We extend our hope that everyone is safe, whether you be in Chongqing or some other part of the world. We woke this morning to a selection of WeChat photos, sent from downtown Chongqing, showing the early fog clearing to expose beautiful blue skies and the promise of temperatures reaching 18°C. It appears that Spring has arrived and we all hope that these warmer conditions bring an end to the current coronavirus infection and we can reopen the school very soon.

Our e-learning programme is now fully operational and it has been quite inspirational, as school leaders, to witness the enthusiasm and dedication employed by our teachers in adapting our classroom programme onto an online learning platform. In catering to the needs of all our students, teachers need to consider the technology accessible, support at home and the different time zones where our student may be residing, as we know that a significant proportion of our students are currently living outside of China, awaiting news that the school will reopen. The e-learning programme continues to evolve, with increased use of video instruction and parent support files, as well as the use of ‘live’ Zoom interactions, largely in Secondary.

It has been wonderful to note the enthusiasm with which our teaching teams have collaborated and welcomed these unique professional growth opportunities. We really do have some exceptional educators in Chongqing. We take this opportunity to thank the entire YCIS staff for their flexibility and diligence in optimising learning opportunities for our students.

We also extend a huge thank you to our parents engagement in this very different learning approach, supporting their child(ren)’s learning and providing valuable feedback to teachers and school leaders.

Thank you to our community of learners and we look forward to welcoming you all back to the campus as soon as possible.

-- From School Leadership Team, Feb 13, 2020