SSIS Yearbook 2020-2021

Weekend Programme Showcase

In collaboration with TRIOLS Academy, the SSIS Weekend Programme provided a range
of offerings for preschoolers from three years old to 18-year-old Senior School students.
This gave opportunities for our community of learners to tap into other interests beyond
the school curriculum. The wide range of activities went a long way to improving their
confidence, self-esteem, physical development, widening their skill sets, enhancing their
character development and social skills, and fostering creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
All the programmes were planned and conducted by experienced coaches and facilitators to
ensure participants got the best out of their weekends.

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50 Sports and Activities

Primary school CCA Showcase

Co-curricular Activities (CCA) allows students to broaden their horizons, try new things, and
develop positive interaction. Through CCA, students build their character, learn values, develop
social-emotional competencies and skills to prepare them for future challenges.
The CCA takes place during school hours, and offerings change every term ranging from sports
(Gymnastics, Football, Golf, Basketball, Swimming, Cricket, Floor Hockey, Table Tennis, Rock
Climbing, Volleyball) to aesthetics (Dance, Creative Drama, Gu Zheng, Choir, String Orchestra,
Xylophone with African Drum, Digital Music Production, Creative Painting), and to special interests
(Global Citizenship, Rocket Simulators, STEAM, Fun with Cooking, MUN, Comic Book Club, Speech
and Debate, Sewing, Math and Science, Sabres Broadcasting and Cross Stitch).

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52 Sports and Activities

Primary school Sabres Sports Day

Despite being split into two days, the students were united in their pursuit of fun, sporting
excellence and created many precious and memorable moments. This year, upper Primary
students were placed on teams with students from different classes and grade levels. This
allowed them to make new friends and work together to achieve success—and that was
where their I4C values came to the fore! We’re proud to witness two days of sportsmanship
and school spirit.

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54 Sports and Activities

Primary school Sabres Athletics Day

On the last two days of April, the sun was shining and the weather was pleasant for the Sabres
Athletics Days. The day mainly focussed on track & field competitions, running, jumping and
throwing. We had a dance performance and drums to start the day. Students from grades three
to six had longer running distances, more events and they competed in the swimming pool in
freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke speed competitions. There were students running around
the sports venues, cheers for the competitors and smiles on everyone's faces, we felt the spirit of
Sabres is perfectly displayed during the Athletics Day. We are very proud of all of students!

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Swimming Programme

The SSIS Swimming Programme is offered in physical education classes for all students from K2
to grade 10. It is designed to help students gain water confidence and develop abilities in the
aquatics environment. Preschool students learnt the basics, Primary school students had the CCA
‘Stroke Improvement Swimming Programme’, while Senior School students learnt to progress
through different levels based on their abilities. The school also conducted a Sabres Swim Team
Selection Day to find the best swimmers to represent us at swim meets. The team has grown and
strengthened their skills and they are ready for competition!

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PUXIMUN

This year, the PUXIMUN II Conference welcomed nine schools and 230 delegates from all over
Shanghai and beyond. During MUN, a selection of topics and countries, which compelled them
to research and learn more about, were allocated to delegates. Many delegates of diverse
nationalities from various schools collaborated in MUN, which gave them a global mindset and
allowed them to experience globalisation. It will shape and transform students into becoming
global citizens. Our PUXIMUN secretariat is already planning for PUXIMUN III, which will be hosted
on our campus.

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Primary School
After School Programmes

The Primary School After School Programme (ASP) is an extracurricular enrichment programme
that aims to provide experiences designed to enhance the intellectual, social, physical and
emotional growth of our students. By serving as a bridge between school and home, students
will have a chance to explore a variety of interests that will help develop their character and
assist in the formation of positive self-images and attitudes with respect to school, family, and the
community. Activities range from competitive sports (volleyball, basketball, soccer, golf, swim)
to STEAM programmes (Drone, Robotics, Coding) to Music, Arts & Crafts and a variety of Clubs
(Model United Nations, Spanish Language & Culture, Drama) and many more.

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Senior School
After School Programmes

The Senior School offers many After School Programmes which give the students opportunities
to develop in the areas they are passionate about. We would also highlight our student-led ASP
initiatives which provide an excellent platform for student leaders to shine. In Senior School,
students lead the Curie Science Club, Sabres Crew, Model United Nations, Sports Team Coaching,
set design, Build Your Own School and more. Such opportunities not only foster a greater sense of
community, but further students’ passions and talents.

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Stronger Together Series
CISSA & SISAC

Due to restrictions, this year was very different for staff and students involved in CISSA and
SISAC sports. To battle the change, our Sabres Crew launched the ‘Stronger Together’ theme. It
started with one tournament and a shirt design. Before we knew it, the intramural activities were
strengthening our community and offering a new and inclusive platform for our students. We
quickly realized that this theme could go beyond sports across the school such as- Musical, One
Act Festival, Orchestra, Show Band and MUN. This brings about a sense of normalcy and team
spirit in a year with few to no interschool competitions. Many now wear the shirt with pride and
we will all carry fond memories that our Sabres community really is, STRONGER TOGETHER.

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66 Sports and Activities

Senior school Sabres Sports Day

The wintry air was a challenge, but our students not only battled the cold with high energy
and enthusiasm, they also displayed sportsmanship and collaboration. They were resilient and
participated with full enthusiasm the entire time. This year's major highlight was the addition
of water sports, where being in the pool was the warmest place you could be! The students
welcomed the introduction of water polo and water volleyball, and they played for every point to
help their house—won by Sapphire in the end!

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68 Celebrations of Learning

Celebrations of
Learning

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Founder’s Day

The school's 24th-anniversary celebration on 3 September brought forth
an outpouring of love and pride, evident from the wall of messages
our students wrote to the school on our special day. The heartwarming
messages showed the love and spirit that bound this community. In just
over 24 years, SSIS has grown from its humble beginnings at the Sun
Island Golf Resort to our integrated campus in Minhang. Our new state-
of-the-art facilities—the Integrated Learning Centre and Performing Arts
Centre—ensure we are looking beyond the next 24 years to future-proof
our students for the 21st century. No birthday celebration is complete
without a birthday cake, and this year we also celebrated with three other
students who shared the same birth date as SSIS! They helped our CLT
cut the cake, and each received a handwritten birthday card to honour
their (and our) special day! Happy Birthday, SSIS!

70 Celebrations of Learning

100 Days of School

On Monday, 22 February, we celebrated 100 Days of School with many creative and inspiring
activities. The milestone afforded us the time to reflect on what we had done and learnt and
reminded ourselves about what we could still achieve for the rest of the academic year. The entire
community in SSIS marked the 100th day of school with many learning activities based on ‘100’.

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Mid-Autumn Celebration

The school-wide celebration, organised by our Chinese Language and Chinese Culture Department,
enabled our students to experience the essence of this traditional Chinese festival. The inclusion
of inter-cultural learning experiences is an essential feature of our school curriculum. We used the
theme of 'Reunion' to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and strengthen our community ties. This
year, the Mid-Autumn Festival also coincided with China's National Day!

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74 Celebrations of Learning

Double Ninth Festival

The Chongyang Festival, also known as the Double Ninth Festival, fell on 23 October, and it was
a day to demonstrate respect and love for the elderly. Teachers and students from our Primary
and Senior divisions went to Kang Hua nursing home to spend a meaningful day with the elderly.
Through this outing, the students experienced and understood the virtues of respecting and
caring for older folks and learnt to appreciate traditional Chinese culture. One other big takeaway
they had through conversing with the elderly—and understanding the vicissitudes of history—was
that time is precious, and we should seize the day and cherish the present.

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Book Week

We used Book Week to encourage literacy, and the teachers created many initiatives
to cultivate in our students a love of books and reading. Many aspects of language
development aren't just about lessons, and one can improve one's language skills (and love
of language) through listening, reading and writing.

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SSIS Scholarships Award Ceremony

Five deserving and first-rate students, witnessed by their proud parents, received their
scholarships inside our new Performing Arts Centre at a heartwarming ceremony. The ceremony
recognised SSIS students with a drive for excellence, acknowledged their strong academic results
in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and recognised outstanding
performance in their respective areas. The breadth of scholarship awards demonstrated our vision
of developing passionate and holistic lifelong learners by providing them with multiple pathways
to excellence as they pursue their dreams and passions.

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IGCSE Awards Ceremony

Even though Cambridge International decided not to hold exams for its global June 2020 series,
education authorities, governments, and schools worked hard on a robust process for awarding
grades. Together with our administration, our SSIS awards committee decided to recognise the
success of our students, which was reflected in the happy faces we saw during the SSIS IGCSE
Awards Ceremony. This year we introduced a new tradition as well. In addition to their certificates,
each student received a commendation pin to acknowledge their IGCSE journey and success.

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Together into the Future Concert

Our VIPs, special guests, and media friends were present to help us inaugurate the opening of
our new buildings—Integrated Learning Centre and Performing Arts Centre. Guests watched
unique student performances, which featured more than 160 K-12 students brilliantly showcasing
our Aesthetics programme through dances, music and choir singers. Another highlight was the
demonstration by our BYOS (Build Your Own School) team, a student-led technology club project
using trending technologies to map out the entire school virtually.

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MetroTown Performance

This year, the theme ‘The Joys of Coming Together’ brought more than 130 K-12 students
to perform in the heart of Shanghai city. Parents, students and staff came together to enjoy
the performances and art exhibitions put up by our students from each division. The holiday
performances included the Primary Choir, Senior Choir, Senior Show Band, Senior Orchestra and
our K1 Voices of Preschool, who looked so adorable while rapping their Christmas song! The hot
chocolate drinks definitely warmed the hands and hearts of one and all.

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Christmas CELEBRATION

Before the winter holidays, the whole school celebrated Christmas
with much fanfare. Our Preschool kids thought about “What Christmas
Means to Me” and showed their sentiments through songs and
performances. Primary school students celebrated goodwill and the
spirit of giving. Among the activities were Secret Santa, singalongs and
movie hour.

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Chinese Culture Week

We held our first Chinese Culture Week to connect students to traditional Chinese culture and let
them experience and interact with its unique charms. Through modern technology and innovative
means, students absorbed and appreciated Chinese culture's essence and articulated it through
songs, artwork, and prose. Through various platforms and activities, Chinese Culture Week
allowed students to understand the meaning of tradition.

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Chinese New Year celebration

Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival) is the most important holiday for Chinese worldwide. It’s a
time for families to gather to feast and wish for good fortune. Here in SSIS, we celebrated it with
traditional events and meaningful festivities. From Preschool to Senior School, everyone got in
on the holiday spirit over two days with lion dances, concerts, performances, crosstalks, cooking,
dancing and red packets galore!

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88 Celebrations of Learning

STEAM Week

For STEAM Week this year, K2 students were invited to join in the fun as well! Our STEAM Week
showed our strong focus on interdisciplinary learning to prepare our students for the real world.
All the fun activities in Primary school STEAM Lab and Senior School Innovation Lab allowed the
students to work hands-on, collaborate, and think critically—using the design thinking process to
solve problems, develop adaptive skills, and fill their sense of wonder. In the process, the students
found enjoyment while engaged in exploration and discovery.

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Spring Funtasia

This week, we enjoyed five days of international culinary dishes with recipes provided by
parents! Students dressed in national costumes to showcase their heritage, and an Olympics
theme was chosen to celebrate diversity and unify the community through cultural stations,
fun sports and games!

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92 Our Wider Community

Our Wider
Community

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Parent Education Programme (PEP)

Our PEP is centred on the premise that parents are their child's first and most influential teachers;
we encourage and actively promote lifelong learning through our Parent Education Programme
(PEP). Through the academic year, we conducted various programmes for parents to choose
from—Foundation of Phonics, Math & Science Workshop, University Application Series, The
Adolescent Brain—and whether through attending it on campus or our live feed, many parents
took part, and we all grew as a community.

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Teacher Mini Conference

We are a school that values lifelong learning for both our students and faculty, and we focus
heavily on faculty education. Mini Conferences are conducted twice a year. Topics range from
classroom management, collaborative and differentiated teaching, use of technology to enhance
education and communication, as well as interest areas.

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SSIS Speakers Series

In March 2021, we launched our SSIS Speaker Series to connect thinkers, innovators, and opinion-
makers with our SSIS community. Our esteemed speakers offered diverse perspectives about
their fields of expertise, ranging from social impact to sustainable living, species conservation,
protecting the environment, culture, art, innovation, and technology. Their passionate talks
certainly inspired and influenced our Senior school students.

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