YCIS-SV Community Connection

Dear YCIS Community,

Our hearts are full of gratitude following our Moon Festival gathering. Thank you to all the families, alumni, students, and staff who came together to share in the celebration. The laughter, conversations, and joyful moments throughout the morning were a lovely reminder of the warmth and sense of belonging that make our YCIS-SV community so special. We hope everyone arrived home safely with happy memories to carry forward.

As we continue in the spirit of celebration, we warmly invite you to join us this Thursday (10/8) from 6:00–7:30 PM for our Founder’s Day celebration. This year is especially meaningful as we celebrate 94 years of YCYW and 25 years of YCIS Silicon Valley. Founder’s Day gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the vision that began our journey: a belief in the power of education to connect people, cultures, and communities. As the only YCIS school in the United States, we are proud to be part of a global YCYW family while also cherishing the unique relationships that have shaped our own school over the past 25 years. We hope you will join us as we celebrate our history, our shared values, and the community we continue to build together.

Please RSVP using the following link: https://forms.gle/YgiEJpNvS38hB4rj6 by 10pm 10/7.

Next week, we look forward to welcoming families for Teacher-Parent Conferences. These meetings are an important time for teachers and families to come together around each child to share their strengths, interests, progress, and next steps for learning. We are grateful for the trust and partnership of our families, and we hope these conversations will offer a meaningful window into your child’s learning journey, including the curiosity, effort, and growth we see each day. Together, we can continue to help every child feel known, supported, and inspired to do their best.

We look forward to celebrating with you on Thursday and to the meaningful conversations that will continue during Teacher-Parent Conferences next week. Thank you for being such an important part of our YCIS-SV community.

With appreciation,

Kevin and Vivian

To make the evening even more enjoyable, we will be providing free pizza, drinks, and cake for all attendees. We look forward to seeing you there!
https://forms.gle/xueTAAnpyMqhbkod7 (This helps us order the right amount of pizza! )

-Child care services will not be provided at this event.

-If you'd like to virtually join live from the comfort of your own home, click on the following link: https://live.polyv.cn/watch/8321115 at 7pm on 10/8.

We had a wonderful assembly this week as we officially introduced our TK students to their houses for the year! The energy was high as everyone broke out into their house groups, where students spent time meeting their team and sharing what they did over fall break. We also talked about our favorite ways to celebrate birthdays and what makes a celebration special—perfect timing as we get ready to celebrate YCYW’s 94th birthday later this week!

The State of California has set new requirements for school volunteers (Field Trip Drivers, Chaperones, etc.). You can find the new policy, requirements, and resources here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FiGaS29HvUksvx2Qg8AeVNXVqpEiPN9q/view?usp=sharing for your convenience.

TB forms and Mandated reporter certificates should be emailed to phoebes@sv.ycef.com for further processing.

_____________________*____________________

Last Tuesday, we celebrated our House Reveal Sorting and officially welcomed 15 new members into our YCIS Houses! It was wonderful to see the excitement as students discovered which House they would be joining and were welcomed by their fellow House members.

For families who are new to YCIS, our House System brings students across grade levels together into smaller communities within our school. Each student belongs to a House, where they build friendships across grades, participate in activities and friendly competitions, earn House points, and strengthen their sense of belonging and school spirit.

We are also excited to introduce our House Leaders for this school year! These student leaders will help build House spirit, lead activities, and encourage their House members throughout the year:

🔥 Phoenix — Trent Eichert
🐯 Tiger — Ryan Zhang
🦁 Lion — Ethan Lee
🐢 Tortoise — Chloe Zhu
🐉 Dragon — Sabrina Cedilnik
🐼 Panda — Ellie Wang

👕 House Shirt Reminder: Students will have special House Shirt Days throughout the year. If your child needs a House shirt, they are available for purchase in the school office for $15 each. Please watch school announcements for upcoming House Shirt Days.

Our first House Shirt Day is Wednesday, October 28! Students are asked to wear their House shirt that day and show their House pride. We can’t wait to see our campus filled with House spirit!

_____________________*____________________

Our 5th graders are currently enjoying an exciting week at Walden West Outdoor Science School! This experience gives students the opportunity to step outside their usual classroom environment and build important independence, confidence, and responsibility as they navigate field classes, outdoor science activities, and new experiences with their peers.

Throughout this week, they are learning more about the natural world and ways we can better protect our environment, while also enjoying the fun of staying overnight in cabins with their friends, learning new camp songs, and making new friendships. For students at this age, experiences like Walden West are especially valuable as they are away from home, working together, solving problems, and taking greater responsibility for themselves helps students develop the confidence and self-management skills they will need as they become more independent learners.

It has been wonderful to see our 5th graders embracing new challenges, supporting one another, and making memories that extend well beyond the classroom.

_____________________*____________________

Fall fun is coming to YCIS! Students are invited to show off their creativity in our 2026 Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Pumpkins should be student-created and decorated, but not carved. Students must also be able to carry their own pumpkin on campus. Pumpkins should be brought to school and registered on the morning of Thursday, October 29. Students will vote for their favorites in two groups: Lower Grades (K–2) and Upper Grades (3–8).

Then, get ready for our annual Imagination Day Parade on Friday, October 30, from 8:30–9:00 AM! Students are invited to come dressed in a fun, creative costume and parade around our K–8 campus. For everyone's safety, please remember no costume masks, weapons, or toys. Families are welcome to join us and cheer on our students!

🏆 Pumpkin Decorating Contest winners will be announced after the parade. We can't wait to see all the creativity and imagination our students bring to campus!

Our YALP students had an unforgettable adventure on our recent trail field trip, stepping into the roles of nature detectives alongside many wonderful parent volunteers!

Guided by teacher-prepared task lists, students explored the trail while discovering and learning about local plants, creatures, and wildlife. The hike was filled with laughter, exploration, and fun trail games. One of the highlights was searching for colorful eggs hidden among the leaves. Inside each egg were special clues and hints that helped students complete their task lists and earn exciting prizes!

The trip ended at Whisman Park, where everyone enjoyed special snacks and some playground fun. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to learn, explore, and have fun together in nature!

_____________________*____________________

_____________________*____________________

We are excited to launch our new Family Referral Program for the 2027–28 school year. Know a family whose child would thrive here as a cross-cultural learner? Now you and the new family can both be rewarded when they enroll and list your family on their child's application. You'll receive a $500 tuition credit, and the new family will receive $250 to welcome them.

If you have a family in mind, please email our Head of Admissions, Alice Huang with the family's name and the best way to reach them. We'll handle everything else with care.

Learn more about our YCIS Family Referral Program

_____________________*____________________

RAISING KIDS IN A WORLD WE DIDN’T GROW UP IN

Tues, November 10: 7 - 8:15pm PST

Virtual via Zoom

Join internationally recognized author and educator Rosalind Wiseman, in conversation with Dr. Betty Noel-Pierre, the head of school at Castelleja School, for an engaging evening on the “invisible operating systems” - the patterns we all learned long ago - that shaped how we communicate with the young people in our lives. Through humor, real-world stories, and practical strategies drawn from decades of work with students, educators, and families, they will discuss how parents can turn today’s most common power struggles into moments of trust, connection and growth. Come ready to recognize your own “invisible operating system” (aka the patterns you learned long ago) and how they shape the way you talk to your kids.

Save your seat here once ticket registration opens on October 20! ( https://luma.com/zscj1287?lm_source=embed )

• 🎂 Founder's Day (Oct. 8) Evening Event for ALL YCIS Community families
• Early Release (Oct 15) ECE @3pm / K-8 @1pm
• NO SCHOOL (Oct 16) Parent/Teacher Conferences
• Family Fun Event (Oct 17) PO led for ALL YCIS Community families
• Pumpkin Decorating Contest (Oct 29) K-8 Families
• Imagination Day Parade (Oct 30) K-8 Families

Here's a coupon from our uniform supplier, Land's End

Promo Code: OURTREAT40