ALUMNI
Forever Part of the Amerasia Family
The goal of The Qingdao Amerasia Alumni Network is to strengthen the ties between alumni and the school by sharing ideas and the experiences of its diverse membership. Through events, networking opportunities, and other programs, the school strives to be a valuable and enriching resource for all alumni.
STUDENT COUNCIL
Developing Leadership Potential
The student council works to give students an opportunity to develop leadership by organizing and carrying out school activities and service projects. In addition to planning events that contribute to school spirit and community welfare, the student council is the voice of the student body.
AMERASIA WELL-BEING
Supporting Our Community
Child Protection
QAIS aims to be a safe haven for children and is committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive set of policies and procedures that will ensure protection of their physical and emotional well-being at all times while under our care.
Additionally, QAIS endorses the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which our host country, China, is a signatory. As such, we believe educators have a professional and ethical obligation to identify children who are in need of help and protection, and, therefore, expect that all staff employed at QAIS report suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect whenever there is reasonable cause.
Members of the school Child Protection Team (CPT) receive advanced child protection training at the beginning of every school year, and during the year, as needed.
Amerasia Learning Support
By Krista Sifton, Director of Learning Support
At QAIS, we strive to inspire a lifelong love of learning through a holistic, child-centered, inquiry-based approach, and nurture courageous global citizens who help build a more peaceful world. As an IB World School, we believe inclusion is an ongoing and evolving process that aims to increase access and engagement in learning for all students by identifying and removing barriers (“QAIS IB Access and Inclusion Policy,” 2022, p. 4.)
The student support department works closely with Lower and Upper School students, families, and staff to support all academic, social emotional, and behavioural concerns. Teachers and parents can refer students to the QAIS support program. Our aim is to optimize learning opportunities for students so they can successfully pursue personal and academic excellence within our caring community. Part of how we do this is by utilizing Multi-Tired Systems of Support (MTSS).
MTSS is a wrap-around support system for the whole school community focusing on academics, behaviour, and social emotional health. The tiers are fluid, not fixed, and children can move in and out of the three tiers depending on what kind of support they require.
- Tier 1 – Differentiated Core Support: Classroom instruction is inclusive, based on researched practices, materials, and resources, and is universally designed so all students are taught together with options provided to personalize their learning journey.
- Tier 2 – Strategic Support: Support is offered for students who are struggling and is layered on top of Tier 1. The support provided is even more individualized, intensive, and monitored.
- Tier 3 – Intensive Support: Support is offered for individual students who are still struggling and need even more time to engage with the material.
The Importance of Assessment
High quality, research-based assessments are key to understanding what type of targeted support each child requires to be successful. The QAIS Support Department, along with a team of outside providers, can offer additional assessments for children who are not yet reaching their learning goals or who may have a suspected learning disability. These assessments help us create an individual education plan (IEP) and also ensure the necessary accommodations are provided at school and during IB examinations. For example, if a child has a diagnosis of dyslexia, they may receive up to 50% more time for exams, be able to utilize various technologies to help with reading, or have a reader provided for them. These formal psychoeducational assessments are their ticket to receiving the support they require to be successful at QAIS and into university!
Krista Sifton
A highly experienced educator with demonstrated success at both public and private schools in Japan, China, and across Canada. Krista is passionate and dedicated to the continual improvement of school inclusion and diversity, supporting research-based pedagogical practices in instruction and assessment, translanguaging in joyful inquiry-infused classrooms, and learning from and with others.
Krista has bachelor’s degrees in Developmental Psychology, English, and Elementary Education; a master’s degree in Leadership and Learning in Inclusive Education; and she is currently enrolled in The University of Florida’s Graduate Program for Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention.
Child Protection
QAIS aims to be a safe haven for children and is committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive set of policies and procedures that will ensure protection of their physical and emotional well-being at all times while under our care. Additionally, QAIS endorses the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which our host country, China, is a signatory. As such, we believe educators have a professional and ethical obligation to identify children who are in need of help and protection, and, therefore, expect that all staff employed at QAIS report suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect whenever there is reasonable cause. Members of the school Child Protection Team (CPT) receive advanced child protection training at the beginning of every school year, and during the year, as needed.
Staff Professional Development
QAIS is committed to ongoing professional development (PD) for all staff, to ensure alignment with the most current educational best practices. In addition to external workshops delivered by Montessori and IB experts, we provide a comprehensive in-house PD program for all staff based on identified needs in our community.
Parent Education
Parent Education events are coordinated at Amerasia throughout the academic year. Our belief is that the more knowledge our parents have about both Montessori and IB philosophies, along with the school’s policies, the more consistent the home-school partnership will be, allowing children to thrive in a supportive, nurturing environment. Parental support is imperative to the success of a child’s education and to the school’s growth and development. We offer a multitude of parent Education activities through our yearlong Parents as Leaners (PALs) workshop series.
PARENT CONNECT
Forging the Home-School Partnership
PARENT CONNECT MISSION: To build a partnership between the home and school that will enhance the academic, social and cultural development of the students and offer continued enrichment for the QAIS community.
Parent Connect is the volunteer parent and guardian organization that unites staff, students, and parents to fortify the Amerasia community. Members organize a rich variety of special events and activities to support our programs, such as Arts Week, Seasonal celebrations, International Day, School Musical Performances, Open Day, Family Day, and more.
Joining Parent Connect gives you the opportunity to put your skills and hobbies to use for the benefit of our Amerasia community. It also allows parents to build new friendships, welcome new families, share passions and interests, and discover and learn new information and skills.
Parent Connect is the volunteer parent and guardian organization that unites staff, students, and parents to fortify the Amerasia community. Members organize a rich variety of special events and activities to support our programs, such as Arts Week, Seasonal celebrations, International Day, School Musical Performances, Open Day, Family Day, and more.
Joining Parent Connect gives you the opportunity to put your skills and hobbies to use for the benefit of our Amerasia community. It also allows parents to build new friendships, welcome new families, share passions and interests, and discover and learn new information and skills.
iCONNECT AND SPEAKER'S BUREAU
Internships • Inspiration • Professional Experiences
To support students in grades 9-12 with hands-on, practical experiences to enrich their learning and supplement their applications to universities, Amerasia iConnect provides access to internships, mentoring opportunities, and visits to corporations and industries. Combining their strengths and interests, students enter professional work environments, understand and seek ways to solve real-world problems, and explore innovative methods of improving society through reflection, creativity, and action. iConnect internships take place during weekends and holidays over the course of 3-4 years, providing coherent practical projects that prepare students to choose a university major aligned with their passions and goals.
Amerasia TEDx is a platform for inspirational leaders, founders, entrepreneurs, and senior managers from all industries in Qingdao and beyond to bring their unique perspectives, life experiences, and expertise to Amerasia students, while broadening their minds, and encouraging them to follow their dreams.
Amerasia TEDx is a platform for inspirational leaders, founders, entrepreneurs, and senior managers from all industries in Qingdao and beyond to bring their unique perspectives, life experiences, and expertise to Amerasia students, while broadening their minds, and encouraging them to follow their dreams.
GET INVOLVED!
QAIS continually seeks professionals and businesses who can offer presentations and internships in Qingdao and beyond to our IB high school students. As our honorary partner, we will recognize and appreciate your company or institution in our yearbook, WeChat posts, and full school events, and display your corporate logo on the Amerasia Honor Wall. Your business or institution, as well as your personal story, will be part of an inspiring campus culture for years to come. We invite you to join iConnect as we work together to pave the road for our leaders of tomorrow. Please contact Comine Howe, Director of Marketing & Communications, at chowe@qingdaoamerasia.org, or Luo Min, Administrative Director, at mluo@qingdaoamerasia.org, if you have any questions.
QAIS continually seeks professionals and businesses who can offer presentations and internships in Qingdao and beyond to our IB high school students. As our honorary partner, we will recognize and appreciate your company or institution in our yearbook, WeChat posts, and full school events, and display your corporate logo on the Amerasia Honor Wall. Your business or institution, as well as your personal story, will be part of an inspiring campus culture for years to come. We invite you to join iConnect as we work together to pave the road for our leaders of tomorrow. Please contact Comine Howe, Director of Marketing & Communications, at chowe@qingdaoamerasia.org, or Luo Min, Administrative Director, at mluo@qingdaoamerasia.org, if you have any questions.
PHOENIX ART ACADEMY
Aims to nurture artistic skill in the younger generation
Amerasia’s Phoenix Art Academy aims to nurture artistic skill in the younger generation and prepare them for study in an overseas art academy or university, where they can major in art-related fields and prepare for their careers.
AMERASIA GLOBAL YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP
Supporting deserving international scholars to experience Amerasia
QAIS aims to attract talented students from all six inhabitable continents.
The Amerasia Global Youth Scholarship program deepens the international mindedness of our student body while simultaneously supporting the human and academic needs of deserving students from around the world. As quoted by Maria Montessori, “The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
The program will focus on promoting cross cultural understanding by recruiting students from outside of China. This small act is yet another example of how we, as a community of global citizens, can leave a more prosperous world for the next generation by planting seeds of peace and watching the ripple effects as our students develop the mindsets of community action, intercultural understanding, and respect for all life.
The Amerasia Global Youth Scholarship will support academically gifted international students whose financial realities often disqualify them from a quality education, thus limiting their potential for upward mobility. The program will provide students the chance to join the Amerasia community and graduate from the IB DP program, the most rigorous academic program in the world, with the goal of preparing and launching them into top international institutions of higher education. Due to the rigor and creativity of the Amerasia experience, we anticipate and expect our program alumni to harness and apply their newfound skills at university and in their careers as internationally minded global leaders.
If you are an international scholar and would like to learn more about our IB DP Scholarship Program, Please email: Info@qingdaoamerasia.org
The Amerasia Global Youth Scholarship program deepens the international mindedness of our student body while simultaneously supporting the human and academic needs of deserving students from around the world. As quoted by Maria Montessori, “The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
The program will focus on promoting cross cultural understanding by recruiting students from outside of China. This small act is yet another example of how we, as a community of global citizens, can leave a more prosperous world for the next generation by planting seeds of peace and watching the ripple effects as our students develop the mindsets of community action, intercultural understanding, and respect for all life.
The Amerasia Global Youth Scholarship will support academically gifted international students whose financial realities often disqualify them from a quality education, thus limiting their potential for upward mobility. The program will provide students the chance to join the Amerasia community and graduate from the IB DP program, the most rigorous academic program in the world, with the goal of preparing and launching them into top international institutions of higher education. Due to the rigor and creativity of the Amerasia experience, we anticipate and expect our program alumni to harness and apply their newfound skills at university and in their careers as internationally minded global leaders.
If you are an international scholar and would like to learn more about our IB DP Scholarship Program, Please email: Info@qingdaoamerasia.org
OUR TEAM
To educate the human potential physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and spiritually
Amerasia Staff Ethos:
To educate the human potential physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Through the process of self-actualizing, then transcending as individuals, we believe we can transform the Earth into a more positive, more just, more compassionate and enlightened version of itself.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~Howard Thurman
To educate the human potential physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Through the process of self-actualizing, then transcending as individuals, we believe we can transform the Earth into a more positive, more just, more compassionate and enlightened version of itself.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~Howard Thurman
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Join Our Inspiring Journey!
Come and join our community of professional educators in “Asia’s Most Livable City!”
Qingdao Amerasia International School aims to inspire a lifelong love of learning in students aged 18 months to 18 years. We are the first IB World School in Shandong Province offering the full IB Continuum of PYP, MYP, and DP. We are also the first school in Asia to be accredited by the American Montessori Society (AMS) for our Montessori Toddler and Early Childhood programs. We welcome passionate educators to join our caring, compassionate team to help them and students self-actualize and become the best possible versions of themselves!
Living in QingdaoQingdao is a coastal city in Shandong Province, China, known for its beautiful sandy beaches, delicious seafood, and rich culture. There are plenty of outdoor activities to partake in such as hiking in Laoshan or trying out the various water sports available at the beach. Those with a love for history and culture can visit the many temples and museums in the city or even take a trip to nearby Qufu—hometown of Confucius. The city is also famous for its beer industry, with the Tsingtao Brewery Museum offering visitors a glimpse into the city’s brewing history. Qingdao’s friendly and welcoming residents make it easy for new arrivals to integrate into the local culture and community. Qingdao is a great place to live for those looking for a mix of tradition, culture, natural beauty, and modern amenities, along with unforgettable experiences.
Qingdao is a coastal city in Shandong Province, China, known for its beautiful sandy beaches, delicious seafood, and rich culture. There are plenty of outdoor activities to partake in such as hiking in Laoshan or trying out the various water sports available at the beach. Those with a love for history and culture can visit the many temples and museums in the city or even take a trip to nearby Qufu—hometown of Confucius. The city is also famous for its beer industry, with the Tsingtao Brewery Museum offering visitors a glimpse into the city’s brewing history. Qingdao’s friendly and welcoming residents make it easy for new arrivals to integrate into the local culture and community. Qingdao is a great place to live for those looking for a mix of tradition, culture, natural beauty, and modern amenities, along with unforgettable experiences.
General conditions for all positions-Bachelor’s degree or higher
-Minimum of 2 years of relevant international teaching experience
-International Baccalaureate Experience preferred G1-12
-MACTE-approved Montessori Credential at Toddler and Early Childhood levels
-Bachelor’s degree or higher
-Minimum of 2 years of relevant international teaching experience
-International Baccalaureate Experience preferred G1-12
-MACTE-approved Montessori Credential at Toddler and Early Childhood levels
Help us grow the community
Due to our constant growth, we are looking to expand our staff in the upcoming school year.
ABOUT QINGDAO
The Most Dynamic City in Asia!
Located in the southeastern corner of Shandong Province, China, surrounded by majestic mountains and the Yellow Sea, Qingdao boasts 9 million inhabitants and offers a rich history and culture, an intriguing mix of European and Asian architecture, an inspiring coastline, a range of hiking and biking mountain trails, and rock climbing and camping opportunities for all abilities and interest levels.
The city’s downtown area is spread along 30km of coast, flanked by inspiring sandy beaches, fully accessible by boardwalk. Qingdao hosted the Sailing Regatta during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and regularly hosts both regional and international sailing events.
With modern amenities, a nightly laser-light show on its downtown skyscrapers, a well-developed transportation system of electric buses and taxis, brand-new metro lines, and an abundance of shops, international restaurants, and natural beauty, Qingdao was voted one of “China’s 20 Happiest Cities” in 2020.
WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO OUR BEAUTIFUL HOME!
