Refreshed Mission and Vision statements inspire ISB student awards

By Nick Yates, ISB Communications

Over 50 students in Grades 6 to 8 at the International School of Beijing (ISB) have been honored in an award scheme as the school begins looking to its bold refreshed Mission and Vision statements in assessing student leadership.

The ISB Middle School has just announced the winners in its regular Principal’s List, the first to be judged based on qualities enshrined in the Mission and Vision as well as the Middle School’s “Student as a Learner” rubric for measuring attainment.

The Mission statement reads, “We are an inspiring international community in Beijing where thinkers and leaders find their place in the world and serve others. So that our learning is at its best, we build strong relationships and set high expectations together. We are committed to challenging and joyful learning with the freedom to explore.”

The refreshed Vision statement is “Empowered with purpose and compassion.”

The statements are based on the school’s long-held values and practices and were drafted after a comprehensive consultation of ISB students, parents, teachers, and staff last year. They are due to be formally adopted for 2020-2021 after approval which the school hopes will follow a community vote to be held in November. They have already begun to guide ISB’s daily operations, inspire its students, and make its principles clear to all.

The Middle School has chosen to highlight attributes ranging from “thinking” to “serving others” to “building strong relationships” with its Principal’s List this year in order to draw student, teacher, and parent attention and conversation to these school priorities.

The Student as a Learner rubric includes Attitude, Responsibility, and Collaboration.

Middle School teachers nominate individual students for the Principal’s List. The nominees get special stickers to proudly sport on their laptops. 

Students on the October Principal’s List asked to learn additional, advanced techniques in design classes and demonstrated them to peers, persevered through difficulty to learn how to ice skate, volunteered to help take down classmates’ tents at the end of a camping trip, and gave presentations to parents during Back to School Night, to name just a few examples.