YCIS-SV Community Connection

Dear YCIS-SV Community,

As we move through the month of May, we are reminded of how special our community truly is. YCIS is a place where connection, care, and a shared love of learning come together each day.

During this past Teacher Appreciation Week, our teachers felt genuinely seen, valued, and deeply loved. Thank you for the heartfelt messages, thoughtful gestures, and the spirit of appreciation you brought. These moments mean more than words can express. It is because of this strong partnership that our school continues to thrive.

We are also delighted to welcome our Superintendent Mr. Martin Scott back to our Silicon Valley campus this month. His presence is always a wonderful opportunity for connection, and we hope you will take a moment to say hello if you see him around.

This month, we warmly welcome several new ECE staff members into our community. Each new educator brings fresh energy and care, and we are excited for the ways they will nurture and inspire our youngest learners.

At YCIS-SV, we believe that learning belongs to all of us, students, educators, and families alike. It was a joy to see parents and staff come together for our recent Common Ground Speaker Series “Love to Learn” video watching in coffee social. In that shared space, we learned and reflected on a powerful idea: "The future belongs to those who can work thoughtfully with AI while nurturing deep human connections. To love learning, we must first learn to love." Moments like these remind us that learning is not just about knowledge, but about relationships, curiosity, and our shared humanity. We look forward to creating more opportunities for us to learn and grow together.

Today, we also celebrate a special milestone that is our first-ever Business Fair. We are incredibly proud of our students for their creativity, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit. Thank you to our families for showing up, encouraging them, and helping bring their ideas to life. Your support makes these experiences truly meaningful.

As always, thank you for walking alongside us. It is your partnership, trust, and presence that make YCIS-SV not just a school, but a community where everyone belongs.

Warmly,
Kevin & Vivian

This week our Jellyfish, Seahorse, and Dolphin Classes enjoyed a special visit from Mountain View Fire Safety Specialist, Ms. Gena. Through an engaging book reading and hands-on demonstration, she taught our students how to identify emergencies and emphasized the importance of calling 911 for help. We also discussed fire prevention, specifically the rule that children should never touch matches or lighters and must alert an adult immediately if they find them. One of the most exciting parts of the visit was learning about smoke detectors. Ms. Gena even demonstrated the alarm sound so the students would know what to listen for at home; everyone was incredibly brave when the loud siren went off! To wrap up, we talked about why every household needs working smoke detectors. Are you and your family prepared in the event of an emergency? Now is a great time to check your batteries and review your safety plan!

The restrooms in the courtyard are designated for student use only. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our campus safe.

This spring, we piloted our very first Young Entrepreneur Fair for students in 3rd grade and up!

We had 16 student businesses and over 35 student participants. Students came up with their own business ideas and created products ranging from 3-D printed items, plants, bookmarks, clay figures, and more.

It was wonderful to see their ideas come to life during our opening day. We are so proud of our students for following through with planning and running their own businesses. Along the way, they practiced important skills like communication, teamwork, organization, planning, marketing, and customer service.

A big thank you to our committee members: Mr. Peter, Ms. Cristy, and Ho Laoshi for helping make this event possible. Thank you also to all participating students and families for your support and help throughout the process. This event would not have happened without you!

We are also gathering feedback as we continue improving the event for future years:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScG6AYhWarXEULpTRAZNXaiK39GmEbnMF4kRkpgMDT_M32O3g/viewform?usp=dialog

Save the date for our Spring Sharing of Learning event on Friday, May 29. We look forward to celebrating the incredible learning and growth happening throughout our YCIS community. Families are invited to join us as students showcase their learning and classrooms open their doors for this special afternoon together.

Our 2nd grade students recently enjoyed an exciting and educational field trip to the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability as part of their unit, “What is your responsibility to our planet?”

During the Stanford GeoKids program, students participated in hands-on geology activities that helped them better understand Earth’s natural systems and environmental responsibility. Activities included: Exploring fossils, Painting with soil, Playing an interactive lava game, Learning how geologists observe and study Earth through scientific practices such as observing, recording, and investigating like real geologists. Through these engaging experiences, students gained a deeper appreciation for Earth science and learned more about their role in protecting our planet.

One especially meaningful part of the trip was a campus tour led by YCIS alumnus Mark Mukminov, who attended YCIS from preschool through 8th grade and is now a freshman at Stanford University. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with a former YCIS student and imagine their own future possibilities. Both students and parents greatly enjoyed the experience, and Mark’s warmth, enthusiasm, and thoughtful guidance made the visit even more memorable.

Our YALP teachers thoughtfully balance academic subjects within daily activities, bringing creativity and energy into every lesson.

This week, we are excited to showcase Zeng Laoshi’s engaging weekly activities, which beautifully integrate science, Chinese language, math, games, and outdoor learning.

1. A special highlight was learning about air pressure through games. Students experienced how air pressure help move paper while exploring challenges of using left or right hands, as well as how changing directions and rotation affected the success of the activity.

2. Students learned concepts of light reflection and refraction, observing how written words and drawings on paper can seemingly “disappear” under certain conditions.

3. Studied the ancient poem “咏柳” (Ode to the Willow), also expending their language learning to arts and crafts by creating their own willow tree crafts to bring the imagery of the poem to life.

4. A STEM project, designed and built simple solar ovens and used them to make s’mores, allowing students to see how sunlight can be transformed into heat energy.

5. 6. Chinese language and Math Study

It has been a vibrant and enriching week in Zeng laoshi's classroom, where learning extends far beyond the classroom and every moment becomes an opportunity for discovery.

We are excited to share that our students achieved outstanding results in the Math Kangaroo competition! Thirty students participated this year, and seven earned places on both the National and State Top 20 Winner Boards.

Congratulations to them and every participant for their dedication, willingness to challenge themselves, and commitment to growth. We are incredibly proud of you all!

Visit our summer camp page to learn more

Volunteer with the parent organization: https://sites.google.com/sv.ycef.com/posite/volunteer

Beach Day is this Saturday @ Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz . We’ll be there 10-2p, come any time that works for you. Light snacks, drinks will be provided. Bring beach toys, gear for your family & friends.

No agenda, just hanging out and playing at the beach and hopefully exploring some tide pools.

Hope to see you there. Any questions, let us know at po@sv.ycef.com

Thanks,

YCIS Parent Organization

P.S. Thank you to Amy Chu for planning!

Info for Beach Day:

https://sites.google.com/sv.ycef.com/posite/upcoming-programs/beach-day

🌴 May 16 - YCIS Community Beach Day

💙 May 25 - Memorial Day (NO SCHOOL)

🏫 May 29 - Sharing Our Learning

🎶 June 5 - Spring Concert and Art Exhibit

👨🏻‍🎓 June 8 - 5th Grade Moving-Up Ceremony

👩🏻‍🎓 June 9 - TK Moving-Up Ceremony & Last Day of School for K-8 Students

🔅 June 15 - First Day of Summer Camp Session 1