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DAIS NEWSLETTER APRIL 2023

Dear DAIS community,

We are delighted to present the April issue of our school newsletter. Hopefully, everyone was able to enjoy the long weekend and appreciate the awesome spring weather. The countdown begins as we enter the final month of the academic year. 

Whole School News 

Kids Read

Congratulations to Semra who represented Dalian American International School during the Kids Read competition in Beijing and got second place there. Our “One Woman Army” as the other schools dubbed her made it through to the final round and won multiple tiebreakers. We are proud of Semra’s success! International Day

International Day held on April 22 in the South Gym brought together hundreds of students, teachers and parents from 20 countries, with food, decorations, music, fancy outfits, and games. During the event, we could experience the charm of multiculturalism on DAIS campus. Creativity and music were a big part of the day with Ashley Mims and our musicians starting the day's proceedings with the US and Chinese national anthems and then the live band musicians from our staff and friends. 

Elementary School

Grade 3 Community Time

Our elementary students started to celebrate Earth Week a little bit in advance this year, with Grade 3 having hosted a Community Time last Friday, April 14. 

Why should we keep the planet clean? What can we do to protect the Earth? These and many other questions were answered during the event. Students also talked about food waste, repurpose, and the history of the modern environmental movement. 

Adopt a Team

Hosting other schools for ACAMIS Football tournament provided an opportunity for our elementary school classes to 'adopt' one of the visiting teams: make posters, get autographs, attend games, and sing chants supporting that team. We are glad that our ES classes could help make this an even more special experience for our guests from other cities. 

Day of Creativity

This year, Mr. Martin partnered with IKEA to teach students how IKEA uses creative thinking to solve problems, especially on how to be more environmentally friendly. On April 21, Grade 2 and 5 engaged in activities where they had to collaborate and collectively problem solve. This was another authentic example of our SWLO (Schoolwide Learner Outcomes) coming to life. 

Earth Day

Earth Day, which is celebrated every year on April 22, is a worldwide environmental protection event. Earth Day was first celebrated in the 1970s in the United States as an environmental movement on school campuses, but in the 1990s it spread from the United States to the world and became a day for environmentalists and environmental protection advocates around the world, with people of different nationalities promoting and practicing the concept of environmental protection in their own ways. 

This year, we celebrated Earth Day and International Day at the same time, and the teachers and students at DAIS-E conveyed the message of protecting the Earth's ecological environment to everyone in their own unique approach. 

Secondary School

Field Trip

On April 12 our Environmental Science students went on an educational trip to Dalian Andmir Equipment Co. Dalian Andmir is one of the biggest manufacturers and suppliers of environmental protection equipment in China. Students learned a lot about ADAF (advanced dissolved air flotation) units, spectrum serial filters, shale gas sewage treatment technology, and oily sludge and contaminated soil thermal desorption systems.  

This trip was an important experience for our high school students as we approached Earth Week (April 17-22). 

Middle School Lock-In

A big thank you to Mr. Bernabe, Mr. Meik, and middle school faculty for an engaging, fun, and memorable Lock-In event that took place on April 14-15. The students will remember this night full of games and activities, movies and snacks for many years. 

ACAMIS Sendoff

On April 19, secondary school students, teachers and staff gathered in the hallways to send off our Co-Ed Varsity Badminton team to Shenzhen and to greet our Varsity Football team. Basketball players left for the airport to participate in the ACAMIS Badminton Tournament hosted by Shekou International School. Meanwhile, five schools from around China headed off to Dalian on the same day for the ACAMIS Gold Division Football which kicked off on DAIS campus on April 20. 

Secondary Concert

On Thursday, April 27 we were able to celebrate DAIS Sea Dragon spirit, culture and unity in diversity through music. Choral and instrumental (and combined) pieces for the spring concert were carefully selected by our music teachers Ms. Ashley Mims and Ms. Terry Saez. We all enjoyed "Castles and Dragons" on the stage and the impressive talent we have in our music department. A special thank you goes out to our student conductors Jin Gang, Peter, Kelly, and Amy for their courage and aptitude. 

Counseling Department

Grade 11 Workshop

The counseling office had two sessions of Personal Statement workshop for Grade 11 students this month to help juniors to create a draft essay for college application next year. And the continued session will be held on May 5. 

US Consulate Visit

On April 14, the US consulate visited school and gave a fascinating presentation about visa application to seniors and parents in the CV lobby.

ICAC Conference

On April 26 to April 28, the counseling office team headed to Hangzhou to attend the 5th China ICAC (Institute of College Admission Counseling) conference. 

Student Government

High School Prom

Throughout April, the Student Government has been busy preparing for the upcoming Prom 2023. This year's event will be held at the Hilton Hotel on May 13.

All high school students in grades 9-12 are cordially invited to the ball. The theme of this year is Masquerade. Please save the date, prepare your dress and a colorful mask in advance, and get your ticket as soon as possible!

Scan here

The enrollment of transfer students is in progress, and some classes are full. If you need to inquire about the number of places, please contact the Admissions Department.

Upcoming Events 

May 13 - High School Prom

May 15-19 - Teacher Appreciation Week

May 16 - Art Show

May 19 - Middle School Talent Show

May 25 - Elementary School Concert

May 28 - Graduation

Student ServiceASA

ACAMIS Badminton in Shenzhen

Congratulations to the 8 Varsity Badminton student athletes who played to their potential at the 24 team ACAMIS Badminton competition held in Shenzhen on April 20-22. We are proud of the behavior, decorum, sportsmanship and sheer effort the students displayed during the competition.  

Despite flight delays, early morning starts, hot humid weather and a new environment filled with hundreds of students, coaches and teachers, the Sea Dragons played the best games of their lives and displayed grit and determination.

The Sea Dragon team made it to the quarter finals of the Shield Division and our boys singles and boys doubles players made it to the quarter finals of the overall competition. This young team will keep getting better in years to come and we also have some strong talent coming through from our current JV team.  

ACAMIS Soccer on Campus

Having gone five years without ACAMIS on campus, it was a joy to host schools from Hangzhou, Xiamen, Shenzhen, and Beijing during the Gold Division ACAMIS Football competition held from April 20-22 on campus and at the local No. 24 school in Jinshitan. Guests commented on how welcoming our community was, and we can be proud of the contributions made by our whole community and our Varsity Girls and Boys teams. Congratulations to the Boys and Girls teams on both finishing in 3rd place overall!

Boarding

Easter is the grandest and most important festival in the West after Christmas, symbolizing hope and rebirth. To celebrate the arrival of spring, on April 17th, all elementary and high school students from our dormitory gathered together and held a unique Easter celebration.  

The opening game was the classic Easter egg hunt. The boarding department teachers hid the colorful eggs in advance for the students to look for them. The students were so sharp-eyed, and in no time, all the eggs were found. Students who found the eggs not only received everyone's blessings but also exchanged them for prizes. They happily compared the number of eggs they each found, and the scene was lively and warm.  

Next up was the big-foot relay race. The students put on specially made big feet, and not only had to race to see who was the fastest, but also had to bend down and pass under a low bar. The clumsy appearance of the competitors caused constant laughter in the audience.  

Finally, there was the hen egg-laying game, also known as the shaking ball game. With the music starting, the participants had to keep shaking their bodies and make the small box bounce up and down until all the ping pong balls came out. The game seemed straightforward, but winning was not easy because some mischievous students would pick eggs on the ground and sneakily put them in the boxes of their competitors. The scene was very funny, and it made the audience laugh out loud.  

To successfully organize this event, the dormitory teachers started preparing more than a month in advance. They carefully arranged the venue, made various props, and the most popular one was the Easter rabbit-shaped photo board with a hollow face, which made the children eager to take pictures with it.  

Easter symbolizes new life and vitality. On this day, people of different races and faiths come together to share the joy of the changing seasons. The dorm event conveyed this unique meaning and expressed profound feelings for all the students living there while also expressing beautiful wishes.

文章转载自：【DAIS DL】