Aug 31 2010

smcvean

URGENT:School Closure

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Dear SAS Parents:

The Shanghai Education Commission has requested that all schools, Chinese and international, be closed

because of the possibility of a typhoon.

Accordingly,

Shanghai American School will be CLOSED tomorrow, Wednesday, September 1.

Please visit the SAS website, www.saschina.org, for more information.

Sincerely,

Kerry Jacobson, Ph.D.
Superintendent

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Aug 30 2010

smcvean

Important News

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Dear SAS Pudong-campus Parents:

Beginning Friday, October 1, only vehicles bearing an SAS Vehicle Pass will be allowed to proceed to campus from the Shanghai Links gate. Vehicles without the pass will have to register with the Links gate guard to gain entrance.

If you or a driver will be transporting children to the Pudong campus, your vehicle will need to be registered. Please click here ( http://gallery.mailchimp.com/1e2c001e7323bba58b5fbf241/files/SAS_2010_Vehicle_Pass_Application.1.pdf ) to download the SAS Vehicle-Pass Application Form. When completed, it may be scanned and e-mailed to security@saschina.org, or given to a guard at the school’s main gate. (Forms are also available at the main gate.) Note especially the Driving Rules listed on the application. By signing the form, you are pledging to honor them.

Your vehicle pass will be available at the school’s main gate one week from the date you submit your application.

Thank you for supporting our efforts to maintain a safe, secure campus.

Sincerely,

SUPPORT SERVICES OFFICE

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Aug 27 2010

smcvean

Child Protection Policy

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Dear SAS Parents:

The Shanghai American School Board of Directors, in keeping with the SAS core values and vision statements, has adopted a Child Protection Policy to guide our staff and families in matters related to the health, safety and care of children in attendance at our school. This policy is so important to SAS that, as your superintendent, I am required to send this letter to parents at the beginning of each school year reminding our community about this truly critical issue.

The SAS Child Protection Policy is based on international law and on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of which China is a signatory. The two key articles we wish to draw your attention to are:

Article 19 – Protection from abuse and neglect
The State shall protect the child from all forms of maltreatment by parents or others responsible for the care of the child and establish appropriate social programs for the prevention of abuse and the treatment of victims.

Article 34 – Sexual exploitation
The State shall protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse, including prostitution and involvement in pornography.

By enrolling your child at SAS, you agree to work in partnership with the school and abide by the policies adopted by the SAS Board. All of us at SAS want you to know that we genuinely value our partnership with you in providing for the safety and care of your children. It is for this reason that Shanghai American School has endorsed a Child Protection Policy that defines the standards by which all SAS students should be treated with respect and dignity at all times.

The SAS Child Protection Policy:
As part of our overall educational programs and specific to our shared responsibility to educate children, to protect them, and to learn and grow in a safe environment, SAS will:

  1. Provide age appropriate lessons for all grade levels to help students understand personal safety, needs and rights.

  2. Provide parent materials and information sessions to help you better understand our programs and policy.

  3. Annually train faculty to recognize and report issues of abuse and neglect.

We will work together with you to ensure that our children are safe at school and are knowledgeable about their rights and responsibilities to themselves and to each other so that they can grow and learn free of fear in a safe and supportive environment. I thank you for your support of our efforts and invite you to contact your school counselor or principal regarding any specific questions you may have.

Sincerely,
Kerry Jacobson, Ph.D.
Superintendent


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Aug 27 2010

smcvean

Lunch with Jane Goodall…

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As a part of the M Literary Festival, Jane Goodall will be speaking and signing books over a very intimate lunch. Seating is limited to 60 people and we thought that this would be a nice invite to share with your parent groups. General ticket sales are going to be handled through M on the Bund. In order to reserve a seat and get a ticket now, please convey that we can assist with reservations and ticket sales before September 3, 2010. RSVP to Whitney Yang – events@jgi-shanghai.org


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Aug 27 2010

smcvean

Welcome Back Fall BBQ

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Welcome Back Fall BBQ

Save the Date:
Saturday, September 18th
SAS, Pudong Campus
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

To all Pudong and Puxi SAS Families,

The Pudong PTSAwould like to invite you to the annual Welcome Back Fall BBQ in order to meet our new families and to welcome back our returning families.  This is one of the largest Pudong PTSA events and all the proceeds fund our extensive list of student activities and social events throughout the entire school year.

The Fall BBQ is a full day of fun for the entire family including international food tables from our own SAS community, games, entertainment and free giveaways from several of our sponsors.  We will also have between 50 – 70 different vendors for you to shop.

A very enthusiastic BBQ Committee is working hard to provide a wonderful day for all of us.  We are still looking for volunteers to helpwith a variety of different tasks i.e. tickets sales, games, emceeing a contest, and even entertainment.  This year the SAS Community is going to provide all the entertainment… so if you have talent we want to know about it i.e. magicians, jugglers, musicianetc.  Also if you canhelp facilitate or organize a GuitarHeroor karaoke set-up, we need your help.  If you are interested please contact monica_omara@yahoo.com or 15000220072.

Over 1,200 people are expected to come to the BBQ so we encourage you to buy your tickets now!  You may purchase adult meal tickets at 100 RMB, child meal tickets (5th grade or younger) at 75 RMB and a block of 10 game tickets for 100 RMB.  If you pre-order before September 8th you will receive 5 extra tickets for each block of game tickets ordered.

At the Pudong campus ticket pre-order envelopes were sent home last Friday with your youngest child.  Please return completed order forms to your child’s teacher or to the Elementary, Middle or High School offices. Pre-orders will be held at the school for you to pick up at the front gate on Saturday, September 18th.  If you did not receive an envelope please place your money in a white envelope labeled BBQ and the number of meals and game tickets you want.  All ticket orders are non-refundable and please provide the correct amount of money, any additional funds will be considered a donation.

The BBQ is a wonderful opportunity to make new friends. Please join us for a fantastic day for the whole family with food, shopping, games and entertainment!   

In order to provide for the health, safety and well -being of our community, we ask that you please do not bring pets.

Thank you,

The BBQ Committee
SAS-Pudong PTSA

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Aug 24 2010

smcvean

Pudong ES Open House, Sept. 8 5:00-8:00

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Elementary Open House For Parents

September 8, 2010

Second & Third Grade Presentations 5:00-6:00

Fourth and Fifth Grade 6:00-7:00

Pre-K and K & 1st Grade Presentations 7:00-8:00

Presentations:

All grade level presentations will begin in the Elementary School library for specialist teacher introductions; introductions will be followed by grade level curriculum presentations and then end with time for families to explore their child’s classroom and talk with teachers.

Dinner & Transportation:

The Food Court will be open from 5:00-7:00 for parents to purchase a light dinner or snack.  Your attendance is supported through optional transportation from Starbucks in Jingqiao.  Buses will depart at 4:15 and return to Starbucks at 8:15.  Secretaries will be available to call taxis for families as well.

What to Expect:

Elementary teachers are looking forward to sharing with you the details of how your children spend their day at SAS, the curriculum that is delivered as well as an opportunity to explore the classroom and instructional materials.  Your attendance is very important.  Presentations are intended for an adult audience, due to time and space restraints, we kindly request that your children enjoy an evening at home.

We all look forward to personally welcoming you to our wonderful school,

Sacha McVean & Jason Robinson

One response so far

Aug 22 2010

smcvean

Please Join Us…

Filed under Uncategorized

August 26

For a PTSA Parent Information Fair starting at 8:00am followed by a PTSA General Meeting at 9:00 in the Library Lecture Hall

August 30

Korean Parents Coffee will
take place from 10:00am-11:30am at the Lecture Hall

September 1

For a Parent Information Evening hosted by Kerry Jacobson 7-9pm

Location: Big Bamboo
Address: 381 Hong Feng Lu  in Jin Qiao – near Biyun Lu

September 8,  5:00-8:00

Elementary School Open House

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Aug 19 2010

smcvean

Stay Healthy!

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Dear SAS Community Members:
In the interest of the safety of our school community, and in compliance with the local government, we continue to keep track of any illness in our school population. This effort is driven by our concern for the health of our students and their families, but also by our desire to remain in compliance with local government mandates on reporting and monitoring.
We have been directed to apply the standard of 37.5C as a threshold for fevers. Students, faculty, staff members or visitors to our campus found to have a fever at or above this level will not be allowed entrance to the school. After notifying a parent or guardian, students will be sent home. If symptoms warrant, community members who visit a school nurse will have their temperature taken.
Additionally, we ask that you inform us as soon as you know that your child will be out of school for the day for any reason. Please call your school’s secretary by 9:00 a.m. to declare the absence and state the reason for it. If owing to illness, include a quick description of symptoms — for example: fever or no fever, flu-like symptoms, stomach cramps, broken leg, etc. If you get the school’s answering machine, please leave a loud and clear message.
Be assured SAS gives no personal medical information to government officials. The school reports to the government only numerical counts of faculty, staff and students who have diagnosed flu symptoms and fevers above the threshold level.
The Use of Fever-Reducing Medication
In past communiqués, we have repeatedly asked that you not send children to school after giving them any sort of fever-reducing medication. Though children dosed with Tylenol, Panadol, ibuprofen or other fever-reducing medications may have a lower fever and feel better, they are still potentially contagious to others. Ultimately, the fever will reappear during the school day, making it necessary for the child to be quarantined until transportation can be arranged.
We are discovering many students with a mid-day fever, and they tell us they took an analgesic before coming to school to “avoid” a fever. Please do not send your children to school if they are feeling ill — and especially if they feel bad enough to require an analgesic or fever-reducing medication.
REMEMBER – THE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS TO AVOID THE FLU ARE:
Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.
Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue, and immediately throw the tissue away in a proper receptacle. (Alternatively, cough or sneeze into the inside of an elbow.)
The Responsibilities of SAS Community Members:
Assess all family members for flu-like symptoms each morning. Especially, check temperatures before children leave home for school. Do not administer fever-reducing medication before sending children to school.
Keep children home if they have flu-like symptoms. Flu-like symptoms include fever (37.5C/99.5F or higher) with runny/stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, body aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Notify your child’s teacher if the absence is owing to flu-like symptoms.
Phone your child’s division office and update your contact information with the school if there has been any change.
Be prepared to pick children up from school as soon as possible if notified by a school nurse or other school personnel.
Check with your doctor about any special care needed for household members who may be at higher risk for complications from flu. This includes children under the age of 5 years, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as pulmonary disease, including asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders or heart disease), and people age 65 years and older.
Educate and encourage children to cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Urge them to cover coughs or sneezes using an elbow instead of the hands when a tissue is not available.
Educate and encourage children to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing.
Be a good role model by practicing good hand hygiene and covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
Develop a contingency plan for in-house child care in the event of a school closure of up to seven days or an early dismissal from school.
Thank you for your support of these important public-health measures. As always, please feel free to contact the school nurse for further information.
Sincerely,
Kerry Jacobson, Ph.D.
Superintendent

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Aug 16 2010

smcvean

A Message from the Superintendent

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The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has determined that a special visit to SAS is in order to clarify several operational issues, particularly those related to the school’s adherence to WASC’s Governance Criterion for accreditation.  In order to be accredited by our organization, schools must develop best practices in governance and consistently adhere to the policies they establish.

The Governance Criterion also includes an expectation that governing bodies will “delegate implementation of policies established by the Board to the school’s professional staff.” Confusion about those lines of responsibility is consistently at the root of long-term issues that can disrupt the healthy functioning of schools.

WASC desires to review the relationship between the SAS Board and the school’s administration and faculty. The school’s accreditation status will be reconsidered in light of several governance-related issues that have been brought to our attention by members of the school community.  Nonetheless, we are optimistic that, through our review, we can help SAS develop even stronger policies and relationships that will sustain its reputation of excellence as an International School.

During our two-day visit, we will be meeting with a number of invited school community members.  Individuals not included in those meetings who wish to participate are encouraged to submit written comments directly to WASC (dbrown@acswasc.org), or to Kerry Jacobson (kerry.jacobson@saschina.org).  We will appreciate having contact information from those submitting comments in the event we should wish to seek follow-up and/or clarification of concerns and perceptions submitted.

We are confident we will together find solutions that will protect the school’s accreditation status, enable higher levels of collaboration, and ultimately ensure the continued quality of learning for every student at SAS.

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Aug 13 2010

smcvean

Swim Try Out Announcement

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Swimming Team try-outs for elementary students in Grade 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be held on Monday, August 23rd and Tuesday, August 24th at 3:15pm sharp.  Swimmers need to attend both days because we will not finish testing out the students in one day.  We will be finished by 4:15pm so students can take the 4:30pm bus home.
All students should be at the Aquatic Center with their bathing suits, caps, goggles and towels ready to compete at 3:15pm.  Parents are more than welcome to watch their children from the Viewing Gallery.  No parents are allowed on the pool deck or in the locker rooms.  As we are trying to make the swimmers responsible competitors, please help us in this.
Swimmers trying out must swim all four strokes proficiently.  This is not a learn to swim program but a competitive program.  If your child does make the team, they are expected to train twice a week all year long, attend all Shanghai local meets as well as one international meet.
Parents, please make sure that your children know which bus to take home after the tryouts (contact YAEP if you are unsure).
And finally, though swimming is a lifelong skill and for everyone, competitive swimming is not.  Make sure your child is interested in trying out for the team and not something you as a parent want.  They might find it discouraging if they do not make the team.  Talk to them to avoid disappointment.
Parents, please do not contact your classrom teacher for any swim team try out information, contact me personally (George Carpouzis, Aquatics Director):  george.carpouzis@saschina.org
George Carpouzis
Aquatics Director
Shanghai American School
Pudong Campus

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