Learning is a prerequisite for education, a compulsory course that accompanies us throughout our lives, and the driving force behind the continuous progress of society. To give up learning means giving up everything. A new semester is a new start. Let us use our diligence and wisdom to write a satisfactory answer sheet for the new school year.
—— President Xu Yongchu
The Pao School campuses have thrown open their doors to a new term, and many new students, while welcoming back many others. Everyone seemed excited to embark on a new journey.
Campuses welcome students back on the first day of school
Under the drizzling rain, James Lyng, the newly appointed principal of high school, school leaders and teachers warmly greeted students as they returned to campus. For some, this marked their inaugural experience at the High School, while for others, it was a joyous homecoming after a splendid and fulfilling summer. Seeing the evident delight on students’ faces as they reunited with friends and their teachers was wonderful.
James Lyng joined Pao School in 2020 as the High School Deputy Principal, overseeing all academic affairs and spearheading initiatives to enhance teaching and learning standards. Mr. Lyng holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Pure and Applied Physics from the University of Manchester, an MA in Science Education from King's College London, a PGCE from Brunel University, and an MEd in Educational Leadership from the University of Buckingham. He brings a wealth of experience in teaching both in international schools and the UK, having fulfilled numerous leadership positions in the past.
High School Principal James Lyng at the staff meeting
Looking forward to the new semester, James Lyng shared his thoughts with the school community: “I am so excited to be taking on the role of High School Principal at YK Pao School at a time when we are reflecting on the impact of the pandemic on school life and wellbeing while also looking forwards to the potential impact of new technologies in general and AI in particular. The School will maintain its focus on high-quality teaching and learning and we will also renew our efforts to encourage the holistic growth and wellbeing of all members of our community.”
Students from the Primary and Middle School campuses also returned to the campus after a long absence.
At the Year 1 opening ceremony, teachers presented a video introduction to the history of the school, allowing them to show off the beauties of the campus. It also provided an opportunity to reflect upon how the requirements of becoming an elementary school student differ from those familiar with kindergarten. Students were asked to begin their own journey of exploration at Pao School in a spirit of thoughtful questioning.
Year 1 teachers introduce themselves.
Crick Chen, the Deputy Principal of the Primary School, expressed her hope for the new semester: “It is important that together we continue to build a school which challenges us to be best we can and in which together we may continue to provide the best learning environment for our students and each other.”
Primary Deputy Principal Crick Chen with students
For Year 6 students and their families who are transitioning from Primary to Middle School, there may be a period of adjustment as they adapt to new routines. To support this process, the campus leadership team, along with the Head of Years, Head of Departments, homeroom teachers and subject teachers, will collaborate closely to facilitate a seamless transition for our students into middle school life.
Middle School Principal Ada Wang at the new staff orientation session
In her principal’s newsletter to parents for the new school year, Principal Ada Wang specifically addressed the needs of Year 6 students and their families who are new to the Middle School: "We are fully prepared to embrace the new semester and welcome back our students. Your support is crucial to your children's educational journey, and we look forward to working closely with you to create a positive and supportive learning environment for them."
Executive Headmaster Mark Bishop speaking at the new staff orientation session
During the orientation meeting for new staff, which was conducted prior to the commencement of the school year, Executive Headmaster Mark Bishop expressed: “We are a school that passionately believes in holistic education – we are educating mind, body and spirit – we want our students to be well balanced and well-rounded youngsters but we also believe that at the heart of holistic education is academic excellence. So we do want this school to be high performing. I do want there to be an intolerance of mediocrity. I want to make sure that our students, of whatever age, are not coasting and doing just enough to get by – but I also want us to be a school that is incredibly caring, supportive, nurturing, encouraging and inspiring.”
President Xu Yongchu's opening message to the school’s students shared many of the same hopes and expectations.
Following the difficulties of the Covid epidemic, Students have seized the opportunities of re-opening during the summer vacation, devoting themselves to learning, contributions to public welfare, physical fitness, and the joys of China’s great mountains and rivers. New knowledge, sharpened talents, and good works have opened horizons during a wonderful and fulfilling vacation. The newly renovated Pao School has said goodbye to a batch of Y12 students and welcomed a new group of students.
We have ushered in a new semester, and everyone is eager for a new start. Looking at the calendar each day, we ask ourselves how to face the confusions and troubles of growing up, listen to advice, learn to absorb new information, persist in self-discipline, and maximize happiness and growth each day. The recently graduated Year 12 students expressed the best insight about this. They said: “The school upholds whole person education, so diligently pursuit of academics is only a part. We have also to invest time and energy in hobbies and other interests.” Every graduate who received the offer of his or her choice succeeded because they had a to-do list during his or her school years, which was completed one step at a time. They are accumulating knowledge and experience both broadly and widely, which enables them to speak up ever more confidently.
Mr. YK Pao once said: "I want to learn business, but I want to study more than that, because I am a young man, and young people should take the rise and fall in their country’s fortunes as their own responsibility. This requires knowledge." We come to school to study every day, deciding what to learn, how to learn, why to learn, how to learn effectively, and to remind ourselves in class every day: I think you can really live-up to the name "learner”. Learning, learning with interest, learning with needs, learning actively, learning with thinking, learning with inquiry, learning with research, and learning creatively, don't let yourself be merely "fed". Instead, make yourself capable of building a ship with courage, sailing with dreams, and riding the wind and waves in the sea of knowledge. Of course, teachers are also constantly thinking about what to say, how to say it, why they say it, and how to say it better. In my opinion, the ideal education model is that teachers use their hearts and emotions to explore and open up the potential life wisdom held in the teaching materials, to interact with students, grow together, and provide personalized teaching.
Students and teachers, "reading is life, education is creation". Learning is a prerequisite for education, a compulsory course that accompanies us throughout our lives, and the driving force behind the continuous progress of society. To give up learning means giving up everything. A new semester is a new start. Let us use our diligence and wisdom to write a satisfactory answer sheet for the new school year.
