YCIS-SV Community Connection

March 8, 2025

Dear YCIS Community,

As we step into another exciting month at YCIS, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you who have re-enrolled for the 2025–2026 school year. Your continued trust and partnership in your child’s educational journey mean so much to us, and we are thrilled to continue growing and learning together.

In addition to welcoming back our current families, we’ve also completed interviews with prospective students and will begin sending out offers this month. We look forward to expanding our YCIS community and embracing new families who share our commitment to bilingual education and global citizenship.

This past week, our campus was filled with the joy of reading as we celebrated Read Across America week! Students enjoyed activities such as Mystery Reader visits, meeting a special guest author, and participating in theme days that brought stories to life. It was truly inspiring to see our students immersed in books and engaging in meaningful discussions about literature.

We also want to thank all the parents who joined us for this morning’s Co-Principal Coffee. Your continued support and engagement are vital to our school’s success, and we truly appreciate your partnership in shaping the educational experience at YCIS.

At YCIS, learning extends far beyond the classroom, and this month is packed with exciting educational adventures! Our fourth graders are gearing up for an overnight trip to Sacramento, where they will explore California’s rich history and government firsthand. Meanwhile, our fifth graders will embark on an unforgettable journey to Beijing and Xi’an, immersing themselves in China’s ancient wonders. Our sixth and seventh graders will take their learning global with a trip to Costa Rica, experiencing biodiversity and sustainability in action. We will share more about their trip experiences in the upcoming Community Connection.

These hands-on experiences foster personal growth, cultural exploration, and deeper learning. Thank you for being part of our vibrant, supportive community. We look forward to seeing our students continue to thrive in the months ahead!

YCiS Teachers Shine at the CLTAC 2025 Conference!

This weekend, three of our outstanding Chinese teachers—Yu-chin (Ho Laoshi), Amy (Lai Laoshi), and Jinyi (Li Laoshi) —presented at the Chinese Language Teachers Association of California (CLTAC) 2025 Conference, showcasing the excellence of the YCIS Chinese program. Their session on Integrating Common Core Standards, Chinese History & Culture with AI and Project-Based Learning was a huge success, using 3rd-grade social studies and 1st-grade science as examples of how language learning can be deeply connected to meaningful, interdisciplinary experiences.

With a packed presentation room, educators from across the state were eager to learn from our innovative approach. It was a proud moment for YCIS, reinforcing that our Chinese program continues to stand out as one of the best!

2025-2026 Campus Tours are open!

Our 2025-26 Campus Tours are still open, and we invite you to share this opportunity with friends, neighbors, and colleagues who may be interested in Mandarin-English bilingual education for their children (Preschool to Grade 8). A campus tour is the best way for prospective families to experience our dual-language curriculum, global learning environment, and strong community. Please help us spread the words and share the flyer. Thank you for helping us grow our YCIS community.

Read Across America - Extreme Reading Photo Winners

📢 Attention, all extreme readers!

The results are in, and the suspense is finally over! This week, you've proven that reading isn't just a pastime—it's an adventure waiting to happen in the most unexpected and extraordinary places. We've seen photos that defied gravity, challenged logic, and, honestly, made us a little envious of your creative reading spots!

But in each group (ECE, K-2nd grade, and 3rd-7th grade, staff), there could only be one or two winners! After a thrilling vote-off that had us on the edge of our seats (and maybe even hiding behind a particularly intense novel), here are the champions:

🏆 ECE: Chloe Wu from the Sun Class!
🏆 K-2nd Grade: Kaylee from 1A & Luna Xie from 1B!
🏆 3rd-7th Grade: Vivian Li from 3rd Grade!

🏆 Staff: Ms. A.

🎉 Congratulations to our extreme reading champions! Keep turning pages and taking your books on new adventures! 📖✨

Early Childhood Education (ECE)

1st Graders Visit ECE Campus to Read

As part of Read Across America week, our ECE campus students were pleasantly surprised by a visit from the 1st graders. The older students eagerly spread out across the campus, sharing stories with the younger children. Their voices brought adventure and imagination to life, filling the classrooms with excitement. The ECE students were enthralled by the colorful illustrations and captivating narratives, creating a heartwarming exchange of literacy and friendship. It was a wonderful celebration of reading that brought together students of all ages. Thank you, 1st graders, for visiting and doing such a fantastic job reading!

ECE Campus Spring Photo Days

Next week, we will be taking both individual and class photos on the ECE Campus. Mars, Moon, and Comet classes are scheduled for Tuesday, March 11th. Star, Sun, and Galaxy classes are scheduled for Wednesday, March 12th. Say cheese!

Elementary (Kindergarten - 4th Grade)

This week, we celebrated Read Across America Week on both campuses with exciting activities that highlighted our love for reading!

On the K-8 campus, we kicked off the week with some special Mystery Readers! A big shoutout to Ms. Woodcox, Anqi Laoshi, Ms. Punjabi, Ms. Jayme, and Ms. Jeong (a special visitor and former YCIS KB & 2nd-grade teacher) for being our mystery readers. Our 1B class also showcased their presentation skills by presenting Chinese poetry—and even rapping—to launch this celebration of literacy!

Throughout the week, students and staff embraced fun dress-up themes, including Crazy Hat Day, Crazy Sock Day, Crazy Hair Day, Read My Shirt Day, and a cozy Pajama Day to wrap up the festivities.

A highlight of the week was welcoming author Nicole Chen to our campus on Thursday! She shared her books—How We Say I Love You, Boba Time, and Lily Xiao Speaks Out—while also giving insight into her writing journey, the inspiration behind her stories, and the process of getting books published. Her experiences deeply resonated with our community, and our students were captivated by her presentation. We encourage you to ask your child about her visit!

https://youtube.com/shorts/JXx8VgKgaTg

For those interested, there’s still an opportunity to purchase Nicole Chen’s books. She will personally autograph them and donate them to the school. Use the following link to order: https://form.jotform.com/250435979384167.

Books will be delivered to school the week of March 17th. Personalized orders due by 1pm on March 14. Orders placed after that will be signed only and are subject to availability.

To close out the week, we celebrated with a House Reading Time, where students gathered in their Houses to enjoy books together in their comfy pajamas. What a wonderful way to foster a lifelong love of reading!

The Art Classroom is Filled with Chinese Elements!

At YCIS, our Art Program offers a unique blend of creativity and Chinese culture! Through picture book readings in Chinese, students are introduced to captivating stories that spark their imagination and foster a deeper appreciation for the language. These stories serve as inspiration for students to create their own artwork, allowing them to express their creativity in exciting new ways.

In addition to creating their own pieces, students also engage in art appreciation. They learn how to thoughtfully interpret and discuss various artworks, discovering how to make their creations impactful through unique ideas, colors, and composition. This process helps nurture their artistic skills and encourages self-expression.

We’re excited to see how these experiences help our students grow and develop a love for both art and Chinese culture!

Middle School (5th- 7th Grade)

A Taste of History: 5th Graders Explore Chinese Immigration Through Food

Our 5th graders recently wrapped up an in-depth exploration of Chinese immigration, with a special focus on Taishan. As part of their learning journey, they investigated the rich breakfast traditions of various regions, including Southern Fujian, Cantonese, Hakka, and Southeast Asian cuisines.

Through research and discussions, students uncovered the cultural and historical significance behind these beloved dishes, gaining a deeper appreciation for how food reflects tradition, migration, and identity. The highlight of the project? Tasting these authentic breakfasts together! This hands-on experience brought history to life in the most flavorful way, making learning both meaningful and delicious.

Chinese Character Recognition Contest

Congratulations to our students for their outstanding performance in the class competition! After an exciting and competitive round, we are thrilled to announce the finalists who will advance to the school-wide contest on March 21.

Finalists:

鍾愛 Evelyn Mounzer, 易墨川 Emeric Yi, 王若伊 Chloe Pigeot, 叶心陶 Thomas Ye

李振诜 Zhenshen Li, 薛明凇 Mason Xue, 胡子墨 Mark Hu, 陈汀 Claire Chen

渠小铅 Clara Miller, 王苡瑄 Yixuan Wang, 宋垚迪 Alice Song

李晴琰 Vivian Li, 叶心武 Michael Ye, 徐健 Caden Xu

易蔚林 Evelyn Yi, 苏美慈 Victoria Su

范书骏 Austin Fan, 张楚童 Stella Zhang

朱天心 Chloe Chu, 郭昱呈 Yucheng Guo

We are so proud of each participant for their hard work and dedication. Best of luck to all finalists in the upcoming school contest! 加油！

YALP (Yew Chung Art & Language Program)

Celebrating Culture & Creativity in YALP!

At YCIS, learning comes to life through hands-on experiences that blend language, history, and creativity! This month in YALP, students explored traditions, poetry, music, and science—all while deepening their understanding of Chinese culture.

To celebrate Lunar February 2nd, also known as 龙抬头 (Dragon Raises Its Head), students learned Bai Juyi’s classic poem 二月二日 (February 2nd), sang an engaging hand-motion song, and crafted vibrant dragon heads from paper clay. They also stepped into the role of hairstylists, acting out the tradition of getting haircuts for good luck.

Beyond cultural traditions, students tapped into their creativity by designing dream houses after learning My Home and creating artwork inspired by the poem Ode to the Willow. They also put their scientific curiosity to the test with the Little Horse Race experiment, exploring gravity through hands-on discovery.

It’s always inspiring to see our students actively engaging in learning that connects language, culture, and creativity. We can’t wait to see what new experiences unfold in YALP next!