.

ECE Campus

15 hours of classroom instruction (max class size = 12) Real ACT diagnostic exams with computerized score assessment Lectures, drills, and homework emphasize skills in scientific reasoning and more advanced math, topics which are not found on the SAT Thorough review of reading and grammar skills common to the ACT Free, unlimited extra help from instructor Score improvement satisfaction guarantee

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Attending KAIST

Majoring in Electrical Engineering

High School SAT Score

2210

High School IB Score

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Varsity Volleyball Team Tutor in the High School tutoring program

I am SCIS

“SCIS imbued me with a strong passion for learning and creativity. SCIS has provided numerous after-school activities to teach students how to be cooperative and creative, and it has created a comfortable environment for students to reach a high-level of academic achievement. I participated in the volleyball team and learned to cooperate with other teammates; moreover, I contributed to the school’s community by translating the school’s “Dragon News” publication into Korean for Korean parents.

– Epic Jung Class of 2013, Attended SCIS for 4 years

SCIS is a truly international school. Our rigorous curriculum and excellent co-curricular opportunities promote high achievement.

Our diverse community of over 60 nationalities and our caring environment promote future success. Visit us to discover for yourself the amazing SCIS community. No school does it better.

Tour our campuses by calling 86-21-6261-4338 ext.1

www.scis-his.org HONGQIAO • PUDONG 62

NURSERY – GRADE 12

The art and science of education since 1996