A cool breeze rises, summer lingers—another school year begins.Sunlight spills into the renewed campus, as if every breath of air whispers: “Welcome home, dear students.”On this first day, we skip the clichés. Instead, we bring you meaning, expectation, and a seed that holds the future.Chapter 01「Planting Hope」Morning brings surprises at the school gate.Principals and teachers wait with smiles, handing out specially designed “seed cards” to every student.More than just paper, it’s a gift for the new semester—personally inscribed by Principal Gloria Gong with the words: “Rise toward the sun, grow day by day.” Inside, a real seed waits to be planted.We believe every child is a seed—full of possibility and a unique future.Students press the “Seed of Hope Light.” It glows, as if lighting up the hopes of the new semester.In this moment, meaning and belonging shine through.More joy awaits at SABKChildren walk through the “Gate of Wisdom,” greeted by the school mascot, Sunshine Baby, whose bright smiles and warm hugs melt away worries and light up every little face.What began as a nervous day turned into a super happy one.Chapter 02「Reaching for the Stars」Separate opening ceremonies were held for elementary, middle, and high school—each solemn and warm.Department heads and teacher representatives shared their wishes, encouraging students to stay grounded and aim high.Principal Gloria Gong spoke with warmth and strength, inspiring everyone to chase dreams and make the most of their time.She compared life to a “seed growing through cracks,” illustrating how growth continues even through difficulty.She encouraged self-discipline, self-care, and balance, reminding everyone that the school and teachers will always support them.Her final message: Rise toward the sun, grow strong, and keep surpassing yourselves.Students listened attentively, their eyes bright with expectation.The ceremony was not just an event—it was a gathering of hearts, strengthening bonds and purpose.Chapter 03「A New Beginning」The bell rings, and the campus comes alive:In classrooms, teachers are energetic and passionate. Students are focused and curious—energy flows, ideas spark.In hallways, old friends laugh, new friends smile—shy at first, but soon part of the family.On the playground, running, jumping, playing—the energy of youth fills every corner.The first lesson is more than a return to learning—it’s a reunion of hearts and minds.Through engaging activities and interactive teaching, students transition smoothly from holiday mode to learning mode.Every class carries the same belief: a new semester is a new beginning. Everyone can redefine themselves and achieve something amazing.Every class carries the same belief: a new semester is a new beginning. Everyone can redefine themselves and achieve something amazing.Chapter 04「Nurturing Growth」As the day ends, students take their seed cards home—not just a keepsake, but a meaningful task:Plant it with care, nurture it with patience, and record its growth with photos and notes.In two weeks, submit this record to the SABS Media. Outstanding entries will be featured on the school’s official WeChat and other platforms.From a seed to a day full of laughter—SABS Opening Day started with heart and continues with love.Students, may you be like the seed:Root deep, rise tall,And let your light shine.

On June 30, Taiyuan Ethnic School (Yanshan) teachers and students arrived at SABS for a Shanghai Study Tour.They gifted a hand-painted friendship scroll. Principal Gloria Gong welcomed the group, explaining SABS' motto Learn for better, think for life and urging students to explore beyond mountains. She received student-made gratitude artworks.Since 2016, SABS has supported Yanshan through resource sharing and exchanges. This tour extends decade-long collaboration while broadening horizons for Taiyuan students.

On July 2,A delegation from Asheville School in NC visited our school, warmly received by Deputy Principal Vincent Xu. To strengthen ties and highlight educational strengths, both schools exchanged cultural gifts.This exchange reinforced international partnership and laid groundwork for future collaboration.

On July 4, SABS leaders—Principal Gloria Gong, Party Secretary Vincent Xu, and Assistants Rain Xu and Carol Xu—reviewed breakthroughs in the first year of the school’s third five-year plan, covering teacher growth, student progress, and operations.SABS achieved a landmark: after kindergarten IB PYP approval, it secured primary PYP and senior high CP accreditation in four months, becoming Shanghai’s first full IB school. Announced globally at SABS’s June 28th IB China Conference, this marks its international education turnaround.Gloria Gong praised staff’s resilience and growth, framing the summit as both a milestone review and a call to advance educational innovation in the next five-year phase.

On July 2, SABS successfully convened its Third Session of the Fourth Staff Representative Congress, themed Optimizing Innovation for Vitality, Enhancing Quality and Efficiency for the Future. Delegates engaged in in-depth discussions across some key areas: improving rules and regulations, innovating teaching and efficiency-enhancement measures, upgrading infrastructure quality, and ensuring staff welfare. Multiple constructive proposals were submitted.

On July 3, SABS hosted its 6th Hongju Cup Efficient Classroom Conference featuring three innovative teaching demonstrations. Wang Qingxian's Moral Education class had students design travel plans through field research and cost analysis, translating theory into social practice. Erin Cao reconstructed science experiments through pond ecosystem studies, merging scientific inquiry with ecological education. Arnold analyzed critical thinking development in the DP's Theory of Knowledge curriculum. The event bridged Eastern and Western pedagogy, providing actionable models for classroom efficiency while highlighting SABS's educational innovation achievements.

On July 1, SABS's Party Branch held a thematic activity at Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, focusing on integrity under the Eight Rules spirit. As China’s premier planning hub, the venue embodies the people's city concept and clean governance. The visit demonstrated how urban planning aligns with Party values—highlighting investigation, frugality, and public engagement through governance cases. Participants noted the integration of urban planning with Party education reinforced integrity awareness, advancing the people's city vision.

On July 3, our school's homeroom teacher roast session kicked off in a lively atmosphere. Educators shared humorous anecdotes from daily teaching life, ranging from Humorous Classroom Moments to profound student questions, dissecting pedagogical challenges through laughter. Professor Jiang Yi from East China Normal University's Department of Educational Psychology provided expert insights that transformed complaints into actionable wisdom, energizing homeroom teachers. This unique gathering allowed educators to continue their journey with renewed warmth, reflection, and smiles.

On June 30, SABK held its kindergarten graduation under the theme Soaring with the Wind, rooted in the IB PYP philosophy. The event celebrated children’s first academic milestone, showcasing the school’s holistic education achievements.The ceremony highlighted IB educational features, with children demonstrating inquirers and risk-takers attributes. They confidently presented three years of transdisciplinary learning through performances, reflecting core skills like communication and international-mindedness.This meaningful ceremony marked both an end to early childhood education and a new beginning. May students soar with curiosity and global perspectives, shining brightly in future endeavors.

On July 3, SABS's Administrative Committee reviewed and approved the University-wide Academic Positions Open Competitive Hiring Plan, officially launching an internal talent selection mechanism. Aimed at optimizing faculty allocation, the initiative provides cross-position development platforms for staff with professional expertise and growth potential, embodying the talent philosophy of leveraging talents to their fullest potential.Through open and fair competition, the plan promotes internal talent mobility, stimulates team innovation, and strengthens talent reserves to support the school's third five-year development plan.

The ‘IB Educational Ecology Leadership: Summit on Full Programme Integrationand Innovative Development,’ hosted by the IBO and organized by SABS,successfully concluded. This summit is a milestone for SABS, as it marks not only the school's debut at an official IBO forum under its new identity as a ‘Full IB School,’ but also its independent organization of such a high-profile, large-scale international education summit. This historic leap forward signifies that SABS's influence in the field of international education is gradually expanding, and it also highlights our outstanding capabilities in IB education practice and exploration. The speeches and panel discussions organized by SABS teachers were highly praised by attendees, fully demonstrating the professional competence of SABS's teaching team as IB educators. In this era of ‘degree inflation’ and ‘skill shortages,’ the IBCP is a bold choice made by SABS in the absence of standard answers. The logical starting point for this choice is simple: ‘Every individual deserves the sense of professional achievement and personal happiness that comes with their life.’ We hope all participating teachers gain insights and grow alongside SABS! SABS will continue to strive toward becoming a full IB school, achieving new heights in the international education arena.

On June 25, Professor Cai Qing, Vice Dean of ECNU's Institute of Brain Science and Education Innovation, visited our university. We have formally partnered with the institute to become aChildren and Adolescent Brain Development Base. Our school will also join ECNU'sNational Brain Development Project, supported by China's Ministry of Science and Technology. This project will track brain development in 6-7-year-old children, studying the characteristics and mechanisms of youth cognitive growth. ECNU's expertise will provide enhanced scientific support for our students' development.

SABS has formally signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Toronto (UofT) to launch theUniversity Preparatory Program (UPP)—the first overseas-authorized preparatory programofficially endorsed by UofT globally.As UofT’s inaugural internationally licensed undergraduate pathway initiative, UPP integrates theacademic resources of this top-20 global universitywith SABS’smature international curriculum framework, creating a pioneering strategic pathway for Chinese high school students to access leading North American institutions.The program leverages Canada’s official education system to deeply merge SABS’shigh-quality IB curriculumwith UofT’sworld-class faculty, delivering an efficient and reliable academic pathway tailored for Chinese students. This partnership signifies SABS’s entry into a new phase of global educational collaboration.

On June 26th, SABS Party Branch Secretary Vincent Xu and Ande Community representatives signed a party-building cooperation agreement.The partnership, guided by equality and mutual benefit, focuses on resource sharing, school-community education collaboration, joint organizational activities, and cultural integration. Key actions include pooling educational/venue resources, coordinating family education services, co-hosting annual party meetings with leadership lectures, and organizing volunteer/cultural events.This initiative aims to deepen party-business synergy, leveraging organizational strengths to drive community development and moral education, supporting a better community.

On June 11th, PYP Kindergarten children took audiences on a journey through the Interstellar Voyage concert, showcasing their artistic talents and embodying the IB PYP (Primary Years Programme) philosophy. Through music, they explored self-expression, connected with the world, and cultivated curiosity, communication skills, and global perspectives amidst rhythm and melody.Music as education, stage as classroom. May every child find their own light in the galaxy of music!