At NIS, we believe that all learners have the right to realise their full potential. This month, our team new JEDI Taskforce members have been on a learning journey through the foundations and best practices of JEDI, enabling them to become agents of positive change.
But the learning doesn't stop at onboarding! We believe in continuous growth and development. Whilst our new JEDI Taskforce members participate in ongoing training sessions and workshops to deepen their understanding of intersectionality, cultural competency, and the various ways in which JEDI principles can be applied in our learning community, other members of the taskforce continue to engage in lifelong learning. This year alone, we have continued to expand our knowledge and understanding by participating in workshops, courses and conferences such as: Multiple Culture Therapy with Lehigh University, Cultivate Belonging with Global Online Academy, Universal Design for Learning with Novak Education, Culturally Responsive Counseling in the International School with Principals Training Center, Identity Centered Learning with EARCOS, and Learning to Action with ISS.
As JEDI Taskforce members, our learning journey allows us to better to identify areas where we can further promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Together, we strive to become better so that we can all do better.
Child Protection Workshop
Monday, April 29th 8:15am in Skyways@TheCentre
NIS is committed to Child Protection. All parents are invited to a workshop on April 29th to learn more about the ways we ensure that children are always treated with dignity by adults.
Parents and caregivers new to NIS this school year and those who have not attended a previous NIS session should attend. All parents and caregivers are welcome!
Spring MAP Assessments
Spring is in the air and that can only mean one thing... It is time for our next round of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments!
What is MAP?
Our primary purpose of assessment at NIS is to improve students’ learning and teachers’ teaching as both respond to the information it provides. MAP tests are one measure of student learning used at NIS. MAP is an internationally recognized diagnostic test that is designed to measure academic growth in these areas. It comes from NWEA in the United States.
What are the assessments like?
MAP are on-screen 40-50 question multiple choice digital assessments in reading and mathematics. Since the questions change in response to correct answers, no two tests are identical. Students typically take between one to two hours to complete a MAP test. MAP tests are not timed assessment, so student have as long as they need to finish.
Can my student(s) practice?
If you would like to see what a MAP test looks like, please feel free to access a practice test at https://practice.mapnwea.org/#/practice-landing. Both the username and password are grow.
Who takes it?
All students in grades 3-10. Like many schools, we find that on-screen assessments are not as reliable or age appropriate for younger students.
When is it happening?
Grades 6-10: April 10-24
Grades 3-5: April 23-30
How can my child/children prepare?
There is no additional preparation needed. As always, students should get a good sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school with a smile.
Will I get a report?
Yes. We will send home reports later in the Spring.
What do teachers see?
The primary audience for MAP data are teachers who use this information to individualize instruction, anaylze trends, and triangulate with internal assessment.
Our school will host the American Culture Fair on May 18, 2024, from 11am to 2pm, which will include presentations from Education USA on studying in the US, US Consular and Visa Services, and a visit from Consul General Walker. There will also be a range of American cultural activities including delicious food, American sports, and fun activities for children. This event is open to our school community, US citizens living in Nanjing, and those interested in American culture. We are excited to be able to offer this incredible opportunity and hope to see you there. You can sign up for the event by scanning the QR code on the poster below.
NIS Fitness Room Upgrades
We want to thank Patrick Heckelmann for his initiative and hard work in upgrading our fitness room. The upgrades have transformed it into a more inviting and functional space, greatly enhancing the experience for everyone who uses it. Thank you.
To enjoy this space, let's follow these few simple rules:
Gym use rules/Gym Etiquette
NIS Community members access and use only
Access with ID card
NIS Community Members:
Currently enrolled students and their immediate families (parents/ legal guardians/siblings)
Currently employed staff members and their immediate families (partners and children)
Board members and their partners
Students Access:
Grade 9 and below: When supervised by a NIS teacher for PE/Sports only.
Grade 10: Fitness room hours outside of the school day. No lunch access.
Grades 11-12: Fitness room hours.
Please use the changing rooms to leave your bags and jackets
Food is not permitted in the Fitness Room
Appropriate attire is required at all times –
Sport shirt
Indoor-enclosed training shoes
Towel to be carried and used at all times
All equipment to be wiped down immediately after each use - cardio, weight circuit & free weights
All equipment is to be returned to the tree or rack after use
Weights may not be set against the wall, mirror, benches or other equipment
Weights or dumbbells may not be dropped on the floor or benches
Safe practices must be adhered to at all times
Any malfunctioning or damaged equipment should be reported immediately to the reception desk
Please enjoy your workout
CCTV cameras in operation
School Fees Collection Dates
Dear Parents，
Please be informed that Nanjing International School has issued invoices for the 1st Semester (August 2024 - January 2025), Academic Year 2024/2025 on Friday15 March 2024. All parents received an email with the PDF invoice attached and are responsible for fee payment.
A re-enrolment fee of 25,000 RMB per student is required to ensure the applicant’s place in the next grade for 2024/2025 school year, and it must be paid by 15 April 2024. The balance must be paid by the due date 31 May 2024.
The re-enrolment fee will be refunded in full if the Admissions Office receives written notification on or before 6 June 2024 of your intention to leave NIS. The notice must be sent to the following email address: admissions@nanjing-school.com.
After 6 June 2024, the re-enrolment fee 25,000 RMB will not be refunded.
When appropriate, please pass this information to your company's Finance or Human Resources department and arrange for the payment to be made by the due dates.
In order to provide added security, school payment information will contain the link to our banking details (on our website).
After the payment has been settled, PLEASE send the proof of payment to accounts@nanjing-school.com and quote the invoice number on it.
Please contact me if you require further assistance.
To improve our student safety protocols, we are implementing new guidelines around the swimming pool office.
Students (PK-G10) can only visit the office before and after school. All students are advised to stay on the school campus during the day and should not use the glass gates unsupervised. The swimming pool office is located outside of this boundary, so it is only available for a visit before or after school.
When students (PK-G10) have a swimming class, the pool and the pool office can only be entered using the changing rooms. Students can't enter the pool through the aquatics office.
If a student needs to borrow any type of equipment, they first need to go through the changing room, take off their shoes and socks, and come to the office next to the learner pool.
Parents and Grade 11 and 12 students can visit the office during working hours.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Niels Loos
Aquatics Director
NIS Library Information
Our library is currently located upstairs in the cafeteria while the HUB is being built. We have books for babies-adults in English, Chinese, Korean, German, Spanish, and other languages. Parents are welcome to check out up to 10 books in the library from 2-4pm Monday-Friday. All library books can be returned to either the library or to two library carts located to the right of the doors inside the Centre or by the cafeteria.
All PK-5 classes have a library lesson in the classroom once every 8-day cycle, and students also check out books 1-2 times every cycle. Secondary students can check out books before and after school and during break and lunch, as well as when teachers bring classes to the library.
Viral gastroenteritis is common in spring and is contagious,
with symptoms including:
diarrhea
stomach pain
nausea and throwing up
fever, headache and body aches
Prevention/Care
1. Practice proper hand hygiene
Good hygiene is the key to preventing a viral infection. Wash your hands often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
especially after using the toilet
always before eating, preparing, or handling food
alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used in addition to hand washing, but they should not be a substitute for washing with soap and water.
2. Wash fruits and vegetables and cook seafood thoroughly.
3. Don't prepare foods or care for others when you are sick.
4. Clean surfaces regularly with disinfectant.
Exclusion/Reporting
Students with diarrhea and/or vomiting must remain home for at least 24 hours AFTER the symptoms of gastroenteritis have subsided before returning to school.Ellen Zhang
Any NIS community member can come from 7-8am and after 3pm.
From 8am-3pm, the Cafe is open to parents, staff, and Grade 11-12 students.
No outside food allowed.
Payment
Payment methods are cash, Alipay, WeChat, or our Skyways customer card (hard copy or digital). Your school ID card cannot be used as this is connected to AdenEdge, not Skyways.
Please note that AdenEdge remains our main food and beverage provider on campus.
Vidigami: How School Photos are Shared
With more events happening as we approach the end of the year, we've got so many school memories to share! All our amazing photos are for you to view and download in one place: Vidigami.
What can you can do with Vidigami as a parent of an NIS Student?
Vidigami is a safe and secure place to find images of your children and other events that have happened at NIS. As a parent, you have received a welcome email from our system. Through this email, you can create an account. Once you have an account, you can view all the images uploaded to Vidigami.
You can explore Vidigami in two distinct ways.
Scrolling through the Feed
This allows you to see recently uploaded images in reverse chronological order.
You can also like posts and share with other parents at NIS
Clicking on the Explore Tab
In the explore area you can filter by year, category, recently updated or alphabetically.
Either way you choose, you will be able to find some great pictures of your children.
After finding that fantastic shot, you can even download it, to keep! Vidigami is a great place for our community to be more connected with what is happening at NIS.
Tips to make your experience better!
Tag your child/ren
Did you know that you can tag your child in Vidigami? Tagging makes it easier for you to find pictures of your child. Also, the more you tag the better the system will get at tagging your child for you.
Install Vidigami on your phone
Vidigami is a Progressive Web App, so you don’t need to go to the App Store to install it. However, installing the PWA to your phone will make accessing the great photos so much easier.
If you are interested in learning more about Vidigami and the great things you can do with it, please visit this fantastic resource.
About Vidigami and Getting Started
Using Vidigami Training
As always, if you have any questions or need any assistance, please reach out to the IT Support Team. We will be more than happy to assist you!
Thanks for reading
Dr. Shannon H. DoakDirector of Technology
Telecom Fraud Prevention
Defining Telecom Fraud
The crime of telecom fraud refers to the act of using mobile phones, fixed telephones, Internet, and other communication tools to persuade or force the victims to deposit or transfer money to the designated accounts through fabricating facts, or by other remote and contactless means to steal money or property.
Common Types of Telecom Fraud Targeting Foreign Students
Pretending to be your teachers, bosses, friends, etc. They may say they are in urgent need of money and try to borrow money from you.
Pretending to be a customer service staff member of a bank, online store, etc. They will tell you something is wrong with your credit card or bank account and try to get your bank account and PIN/password information.
Pretending to be police officers, prosecutors, judges, etc. They will tell you that you are involved in a crime and ask you to transfer your deposits to a certain “safe account” provided by them.
Pretending to be your “Mr./Ms. Right”. They will contact you under the guise of making friends on social media or dating and ask for money in the form of favors, gifts, etc.
Making you believe you just won the lottery and ask for remittance in tax or service charges.
Pretending to be online shop owners and posting recruitment information online. They will tell you they are recruiting people to buy things in their shops to post fake positive reviews and entice you to pay with your own money first, but you will spend more and more and get nothing in return.
Posting false information online to make loans. They will tell you that they can get you a loan with simple procedures and low interest rates and then ask you for remittance in the name of commission or deposit when you get hooked.
Pretending to be the seller of poor-quality commodities. They will contact you to offer a refund with the excuse that the commodity is of poor quality after obtaining the information of you online transaction and ask you to log into a false website to make transfers in the name of a refund.
Online shopping fraud happens most frequently among foreign students.
How to Prevent Telecom Fraud
Do not trust strangers
Do not share your personal information
Do not transfer money before verification
When you receive a call from 96110 (Anti-Fraud Special Line), please answer it and listen to the staff’s advice patiently to avoid being cheated.
It is particularly worth reminding that many fraudsters will add numbers such as “00” in front in order to imitate the correct number. If such a call is received, it can be identified as a fraudulent call.
Reposted Nanjing City Public Safety Announcement
Nanjing Municipal Public Security Bureau
NIS Operations Team
Primary School Weekly Bulletin | April 19, 2024
Dear Primary Parents,
We began the week with a fabulous celebration of our international diversity on Sunday. Thank you to the PTA and everyone who volunteered and contributed to make International Day such an enjoyable event.
This week we celebrated Earth Week with a series of activities organized by our Student Council. Each day we embraced a different theme and dress code as we reflected on how we can live more sustainably. We hope these small practices, like eating natural food with minimal packaging, reusing materials and “unplugging” will extend beyond Earth Week.
Over the course of the week, our counsellors Ms Sue and Ms Q met with students who arrived this Semester to enjoy a shared breakfast and gather some information on how they have settled into life in NIS. This information helps us better prepare to welcome and support new students.
Our Grade 1 students played a special role this week in the Grade 12s ‘Leavers’ Assembly’. At the beginning of the year, each Grade 1 student was partnered with a Grade 12 buddy. The buddies met regularly throughout the year and in many cases formed close relationships. During the Leavers’ Assembly each Grade 1 student presented their buddy with an NIS pennant and shared a portrait they had painted of them. It was a special moment to see some of our youngest students honoring those on their last official day at NIS.
Next week Ms. Sue and Ms. Q will join our secondary counsellors to present a workshop for families leaving Nanjing at the end of the school year. Planning for transitions is important for families and “leaving well” helps support a smooth transition to the new destination. They will run the workshop immediately after the PTA Coffee morning on Wednesday.
Next Friday all Early Years’ parents are invited to attend our EY Sports Day. Events will begin at 11am in the Green Gym. We look forward to welcoming you. You would have received detailed information from Mr Lee about this event earlier today.
Cycle 4 activities begin on Monday. Please inform your child’s teacher if you know that your child won’t attend their activity on any given day. This helps us know where to send each child at the end of the day and ensure that everyone is safe and accounted for. Activity leaders take attendance each day, and we follow up with a phone call to the parents if a child is unexpectedly absent.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Jacqui Patrick
Primary Principal
Secondary School Weekly Bulletin | April 19, 2024
Dear Secondary families,
The absolute highlight of this week in the Secondary School was our annual Leavers' Assembly on Tuesday. This whole school assembly celebrates the Grade 12 students as they begin their transition towards graduation. The assembly showcases the Grade 12 students for their contributions to the community and the impact they have had on all of us. We also award them with the Global Citizens Diplomas, the recognition of their work and leadership over the previous four years. During this special assembly, we also have the culmination of the buddy relationship; each Grade 12 student has a buddy in Grade 1. Over the course of the year, they have spent time together during advisory blocks, building their relationships. Each Grade 1 student met their Grade 12 buddy on stage during the assembly, said goodbye, and presented them with their NIS Alumni pennants. The Grade 1 buddies also drew special portraits of each of the Grade 12 students which were a special treat for the audience. The Grade 12 students now begin their study leave as they prepare for the IBDP Exams which begin next Wednesday.
The Secondary School also celebrated Earth Week this week, with events from Wednesday until Friday. Service as Action groups each prepared a contribution to the week, whether it was advocacy through interactive exhibitions and presentations for future assemblies, fundraising through the sale of homemade products, or promotion of causes through games and music. These days of activities allow the students to interact with and learn from all the other Service as Action groups across the school.
Next week, we also have two important events. On Tuesday, we will run our annual Secondary Athletics Day. All students from Grades 6-11 will be involved in different aspects of the event. It should be an excellent day to celebrate the athletic achievement of our students and also to have fun and develop relationships through the community games as well. Students will compete in their houses, earning points for their house in our year-long house point competition.
On Wednesday of next week, the PTA will hold its next Parent Coffee. Immediately after the Parent Coffee, the Primary and Secondary counselors will present a workshop on transitions. This talk is appropriate for all parents who are interested in learning about how to navigate the challenging emotions of transitions. Whether you are moving to a new school and country at the end of the year, sending your child to university, or will have a child with friends and classmates leaving, this workshop can help you to prepare and support your children.
Week 29 was a busy week for Athletics. Sport started on Monday with the U19 Badminton team traveling to Wycombe Abbey for the ISNAC Tournament. Our Aces came home with three individual medals, a 1st Place, a 2nd Place, and a 3rd Place. This tournament was great preparation for the ACAMIS Badminton Tournament, held from Thursday to Saturday, here at NIS. Two hundred sixteen players representing twenty-seven schools from all over China descended on our campus for three days of shuttlecock-smashing fun.
Badminton was not the only sport at play. U19 Football took twenty-four athletes to Macao for the ACAMIS Football Orange Division Tournament. Younger athletes were able to showcase their talents as well, with the U12, U15, and U19 combined ISNAC Track & Field Meet at Wycombe Abbey on Friday and Saturday. Busy weekend for our athletes. While Athletics slows down a bit during Week 30, it won’t come to a complete stop. U19 Badminton will finish their season with a friendly at British Columbia Academy, a division of the Nanjing Foreign Language School, and Swim will have their Long Course meet at Shanghai.
Check out all the photos of our sports teams on Vidigami.
Cycle 4 activities will begin on April 22nd and end on June 7th.
Earth Week House Points!
Secondary students shared what they have been working on in their Service Groups. From Dog walking to Workshop Warriors to Crafting for Charity, we have had the opportunity to learn more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In addition to making small purchases, students played games for House Points!
Volunteering
Sign up now on SchoolsBuddy for volunteering opportunities!
All students from Grades 6-10 must complete one volunteering experience per semester. ManageBac will close on June 1st after the Triathlon.
Upcoming Events
As you read these lines, our Robotics team is making their final adjustments to their robots at the ACAMIS Vex Championships in Guangzhou.
We will host a small group of students from BSN for a friendly Speech and Debate event on Thursday the 25th of April.
We are sending a delegation to the SUZMUN Conference. The conference will span 3 days, which will allow for an extended opportunity to craft effective solutions and engage in meaningful discussions. Moreover, the reintroduction of the traditional Crisis Committee will undoubtedly provide a memorable experience filled with dynamic, exciting, and unpredictable scenarios. SUZMUN is an opportunity to engage in fruitful debates, build connections, and leave a lasting imprint on the world.
Finally...our 12th graders will make lasting memories on their graduation trip will take place after the IB exams from May 20th -23rd. Students will go to Qiandaohu where kayaking, cycling, fish printing, and relaxing are on the itinerary. Grade 12 parents will receive a notification from OpenApply to update travel documentation and medical information.
Save the Date!
NISKI Jan 24 – Feb 2
The rooms are booked! Let’s go skiing or snowboarding in Japan! We will return to Madarao Resort in the eastern prefecture of Nagano for a week of fun in the snow. This trip is open to everyone. Ski lessons are included in the price. Secondary school students can attend alone. Primary children must be accompanied by an adult on the trip. Families and teachers are also welcome to join. Prices will be confirmed in March. A group QR code has been published in the NIS Activities WeChat for those who are INTERESTED in shredding or snowploughing the slopes.
NIS Activities Chat
As always, should you have any queries or concerns, we encourage you to contact us via email or Private Message on WeChat. Please do not post in the NIS Activities Chat. Only NIS staff and faculty have permission to post.
If you have specific questions about after-school Student Activities, the Early Years After School program, Discover China, Service, CAS, volunteering, GCD - please contact annayuen@nanjing-school.com.
We will be more than happy to assist you and provide the necessary information or support. Your communication is important to us, and we want to ensure that all your questions are addressed promptly and effectively.
Community Activities
Gentle Reminders:
There are still payments open for Community Activities you and your child signed up for. Please check and pay at the school cashier as soon as possible. CASH ONLY.
CASHIER OPENING HOURS:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 8:00-11:30 & 12:30-16:00
What a wonderful weekend at the SSL Championships 2024. In the swimming pool of SAS Pudong, our Lions swam many personal bests, which resulted in one silver medal and one golden medal and one school record. Apart from those highlights, many swimmers and relay teams finished in the top 8, gaining a well-deserved ribbon.
This event concludes 5 SSL swim competitions from October to April, and we are super proud of all our Lions who have participated consistently.
What’s left? More than you might think. With a development swim meet at BSN, the Rocket Science long course in Shanghai, the final NIS series 4, and the ISNAC Summer Sizzler at NIS, we still have 4 swim meets to go.
On top of that, the organization of the NIS Triathlon is well underway now. So, make sure your child can participate and enjoy this unique event on June 1, 2024!
The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) welcomes, connects and supports parents/guardians, teachers/staff and students at NIS in the spirit of promoting a collaborative and inclusive school community.
Weekly Bulletin: IT News & Tech Tips | April 19, 2024
Embracing AI in Education: NIS's Journey Towards Future-Ready Learning
Dear NIS Families,
As we navigate through the rapidly evolving landscape of education technology, it's imperative that we remain at the forefront of advancements that can enrich our teaching and learning environments. I am thrilled to share the strides we've made in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our curriculum, ensuring our students are prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
In our ongoing commitment to embrace innovative teaching methods, we've introduced regular professional development sessions known as Lunch Bytes. These sessions are designed to empower our educators with the knowledge and tools to integrate AI seamlessly into their classrooms. A focal point of our recent sessions has been MagicStudent, the latest feature from Magic School AI, a platform dedicated to enhancing educational experiences through AI.
This week, we dove deep into the newest features MagicStudent has to offer. Beyond just exploring these advancements, some of our pioneering teachers shared their experiences and successes in utilizing Magic Student within their classrooms. These stories of practical application are not just inspiring; they're a testament to the potential AI holds in transforming the way we teach and learn.
Integrating AI into our curriculum is more than just adopting new technology; it's about preparing our students with the skills and mindset to thrive in an AI-infused world. Through platforms like MagicStudent, we're able to provide personalized learning experiences, foster critical thinking, and encourage creative problem-solving.
Our journey with AI is just beginning, and we're excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. For those interested in learning more about our initiatives and how we're integrating AI into our educational practices, I encourage you to visit our dedicated AI in Education page on our website: https://www.nischina.org/how-we-learn/edtech/ai.
Together, we're not just teaching our students about the world as it is today; we're preparing them to shape the world of tomorrow. Thank you for your continued support and engagement as we embrace this transformative journey.
Thanks for reading.
Dr. Shannon H. Doak
Director of Technology at NIS
Vidigami: How School Photos are Shared
As many of you are aware, NIS has a fantastic platform for sharing media with our community. This platform is called Vidigami. I wanted to take some time to outline some of the great things you can do with Vidigami as a parent of an NIS Student.
Vidigami is a safe and secure place to find images of your children and other events that have happened at NIS. As a parent, you have received a welcome email from our system. Through this email, you can create an account. Once you have an account, you can view all the images uploaded to Vidigami.
You can explore Vidigami in two distinct ways.
Scrolling through the Feed
This allows you to see recently uploaded images in reverse chronological order.
You can also like posts and share with other parents at NIS
Clicking on the Explore Tab
In the explore area you can filter by year, category, recently updated or alphabetically.
Either way you choose, you will be able to find some great pictures of your children.
After finding that fantastic shot, you can even download it, to keep! Vidigami is a great place for our community to be more connected with what is happening at NIS.
Tips to make your experience better!
Tag your child/ren
Did you know that you can tag your child in Vidigami. Tagging makes it easier for you to find pictures of your child. Also, the more you tag the better the system will get at tagging your child for you.
Install Vidigami on your phone
Vidigami is a Progressive Web App, so you don’t need to go to the App Store to install it. However, installing the PWA to your phone will make accessing the great photos so much easier.
If you are interested in learning more about Vidigami and the great things you can do with it, please visit this fantastic resource.
As always, if you have any questions or need any assistance, please reach out to the IT Support Team. We will be more than happy to assist you!
Thanks for reading.
Dr. Shannon H. Doak
Director of Technology
Building a Caring Community – IT News and Tech Tips
Often, when parents are struggling with their child/ren’s use of technology they feel frustrated, lost, and discouraged. These are normal emotions because being a parent in the digital age is not easy. One of the first things many parents want to do is to control the situation. I have been approached many times by parents asking me to suggest some parental controls that will enable them to restrict usage. I normally don’t take this approach as I will explain below.
First, blocking and restricting is not really the option I suggest. The reason for this is that usually, this will set up an, us against them type of environment between the parent and the child around technology use. Also, children and teens often find ways around the restrictions and the unwanted behavior goes underground. Basically, the behavior doesn't change, and they begin doing it while also hiding the fact that they are doing it and lying about it.
What I do suggest is the creation of a family media agreement and technology contract. These help to create a healthy media diet balance in the household. According to Common Sense Media, "A healthy media diet balances three things: what kids do, how much time they spend doing it, and whether their content choices are age-appropriate. Mixing media and tech time with other activities will help families find that happy medium. Family Media Agreements and Device Contracts set realistic rules that make sense for your family so you and your kids can make the most out of media and tech time." The following links are some of the best available.
The NIS IT Department would like to welcome you to another new school year at NIS!
We realize starting a new year can be stressful, especially if your technology isn’t working for you or your children. We wanted to let you know, you are not alone, we are here to assist you! If you are having problems with technology, we have several ways that you can get support.
Present: Angela Romero, AR; Bram van Nunen, BvN; Julia Güsten, JG; Laurie McLellan, LM; Lingyun Gu, LG; Raúl Ramos Castrillo, RR; Tommy Cheung, TC; Simon Song, SS; Verena Hoehne, VH
NVBP: Mi Sun Kim, MSK
Invitees: Kasson Bratton, KB; Sara Morrow, SM; Jacqui Patrick, JP
Minutes: Angela Romero, AR
Status of Agenda Item:
For Action by Board = ACT
For Agreement by Consent = CNS
For Information Only = FIO
Time: 6:30pm
Location: H303 Board Room, NIS
Agenda Item
Discussion/Conclusions
Action + Person(s) Responsible
1. English Language Use and Development at NIS
JP and SM presented an overview of language use and development at NIS, including both English and mother tongue usage. NIS uses planned, intentional, research informed language practices to create access for all students to thrive academically.
FIO
2. JEDI Scenario discussion
VH shared information on the Speak Up initiative at NIS, which helps students become more intentional with their words and actions to others.
FIO
3. Director’s Report
LM presented the report.
FIO
4. Governance Minutes
-March 25, 2024
BN presented the minutes.
The Board will hold the election process as planned. The deadline for interested members of the community to apply is April 10.
An Action Plan has been created to address the recommendations from the Accreditation process which is structured around NIS’s strategic topics. Actions directly related to the Board were discussed.
FIO
FIO
FIO
5. Future Meeting Dates
Finance: May 28, 2024, at 6:30pm
Governance: May 2, 2024, at 8am
Board: May 23, 2024 at 6:30pm
Board Training:May 17 & 18, 2024
Board Meeting & Dinner: May 30, 2024
FIO
6. Meeting Reflection
Members reflected positively about the meeting.
FIO
Minute Taker’s Name: Angela Romero, AR
Learn More About the NIS Board
Our Board is a mixture of parents, staff and members of the NIS community. The Board is responsible for policy decisions and decisions at a strategic level, following NIS's mission and founding principles to ensure the smooth administration of our school. Learn more about our school governance here.
Weekly Bulletin: Events | April 19, 2024
ACAMIS Badminton@NIS
April 18-20, Blue & Green Gyms
PTA Parent Coffee Morning
Wednesday, April 24th 8:30am in Skyways@TheCentre
Child Protection Workshop
Monday, April 29th 8:15am in Skyways@TheCentre
ISTA Theatre Festival
May 10-12
Pfrang Gala 2024
Saturday, May 11 6:30pm at the Kempinski Hotel Nanjing
Jiangsu American Culture Fair
Saturday, May 18 11am-2pm at NIS
Our school will host the American Culture Fair on May 18, 2024, from 11am to 2pm, which will include presentations from Education USA on studying in the US, US Consular and Visa Services, and a visit from Consul General Walker. There will also be a range of American cultural activities including delicious food, American sports, and fun activities for children. This event is open to our school community, US citizens living in Nanjing, and those interested in American culture. We are excited to be able to offer this incredible opportunity and hope to see you there. You can sign up for the event by scanning the QR code on the poster below.
