Articles

Letter from the Principal

Dear Concordians:

I would like to welcome you to Buena Vista Concordia International School (BCIS) for the 2018/19 school year. The dedicated teachers, support staff and I look forward to meeting and serving you and your children at our school this year. You are the ‘Primary Educators' of your child, and as such, we look forward to working with you in providing excellent learning opportunities to your children.

I feel privileged to have been chosen to serve as the Principal of BCIS which has an excellent reputation as an Elementary school and Middle school of choice for many parents living in Shenzhen since 2011. The responsibility entrusted to me as Principal by you as parents are something that I will embrace daily in a thoughtful, caring, respectful manner while having high expectations of the students. As a school community, we are challenged to ensure that students are taught the ‘basics’ of education, but more importantly to develop them into life-long learners that will prepare them for the 21st Century.

Most of my educational experience has been working with elementary teachers, students and parents/guardians. Students move through various development stages from Kindergarten to Grade 8 and do not move through these stages at the same time. As teachers and parents, we need to recognize and celebrate our children's achievements and provide support to them when they encounter academic, social or emotional challenges.

BCIS Faculty, with your support, will provide learning opportunities both within and outside the classroom that will educate students holistically and in doing so, celebrate these achievements and support these challenges.

We are a school that has implemented American teaching principles and specifically the Common Core Curriculum. I have served as Principal of three schools in China that used the Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum and British Columbia Ministry of Education curriculum depending on the hosting province in Canada. These curriculums are like the Common Core Curriculum which have high standards or outcomes. Each of these curriculums addresses the need to educate students to become good citizens and productive citizens in our world. Having said that a great curriculum does not ensure excellent learning in the classroom. Excellent teachers and support staff will bring to life the curriculum by demonstrating a 'love for learning' and providing excellent teaching and assessment.

Having served educational communities for over thirty years, I know that one of the most critical aspects of high achieving schools is communication. An honest, respective and professional dialogue between students, teachers, and parents/guardians will help ensure high achievement for students. As well, studies show that students with parents who are involved in their school have better academic performance than those that are not involved in the school. While I recognize that you are very busy, I would encourage you to join as many school events as possible and keep up-to-date with your child's learning.

If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

– Ignacio Estrada

The 2018-19 school will be very fruitful to you, your child and the faculty at BCIS and I look forward to meeting you and your child as we all continue our life-long learning and preparing your children to be global citizens.

Gerry Cockburn – BES. Bed., MSc.Ed.

Principal

Buena Vista Concordia International School