Home » Supplement » Education
Your child’s school: A ‘community’ for the whole family
Print Edition
RELOCATING with your family to China is exciting — the sights and sounds of Shanghai overwhelm the senses. A new country, a new home, a new school, and a new language offer possibility and opportunity. At the same time, families face the challenge of having to build entirely new communities and social circles from scratch. For many expats, building this new community starts by getting involved at their child’s school.
At Yew Chung International School of Shanghai (YCIS), the Parent Organizations in Puxi and Pudong (POP) play an integral role for families within the school community. Beyond simply making friends, the parent groups provide an active network that helps parents find their bearings and get settled in, become involved in the school, and to participate in activities such as classes, event planning, and cultural studies; so just as their children are growing and learning in the school, they are, too.
Ms Jo Chui, a YCIS parent and an active member of POP since 2008, has watched the organization flourish firsthand and enjoys being involved and helping new families. She is always “ready to explain (her) experience, and to support families new to the YCIS community.”
Both POP groups continue to grow year after year, with a strong and culturally diverse board of 18 parents in Puxi, and a growing, active, and supportive group in Pudong, as well. The organization is open to all YCIS parents and helps guide and plan activities, catering to a wide range of interests, including large-scale charity initiatives, cultural and parenting workshops, fun school events, trips in Shanghai and around China, tours, social events, classes and workshops.
Another active YCIS parent and POP member, Valerie Lohse, jokes that “some weeks I feel like I work at the school!”
She adds, “I sometimes come to the school several times a day, helping the teachers, picking my kids up, or going to POP meetings. It helps me stay better connected to my children, fellow YCIS families, and the Shanghai community in general, not to mention how much I have learned from fellow parents and staff.”
Another benefit of settling into an international school community is the opportunity to learn about other cultures. At YCIS, parent programs include lessons in several languages, including Chinese, taught by-parents-for-parents. Even going beyond learning the language, other workshops include travel and art classes, where parents can further their cultural appreciation and get settled into their new city.
To facilitate all of these activities and to further support the parents, YCIS has Parent Relations Officers who support the parent community as liaisons between POP and the parents, the school administration, and the community.
As the Parent Relations Officer for YCIS’s Puxi campuses, Carol Mao appreciates being able to get to know the families, and helping them settle into the “YCIS family,” as she calls it. According to Mao, “POP welcomes everyone, and we see their feeling of belonging within the school, and in the community, and we certainly keep parents busy with fun and interesting activities!”
Moira Macpherson, YCIS Parent Relations Officer for the school’s Pudong campuses, comments, “POP gives parents the opportunity to use their skills and talents while meeting other parents from many different cultures. I love seeing the friendships that are built as a result of their involvement.”
Active parents at YCIS agree. Lohse says, “The school was our lifeline when we moved to Shanghai, and now, nearing the end of our fourth school year, it is our extended family.”
When schools offer activities and events for the entire family, it helps to foster a true sense of community and involvement. Sharing experiences, stories, and working closely with the school helps make communities like YCIS a home not only for the children, but also for the parents.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
