We s t e r n A c a d e m y o f B e i j i n g
table of contents
4 From the Director
5 From the Board of Trustees 6 WAB’s Guiding Principles
8 Elementary School
10 Middle School
12 High School
14 Admissions
16 Community Relations & Advancement
20 Faculty & Staff
21 Finance
Introduction From the Director From the Board of Trustees
WAB’s Guiding Principles
and board members collaborated on various committees for our Self Study work leading up to our December 2013 accreditation visit. This is a four party accreditation that includes The National Centre for Curriculum & Textbooks, the International Baccalaureate Organization, the Council of International Schools, and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. This has provided a great time of review and reflection in regard to student learning and well being, internationalism, and adherence to the School’s mission, philosophy and core values. In addition, all WAB faculty were involved in the IB PYP, MYP and DP curriculum review. In continuing the self-study process with them, it is clear that collaborative and positive relationships are highly valued at WAB. There is an overwhelming sense of pride in our school from our stakeholders working together.
• Implementation of school-wide Standards and Benchmarks: Standard and benchmarks enable us to track knowledge and skills across grade labels and subjects. Combined with testing at multiple grade lavels, we are gathering data and designing a rigorous, cohesive curriculum within the guidelines of the IB. Highlights of other key initiatives included: • Safety Task Force: Our safety task force compiled data and made recommendations for a variety of safety-centered improvements, ranging from the importance of bicycle helmets for students riding bikes and seat belts for students on the buses, modifying the front walkway of our ES to improve safety for pedestrians during bus pick up/drop off times, and playground safety.
It is my sincere pleasure to provide these opening remarks for WAB’s 2012-13 Annual Report. As I review the goals, initiatives and accomplishments of the past school year, it is evident that it was a time of much collaboration and teamwork. All stakeholders can be very proud of our students, our dedicated staff and the strong support from our Board, Parent Link, and parent community. Students from across all school sections demonstrated incredible achievements across academic pursuits, sports competitions, service learning, China engagement, arts exhibitions and performances as well as numerous other endeavours. School-wide priorities for the 2012-13 school year included: • Refinement of our assessment practices in line with the above: We began the process of evaluating alignment between our Standards and Benchmarks and assessment tasks used to ensure that all Standards and Benchmarks are being addressed and the measures that we are using are valid. • Data Collection and Analysis: We have begun the process of reviewing the metrics that we use to help us probe the efficacy of our programmes and instruction. • Beginning of WAB Campus Facilities Expansion project, including an air-supported dome to be completed this fall. • Chinese Language Learning Audit, Report and Recommendations with outside consultant: This is the beginning of our process designed to create an outstanding Chinese language program meeting the guidelines of our IB Curriculum. • Self-Study for our Five-Year Accreditation Report: Over 150 stakeholders, including parents, staff, faculty, administration
• Facility Upgrades: 99 properties projects were completed for the start of the 2012 school year ranging from a host of new video screens (to improve communication for everyone at WAB) to the long-sought installation of a lift in the high school. In particular, the Founders’ Theatre was fully renovated with improvements in sound and lighting as well as the expanded capacity. ES Office areas were redistributed to put the ES Administrative team closer to the front entrance, and a revolving door was added for improved energy efficiency. • Implementation of our revised Professional Performance System for teachers • WAB’s Distinguished Speaker Series: We were very fortunate to feature such distinguished speakers as: Dr. Jay Pasachoff, a leading astronomer and professor at Williams College, Paul French, the author of Midnight in Peking, Dr. Hardin Coleman, Dean of the College of Education at Boston University, and Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute. We look forward to a strong line up of continued excellent speakers for the 2013-14 school year. • Agreement with Peking University: WAB reached agreement with Peking University, one of the most selective universities in China, that our graduates who score 34 and above on the IB Diploma, and demonstrate adequate Chinese language skills, can gain admission to this highly regarded institution. Personally, I would like to take this opportunity to share the gratitude of my family to be welcomed into such a warm and caring community. Professionally, I am proud to join in the focus on these priorities, and in WAB’s on-going commitment to excellence. It is a true honour to be part of a school that is so deeply dedicated to enriching the lives of each and every individual student that it serves. J. Courtney Lowe, Ed.D. Director
Introduction From the Director From the Board of Trustees
WAB’s Guiding Principles
The work of the Board of Trustees is guided by the WAB Constitution and the fundamental documents, which are in turn guided by principles set down by the Founders in 1994. Trustees are tasked with ensuring the smooth administration of the School within the guidelines of its Constitution. This includes performance management and overseeing the work of the School Director, planning for future development of the School, and ensuring the financial stability of the School. The Board’s Lighthouse document serves to concisely articulate this and shall be the basis upon which the School develops its strategies for how WAB: will become a destination school, educates the whole child, reflects global diversity, offers quality Chinese Language, is actively China engaged and assures the future of the School. The Board of Trustees is also charged with maintaining and nurturing the collaborative and supportive Culture of WAB, something that has always been a core value of the School. As part of the on-going development and improvement of School facilities, the Board approved the budget for refurbishment of the ES playground and for raising a dome for athletic activities and indoor play on bad air quality days; as well as a number of other projects around the School, to the benefit of the entire WAB community. The 2013-2014 year already promises to be a year full of excitement and achievement for our students and faculty alike. The Board is continuously committed to school governance, supporting the School’s Mission and planned activities, and the new Director in fulfilling the ambitions of WAB. If you would like additional information about the Board and Board Committees please see the Board section of the community portal at http://my.wab.edu/groups/wab-board. If you have the time and are interested in helping with long term governance of the School, either by joining a Board Committee, task force or by applying to become a Trustee (at the Election in May 2014 run by Parent Link), please contact the Board Secretary Mrs. Jun Zheng, by e-mail: jzheng@wab.edu. We hope you enjoy reading the Western Academy of Beijing Annual Report, and look forward to seeing many of you at some of the annual WAB Community events. Yours sincerely, WAB Board of Trustees Michael Christiansen (Chair) Tina Dige Kjaergaard (Vice Chair) Donal Breen (Treasurer) Michael Crook (School Founder and Legal Representative) Jeffrey Krebs Lisina Leung Jenny Mendoza Jeremy Perks Wang Yan
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Introduction From the Director From the Board of Trustees
Mission
WAB’s Guiding Principles
Philosophy The Western Academy of Beijing offers a challenging and caring community based educational environment in which students are active participants in the learning process. WAB fosters critical thinking and enquiry-based skills to ensure its students achieve to their full potential as individuals and as members of the global community. In this setting, students, staff and parents co-operate in the educational process guided by the following principles.
WAB Educates the Whole Child The Western Academy of Beijing seeks to develop the intellectual, social and emotional, physical and aesthetic potential of each child along with moral sensitivity. WAB students will learn how to analyze, synthesize and evaluate new situations, knowledge and rapidly changing technology with ease, confidence and creativity. WAB’s educational program provides its students with a fundamental respect for the beliefs and values of other peoples, and will take full advantage of the culture of its host country, China.
WAB Champions its Staff The staff teach with an international perspective. They are selected for their professionalism, high qualifications, skills and creativity. Individual professional development is both supported and expected, while WAB creates an atmosphere in which the staff’s expertise and talents enrich the school community as a whole.
WAB Involves the Parents Parents are encouraged to participate as partners in the education of their children and in the continuing development of the school. WAB supports, respects and desires such an active role for parents. WAB, a community of students, staff and parents, is committed to the creation and support of a dynamic model school with high academic, social and ethical standards.
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wab annual report 2012-2013
Introduction From the Director From the Board of Trustees
Core Values
WAB’s Guiding Principles
IB Learner Profile The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationallyminded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be:
Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
Learner Centered
Knowledgeable
Where all decisions are made and actions taken to enhance the lifelong learning process so that each member of the WAB family is an inquiring, critical and purposeful learner.
They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.
China Global Coherence
Thinkers
Where we strive to nurture socially responsive global citizens bound together by China – the common thread woven throughout our diverse family mosaic.
They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.
Mosaic of Diversity
Communicators
Where each makes unique and irreplaceable contributions that, when combined, create the WAB family.
They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
WAB 工合 Spirit (Gong He) Where with a spirit of commitment, enthusiasm and shared purpose, each member of the WAB family contributes to the whole.
Caring Where by valuing and respecting each other and our environment, we sustain and nurture healthy relationships with and life-long responsibilities to self, family, and the world.
Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.
Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
Risk-takers They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.
Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.
Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.
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School Section Summary
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
ES The WAB Elementary School is truly fortunate to have bright, enthusiastic, and curious students crossing our thresholds daily. A key component at WAB is that our staff and programs give our students the chance to grow through their discoveries and experiences. We have many wonderful activities and events occurring throughout our classrooms each and every day that engage our students and allow them to develop their potential through a multitude of learning opportunities. With a strong partnership between home and school, WAB provides amazing learning opportunities for students every day. Some of the highlights and enhancements from the 2012-2013 school year are as follows: Inclusive Support Services Program: After consultation with leading educational consults and a review of researchbased instructional approach, WAB ES implemented a more focused, efficient, and collaborative student support model for students who are developing English Language skills, who have specific learning needs, and who benefit from enrichment opportunities. ES Reporting Cycle: To keep parents better informed of student progress, the ES implemented a new reporting cycle that gave parents more face-to-face time with teachers. The schedule was as follows: • September: Goal Setting via Home Learning (student/parent/teacher) • October: Parent/Teacher Evening Conferences (NEW) • January: Mid-Year Report home to parents (Moved from December to January) • February: Parent/Teacher/Student Evening Conferences (Moved from September Goal Setting) • April/May: Student Led Conferences/ Grade 5 PYP Exhibition • June: End-of-Year Report home to parents
ECC (Nursery and PreK) Co-Teaching Model: Our Reggio inspired PYP Early Childhood Center Staff implemented a research-based co-teaching model this past year. This model paired two classrooms together so that there is collaborative planning, similar programming and multiple teachers caring for and guiding our youngest learners. Grade 5 China Studies Trip: Working collaboratively with our China Studies Department, we implemented a new Grade 5 China Studies trip to the Guandi Village near the Mutianyu Great Wall. This three day, two-night trip was specifically aligned with our Units of Inquiry and provided a China engaged experience that was integrated throughout the curriculum all year long. Indoor Air Quality: With generous donations from Parent Link and WAB families, air purifiers were placed in each classroom along with amended air quality guidelines and on-site measuring devices to monitor the air quality so that outdoor student activity was more closely regulated. Increased Sporting Opportunities: Additional badminton, basketball and benchball lunchtime and after-school sporting opportunities were offered in the ES this year. In addition, our ES PE team worked closely with our Whole School Athletics Director to ensure vertical alignment of skills and strategies for greater success in competitive athletic activities. Increased Workshops to ES Parents: Below is a list of parent workshops that were hosted at the ES level this year. • August: PYP Overview • September: Integrated Student Support Services (ESOL, Learning Support, Enrichment, Speech, Counseling, and Behavior Support) • October: Mathematics in the PYP • November: Bullying • February: Acquiring a Second Language • March: Literacy in the PYP • April: Chinese Studies Integration Program • May: Reporting Process
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wab annual report 2012-2013
School Section Summary
Elementary School
WAB’s dedicated and professional staff was also busy developing and growing professionally last year. We engaged in a rigorous curriculum development process that was spearheaded by teams of teachers and was informed by a large array of current research and best practices. Some highlights of the work are as follows: Implementation and Alignment of Standards and Benchmarks: A vertically articulated Nursery through Grade 5 curriculum with standards and benchmarks that provided detailed expectations for student learning at each grade level was implemented and aligned with our Units of Inquiry. Focus on Assessment Principles and Practices: The ES teaching staff engaged in professional development throughout the year on the topic of Formative Assessment. Formative Assessment is an ongoing cycle of feedback to learners that teachers use during the learning process in order to modify teaching strategies and learning activities to improve student learning. Tania Lattanzio, a consultant with Innovative Global Education and a former IB PYP workshop leader and manager, worked collaboratively with the ES Administration and spent the day with our teaching staff identifying a range of formative assessment strategies designed to meet the needs of all learners and increase student achievement. Giselle Martin-Kniep and Joanne Piccone-Zocchia, also worked with teachers and guided them through the process of linking our standards and benchmarks to authentic assessments so that we can measure student learning in conceptual and authentic ways. Giselle and Joanne specialize in educational change and curriculum development and came highly recommended from WAB teachers who have previously seen their work at the EARCOS teacher conference.
Middle School
High School
Basic Math Facts: Teachers in Grade KG through Grade 5 implemented consistent mathematical strategies to ensure that the instruction of basic math facts is research-based and consistent across all classrooms. Writing Text Types: WAB teachers identified and implemented specific writing text types that were exposed, taught, and applied at each grade level. This implementation narrowed the scope of work for students and allowed for more focused and enhanced writing instruction. The highlights above serve as just a small indication of the wonderful opportunities that are available for students at WAB. We have been very fortunate to have a very active, involved and supportive parent community that dedicates numerous hours to the students, teachers, and classrooms in the elementary school. This home-school partnership makes all of the above initiatives possible. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the WAB Community and to be a part of an outstanding team. Casey Cosgray ES Principal
New Reading Assessments: WAB homeroom teachers implemented the Developmental Reading Assessment, 2nd edition (DRA2) so that we can better benchmark our student’s learning progressions in reading (comprehension, accuracy, and fluency) as well as provide a means for guiding instructional next steps. In September, the creator of the DRA2, Joetta Beaver, joined the ES staff for a week to train all staff in the effective use of the assessment. wab annual report 2012-2013
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School Section Summary
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
MS In the 2012-13 school year, our Middle School (MS) students, staff, parents and community have once again given evidence of WAB students being fully engaged in WAB’s mission and core values. Our MS remained a busy place bustling with connections, new initiatives and the beginning of many solid, long-lasting relationships. Our Middle Years Programme (MYP) has continued to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, balanced, reflective individuals who are strong, community-minded global citizens. Areas of focus for MS in the 20012-13 year included: • Department teams across the school worked together to implement standards and benchmarks with the goal of guaranteeing a viable and articulated curriculum. • Greater emphasis was placed on students being active participants in both Student-Led Conferences and regular Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences. As a result, we witnessed a continued increase in MS students attending, and significantly contributing to, our regular conferences with their parents and teachers. • Improved home-school communication by publishing: Essential Agreements for Home-School Communication, MS Frequently Asked Questions, establishing Moodle Guest Access for Parents, launching on-line report cards and expanding our numbers of MS Coffee Mornings. WAB’s Mission and Values could be seen in action in many of the diverse activities in which our Middle School students have been involved. Sample highlights of such activities have included the following: China Studies Field Trips • To broaden the student’s experience of China and to improve the students’ understanding and awareness of Chinese culture, geography and history. • To enhance the School curriculum by providing opportunities to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to a situation in a context beyond school.
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wab annual report 2012-2013
• To foster a sense of community living and sharing. • To foster both teacher-student and student-student relationships, providing an opportunity for sharing, companionship, and support in an environment different from daily school life. • To encourage confidence and self-reliance, especially with the more challenging activities offered. • To develop responsibility in preparing for one’s own requirements for their trip. The WAB Wild Program has continued to offer Middle School students opportunities to develop outdoor skills and excellence in leadership and personal challenge. Completing its sixth year, this program is an excellent example of WAB’s mission in action. Grade 8 Science Fieldwork trips - The Grade 8 Science team, in collaboration with the WAB Wild team, took each Grade 8 homeroom to the Miao Liang Center on overnight trips to conduct practical and research work in a natural environment. Combined with the above, we have had top quality athletics/ sports programs, tournaments and competitions. For example: World Scholar’s Cup - This past June in Dubai, WAB MS and HS individuals and teams competed with 1900 students from 22 countries and came back with numerous medals and trophies including: Individual Persuasive Writing Juniors - 1st place, Persuasive Writing Team Overall Junior - 1st place, Overall Champion Student - 2nd place, Overall Champion Team – 3rd place, Individual Juniors - 4th place, as well as numerous Honorable Mentions. American Mathematics Competition (AMC) - Given to Grade 7 students in Extended Mathematics and all Grade 8 students. 150, 000 students took AMC8 worldwide (one can compare scores of our students with that of other schools, other countries, etc.). Our Grade 8 students in Extended Mathematics scored above average compared with other participating schools. GAUSS Mathematics Competition (Grade 7 students in Extended Mathematics and all Grade 8 students) Emphasized
School Section Summary
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
Other activities that exemplify how we live our Mission are: MS Student Council (SC) projects the students’ voices which are represented on various committees including accreditation, website and food committee. For their service projects, the MS SC raised over 12,000RMB for Ma Dai Fu Foundation that helps support local farmers. They also raised a similar amount for Hope Healing Home and hosted campaigns that encourage recycling. To promote school spirit, the MS SC hosted spirit days, dances, cookie sales and various others activities to express and take action on their own ideas. Yearbook - In order to expand the students’ experience and to use our natural resources more responsibly, the yearbook committee decided to produce a limited edition of the yearbook on paper along with a CD that compiled the pictures included in the paper book and additional images and videos to celebrate the year. Grade 8 Graduation - For the first time, the graduation ceremony was completely led by students, from performances, to speeches. It was a tremendous success. Service Activities - There was a significant increase in student involvement in service projects that went beyond our expectations. For example, there was a Grade 7 homeroom that decided to regularly visit and fundraise for the Hope Healing Home, as well as a host of other activities focused on reaching out to others.
participation but also recognized top-performing students (focus on problem solving). Our top 17 Grade 8 students earned Distinction certificates and the top seven Grade 8 students earned High Distinction awards. http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/gauss.html Data Use - After analyzing the information gathered from the ISA, NNAT and PAT-R assessments, we decided to expand our data collection use to focus on determining meaningful metrics that can help us to know more specific details about our programs’ effectiveness for student learning. Furthermore, we wish to probe into the efficacy of our programs. Such data was gathered through: • International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) focuses on four domains: reading, mathematical literacy, narrative writing and expository writing. For 2012-13, Grade 7 students again participated in the ISA with very good results. As a group, our Grade 7 students performed at the same level as Grade 7 students around the world, with a relative strength in mathematical literacy and a relative weakness in narrative writing. For 2013-14, we have decided to administer the ISA to all students in Grades 6, 7 and 8 in order to be able to better track overall student progress and evaluate the efficacy of programs against an external measure.
Global Issues Network (GIN) - Many Middle School students accepted the challenge of presenting GIN workshops about issues they were passionate about as one of their One World Science tasks. TEDS Talks - Two Middle School students confidently presented well-researched, motivational talks at the TEDX event on environmental issues. MS Teacher Retention - This past year was a very successful year for MS teachers remaining at WAB, resulting in our needing to replace only one full-time teacher and 3 part-time teachers. The above serves as a small glimpse into WAB Middle School for the year 2012-13. As a result of students, staff, parents, board and community members working together as a strong, united team, we have been able to continue to strengthen our core programs while adding new and creative initiatives. If you would like further details on any of the information listed above, please do not hesitate to contact: Donna Connolly, MS Principal (for year 2012-13) or Marina Frias-Gavidia, MS Assistant Principal (MSAP for year 2012-13) or Trish McNair, MYP Coordinator 6 – 8/Teacher Librarian. Donna Connoly MS Principal
• Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT) measures nonverbal reasoning and general problem solving abilities. The test was administered to all new students to gain a deeper understanding of students’ abilities and to design programs that will support them and challenge them appropriately. http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/en us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=015-8706-005&Mode=summary • Progressive Achievement Tests in Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary (PAT-R) NZCER (researched and normed test for measuring and tracking student achievement in reading comprehension, word knowledge and spelling) is used to provide teachers with objective information for setting realistic learning goals and planning effective programs. Stanine results are shared with parents. http://www.nzcer.org.nz/tests/pats wab annual report 2012-2013
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School Section Summary
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
HS WAB High School is a dynamic, rigorous, and nurturing secondary school, providing unique opportunities for all students. When students graduate from WAB, they are confident, knowledgeable individuals, prepared to contribute to their own communities and to our interconnected global world with a strong educational foundation, critical minds and compassionate hearts.
from various trips such as Monks & Mountains- Yuantaishan, Performing Arts - Beijing, CAS Jiashan Trip- Gansu, Chinese Literature - Southern China (in Chinese), Harbin Honeymoon, Humanities Long March – Yan’an, Arts - 798, Beijing, Photography – Ping Yao, Wutaishan and Datong. The China Studies department is outstanding in working to develop the educational details for each of these trips.
In the Class of 2013, 103 students completed the full IB Diploma Program, while 23 students pursued a combination of diploma and High School courses. The University destinations for these students includes 9% to the UK, 10% Europe, 9% Asia, 8% Canada, 50% USA and 3% Australia. The final 11% of graduates chose to study Chinese, take an internship at NGOs or elementary schools, engage in global service projects, or to complete national service.
WAB continues to be a leading member of APAC (Asia Pacific Activities Conference), ACAMIS (Association of China and Mongolia International Schools) and ISAC (International Schools Athletic Conference) providing opportunities for every student to participate in athletics and the arts at different levels of challenge. Students compete and perform at schools in Beijing, throughout China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and Korea.
WAB has now graduated seven classes. Our students have gained places at many outstanding Universities including Oxford, Cambridge, London School of Economics, KAIST, (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Monash, Jacob’s, Wellesley, Harvard, Brown, University of Chicago, Peking University, University of Edinburgh, Central Saint Martin’s, University of Toronto, Stanford and Yale.
WAB achievements in APAC this year include:
Each year, the graduating class chooses a focus for their Legacy Gift. The Class of 2013 created a legacy gift focused on improving the lives of our own WAB security personnel. Astrid Samuelsberg, who headed the initiative, noted that the guards are an integral part of students’ every day experience. After viewing the guard barracks, students realized that often the most heartfelt charity truly does begin at home. Students were tireless in their efforts, painting every room, collecting furniture, shopping for new mattresses. Fundraisers ranged from online clothing sales, to custom sweatpants, bake sales to movie nights. At the dedication on May 31st, it was clear that our graduating class had truly made a difference. Early in the school year, our China Studies trips, all with definite curriculum links, continue to engage students in our host country. The 9th Grade went for the first time to Shanghai and the surrounding water towns and the 10th Grade visited Inner Mongolia, Wu Yuan or QuFu. The 11th Grade chose 12
wab annual report 2012-2013
Major Awards Achievements APAC Sportsmanship Boys Track and Field APAC Sportsmanship Girls Track and Field APAC Sportsmanship Girls Tennis APAC Sportsmanship Girls Rugby ACAMIS Sportsmanship Boys Volleyball APAC Champions Boys Soccer APAC Champions Girls Badminton ACAMIS Champions Girls Tennis ACAMIS Div 1 Team Champions Badminton ACAMIS Div 2 Team Champions Badminton Major Events, Hosted at WAB WABX to the MAX (Field of Dreams Baseball Tournament, Beijing Challenge Volleyball, Tri-cities Tennis Tournament, Water Dragon Dance Festival, Jazz Festival) ACAMIS Tennis Tournament APAC Boys Soccer Tournament APAC Orchestra Festival ACAMIS Orange Division Basketball Tournament Tiger 7 Soccer Tournament
School Section Summary
Elementary School
Arts and athletics receive equal consideration at WAB. Often, we combine arts and sport in a pioneering way. In the second year of “WABX to the Max”, dancers, baseball players, artists, and rugby players shared their commitment and their talents on Tiger Field and in the Peace Park. This event is quickly becoming another hallmark of our WAB spirit. In October, WAB hosted Learning 2.012 for more than 400 teachers throughout Asia. The focus of the workshop was the adoption and integration of viable technology throughout the curriculum. The feedback surveys were uniformly positive, praising the content, the organization and the “take-away” knowledge. For the first time, WAB Model United Nations was invited to United Nations International School to participate in the annual conference held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addressed the assembly of more than 200 High School students. Another initiative that took flight this year was our Tiger Sports Network. A group of students trained to live stream WAB tournament matches and special events. They held interviews, provided commentary, as well as play-by-play analysis of the games. Their work brings our Tiger Sports to a worldwide audience. The TSN group was invited to Korea to live stream the APAC Girls Soccer tournament. The students and their work received a phenomenal reception. There was great excitement throughout APAC, with many of our league schools looking to WAB as a model to incorporate broadcasting at their own schools. In April, WAB hosted the first ever student-led Ted Talk in Asia. A team of students came together as the TEDxYouth@WAB club to organize this and the theme was ‘From Borders to Bridges’, a concept focusing on the innovative ways (especially as third culture adults/youth) we overcome obstacles in our lives. The CAS (Creativity-Action-Service) program, while a requirement of the IB Diploma, is a program integral to the essential philosophy of WAB. During their holidays, eight students, along with two teachers, chose to go to the Ye hang Hope School in Sichuan Province. They taught the children
Middle School
High School
art and English, music and sports. They brought with them thousands of books and stationery. It was a stunning initiative, showing that students could ”Unite to Light”. Our WAB “Fast Friends” group affiliated with international “Best Buddies” to continue their work with the students at Shunyi Special School. Our students invited children to join activities. At the WAB-hosted Men’s Soccer in the spring, each team’s athletes paired with students from Shunyi Special School as they marched onto the field together. A most memorable and inspiring visit to WAB this year was made by Christopher Aife, a young man with terminal cancer. In a most engaging and unassuming manner, Chris spoke to all of us about his adventures and his unwillingness to limit his experiences. He told us “happiness is not a limited commodity.” Rarely has one person ever galvanized a community as Chris did that day. His talk was a gift to everyone fortunate enough to be a part of it. Every year students speak eloquently of the role WAB has played in their lives. This year, our graduating students said, “WAB has allowed me to study what I like the most and offered me so many opportunities. I feel lucky to graduate from such a wonderful school.” “WAB is somewhere you never want to leave.” “WAB, thank you for changing my life.” “WAB has been my family for the past two years, and family is forever”. Certainly I share their heartfelt sentiments. WAB has been my world for the past six years. Together with a committed Board, supportive administrators, and excellent teachers, we have established a High School that is amongst the most respected and admired in Asia, indeed, in the world. Our mission is clear and true. At Western Academy of Beijing, every person is able to Connect, Inspire, Challenge, and Make a Difference to ourselves and, ultimately, in the world. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of Western Academy of Beijing. Rena Mirkin HS Principal
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admissions
community relations & advancement
faculty & staff
finance
Admissions Admissions at WAB is about helping new students and their families make a smooth and positive transition to our school community. WAB has an inclusive admissions policy and we seek to enrol a diverse student population representing a range of nationalities, languages, economic and cultural backgrounds and abilities. Our talented Admissions Team also includes parent volunteers who are more than happy to get in touch with new and prospective families to further welcome them to life at WAB and to life in Beijing. WAB started the 2012-2013 school year just below full capacity, yet this was offset by a high number of students enrolling in the second semester.
Student Profile In 2012-2013, WAB’s students represented an impressively diverse 52 nationalities and 29 languages.
Europe (UK included) 31%
others 2%
australia/nZ 8%
Europe (UK included)
asia 28%
North America Asia
north america 31%
Australia/NZ ROW (Rest of the World)
Transition High levels of turnover among student populations are a recognized feature of international schools. This is explained either by families relocating to other countries or returning home. The changes within WAB’s student population were within a normal range during the 2012-2013 school year.
16
16%
16% 15%
15%
14.5%
14 12
14.4%
12%
10 8 6 4 2 0 06/07
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wab annual report 2012-2013
07/08
08/09
09/10
10/11
11/12
12/13
community relations & advancement
admissions
faculty & staff
finance
Top 20 Organizations at WAB The top 20 organizations whose families were represented in the student body at WAB were as follows:
NAME OF ORGANIZATION
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
Shell
42
Nokia
35
Proctor & Gamble
25
Embassy of USA
22
Ericsson
20
Hyundai Motor
19
Microsoft
19
LG Group
18
Sony Mobile Comm.
16
IBM
14
SK Group
13
Embassy of Canada
12
Embassy of Israel
12
Baker Hugues
12
Chevron
12
Volkswagen
12
ABB Group
11
Danfoss
11
Schlumberger
11
Bayer Group
11
Embassy of Royal Netherlands
10
Embassy of Sweden
10
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admissions
community relations & advancement
Institutional Advancement Advancement at WAB includes fundraising events such as the Annual Beijing in Bloom Gala, as well as stewardship of grants and major gifts received by the school, sponsorship, worldwide WAB Alumni Network and external relations. The major goal is to expand the academic and co-curricular opportunities, and develop WAB’s facilities for our students and the broader community by securing private support from individuals, alumni, corporations, and organizations. In addition, the Advancement team assist in coordinating WAB’s large-scale special events, major school-wide functions and international conferences on campus. The WAB Advancement Office coordinates all fundraising activities for the school. The Board Development Committee provides strategic guidance.
Giving At WAB We would firstly like to recognize and honor all the members of our WAB community who generously donated of their time, energy and resources to many WAB events, projects and activities throughout the 2012-13 year. Your support is highly appreciated and is invaluable to our whole community. In support of many WAB initiatives held during this academic year, WAB deeply appreciates receiving over RMB 2.7 million in private support through our community’s magnificent donations.
Air Purifier Initiative Following a generous family donation towards purchasing air purifiers for student classrooms an appeal for contributions was made. Both Parent Link and one other WAB family stepped up to match this generous donation reaching a total of RMB 16
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370,000, and supporting the full installation of air purifiers throughout the WAB campus.
Annual Beijing in Bloom Fundraising Gala This year’s 5th annual Beijing in Bloom Fundraising Gala, ‘A Night with the Stars’, was our most successful one yet! Together, our community raised in excess of RMB 670,000 through ticket and lucky draw sales, live and silent auctions as well as individual donations and corporate sponsorship. Proceeds will be directed to further enhance WAB’s broadcasting and music programs. To follow how these funds are being used please visit our Gala homepage for updates.
Advancing the Dream Capital Campaign During the first phase of WAB’s Advancing the Dream Capital Campaign, members of our WAB Community generously donated a total of RMB 1,350,000 in support of this initiative.
US Embassy Grant WAB greatly appreciates being the benefactor of a US Embassy grant of RMB 37,000 for campus enhancement security projects which included a patrol monitoring system, UPS emergency power backup for walkie-talkies and CCTV monitoring wall. Finally, we would like to reiterate our great appreciation to the 2012-13 Parent Link for its generous donations in support of WAB’s 5th Beijing In Bloom Gala (RMB50,000), the air purifier initiative (RMB100,000), donating 45 iPads and 3 iPad carts valued at RMB200,000 for student classrooms throughout the sections, the sponsorship of the speaker, Robert Pereira, RMB 60,000, as well as supporting numerous charities and projects in China during the school year.
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We are delighted to share the long list of generous supporters in WAB’s 2012-2013 Honor Roll of Donors. Individual Donors
Corporations and Organizations:
Ms. Frances Adamson and Mr. Rod Bunten Geoffrey and Cynthia Andrews Chris, Susan & Sam Alberti Anonymous Caroline Audet Muhammad Azeem The Bajc Family Elliott Bowyer The Chapman Boys 2005 - 2013 Mr & Mrs Jason Chew Donna Connolly Casey Cosgray Melanie & Braydon Du, Huang Shan & Du Yucun Fei Cong Marina Frias Glittenberg Family Keith and Shari Hale Martin Halpin Jodi and Jun Hu Jing Na & Yang Yunfeng H. Lin & C. Li Selina Mao’s Family Mark Mazzarol Trish McNair The Meikle Family Rena P. Mirkin Suzi Roberts and Maya Ou Stella Valentino Andrew Walton Wenjing Wang Lawrence Xu and Daniel Xu Zeng Fanzhi and He Lijun Zhang Xin & Pan Shiyi
Adobe
Apple Arrail Dental Beijing Beatles Biteapitta Caterpillar (China) Coca Cola Company Dell Computers Four Seasons Beijing Hotel Hilton Beijing Capital Airport Hotel IdeaTree Ltd. IMA International Medical Center Beijing Kingdom Travel Lanxum/Ricoh LehmanBrown MSH China Nestle Nova Southeastern University Parent Link 2012-13 Pearson International Ruckus Wireless Sodexo Solution Keys The Plan The Wine Republic Tsing Capital (Neoneon) VivaXiao Photo Studio While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the 2012-13 Honor Roll of Donors, please contact Suzi Roberts at suzi_roberts@wab.edu, if you have any questions.
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WAB Alumni Network
High Profile Guests and Special Events
The WAB Alumni Network (WAN) continues to reconnect alumni with WAB via social media platforms, like Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter, as well as the official WAN website.
During the 2012-13 Academic Year, guests who visited WAB included returning alumni and families, colleagues from international schools, college representatives, teachers and students from partner schools, and corporate executives. Among these visitors, WAB hosted high-profile guests including Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Hardin Coleman and NFL Legend, Kordell ‘Slash’ Stewart, and the New England Patriots Cheerleaders. Mr. Stewart and the New England Patriots Cheerleaders were part of a special event hosted at WAB, called the NFL Experience (NFLX). This festival was the very first NFLX to be hosted in Beijing celebrating North American football, and was also WAB’s very first event open to the public, that witnessed over 4000 attendees, with a media reach of over 5.9 million for television, print and online.
Our official website continues to be one of the main platforms for our WAB Alumni community. The Alumni office is able to track visitors and how they interact with the site. We are pleased with the continued results, as during the year, http:// alumni.wab.edu received: • 1,513 Signed up members • 4,726 Absolute Unique Visitors • 21,518 Page views The alumni office hosted seven international alumni reunions, with school leaders or representatives during 2012-2013, where over 70 alumni attended in Seoul, Melbourne, Bangkok, London, Boston, San Francisco and Vancouver. The WAB Alumni Office hosted the Leavers Ceremony in May, which was attended by more than 150 departing students, families and staff members. More than 100 alumni were welcomed back to visit the campus throughout the year; including alumni interning at the WABX or Music Departments; or speaking to our current high school students on their university or gap year experiences. Over 160 enthusiastic alumni parents, students, graduates, and staff attended the 4th annual BBQ Reunion on campus, with our first alumni basketball tournament. After the school’s seventh high school graduation, the BBQ Reunion utilized this opportunity to induct 126 new Alumni from the Class of 2013 to the WAN; while over 1,500 Alumni members were registered on the WAN website by the end of the school year. These reunions or engagement opportunities strategically ensure that our WABbies retain a stronger emotional affinity with WAB, no matter where they reside in the world. With the upcoming 20th anniversary, the WAB Alumni office has worked with WAB’s video team to coordinate and document visiting alumni and their video testimonials since September 2011, which will be incorporated into a special anniversary video.
Global Conferences and Community Special Events WAB continues to host major, international conferences such as the Learning 2.0 Summit. In addition to the Beijing in Bloom Gala and the Distinguished Speaker Series, the department supported the following community events through organization and sponsorship: • WABX to the MAX 2012 • New Student Orientation • WAB Community Picnic, ‘Inspire a New Generation’ • APAC Soccer • Olympic Dream Series • Parent Link Quiz Night, Charity Bazaar and Fun Fair • Rock in the Park • Teatime Concerts • WAB Idol • HS Career Fair and World of Work Internships • ES International Day • WAB World Run Day • WAB Rocks, WAB Idol, and Teatime Concert Series • WAB HS Arts and Athletics Associations Dinner • High School Graduation • Learning 2.012 Learning Summit
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Communications & External Relations The 2012 school year saw impressive advancements in the way WAB communicates with our parent community and with the broader audience visiting WAB websites or seeing our advertisements. Some key highlights of achievements made last year include: • Creation of WAB Weekly, the once-weekly summary of the major events going on at WAB. This included creating a centralized location for attached files, and significantly cutting down on the frequency of emails sent home, all while making delivery of information user-friendly. • Continued inclusion of WAB events in local and foreign media, with social media picking up • Continuation of the Distinguished Speaker Series, bringing influential speakers to the WAB Community, but also to the outside public via open invitation, live-streaming, and recording • Bringing school photographs in-house, and offering high quality digital photographs to every parent free-of-charge • Release of an online student application system to facilitate easy application to WAB, while streamlining processes for our Admissions Team • Creation of a WABX student activities registration system to automate much of the existing registration process • Creation of an online application system for employment, which also increased efficiency The 2012-2013 school year saw an increase in visibility for WAB websites and by extension, for WAB activities and events. For example, www.wab.edu saw an increase of 12% in the number of visitors it received (over 119,000 from August 2012 – July, 2013). Merging and beginning work on developing WAB’s existing social media presences helped WAB to reach even broader audiences. The Communications Department was further able to serve the WAB Community by: • Rolling out a centrally controlled ‘Digital Signage’ system within WAB buildings in order to help connect more people with ongoing events, student work, and school calendars. • Harmonizing calendar systems, and the way calendars are presented • Beginning work on implementation of a new centralized email system for communicating with parents that is tied directly into PowerSchool. We look forward to further advancements in the way WAB delivers its messages, many of which are well under way for release early in the 2013-2014 school year.
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Faculty and Staff WAB’s impressive reputation within the international school community, paired with our commitment to champion our staff helps us to recruit and retain highly-qualified and dedicated faculty and staff. The majority of our teachers come from the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia. A large number of our teachers are educational leaders, IB trainers, examiners, moderators or curriculum writers.
1:8 School-wide teacher student ratio at WAB The faculty at WAB is a diverse one; each member brings with them perspectives and expertise that enrich the learning of our students each and every day. In 2011-12, WAB faculty was made up of 21 nationalities as shown below.
Faculty nationalities graph others 8.98% uSA 34.74%
usa
canada 7.37%
australia
canada 10.53%
uK PR china
Prc 11.58%
Australia 14.21%
canada
uK 12.63%
new Zealand others
Support staff nationalities graph
others 8.1%
Prc 76.23%
uK 1.79% Australia 3.14% canada 3.59%
Prc
uSA 7.17%
uSA canada Australia uK others
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FINANCE In 2012/2013, WAB maintained its position as one of the largest international schools in Asia. The end of the year enrollment exceeded the budget, although we started the year under enrolled and reached full budgeted enrollment by the start of the second term. The sustained enrollment numbers combined with the increase in school fees, lead to a 7.3% increase in total school funding over the previous year. The school operating costs increased 5.3%, with 1.8% of the increase related to the full year impact of the new China regulation of paying social benefits for our expat staff. All other operating costs were held at inflationary rates experienced in China during the 2012/2013 year.
School Funding WAB derives its funding from tuition fees, capital levy fees, application fees, turnover, interest income and donations. Tuition fees, capital levy fees, turnover and application fees are a function of enrollment. Remaining income is a function of bank balances (interest income) and community support (gifts and grants). This year 2.7M RMB was received in cash contributions and value-in-kind donations in support of WAB programs and capital improvements.
Cash Balance / Debt During the entire 2012/2013 school year, the cash balance remained above the Board mandated minimum emergency cash requirement. As of the end of June 2013, WAB does not have any outstanding bank or third party loan commitments.
Capital Spending WAB continued its investment in capital improvements to keep the campus facilities refreshed and up-to-date. This year’s capital improvements included new playground equipment outside each of the ES wings, new spring-loaded timber floors for our HS gym and dance studio, an additional chiller system for the HS to help with temperature control, and the green house outside the ES was renovated to include a solar powered sprinkler system. In order to help the air quality within our buildings, we also invested in new tripled-glazed external doors and windows in our ES and HS classrooms, a revolving door at the ES entrance, a new enhanced air filtration system in the ES gym, in addition to placing individual air filtration units in all classrooms throughout the campus.
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P.O. Box 8547 • 10 Lai Guang Ying Dong Lu Chaoyang District • 100102 • Beijing • PRC Tel (86 10) 5986 5588 • Fax (86 10) 6432 2440 • wabinfo@wab.edu
www.wab.edu