CAIS Connections (Winter 2012)

Winter 2012

C A I S C O N N E C T I O N S

Chinese American International School

CAIS Connections is a quarterly publication with the goal of keeping the community informed and connected to the vibrant events and accomplishments at Chinese American International School.

CAIS ANSWERS QUESTION: “WHY ARE WE HERE?” WITH NEW MISSION STATEMENT

中美國際學校運用新的辦學宗旨回答問題:“我們為什麼要採取目前的治校措施？”

With the unveiling of our new mission statement, our work begins in our programs to ensure the community understands the new

mission and its implications. The process by which we will achieve this involves answering the following questions.

WHAT IS “MISSION” AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

The statement of an organization’s mission ought to answer

this question: “Why are we here?” It should express the core

purpose for which an organization exists. Without clarity of

purpose, then it doesn’t really matter what we do as a school.

With clarity of purpose, we can make deliberate decisions

about what students should learn, how teachers should teach,

the kinds of teachers we hire, the types of families we admit,

the priorities reflected in the way we construct our budget,

how we assess the progress of our students and what kind of

co-curricular programs we support.

HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT DAILY LIFE AT CAIS IS MISSION-CONSISTENT? Together, administrators,

faculty and staff have embarked on a process that answers

this question. Discussions have commenced regarding the

subject of what our school would look like if we lived our

mission. What would it mean for students? For faculty and staff? For parents? For the Board of Trustees? Small groups of

faculty and staff members will continue the ongoing discussion and answer questions such as: What should students know,

understand and be able to do if they truly “embrace Chinese”? If we want students to “become their best selves,” what kind

of teaching and learning strategies should be employed? In order for our school to “create its place in the world,” what kind of

professional development does our faculty and staff need?

In our thirtieth year, our student population, campus, faculty and program offerings have expanded, while our strong commitment

to teach and grow our students remains unchanged. This multi-faceted mission project is an important step in our school’s

history and with its implementation, the things that actually happen in the school will be consistent with what we say should be

happening. Then we will be walking the walk and not just talking the talk.

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30 YEARS OF CHINESE-ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION EDUCATION

三十年的中英文雙語沉浸式教育

Since opening the doors to four students in September of 1981, CAIS has

grown from two rooms in a basement storage space to a student body of

more than 450. In 30 years, CAIS has seen over 800 students through the

halls, and today spans across two campuses.

The anniversary tagline, “30 years, standing strong” was taken from the

Confucian Analects, a collection of Confucius’s sayings compiled by his

disciples. The full Analects’ passage from which our 30th anniversary tagline

is derived, reads as follows. “吾十有五而志于學，三十而立，四十而不惑，

五十而知天命，六十而耳順，七十而從心所欲，不踰矩。” The Master said,

“At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning. At thirty, I stood strong. At forty,

I had no doubts. At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven. At sixty, my ear was

an obedient organ for the reception of truth. At seventy, I could follow what

my heart desired, without transgressing what was right.”

To commemorate the thirtieth year of Chinese-English dual language

education, a series of celebratory events were held in December that

involved the greater community and honored those who have built the

foundations of the school. Friday, December 9 through Sunday, December

11 marked the 30th Anniversary Alumni Reunion Weekend, a three-part

celebration of the school’s foundation and our future.

30TH ANNIVERSARY ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND The

30th Anniversary Alumni Reunion Weekend kicked off with tours of both

campuses, classroom visits and social time with former teachers for alumni

and their families. On the same evening the Founders Reception brought

together school founders, current parents, alumni families, current and

former faculty and friends of the school to honor the founding members

whose pioneering and innovative spirit has led CAIS where it is today. The

weekend of events culminated at the 30th Anniversary Celebration, an event

for alumni, former trustees and family and friends held at the Four Seasons,

San Francisco. At the evening soiree, the community celebrated where the

school came from, learned about new initiatives, plans and programs that

will take CAIS into the future and saw the unveiling of the school’s new

mission statement and alumni program. The event was the perfect venue to

reconnect and reengage with new and old friends.

At age 30, CAIS is indeed standing strong, and like Confucius we are

looking forward humbly yet resolutely to learning more and creating our

place in the world.

ALUMNI PROGRAM LAUNCHES WITH MANY UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

校友會即將舉辦多項活動

Kellsie Fong-Morro can remember the days when she started her CAIS journey at the

Presidio campus in 1995. Now 20-years-old and in her third year studying multimedia

communications at the Academy of Art University, Kellsie says CAIS paved the way of

her education during the early stages of her life. “In all my years at CAIS, I didn’t think

much of learning a second language,” Kellsie said. “I thought it was normal and that

schools everywhere had Chinese classes in addition to English!” She reflects on her

academic memories as being a unique experience, that beyond learning to read and

write in Chinese, has opened the door to opportunities to learn about and appreciate a

variety of different cultures.

On a recent visit to Hong Kong, Kellsie recalls the time when she depended on her CAIS studies to make sense of a situ-

ation. In efforts to connect with non-English speakers, Kellsie dug deep into her memory, to communicate with the locals

when her parents looked to her for help. “If I had never attended CAIS, we would have had a completely different experi-

ence traveling in Asia,” she said. It did not take long after being in Hong Kong for Kellsie to realize how much she appre-

ciated learning the language and committed herself to maintaining her Chinese skills. “I believe it is a great skill to have

and as I’ve found out first hand,” she explained. “You never know when it will come in handy.”

Only our alumni know what’s it’s like to be educated in a Chinese-English

dual language and multicultural environment from a very young age, and as

they find their place in the world after they have graduated, CAIS hopes to

help them on their journey.

At this December’s 30th Anniversary Celebration, we announced the

launch of a brand new alumni program that will enable our former students

connect, utilize their Chinese, and give back to the CAIS community. CAIS

will offer seasonal alumni reunions and networking events, so they can stay

in touch and meet other members of the CAIS community who will be able

to support them in their professional and academic careers. Alumni can also

gain work experience through internships with CAIS during the school year

and summers, during which they can practice their Chinese in and out of

the classrooms. The most exciting aspect announced was a possible annual

alumni trip to China, allowing former classmates to relive their exchange

trips from their time at CAIS. We hope to offer this trip starting in 2014.

For more information on the new alumni program, please contact JP Lor at

415.861.0866 or [email protected].

ALUMNA FEATURE: KELLSIE FONG-MORRO (CLASS OF 2005)

校友近況: 鄺小寶

We’ve heard from some of our class of 2008

alumni who are in their last year of high school,

and some of them have already been accepted

to top colleges and universities as part of the

early admission process. Here’s a short list of

some of the schools our alumni will attend in

the fall.

University of California -- Davis

Boston University

Harvard University

Harvey Mudd College

Pennsylvania State University

Princeton University

Stanford University

Congratulations to everyone already admitted

to college! We look forward to hearing back

from more alumni later in the spring.

CAIS CLASS OF 2008 LOOKS AHEAD TO COLLEGE

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CAIS-SYA BEIJING ACADEMY PROVIDES EXPANDED INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

中美-國外學習一年北京學校為學生提供獲得更多國際經驗的機會

In December, CAIS launched a major initiative: CAIS-SYA Beijing Academy, a structured, three-week academic

program for all CAIS seventh grade students that will run in the spring, in partnership with School Year Abroad

(SYA) and Beijing Normal University Sanfan Middle School. The CAIS Board of Trustees views this program as

fundamental to the school’s mission and is a major strategic priority for CAIS as we move forward. The Board

has exhibited this support by developing a long term financial plan that insures the program’s sustainability;

CAIS-SYA Beijing Academy will be an integral part of the seventh grade CAIS curriculum, and all seventh grade students

will have access to the program regardless of their families’ financial circumstances. In this inaugural year of the program, a

generous anonymous donor has provided seed money that will cover 80% of the program startup and operating costs. Seventh

grade families are asked to contribute the remaining 20%. Additionally, a generous CAIS seventh grade family has stepped up to

provide financial support to those families in need of tuition assistance.

Zhao Yuan, the Onsite Director at School Year Abroad in Beijing visited CAIS in January and spoke with CAIS Connections about

the new program.

CAIS Connections: What have you been doing during your time at CAIS?

Zhao Yuan: I have spent time with each seventh grader individually, interviewing and videotaping them to help give our teachers

in Beijing a better understanding of their proficiency levels. I have also spent time in the classrooms to observe the students in

group settings to learn a bit more about their personalities, which helps with matching them with their homestay families.

CC: Tell us how the homestay process works.

ZY: We open the application process to all families whose children are in seventh grade at our partner school, Sanfan Middle

School. Our SYA Homestay Coordinator will visit many of the applicant families in their homes to gain a sense of their home life

and personalities. They also review all of the video and notes I have taken during my time at CAIS to help determine student

character and who will be best matched with whom. It’s a very thorough process. Our hope is that a close relationship will be

built with the host family that will last beyond their three-week stay in Beijing.

CC: Walk us through a typical day for our students as Sanfan seventh graders in Beijing.

ZY: They will start their day in their small classes based on their language skill level. Many

times they will have homework from the night before that will involve them talking with their

host family about a current or cultural subject. After, they will have morning exercises at the

school’s play yard. They will join their host sister/brother for lunch and conversation followed

by an afternoon cultural class such as learning martial arts. The rest of the afternoon will be

spent participating in experienced-based field projects, for example speaking with locals

and bargaining in a marketplace. The emphasis of the Academy is to put into practice what

they learn in the classroom and in order to do this effectively, we have a busy daily routine

planned for them. We encourage our host families not to change their daily routines while the

students are living with them so students will receive a sense of “real” live living in Beijing.

This is an exciting time for CAIS and an extraordinary opportunity for our students to put our new mission into context and

embrace Chinese, become their best selves and begin to create their places in the world.

VERTICAL GARDEN PROVIDES EDUCATION AND GREENERY AT PRE-K CAMPUS

幼兒班校園的垂直花園為學生提供學習的機會并綠化環境

The Waller Pre-K campus walls are sprouting something special these days. Thanks to the efforts of parent volunteer Vonceil

Yara, our Waller campus is home to a new vertical oasis called the Woolly Pockets School Garden. Mother of two CAIS students

(Masa Yara, second grade and Kai Yara, Pre-K), Vonceil helped initiate the Woolly Pockets Garden as an expansion to the Food

Map containers, large mobile planting tubs, that already existed at school. “Being in an urban setting can be very difficult,” said

Early Childhood Division Director, Jan Lawrence. “So the [new garden] allows us to connect more with nature.”

The Pre-K classes started growing a few plants last spring, but they wanted more. “We needed to figure out a way to expand the

garden with the limited space and budget in the urban setting and current playground structure,” Vonceil said. “We needed to go

to a vertical.” During the month of October, Vonceil and Pre-K parent Aom Phanthong completed setting up the infrastructure in

the rain and filled 50 felted pockets with organic soil before children began planting seeds.

With a variety of plants to grow including a variety of winter favorites such as kale, red kale, swiss chard, sweet peas,

peppermint, various lettuces, cabbage, bok choy and flowering broccoli, the goal of the Woolly Pockets Garden provides a new

opportunity of understanding nature through a gardening curriculum that fosters healthy and adventurous eating. Jan highlights

the importance for young children to be in contact with nature as part of their motor and sensory development. Because the

campus had initially lacked naturally growing foliage, classes are now able to feel the

moisture in the soil and smell the aroma of fresh plants as they grow. Students also

have a chance to observe caterpillars and aphids attracted to the plants that they’re

growing. “They get to understand the life cycle of growth,” Jan explained.

Combining the plants grown from the Food Map containers, teachers had the

opportunity to harvest the lettuces with the students to make a salad in the classroom

and sauté bok choy for the teacher’s community lunch! Utilizing the garden beyond

food, the after school ceramics teacher and second grade parent, Judy Waitz, enjoyed

using rosemary in the children’s craft projects to stand in as mini Christmas trees.

Much like the seeds that sprout new

leaves, the garden has grown to become

a Pre-K community effort that includes

students, teachers and parent volunteers.

As the season shifts into spring, our

young students look forward to harvesting

the beautiful crops and extending their

learning to study earth science. Vonceil

also plans to include more Pre-K parent

involvement when deciding what plants

to grow next. “This project is like a garden

itself,” Vonceil commented, “always

growing and changing.”

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Our community welcomed the Year of the Dragon, beginning with a week of classroom activities leading up to the visual and

auditory treat of Mass Greeting and culminating with a marching contingent in the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade.

THE COMMUNITY DRAGON The community dragon, which is truly a group effort

in every sense of the word, was coordinated by art teachers, Marc Peron and Lisa

Ostapinski and involved every student, Pre-K through middle school. It’s not often an

art project is able to involve every student in a school that spans across two campuses.

With vision and creativity, Ms. Ostapinski and Mr. Peron put together lesson plans that

involved age appropriate and engaging projects for each class, with the end result of

a beautiful 30-foot long dragon. The multi-segmented art sculpture made its debut at

Mass Greeting and was the feature of the CAIS marching contingent at the Chinese New

Year Parade in the “Carp Jumping Over Dragon Gate” theme. The dragon has found a

resting spot at CAIS for a few months and will make its way to the de Young Museum in

May where it will be featured as part of the “Young at Art” exhibition.

CELEBRATION AT THE ASIAN ART MUSEUM Sunday,

February 5 was a busy day at the Asian Art Museum for our CAIS

students. An afternoon of festive activities throughout the museum

included student performances by eighth graders and members of

the Black Pearl Music Ensemble, classical performances by three

CAIS dance groups, Chinese music ensemble performances by

fourth through seventh graders, lion dancing and alumni Chinese

music ensemble featuring alumnus Reylon Yount on the Yangqin.

A reception was then held for our second grade class, whose

exhibition “New Year Celebrations” premiered in the Education

Classrooms Gallery. The multi-faceted project involved the second

grade class attending a storytelling field trip with the theme of

Asian New Year celebrations. In art class, the students were asked

to reflect on the stories and

to share their own New Year

traditions. Each student

chose to depict either a

New Year tradition they

share with their families or

a tradition in which they

participate at school. The

result of the project is on

display at the museum for

everyone to enjoy.

TEACHER FEATURE: ANNIE CHII

教師專欄: 杞亞軒

In about five words, she describes herself as “creative, intuitive, excited and easy going.” Meet one of the newest members of

CAIS faculty, Annie Chii. Ms. Chii joined the English teaching faculty at CAIS this school year where she teaches first grade green

and science for all first and second graders. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Ms. Chii moved to the United States with her family when

she was a four-year-old and grew up in a suburban town in Southern California. With a Masters in Education from University of

California, San Diego, a bilingual learner and a former teacher in Taiwan, Ms. Chii spoke with CAIS Connections on the value of a

dual language environment.

CAIS Connections: What are your impressions of CAIS so far?

Annie Chii: I love it. Just being here, I’ve felt so welcomed. The teachers have all been very helpful and welcoming. I really enjoy

being a part of the team here.

CC: Why did you choose to teach here at CAIS?

AC: I grew up speaking Chinese at home. So when I decided to move to San Francisco, I was looking for opportunities to still be

surrounded by Chinese culture and language, but still be able to do what I like best—teach in English.

CC: How does education at CAIS compare to the education you had as a student?

AC: I actually went to a bilingual school when I grew up, but the target language there

was English where we used Chinese to support our English learning. Here, it’s a dual

immersion and the target language is both English and Chinese.

CC: How do students here compare to students from the other schools you taught?

AC: Students here have an advantage being in a dual language environment. They are

immersed and have so many cultural activities. Celebrating Chinese New Year, singing

Chinese songs, being able to eat the food. Having a Chinese teacher every day to

learn from is also like to being in a class from a different country.

CC: How does dual language education compare to mainstream education today?

AC: Students here have exposure to twice the amount of teaching styles—maybe

more with a learning specialist! They have much more learning opportunities here from

different teachers versus having one teacher in mainstream classes.

CC: Where do you see dual language education in the future?

AC: You can see that it’s developing a lot right now. Dual language education is

becoming more accepted, especially here in the Bay Area. I can see immersion

programs being prominent in the coming years as China’s economy is getting stronger.

CC: Has there been anything that has surprised you about your students?

AC: I’m always fascinated by their capacity to learn another language. It’s amazing

watching them be able to speak in Chinese. They’re excited to come to school, and

they love learning.

CAIS CELEBRATES YEAR OF THE DRAGON

中美國際學校慶祝龍年

A 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

May 12, 2012

Ritz-Carlton San Francisco

Community • Auction • Live Music • Dancing

More information to come!

Questions? Contact [email protected]

SHOWCAIS 2012: OVER THE DRAGON GATE

二零一二年中美輝煌之夜：躍過龍門

SAVE THE DATE

150 OAK STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102TELEPHONE: 415.865.6000 FAX: 415.865.6006WWW.CAIS.ORG

As Founder and Head of School for 15 years, Shirley Lee, and a

group of multi-ethnic Bay Area parents, educators and civic leaders

implemented a compelling vision. Established in 1981, they created

a school with a dual language curriculum in English and Chinese to

prepare children for an increasingly interconnected world.

CAIS was the first school of its kind in the nation and remains one

of the few independent Pre-K through eighth grade English-Chinese

immersion programs in the U.S.

Today, the school enrolls

over 450 students. Under the

current leadership of Head

of School, Jeff Bissell, CAIS

graduates continue to enter top

high schools and universities.

Alumni work in both China and

the United States, continuing

to draw upon their unique

education.

ABOUT CAIS

關於中美MISSION STATEMENT

辦學宗旨

UPCOMING DATES 中美行事曆• February 17, No School / Professional Development Day • April 9-13, No School / Spring Break

• February 20-24, No School / February Break • March 31, Fifth, Seventh and Eighth Grade International Trips Depart

• April 4-6, No School / Parent Teacher Conferences • May 12, ShowCAIS

LIKE US! FACEBOOK.COM/CAISSF

FOLLOW US @CAIS_SF

CAIS Connections (Winter 2012)

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