SAS Pudong – High School

The Pudong High School Semester II Final Exam Schedule for Grades 9-11 is now posted in the column on the right hand side of this blog, entitled  SAS PD HS Semester 2 Final Exam Guide & Schedule June 2012 .  Some reminders for students and parents as exams approach:

1)  Students should be sure to arrive at school on exam days with a nourishing breakfast in their stomach to fuel those brain cells!

2)  Students should get a full eight hours of sleep the night before an exam.  The adolescent brain cannot work well when short on sleep.  This might work for tests that are simple recall of facts, but today’s exams are a mixture of facts and application of knowledge to new situations – and this analysis takes more brainpower!  A tired brain is not much use to anyone, regardless of how much they studied!

3)  Students should begin to prepare for exams by reviewing at least a week ahead.  Once Grade 9 and 10 students come back from China Alive they will have a full week and a half to prepare.  Teachers will be reviewing in class, and students should review at home.

4)  Please read the notes on the document about lunch, transportation, and exam conflicts.  Note that the only excused reason for not taking an exam is a family emergency or sickness.  Any sickness must be authenticated with a note from a doctor saying that the student should not attend school or take exams.  Note that makeup exams can sometimes be more challenging than the normally administered exam.

J. Borden

HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS DAY:  This Friday, May 18, in the high school gym; 1:30. High school students will be recognized in a variety of subject areas, in extracurriculars, and with some special awards as well.  Our Senior Valedictorian and Salutatorian will be announced.  This is the last in school event for our Seniors before Graduation on Sunday, May 27.  Parents are welcome to join us as we celebrate the many achievements of our students.

Our Awards program at SAS Pudong does not simply recognize academic excellence or earning the top grade in a particular category, but rather their effort, improvement, enthusiasm, or interest as we focus on students not only achieving success academically but also in exemplifying our SAS EAGLE qualities.

SAS BOARD ELECTION: Thank you for being involved in the SAS Board election.  The overall voting percentage was 45%, which is higher than in the past.  We have a strong Board to lead our school in the next few years.  Congratulations to candidates Raymond Chang, Candace Cooper, Jay Dong, and Adam Juszynski on their election.  Candace, Jay, and Adam are all Pudong High School parents.

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES: College acceptances are just about complete, and we have a very impressive list of institutions at which our students will attend next year (see May 7 list just below this blog posting).  On Monday I will post a document on the right hand side of this blog; keep watch on that list for updates.  Congratulations to all our grads!

FINAL EXAMS:  JUNE 4 – 11:  Note that students are not eligible to take final exams early or late, but must take exams during their assigned times.  Make up or early exams will not be allowed.

ATTENTION PARENTS OF SENIORS: Graduation tickets are now available for pickup from the high school office. Each Senior are allotted 5 tickets for family members. Students not needing that number should turn them in to the office, or give to friends who do need them. Students who need more than that number should ask friends who may have extras. In addition to tickets, each Senior receives Graduation Announcements. These are not tickets and will not provide entrance to the ceremony. Use these to send to special relatives or friends to recognize and celebrate your child’s graduation. (this is a U.S tradition).

A reception will follow the ceremony in the Atrium of the Portman, ending around 1:30. We will have a professional photographer for still pictures, and also a video team. Privately hired videographers will not be allowed to stand, be in the aisles, or be on the stage – each Senior will receive a free DVD of the graduation; please do not hire a videographer. The reception will mark the end of high school responsibilities for our Seniors. We hope that you will enjoy a family lunch with your graduate that day! There are many good restaurants in the neighborhood.

Many seniors have not yet picked up their tickets, announcements, or signout sheet.  Please encourage your son or daughter to get this taken care of!

IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS: All Grade 12 parents have been sent an email outlining the important dates coming up for Seniors in the coming weeks and months, as we move closer to Graduation. In addition, I met with all Seniors to review these dates and responsibilities.

Please mark your calendars:

AP Exams: May 7-18 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

IB Exams: May 2 – 22 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

May 14-23: Senior Final Semester Exams/Assessments for non-IB/AP courses. Scheduled by the instructor.

May 18: This is a special day at school for seniors. Dedication of the Centennial Class Gift to the School – a beautiful stone eagle that will be placed in the school entrance area. The burial of a time capule is also planned. Yearbooks will be distributed to Seniors, and the PTSA will host them at a special Senior Barbecue. Finally, they will participate in the High School Awards Ceremony. A dance performance follows, as does Season III Awards Night.  Except for Seniors who have exams the next week, which is very few, all seniors should have completed their signout procedure and submitted their signout sheet by May 18 at the latest. However, this process will take more than one day to complete, so studends should NOT wait until the 18^th to begin this process. All books and materials must be returned by that time, and all financial obligations taken care of. All Seniors must complete the signout procedure to receive their transcript.

May 24: Absolutely the Last Day for Senior Signouts. Only Seniors who have late exams should complete signing out on that day.

May 25: Senior Picnic at Century Park. This is a school-sponsored activity.

May 26: Graduation Rehearsal, 9:30 – 12:30, Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu.  Students are responsible to arrive on their own by 9:15am at the Atrium of the Portman Grand Theater.  No school transportation provided.

May 27: Graduation, 10:00 – noon, with reception following. Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu.

These are the ONLY school-sponsored activities for Seniors. No other parties, gatherings, or trips are planned or sponsored by the school for Seniors.

SUMMER ALREADY??? Once again SAS will offer a Summer School programs from June 18 to July 20 on our Puxi Campus for students who will be spending the summer in Shanghai. For information, check out www.saschina.org/summerprogram. For questions contact Jeff Thompson, Summer Program Director at 6221 1445 *2254

CAN’T STOP THE BEAT! Final dance performance of the year, featuring ES, MS, and HS dancers – with A Chorus Line opening and Finale including the cast of over 100 dancers.  Thursday and Friday, May 17 and 18, 2012. 3:30 pm  (1hour and 20 min. show) – No charge.  SAS Pudong Auditorium

COMING UP ON THE CALENDAR:

May 17-18:  Final Dance performance; Can’t Stop the Beat!  (see notice above)

May 18: Senior Yearbook distribution; 10:30. Senior Barbecue; 11:30

May 18: Awards Day Program for High School; 1:30. All parents welcome!

May 21-25: China Alive for Grades 9 – 10

May 24: (Absolute) Last day for Senior signout.

May 25: Senior Picnic

May 26: Graduation Practice for Seniors

May 27: Graduation; 10:00am to 1:30pm

June 2: SAT

June 4 – 11: Final Exams for Grades 9-11

June 11: Grade 9-11 students meet all teachers; this is a MUST day for attendance. Students will complete signout procedures; students will not receive final report cards unless they have signed out properly.

June 12: Last day of school; half day Wednesday,

August 15: First Day of School! Enjoy your week! Jonathan Borden SAS Pudong High School Principal

Have a good week!

Jonathan Borden

SAS PUDONG HIGH SCHOOL 2012 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES AS OF MAY 7, 2012

Below are the college acceptances to date of our graduating seniors.  We expect a few more in the next weeks.  If your son or daughter’s acceptances are not reflected below, please ask them to update their Naviance account.

Congratulations to all our graduates!

IS YOUR CHILD TAKING AN AP EXAM? All students who take AP courses are required to take AP exams. Note that for each AP exam students are allowed the Calendar Day immediately preceding the exam as a study day and are not required to come to school. Note that the “study day” for a Monday exam is the preceding weekend; they are not allowed to stay home on Friday to study. On the day of the exam, they may come to school and go home on the bus or according to their own schedule. Many teachers will be holding optional study review sessions, however. AP classes begin the day immediately following the exam, following our regular A/B Day schedule.

SAS BOARD ELECTION: Remember to get the 2012 SAS Board of Directors election voter’s packet from your youngest child and then mail in or drop off your ballots. All ballots must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9. Ballot boxes are located in each division office, the Pudong Admission office, and the Puxi Central Administration Building. If you did not receive a packet or your packet is incomplete, lost or damaged, please contact Kim Lange at kim.lange@saschina.org or 6221-1445, ext. 2255 to receive a replacement. Contact Kim also if you have questions about the election process or policies. Candidate profiles and Q&A’s can be found by logging in to the PowerSchool parent portal at http://powerschool.saschina.org/public and clicking on “SAS Board Page” at the top. We have already received many ballots in our high school office box. Please check with your son or daughter to submit your ballot; we remind students every morning, but kids are busy and do forget. Make sure your vote counts!

SAS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: We warmly invite you to attend the Annual General Meeting of Shanghai American School on Thursday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at: The offices of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu 5th Floor of The Bund Center (connected to the Westin Hotel) 222 Yanan East Road Parking is available in the underground garage, accessible from both Guangdong Road and Henan Road. Please enter the Bund Center’s ground-floor lobby and go to the reception desk to receive a security pass. Meeting topics will include remarks from the Board chair, School Board election results, financial reports, and reports from the superintendent and deputy superintendents. A reception will follow the meeting at a location to be determined. Details of this event will be sent in a separate e-mail.

CHINA ALIVE PAYMENT: Final payment was due to our Pudong Cashier by Friday, May 4 (this is extended from the earlier date of April 23).

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES: College acceptances have been rolling in on schedule, with most students getting into their first or second choice institutions. (see list on a previous blog entry) Keep watching for more good news.

FINAL EXAMS:  JUNE 4 – 11:  Note that students are not eligible to take final exams early or late, but must take exams during their assigned times.  Make up or early exams will not be allowed.

ATTENTION PARENTS OF SENIORS: Graduation tickets are now available for pickup from the high school office. Each Senior will be allotted 5 tickets for family members. Students not needing that number should turn them in to the office, or give to friends who do need them. Students who need more than that number should ask friends who may have extras. In addition to tickets, each Senior receives Graduation Announcements. These are not tickets and will not provide entrance to the ceremony. Use these to send to special relatives or friends to recognize and celebrate your child’s graduation. (this is a U.S tradition).

A reception will follow the ceremony in the Atrium of the Portman, ending around 1:30. We will have a professional photographer for still pictures, and also a video team. Privately hired videographers will not be allowed to stand, be in the aisles, or be on the stage – each Senior will receive a free DVD of the graduation; please do not hire a videographer. The reception will mark the end of high school responsibilities for our Seniors. We hope that you will enjoy a family lunch with your graduate that day! There are many good restaurants in the neighborhood.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS: All Grade 12 parents have been sent an email outlining the important dates coming up for Seniors in the coming weeks and months, as we move closer to Graduation. In addition, I met with all Seniors to review these dates and responsibilities.

Please mark your calendars:

AP Exams: May 7-18 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

IB Exams: May 2 – 22 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

May 14-23: Senior Final Semester Exams/Assessments for non-IB/AP courses. Scheduled by the instructor.

May 18: This is a special day at school for seniors. Dedication of the Centennial Class Gift to the School – a beautiful stone eagle that will be placed in the school entrance area. The burial of a time capule is also planned. Yearbooks will be distributed to Seniors, and the PTSA will host them at a special Senior Barbecue. Finally, they will participate in the High School Awards Ceremony. A dance performance follows, as does Season III Awards Night.

May 24: Absolutely the Last Day for Senior Signouts. All books and materials must be returned by that time, and all financial obligations taken care of. All Seniors must complete the signout procedure to receive their transcript.

May 25: Senior Picnic at Century Park. This is a school-sponsored activity.

May 26: Graduation Rehearsal, 9:30 – 12:30, Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu.  Students are responsible to arrive on their own by 9:15am at the Atrium of the Portman Grand Theater.  No school transportation provided.

May 27: Graduation, 10:00 – noon, with reception following. Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu.

These are the ONLY school-sponsored activities for Seniors. No other parties, gatherings, or trips are planned or sponsored by the school for Seniors.

SUMMER ALREADY??? Once again SAS will offer a Summer School programs from June 18 to July 20 on our Puxi Campus for students who will be spending the summer in Shanghai. For information, check out www.saschina.org/summerprogram. For questions contact Jeff Thompson, Summer Program Director at 6221 1445 *2254

COMING UP ON THE CALENDAR:

May 7: AP Exams begin

May 10: SAS Annual General Meeting. (SEE ABOVE)

May 18: Senior Yearbook distribution; 10:30. Senior Barbecue; 11:30 May 18: Awards Day Program for High School; 1:30. All parents welcome!

May 21-25: China Alive for Grades 9 – 10

May 24: (Absolute) Last day for Senior signout

May 25: Senior Picnic

May 26: Graduation Practice for Seniors

May 27: Graduation; 10:00am to 1:30pm

June 2: SAT

June 4 – 11: Final Exams for Grades 9-11

June 11: Grade 9-11 students meet all teachers; this is a MUST day for attendance. Students will complete signout procedures; students will not receive final report cards unless they have signed out properly.

June 12: Last day of school; half day Wednesday,

August 15: First Day of School! Enjoy your week! Jonathan Borden SAS Pudong High School Principal

Have a good week!

Jonathan Borden

IS YOUR CHILD TAKING AN AP EXAM? All students who take AP courses are required to take AP exams.  Note that for each AP exam students are allowed the Calendar Day immediately preceding the exam as a study day and are not required to come to school.  Note that the “study day” for a Monday exam is the preceding weekend; they are not allowed to stay home on Friday to study.  On the day of the exam, they may come to school and go home on the bus or according to their own schedule.  Many teachers will be holding optional study review sessions, however.  AP classes begin the day immediately following the exam, following our regular A/B Day schedule.

SAS BOARD ELECTION: Remember to get the 2012 SAS Board of Directors election voter’s packet from your youngest child and then mail in or drop off your ballots.  All ballots must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9.  Ballot boxes are located in each division office, the Pudong Admission office, and the Puxi Central Administration Building.

If you did not receive a packet or your packet is incomplete, lost or damaged, please contact Kim Lange at kim.lange@saschina.org or 6221-1445, ext. 2255 to receive a replacement.  Contact Kim also if you have questions about the election process or policies.

Candidate profiles and Q&A’s can be found by logging in to the PowerSchool parent portal at http://powerschool.saschina.org/public and clicking on “SAS Board Page” at the top.

ALUMNI LECTURES LAST WEEK! On April 23 thirteen former alumni were on the Pudong campus, mostly from the graduating classes of 1948 and 1949 – but one from the Class of 1933! The assembly was highlighted by a presentation by Stapleton Roy, who attended SAS for a short time just before the Communist takeover of Shanghai in 1949, and later was U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Singapore, and China.  Mr. Roy held our 589 high schoolers spellbound with his talk about his life as an SAS students in a city under siege, as well as stories from his 45-year long career in the foreign service, working under nine U.S. Presidents.  A group of students talked with Mr. Roy until long after the assembly was completed, asking about overseas careers in government work.  Former superintendent Tony Horton, who was very instrumental in getting SAS Pudong High School approved and organized, also attended.  Dr. Horton left just as Pudong HS was opening in the summer of 2005.

CHINA ALIVE PAYMENT: We previously announced that final prices for China Alive trips would be announced on Monday, April 16.  Unfortunately, SAS was not able to finalize agreement on costs with our travel agent by that time.  We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for your patience.

Last week, on Monday and Tuesday we distributed letters during FLEX period to each Grade 9 and 10 student, giving the final cost of each trip.  Final payment is due to our Pudong Cashier by Friday, May 4 (this is extended from the earlier date of April 23).

SPRING CONCERTS – Any of you who attended our Spring Concerts last Thursday and Friday evenings.  We hosted visiting musicians from our Puxi campus, as well as visitors from the music department at Concordia.  The Choir performed a variety of music from classical works to pop.  The Bands performed music by Holst, Grainger, Karl King and McBeth.

On Friday our full Symphonic Orchestra with winds and percussion performed Hungarian Dance No. 1 by Brahms.  David Yang, Gr 11 clarinetist, performed the Adagio Movement from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and the program will conclude with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1.  Thank you for supporting our musicians and enjoying two evenings of wonderful music.  Our music program continues to grow in size and quality as more and more students are challenged and strengthened in developing their musical talents.

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES: College acceptances have been rolling in on schedule, with most students getting into their first or second choice institutions.  Just below this UPDATE you will find a list of acceptances; I will update this on the blog every few weeks.  From now on, most of the North American acceptances will be for students currently on waitlists.  Keep watching for more good news.

SENIOR AWARDS: Annually five selected Seniors are honored by the presentation of scholarship awards at graduation.  The awards recognize exemplary qualities in Academics (Awarded by the Faculty), Leadership, Spirit (both nominated by seniors and chosen by a faculty committee), Service and Integrity (nominated by the Alumni Association), and the all-encompassing Eagle Award (self-nominated and chosen by a faculty committee).  Awards are in the amount of USD$1000, and $1500 for the Eagle Award.  Full details are found in the Student Agenda/Handbook, found linked to the High School blog at http://teachers.saschina.org/hspudong/files/2011/08/PDHS-Agenda-Handbook-2011-2012.pdf, pp. 23-25.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS: All Grade 12 parents have been sent an email outlining the important dates coming up for Seniors in the coming weeks and months, as we move closer to Graduation.  In addition, I met with all Seniors to review these dates and responsibilities.  Please mark your calendars:

AP Exams: May 7-18 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

IB Exams: May 2 – 22 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

May 14-23:  Senior Final Semester Exams/Assessments for non-IB/AP courses. Scheduled by the instructor.

May 18: This is a special day at school for seniors. Yearbooks will be distributed to Seniors, and the PTSA will host them at a special Senior Barbecue. Finally, they will participate in the High School Awards Ceremony. A dance performance follows, as does Season III Awards Night.

May 24: Absolutely the Last Day for Senior Signouts.  All books and materials must be returned by that time, and all financial obligations taken care of.  All Seniors must complete the signout procedure to receive their transcript.

May 25:  Senior Picnic at Century Park.  This is a school-sponsored activity.

May 26:  Graduation Rehearsal, 9:30 – 12:30, Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu

May 27:  Graduation, 10:00 – noon, with reception following.  Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu.   REMINDER from my email of last week, and also told to Seniors:  Each Senior will be allotted 5 tickets for family members. Students not needing that number should turn them in to the office, or give to friends who do need them.  Students who need more than that number should ask friends who may have extras.  A reception will follow the ceremony in the Atrium of the Portman, ending around 1:30.  We will have a professional photographer for still pictures, and also a video team.  Privately hired videographers will not be allowed to stand, be in the aisles, or be on the stage – each Senior will receive a free DVD of the graduation; please do not hire a videographer.  The reception will mark the end of high school responsibilities for our Seniors.  We hope that you will enjoy a family lunch with your graduate that day! There are many good restaurants in the neighborhood.

These are the ONLY school-sponsored activities for Seniors.  No other parties, gatherings, or trips are planned or sponsored by the school for Seniors.

SUMMER ALREADY??? Once again SAS will offer a Summer School programs from June 18 to July 20 on our Puxi Campus for students who will be spending the summer in Shanghai.  For information, check out www.saschina.org/summerprogram.  For questions contact Jeff Thompson, Summer Program Director at 6221 1445 *2254

COMING UP ON THE CALENDAR:

May 2:  IB Exams begin

May 5:  SAS Golf Classic; SAT

May 7:  AP Exams begin

May 17:  Final HS PTSA Meeting and Principal’s Coffee

May 18:  Senior Yearbook distribution; 10:30.  Senior Barbecue; 11:30

May 18:  Awards Day Program for High School; 1:30.  All parents welcome!

May 21-25:  China Alive for Grades 9 – 10

May 24:  (Absolute) Last day for Senior signout

May 25:  Senior Picnic

May 26:  Graduation Practice for Seniors

May 27:  Graduation; 10:00am to 1:30pm

June 2:  SAT

June 4 – 11:  Final Exams for Grades 9-11

June 8 – Friday:  PTSA-sponsored end of year student party; Kerry Center, evening (Tentative)

June 11:  Grade 9-11 students meet all teachers; this is a MUST day for attendance

June 12:  Last day of school; half day

Wednesday, August 15:  First Day of School!

Enjoy your week!

Jonathan Borden

SAS Pudong High School Principal­­­

Parents,

Remember to get the 2012 SAS Board of Directors election voter’s packet from your youngest child and then mail in or drop off your ballots.  All ballots must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9.  Ballot boxes are located in each division office, the Pudong Admission office, and the Puxi Central Administration Building.

If you did not receive a packet or your packet is incomplete, lost or damaged, please contact Kim Lange at kim.lange@saschina.org or 6221-1445, ext. 2255 to receive a replacement.  Contact Kim also if you have questions about the election process or policies.

Candidate profiles and Q&A’s can be found by logging in to the PowerSchool parent portal at http://powerschool.saschina.org/public and clicking on “SAS Board Page” at the top.

ALUMNI LECTURES THIS WEEK! “The alumni are coming, the alumni are coming . . . This week begins our “Centennial Week” and with it we are welcoming more than 40 alumni and guests back to SAS including SAS alumnus and former US Ambassador Stapleton Roy (’51), and former US Consul General Beatrice Camp. Several of the alumni featured in the recently published book by Deke Erh will be here as well.

On Monday, April 23 our alumni will be on the Pudong campus and Ambassador Roy will give a presentation to our high school students at 2:00pm in the gym. On Tuesday, April 24 our alumni will be on our Puxi campus and Ted Stannard, former international correspondent and university professor, will be speaking to our Puxi high school students.   Parents are welcome to attend the presentation in Pudong.

Please welcome our Alumni and guests when you see them this week.

CHINA ALIVE PAYMENT: We previously announced that final prices for China Alive trips would be announced on Monday, April 16.  Unfortunately, SAS was not able to finalize agreement on costs with our travel agent by that time.  We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for your patience.

This week, on Monday and Tuesday we will be distributing letters during FLEX period to each Grade 9 and 10 student, giving the final cost of each trip.  Students should be sure to bring those letters home on that day.  Final payment is due to our Pudong Cashier by Friday, May 4 (this is extended from the earlier date of April 23).

SAS BOARD ELECTION ballot packets were sent home with each youngest child on Thursday of last week.  Many students were away at APAC events; they should be sure to collect their ballot packet on Monday.  Please ask your children for these packets, consider the candidates and how each might bet support your child’s education, and return the ballot with your child, reminding them to drop the ballot in the sealed box in the high school office.  (Each year a number of ballots are not able to be counted as they are not completed correctly.  Please be sure to follow the directions carefully so that your vote counts!)

SPRING CONCERTS – Any of you who attended our Holiday Concert remembered that it was a “standing room only” crowd.  As our student body has grown and the community support for our music program has continued to develop, we need to split our traditional Spring “Concert” into two.  This month we will be entertained on both Thursday, April 26 and Friday, April 27, at 7:00 P.M. in the auditorium.  On Thursday the HS Intermediate Band, Choir, Advanced Concert Band and Ensembles will perform. The Choir will perform a variety of music from classical works to pop.  The Bands will perform music by Holst, Grainger, Karl King and McBeth.

On Friday our full Symphonic Orchestra with winds and percussion will perform Hungarian Dance No. 1 by Brahms.  David Yang, Gr 11 clarinetist, will perform the Adagio Movement from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and the program will conclude with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1.  Come out and support our musicians!

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES: College acceptances have been rolling in on schedule, with most students getting into their first or second choice institutions.  Just below this UPDATE you will find a list of acceptances; I will update this on the blog every few weeks.  From now on, most of the North American acceptances will be for students currently on waitlists.  Keep watching for more good news.

SENIOR AWARDS: Annually five selected Seniors are honored by the presentation of scholarship awards at graduation.  The awards recognize exemplary qualities in Academics (Awarded by the Faculty), Leadership, Spirit (both nominated by seniors and chosen by a faculty committee), Service and Integrity (nominated by the Alumni Association), and the all-encompassing Eagle Award (self-nominated and chosen by a faculty committee).  Awards are in the amount of USD$1000, and $1500 for the Eagle Award.  Full details are found in the Student Agenda/Handbook, found linked to the High School blog at http://teachers.saschina.org/hspudong/files/2011/08/PDHS-Agenda-Handbook-2011-2012.pdf, pp. 23-25.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS: Last week all Grade 12 parents were sent an email outlining the important dates coming up for Seniors in the coming weeks and months, as we move closer to Graduation.  In addition, I met with all Seniors to review these dates and responsibilities.  Please mark your calendars:

April 24:  Senior activity on campus after school and early evening

AP Exams: May 7-18 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

IB Exams: May 2 – 22 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

May 14-23:  Senior Final Semester Exams/Assessments for non-IB/AP courses. Scheduled by the instructor.

May 18: This is a special day at school for seniors. Yearbooks will be distributed to Seniors, and the PTSA will host them at a special Senior Barbecue. Finally, they will participate in the High School Awards Ceremony. A dance performance follows, as does Season III Awards Night.

May 24: Absolutely the Last Day for Senior Signouts.  All books and materials must be returned by that time, and all financial obligations taken care of.  All Seniors must complete the signout procedure to receive their transcript.

May 25:  Senior Picnic at Century Park.  This is a school-sponsored activity.

May 26:  Graduation Rehearsal, 9:30 – 12:30, Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu

May 27:  Graduation, 10:00 – noon, with reception following.  Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu.   REMINDER from my email of last week, and also told to Seniors:  Each Senior will be allotted 5 tickets for family members. Students not needing that number should turn them in to the office, or give to friends who do need them.  Students who need more than that number should ask friends who may have extras.  A reception will follow the ceremony in the Atrium of the Portman, ending around 1:30.  We will have a professional photographer for still pictures, and also a video team.  Privately hired videographers will not be allowed to stand, be in the aisles, or be on the stage – each Senior will receive a free DVD of the graduation; please do not hire a videographer.  The reception will mark the end of high school responsibilities for our Seniors.  We hope that you will enjoy a family lunch with your graduate that day! There are many good restaurants in the neighborhood.

These are the ONLY school-sponsored activities for Seniors.  No other parties, gatherings, or trips are planned or sponsored by the school for Seniors.

SUMMER ALREADY??? Once again SAS will offer a Summer School programs from June 18 to July 20 on our Puxi Campus for students who will be spending the summer in Shanghai.  For information, check out www.saschina.org/summerprogram.  For questions contact Jeff Thompson, Summer Program Director at 6221 1445 *2254

COMING UP ON THE CALENDAR:

April 23-27:  Student Council Elections for 2012-2013

April 23:  Alumni Lecture; former SAS student/US Ambassador to China – (see information above)

April 26/27:  Spring Concert!  7:00PM; come on out and enjoy our wonderful student musicians!

April 30-May 1:  May National Holiday

May 2:  IB Exams begin

May 5:  SAS Golf Classic; SAT

May 7:  AP Exams begin

May 17:  Final HS PTSA Meeting and Principal’s Coffee

May 18:  Senior Yearbook distribution; 10:30.  Senior Barbecue; 11:30

May 18:  Awards Day Program for High School; 1:30.  All parents welcome!

May 21-25:  China Alive for Grades 9 – 10

May 24:  (Absolute) Last day for Senior signout

May 25:  Senior Picnic

May 26:  Graduation Practice for Seniors

May 27:  Graduation; 10:00am to 1:30pm

June 2:  SAT

June 4 – 11:  Final Exams for Grades 9-11

June 8 – Friday:  PTSA-sponsored end of year student party; Kerry Center, evening (Tentative)

June 11:  Grade 9-11 students meet all teachers; this is a MUST day for attendance

June 12:  Last day of school; half day

Wednesday, August 15:  First Day of School!

Enjoy your week!

Jonathan Borden

SAS Pudong High School Principal

MEET THE CANDIDATE EVENT
Meet our Board of Directors election candidates and discuss with them the issues you care about.  The last official event will be:

Wednesday, April 18, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Pudong Campus
Side Gym of the High School Gymnasium Complex
Questions?  Contact Kim Lange, Assistant to the Board, at kim.lange@saschina.org or 6221-1445, ext. 2255.

BOARD ELECTION VOTER’S PACKETS TO BE BROUGHT HOME ON THURSDAY, APRIL 19

The 2012 Board of Directors election voters packets will be given to the youngest child in each family on Thursday, April 19.  These students will receive the packet from their home room teacher.

Parents, please check with your youngest child on April 19 to be sure he/she has received the packet to give to you.

If your child does not receive the packet on April 19, please contact Kim Lange, Assistant to the Board, at 6221-1445, ext. 2255 or kim.lange@saschina.org.  If your packet gets lost or damaged, you may contact Ms. Lange to receive a replacement packet.

Once you complete your voting ballot, you may mail it in or place it in one of the ballot boxes located in each division office, the Pudong Admission office, and the Puxi Central Administration Building.  All ballots must be received by 5:00 p.m. May 9, 2012.  Election results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on May 10.

ARE YOU THE PARENT OF A SENIOR?  MONDAY, April 16 - If you are the parent of a Senior, you may find that your son or daughter does not plan to come to school on this day.  Annually our Seniors work with us to plan an unofficial traditional “Senior Skip Day.”  Except for Seniors who have specific curricular responsibilities (such as IB Art) we will not expect seniors to come to school, and will not contact home to see where they are.  If you would like for your child to come to school late or leave early on that day, please send a note as usual.  There are NO school sponsored events for Seniors on that day, and we will not be calling home about senior absences.

On Wednesday I sent home via email a memo to all Senior parents reviewing the approved study days for Seniors taking AP, IB, and general course final assessments in the next weeks.  I also reviewed these dates with all Seniors at a short class meeting on Wednesday.

SPRING PARENT/STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES – April 12 & 13: Thanks to the many of you who came with their sons and daughters to conferences last Thursday and Friday.  We had a very strong turnout.  Communication and positive relationships among teachers, parents, and students are two integral ingredients in student success in school.  Thank you for working with us for your child’s academic and personal success.  We are honored that you have given us this opportunity to help influence your child in important ways during his or her developing years.

PROM:  The Prom, held at the Four Seasons Hotel on WaiHai Lu on Saturday night, was a success again this year, with nearly 200 11^th and 12^th graders and a few guests attending.  The student Council did a terrific job organizing and orchestrating this annual spring Pudong tradition.  There were no school-sponsored activities after or before the prom, which ran from 8:00 to midnight.

CHINA ALIVE:

• April 16^th :  Final trip prices published
• April 23^rd :  Trip payment due to Pudong cashier
• May 21^st :  Trips depart (note that due to air schedules, some trips may leave or return a day early)

Dr. TIM KELLY: “Teen Sadness & Irritability: When is it more than just a mood?” We thank the PTSA for sponsoring this parent informational program.  Check the blog posting below this High School Update for details on how you can reserve a spot for this evening program.  April 18; Kerry Center.

ALUMNI LECTURER – April 23; 1:45: Former US Ambassador to Singapore, China and Indonesia, and former SAS student Stapleton Roy.   Ambassador Roy was also US Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research J. Stapleton Roy (born 1935) was born in Nanjing of missionary parents, and was attending SAS as a teenager when he left with most other Americans in 1949.  We are very fortunate to have Ambassador Stapleton speak to our students.  We do not yet have the exact time of his visit; watch for details.  Parents are invited to attend; we will meet in the gym.

SPRING CONCERTS – Any of you who attended our Holiday Concert remembered that it was a “standing room only” crowd.  As our student body has grown and the community support for our music program has continued to develop, we need to split our traditional Spring “Concert” into two.  This month we will be entertained on both Thursday, April 26 and Friday, April 27, at 7:00 P.M. in the auditorium.  On Thursday the HS Intermediate Band, Choir, Advanced Concert Band and Ensembles will perform. The Choir will perform a variety of music from classical works to pop.  The Bands will perform music by Holst, Grainger, Karl King and McBeth.

On Friday our full Symphonic Orchestra with winds and percussion will perform Hungarian Dance No. 1 by Brahms.  David Yang, Gr 11 clarinetist, will perform the Adagio Movement from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and the program will conclude with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1.  Come out and support our musicians!

SENIOR AWARDS: Annually five selected Seniors are honored by the presentation of scholarship awards at graduation.  The awards recognize exemplary qualities in Academics (Awarded by the Faculty), Leadership, Spirit (both nominated by seniors and chosen by a faculty committee), Service and Integrity (nominated by the Alumni Association), and the all-encompassing Eagle Award (self-nominated and chosen by a faculty committee).  Awards are in the amount of USD$1000, and $1500 for the Eagle Award.  Full details are found in the Student Agenda/Handbook, found linked to the High School blog at http://teachers.saschina.org/hspudong/files/2011/08/PDHS-Agenda-Handbook-2011-2012.pdf, pp. 23-25.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS: Last week all Grade 12 parents were sent an email outlining the important dates coming up for Seniors in the coming weeks and months, as we move closer to Graduation.  In addition, I met with all Seniors to review these dates and responsibilities.  Please mark your calendars:

April 16:  Senior Skip Day. There are no school sponsored activities for Seniors on this day.

April 24:  Senior activity on campus after school and early evening

AP Exams: May 7-18 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

IB Exams: May 2 – 22 (Students should check for exact dates of their exams)

May 14-23:  Senior Final Semester Exams/Assessments for non-IB/AP courses. Scheduled by the instructor.

May 18: This is a special day at school for seniors. Yearbooks will be distributed to Seniors, and the PTSA will host them at a special Senior Barbecue. Finally, they will participate in the High School Awards Ceremony. A dance performance follows, as does Season III Awards Night.

May 24: Absolutely the Last Day for Senior Signouts.  All books and materials must be returned by that time, and all financial obligations taken care of.  All Seniors must complete the signout procedure to receive their transcript.

May 25:  Senior Picnic at Century Park.  This is a school-sponsored activity.

May 26:  Graduation Rehearsal, 9:30 – 12:30, Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu

May 27:  Graduation, 10:00 – noon, with reception following.  Portman Auditorium on Nanjing Lu.   REMINDER from my email of last week, and also told to Seniors:  Each Senior will be allotted 5 tickets for family members. Students not needing that number should turn them in to the office, or give to friends who do need them.  Students who need more than that number should ask friends who may have extras.  A reception will follow the ceremony in the Atrium of the Portman, ending around 1:30.  We will have a professional photographer for still pictures, and also a video team.  Privately hired videographers will not be allowed to stand, be in the aisles, or be on the stage – each Senior will receive a free DVD of the graduation; please do not hire a videographer.  The reception will mark the end of high school responsibilities for our Seniors.  We hope that you will enjoy a family lunch with your graduate that day! There are many good restaurants in the neighborhood.

These are the ONLY school-sponsored activities for Seniors.  No other parties, gatherings, or trips are planned or sponsored by the school for Seniors.

SUMMER ALREADY??? Once again SAS will offer a Summer School programs from June 18 to July 20 on our Puxi Campus for students who will be spending the summer in Shanghai.  For information, check out www.saschina.org/summerprogram.  For questions contact Jeff Thompson, Summer Program Director at 6221 1445 *2254

COMING UP ON THE CALENDAR:

April 21:  SAS Centennial Gala Dinner

April 23-27:  Student Council Elections for 2012-2013

April 23:  Alumni Lecture; former SAS student/US Ambassador to China – (see information above)

April 26/27:  Spring Concert!  7:00PM; come on out and enjoy our wonderful student musicians!

April 30-May 1:  May National Holiday

May 2:  IB Exams begin

May 5:  SAS Golf Classic; SAT

May 7:  AP Exams begin

May 17:  Final HS PTSA Meeting and Principal’s Coffee

May 18:  Senior Yearbook distribution; 10:30.  Senior Barbecue; 11:30

May 18:  Awards Day Program for High School; 1:30.  All parents welcome!

May 21-25:  China Alive for Grades 9 – 10

May 24:  (Absolute) Last day for Senior signout

May 25:  Senior Picnic

May 26:  Graduation Practice for Seniors

May 27:  Graduation; 10:00am to 1:30pm

June 2:  SAT

June 4 – 11:  Final Exams for Grades 9-11

June 8 – Friday:  PTSA-sponsored end of year student party; Kerry Center, evening.

June 11:  Grade 9-11 students meet all teachers; this is a MUST day for attendance

June 12:  Last day of school; half day

Wednesday, August 15:  First Day of School!

Enjoy your week!

Jonathan Borden

SAS Pudong High School Principal