Message From the Superintendent of Schools

Dear SCIS and HIS Students, Staff, Community and Friends,

On behalf of the Shanghai Community International School (SCIS) and the Hangzhou International School (HIS), I welcome you to our website. Our intent is to maintain webpages and links that reflect the unique teaching and learning experiences at SCIS and HIS schools.   While we have done our best to share our environment with you, SCIS and HIS schools are best experienced in person.  Current and prospective SCIS and HIS parents are most welcome on our campuses and there are daily events and activities to take part in (including just relaxing in the café and casually observing student-community life).

Over the years we have made great strides in a number of very important areas while maintaining excellence in others. I am pleased to briefly update you on some of these highlights:

SCIS-HIS students continue to score well above peer norms on NWEA MAP standardized test measures while still having a “complete” learning experience within a rich and comprehensive extracurricular program.  SCIS-Hongqiao and Pudong are fully authorized IB Diploma Program World Schools.  All of our schools are fully authorized to deliver CollegeBoard AP courses.  High School student participation in AP and IB courses is 100% and results have been truly exceptional. This year, AP students received a 5 out of a possible 5 on 44% of all AP exams completed (the international average is 20%). In addition, 10% of students at our Hongqiao Campus received a 40 or higher (out of a possible 45 points) on their IB results.  Congratulations to the staff and students for their commitment to academic and personal excellence!

SCIS-HIS Upper Schools (grades 6-12) are now fully “wired”.  With a commitment to a 1-to-1 laptop technology initiative, students are issued an Apple Macbook as one of their required school supplies and all campuses provide wireless access for the SCIS-HIS community.

The Pudong Upper School now offers a world-class upper school facility that boasts the finest set of performing arts spaces for upper school students in Shanghai.  Work is now completed on our 550-seat theater and it complements Shanghai’s only true Black Box theater located at the basement level.  Renovations to the swimming pool and Visual Arts Center have also been completed. 

Over the summer, our Hongqiao Early Childhood Center added the new phase 2 building.  We also expanded the swimming pool ceiling space at our SCIS-Hongqiao facility. The high school now houses five science labs, 7 new classrooms, and an expanded library/café area. Our library provides a wonderful learning space for students, and a “Borders”-style café and reading area for our parents and guests.  Further, the SCIS Theater, the crown jewel of our Performing Arts Center, will continue to offer theater productions and events like no other in Shanghai.  SCIS schools provide students with the very finest platforms in Shanghai for its visual and performing arts programming.

HIS continues to compete successfully in regional sporting events, including the Dragon-Cup competition between all three SCIS/HIS schools in volleyball, football (soccer), and basketball.  HIS hosts the regionally acclaimed Westlake Model UN conference each fall and continues to provide Hangzhou with outstanding theater productions.

Overall, a hallmark of SCIS-HIS schools has been our commitment to high standards of academic excellence as established by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC, American) and National Centre for School Curriculum and Textbook Development (NCCT, Chinese) accrediting organizations. The NCCT visiting teams have been particularly enthusiastic regarding the great strides our Mandarin program has made over the years.  The 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years will see our schools begin the self-study process and formal visit for the renewal of the 6-year accreditation.

If you are new to the school, I invite you to review these webpages to learn what we are about and why so many people have decided that SCIS-HIS is the school for them. Further, if you are already part of our community, you will find access to much information that will assist you in taking advantage of everything our school system has to offer, including access to our school learning portal, a window that allows you to follow assessment and reporting information for your child, calendar events, and classroom links.

Sincerely,

Jeffry R. Stubbs


Superintendent of Schools