As summer passes into autumn, the school seems to awaken, in preparation for the return of its students. Yet beneath the quiet surface, Pao School's staff are already hard at work.
Professional Training
In mid-August, all campuses welcomed an influx of new teaching staff, arriving from all over the world. These newcomers joined the school’s existing teachers in professional training exercises, covering all aspects of their work, and setting them up for the coming semester.
Professional Training at all three campuses
As part of its teacher training process, the school invited Ochan Kusuma-Powell, who has decades of experience in international education and special education, to provide training on Cognitive Coaching for more than 40 new and existing teachers. Diana Zuo, Primary Director of Teacher and Learning, praised the dedication of teachers, stating "The commitment of teachers to forgo part of their summer holiday, along with the school's support in providing expert training on deep thinking, has overwhelmingly enabled a transformative learning experience. It will yield results and benefit students for years to come." This four day course is designed to reinforce the communication skills needed by teachers and school leaders. It is based on the foundations of Cognitive Coaching, an approach to professional relationships which focuses on supporting the thinking of colleagues in such areas as planning, reflection, and problem solving.
Ms Ochan Kusuma-Powell conducts Cognitive Coaching training.
Back-to-School Communication
The Primary School has been holding Orientation Sessions for new students, providing parents with comprehensive information about the school, as well as Back-to-School Communication events where parents can connect with homeroom teachers. At the Middle School, campus tours and homeroom meetings were organized for the Year 6 students as well as new Year 7 and Year 8 students, to help them adjust smoothly to their new situations. The High School campus will hold parent-school communication meetings for different year levels after the start of the school year. These are designed to enable parents to fully understand the curriculum requirements for the new academic year, to achieve better home-school cooperation.
Student Return Activities at Wuding and Hongqiao Campus
Campus Facilities
Throughout the scorching months of the holiday break, the Engineering Projects and Campus Operations team has worked tirelessly at the upgrading and renovating campus facilities. The Wuding campus completed the transformation of the Wellbeing Center, while renovating the Year 1 corridor and whiteboard screens in Year 5 classrooms, and the basketball court. The Hongqiao campus upgraded the desks and chairs in its laboratories, making them adjustable, and thus easier to adapt to class needs. Additionally, the classroom whiteboards were upgraded to interactive whiteboards, integrated with smart TVs to enhance teaching efficiency. The Songjiang campus added a climbing wall to its sports activity spaces; completed internal road maintenance; and continued with the planned annual renovation of teacher apartments.
The newly upgraded Wellbeing Center at the Wuding Campus
Upgraded laboratory desk and chairs at the Hongqiao Campus
The new climbing wall at the Songjiang Campus
Campus Operations
The Operation Teams of each campus also took advantage of the holiday period to carry out a deep cleaning of all classrooms, offices, libraries, auditoriums, stadiums and other venues and furniture, washing and drying the uniforms, plush toys, floor mats and sports equipment to be used during the semester. There has also been a thorough inspection of all the desks and chairs in the offices and classrooms, and of the facilities in the dorm rooms on the Songjiang Campus, to ensure the safety and comfort of all faculty members and students.
Wuding Campus conducts deep cleaning of the library
Hongqiao Campus conducts deep cleaning of student lockers, desks, and chairs
Songjiang Campus conducts cleaning staff training
Songjiang Campus conducts exterior wall cleaning
