YCIS-SV Community Connection

Dear YCIS-SV Community,

It has been a joy to see our campus come alive again in January 2026. Classrooms are once again filled with voices, laughter, curiosity, and the energy of learning. From classrooms to playgrounds, through conversations, play, and inquiry, and across Pre-2 through Grade 8, students have returned with focus, confidence, and a strong sense of belonging. It has been a joy to see learning reconnect and flourish naturally throughout our campuses.

We are also stepping into an especially exciting season for our community. Chinese New Year is just around the corner, bringing opportunities to celebrate culture, tradition, and shared joy together. At the same time, we are delighted to welcome Mr. Martin Scott back “home” to YCIS-SV. His presence and leadership continue to enrich our learning community through reflection, dialogue, and shared growth.

Moments like these remind us what makes YCIS-SV so special. We are a warm, vibrant community where learning is meaningful, relationships are strong, and every child is known, supported, and inspired each day.

As we look ahead, we are reminded that what truly sustains our school is the continuity of relationships and shared experiences. Re-enrollment for the 2026–2027 school year is now open, and we would be honored to continue learning and growing together with your family.

Thank you for being such an important part of our community. We are excited for all that lies ahead and for the many moments of learning, celebration, and connection we will continue to share.

Warm regards,
Kevin Reimer & Vivian Qian
Co-Principals, YCIS-SV

Reminder that January 30 is the last day to have your $150 processing fee waived!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hW8R_RTcAk5Km5g_ZebqJw5f-S6Qy3eTp_IfosDmB8c/edit?usp=sharing

This is a live document and will be updated as additional information is available.

We would like to extend our warmest thanks to all the parents and families who joined us for our Chinese Calligraphy activity. It was truly wonderful to see so many of you working alongside your children, patiently practicing your brush strokes and sharing in the rich heritage of this art form. As we prepare to usher in the Year of the Horse, the vibrant red couplets created by our families filled our space with a sense of energy and renewed spirit. Seeing the joy and focus on the students' faces as they practiced writing characters and watched you (their parents) master new characters was the perfect way to begin our New Year celebrations. Thank you for making this community event so memorable and for helping us prepare to welcome a year of strength and vitality!

This month, our community is focusing on Commitment (承諾 / 承诺) making a plan and putting it into practice. Commitment connects directly to our YCYW virtues of Loyalty 忠 and Diligence 勤. When we are committed, we stay loyal to our shared goals and to the people who count on us. We work diligently by showing responsibility, perseverance, and follow-through.

Whether it’s practicing a skill, completing a long-term project, or being a dependable teammate, commitment helps students build strong habits and confidence over time. We encourage families to continue the conversation at home with these questions:

• What commitment are you working on right now at school or at home?

• What is your plan this week, and what steps will help you follow through?

• What challenges might come up, and how will you handle them?

We’re proud of everyone who participated in our spelling bee and grateful to our community for supporting a love of language and learning. Congratulations to our champions!

Spelling Bee Class Champions

Grade 1: Evelyn Mounzer, Isabel Xu

Grade 2A: Mason Xue, Layla Huang

Grade 2B: Coral Ning, Mark Hu

Grade 3: Joules Hsu, Simon Tang

Grade 4: Avery Hui, Vivian Li

Grade 5: Anders Chung, Sabrina Gao

Grade 7/8: Ryan Zhang, Erica Cedilnik

We also recognized our school competition champions:

Lower School Champion (Grades 1–2): Isabel Xu

Upper School Champion (Grades 3–8): Avery Hui

Top 3 overall scorers advancing to the SRV Rotary Regional Qualifier:
Avery Hui, Anders Chung, Ryan Zhang

Regional Qualifier (online test at school): Thursday, 02/26/2026, 9:05 AM (spelling + vocabulary)

Grade 1 had an exciting field trip to the Exploratorium to launch curiosity for our upcoming unit on light and sound. Students explored hands-on exhibits, made careful observations, and asked thoughtful questions as they investigated how light travels, reflects, and changes.

A highlight of the visit was experiencing the limited-time Glow exhibit, where students were captivated by glowing displays and illuminated installations. The trip was a wonderful preview of the learning ahead and a memorable day of discovery for our first graders!

We are truly thankful for the many parents who devoted their time and energy to practicing with their children and helping record competition videos. From these submissions, teachers carefully selected the top five groups, a process that was anything but easy.

The final round took place on January 23. Each child cherished their brief two minutes on stage, pouring their hearts into every word and movement as they presented the very best of what they had practiced so diligently. We applauded not only their wonderful performances, but were also deeply moved by the countless hours of preparation, perseverance, and courage behind each appearance.

This year, two special performance programs added even more brilliance to the read aloud competition. With confident smiles, the children brought classical poetry to life, expressing their love for the Chinese language and revealing the timeless beauty of traditional verse. The speech contest will be held on January 30, and we warmly invite more parents to join us in celebrating our children’s shining moments.

Our 7th and 8th grade students began the new year with our chemistry unit, learning that chemistry is all around us and exploring several branches in the field. As part of this unit, we welcomed a guest speaker, Juliann, who provided students with a deeper understanding of what chemistry entails, with a specific emphasis on PFAS and their effects on the environment and human health. She also shared insights into her work as a chemist, describing her research on toxins found in neighboring communities that are impacted by nearby factories producing PFAS-containing materials. In addition, our students have been developing their laboratory skills by practicing how to use various types of lab equipment, including learning how to accurately measure liquid volumes by reading the meniscus.

Our middle school students also began a new elective for the second semester, Business Builders, which is designed to strengthen their financial literacy skills through age-appropriate instruction. In this course, the students will learn key financial concepts such as earning income, budgeting, banking, loans, insurance, and investing. The elective will also feature guest speakers who will share their business models and discuss entrepreneurship and real-world decision-making. To conclude the course, Ms. Jayme will lead video production lessons, and students will apply their learning by creating a final project that highlights their marketing and presentation skills. We are excited to share that Ms. Chen, Mr. Lee, and Ms. Jayme are collaborating to teach this elective, which will run through the end of the school year.

View brochure for additional Information:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XoI4JQG2GvKd0Pmh5FKZ8EnbkTSWjMKh/view?usp=sharing

Enroll here:

https://www.ycis-sv.com/en/academics/summer-camp

Coming in February

Skills For a Successful College Transition

In-person Workshop at Children’s Health Council, Palo Alto

Wed, February 25, 6:30pm-8pm

Nearly all freshman experience overwhelm at some point, facing new expectations to manage academic and social demands independently for the first time. With a focus on essential executive function skills, learning specialists from the Schwab Learning Center at CHC will instruct parents of high school seniors how to prepare their students for the big leap to college and independence.

This hands-on workshop is open to 50 Common Ground members who are parents of seniors.

A $30 registration fee is required to hold your seat and will be reimbursed after check-in.

Registration is open.

💯 1/28: 100th Day of School

🏮2/7: Chinese New Year Celebration

🏂 2/13 - 2/20: President's Day/ Winter Break (No School)

🧒 2/17 - 2/20: ECE Mini Camp Available