Western International School of Shanghai will open the second phase of its construction in time for the new school year in September.

 

The Qingpu District institution in Shanghai opened to students from nursery school through third grade this year with the launch of its new European-designed, 3,500-square-meter building close to Hongqiao area.

 

Phase two, which will begin construction after the Chinese New Year, will consist of the middle and high school buildings, catering for students up to grade eight at the 6.4-hectare facility.

 

The new buildings include 34 classrooms (each 90 square meters), multi-purpose rooms of 120 square meters, 2D and 3D art rooms, a music room with adjoining practice rooms and a black box theater.

 

Attached to the middle and high school buildings will be the 488-seat theater and the science laboratory building. This includes six state-of-the-art labs as well as a rooftop greenhouse. Adjacent will be the 288-seat dining room as well as two floors for the massive library.

 

The design of the entire campus was done by Weimar Architects of Weimar, Germany, home of the world-renowned Bauhaus School of Architecture.

 

The school, which is currently underpinned by the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Program, a modern inquiry approach where students learn at internationally-recognized standards, will extend up to the IB Middle Years Program, which is based on an integrated, trans-disciplinary approach to learning.

 

MYP coordinator Nicole Schmidt explained, "In real life, problems don't confront us broken up into subjects, but rather head on in all their complexity. Better then that, students learn to use geography, math, environmental science and literacy skills as well as foreign language to understand, for example, modern Chinese life."

 

In phase three, the school will extend into the IB Diploma Program and add a primary school, a wellness building with weight room, dance and aerobics studio and a fencing room. There will also be an administration building, three gymnasiums and a competition-sized swimming pool. A dormitory for 230 students will enable international exchange.

 

School director Dr Alfonso Orsini pointed out that "with all of the excellent educational choices available in Shanghai, what distinguishes us is not only our aim to offer the full IB curriculum, but also our desire to keep our four schools small, close and personally connected to families and students."

 

The kindergarten will be limited to eight classes of 18 students each; the primary school to three classes of 18 students each in grades one to five; the middle school to three classes of 18 students each in grades six to eight; and the high school to three classes each of 20 students in grades nine to 12.

 

For information, contact: Leslie Tam, admissions director

 

Address: 555 Lianmin Road, Qingpu District

 

Tel: 6976-6388, 6976-6969

 

Mobile: 13661898631

 

E-mail: admission@wiss.cn

 

(Shanghai Daily January 24, 2007)