Coming Together: A True Community

As we gear up toward continuing virtual learning, we are amazed at the incredible strength and resilience shown by our community. Three weeks in and our community is going strong.  

Our parents have shown tremendous support as we navigate the complexity and reality of virtual learning. Their flexibility and willingness to embrace virtual learning by providing the necessary support to our child(ren), while collaborating with teachers are sincerely appreciated. Our students and teachers have shown dedication and determination as they work together on their education journey. Together, we will continue to strive to meet the needs of all members of our community in the best way possible.  

Hear from across our campuses about what has been happening as we continue to work together and look forward to welcoming our students back to their virtual classrooms next week.

Across campuses and divisions, conferences were held to provide a meaningful time to have important discussions about children’s personal and academic growth.

“Thanks to all the parents, the students, and most especially the teachers, whose collaborative spirit, reflective sharing, and professional expertise made our virtual Midsemester Conferences such a resounding success. The day was spent reviewing evidence of growth, reflecting on developments, and setting action steps for continuity of teaching and learning, regardless of the conditions of the world.”

- Naomi Shanks, Upper School Principal at SCIS Pudong 

“Upper School students in grades 6-9 had been engaged in preparing for student-led conferences since the end of January. During this time, they have continued to work to analyze and develop presentations to share their progress towards the five SCIS Core Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills. These skills include:  

• organizing and depicting information logically

• planning short and long-term assignments; meeting deadlines

• giving and receiving meaningful feedback

• working collaboratively in teams

• applying skills and knowledge in unfamiliar situations” 

-Barclay Lelievre, Upper School Principal at SCIS Hongqiao

Early Childhood Education 

“In our early years, children experienced new connections between home and school. During live sessions, they had their favorite worlds and often favorite people come together to be with them for a short time online. There were grandparents, parents, siblings, ayis, and even pets who were seen along with their friends and teachers from school.”

- Cheryl Proctor, Early Childhood Education Principal at SCIS Hongqiao  

Lower School 

Building from the first weeks of transitions and establishing routines in virtual classrooms, our lower school students have continued to demonstrate their ability to be risk-takers, problem-solvers, and virtual communicators. 

“In order to maintain a balance of screen time, focused instruction, and completion of tasks, some of our live sessions include a follow-up Seesaw task. This live support helps to ensure that students can ask questions or be given support.” 

“I have enjoyed scrolling through the Seesaw posts. I see our children practicing their daily math tasks, I see children writing wonderful beginnings to their opinion writing and there were even some scientists capturing experiments outdoors in slow motion! Thank you, families, for supporting all this work at home and making it possible for teachers to respond and identify a clear continuation of learning.” 

 - Rachel McCleod, Lower School Principal at SCIS Hongqiao

“Our lower school team has been thinking through ways to continue to support your child's social-emotional needs from time in classroom meetings to connect with their peers, to Dr. Myers offering optional sessions for students to join as extra opportunities to support students who may need some additional social opportunities."

-Heather Knight, Lower School Principal at SCIS Pudong

Upper School 

Just before the break, our Hongqiao grade ten students hosted their Middle Years Programme Personal Project Digital Fair! Students and teachers took advantage of film, websites, and digital media to share some amazing projects and student work with our community. 

Upper school Diploma Programme Coordinator, Mr. Simmons, ran virtual mock sessions with seniors and we are happy to report that 100% of examinees turned up on Teams and were supervised writing their exams. Such a fantastic show of resilience! Mock Exams provide grade 12 students the opportunity to prepare for the upcoming May 2022 IB exam session.

As we continue to navigate the uncertainties that lie ahead, years from now we will be able to look back on this time as one that is characterized not only by our strength and courage as individuals, but by our ability to be resilient, empathetic, and compassionate as a community. 

SCIS. Innovative Thinkers.  

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