Senior School News

T1W6 – 13 Oct 2023

Dear Senior School parents,

I trust you had an enjoyable and restful time with your families over the October National holiday. We have a few busy weeks ahead with many sporting and community events, midterm assessments and Senior School autumn excursions. Please do keep up to date with all school messages, especially regarding excursions. Matthew Johnson (matthew_johnson@ssis.asia ), our Experiential Learning Coordinator, is the key point of contact for all excursions-related questions.

Please click on the following updates below:

Before the October Holiday, we announced and celebrated the achievements of our Scholarship recipients for the academic year 2023-24. From Academics, Aesthetics, Athletics, Leadership and Technology, our scholars are role models. Our scholars serve as role models and leaders who extend their efforts beyond the confines of the syllabus, the mandatory CAS requirements and avoid a win-at-all-costs mentality. They do the extra reading, put in the extra hours of practice, support quieter team members, and leverage their leadership skills to make their teams greater than the sum of their parts.

We expect our Scholars to harness your passion, dedication, and expertise to elevate the levels of academics, aesthetics, athletics, leadership, and technology throughout SSIS. I am eagerly awaiting the time they take to our PAC (Performing Arts Centre) stage at a forthcoming assembly to share their new Scholarship initiative and in the long term, evaluating its impact on the school.

As a message to all SSIS students, the definition of Scholarship at SSIS was also shared. Scholarship is also the pursuit of knowledge that is both extensive and exact, coupled with thinking that is inquiring and critical. This definition of Scholarship and excellence are the cornerstones of the SSIS community. But beyond this, we must recognise that even the broadest scholarship represents just a drop in the ocean of knowledge. True wisdom lies in understanding the limits of our knowledge. So, my closing question to all SSIS students was this:

What do we do with our limits?

First, we must know our limits to avoid overstepping them. Second, we must know them so that we can plan to push and expand them.

SSIS, let us all strive to understand and transcend our limits.

Tomorrow (Saturday 14th October) SSIS will be hosting Round 1 of the SSL (West) and with some 700 swimmers from 14 International Schools from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Suzhou, it set to be a great day in the pool with well over 1500 people in attendance on campus.

Preparations both in and out have the pool have been taking place over the last few weeks, Sabres Swim Team are looking good for their first SSL Swim Meet of the season, they have been training long and hard and we look forward to them excelling in the pool on Saturday.

Event Date: Monday 16th October

Event Time: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM

Event Location: GYM

Information Sessions: 10:40-11:20/11:20-12:00

On Monday morning from 8:30 am to 10:30 am we are hosting a university fair. Over 70 higher education institutions from around the world will be coming to SSIS to speak to our students. Grades 9/10 will attend the fair during period 1, and grades 11/12 will attend during period 2. Of course, all SSIS parents are welcome to attend as part of our College and Career Readiness programme.

With gratitude

Mr Steven Gaynor, Senior School Principal

Dates for your Diary

Friday 13^th October: House & Student Council Leadership Camp
Friday 13^th October: Parent Golf Day
Saturday 14^thOctober: Shanghai Swim League Round 1
Friday 13^th– Sunday 15^th October: SHA Model United Nations (MUN)
Monday 16^th October: SSIS World University Fair
Wednesday 18^th October: IGCSE Information Evening (6 pm)
Monday 23^rd – Friday 27^th October: G7-G11 Excursions & G12 Incursion

Student Wellbeing

Dear parents/guardians,

I hope everyone has had a lovely Mid-Term break celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.

As we end Term 1 Week 6, our pastoral care is flourishing with students learning more about service learning & CAS. I encourage parents to actively keep abreast of world events by watching & reading the news with their children so we can get involved in authentic service-learning opportunities and show we care.

This weekend, our student leaders will attend the House Captain & Student Council Leadership Camp where they will experience team building exercises, get involved in activities on communication, budgeting & fund-raising as well as plan for a host of student-led activities. It is with pride that I speak of these leaders as their work and commitment to making student life more engaging and memorable is highly commended.

Finally, I remind parents that our October theme is Character & Leadership with the FGL attribute being respect. Let’s talk about this with our children and ensure they show strength of character, seize opportunities to lead and are always respectful to others and their surroundings.

Ms Shireen Naidoo, Senior School Assistant Principal shireen_naidoo@ssis.asia

Reminders

Student Absence, Uniform and Regular communication

If your child is absent, please email your child’s form teacher as soon as possible with a reason. It is a Shanghai Education Committee requirement for all schools to record attendance and reasons for absence.

A reminder that students should arrive at school wearing shoes and ties. Full school uniform needs to be worn throughout the school day with the exception of PE lessons. As the weather starts to cool, students should also wear their school blazer as the first outer layer of clothing.

Please email me with any questions you may have, and we can arrange a follow-up phone call or meeting through the Senior School PA, Katharine Chen.

Contact Information

Mr Steven Gaynor	Senior School Principal	steven_gaynor@ssis.asia
Ms Katharine Chen	PA to Senior School Principal	katharine_chen@ssis.asia

Yours sincerely,

SSIS Senior School