Remember the JISE International School Fair? For over fifteen years, it was a major event on our calendars. But over time, its impact faded. Why? Because the traditional format—crowded halls and quick chats at booths—stopped meeting what families really needed.

Parents told us they wanted more. They wanted to genuinely feel a school’s community and values, not just collect brochures. So, we evolved.

We took the core purpose of JISE and transformed it into something deeper: Culturopolis.

We’re giving a select group of top-tier schools a bigger stage for real interaction. We then built on that foundation with what we do best: creating vibrant, authentic community experiences. This means a dedicated **international food festival** with unique global cuisines, a lively **community stage** featuring our second International School Battle of the Bands, and a bustling **market** with over 60 creative vendors. A dedicated **services zone** brings together essential health and wellness resources for internationally minded families.

This is the new model. It’s an experiential, engaging space designed for connection, not just information.

Culturopolis is where your school’s community can be felt, not just described. It’s where families spend a day belonging, not just shopping. This is where you need to be.

Join us to help build this new annual tradition.
January 31 & February 1. Connect. Belong. Thrive.

Attendance is free with advanced registration

We still have a few booths and sponsorship opportunities available! Contact TBJ Butler for deets.

Images: The Beijinger

Are you someone who enjoys making fun, engaging videos? Do you want hands-on experience creating content while exploring the best kid-friendly spots in Beijing? Jingkids International, Beijing’s leading family guide, is looking for a summer fun-tern to join our team!

About the Role:
As our intern, you’ll help produce short videos showcasing exciting activities, events, and places for kids (ages 0-18) across Beijing. This is a great opportunity to build your portfolio, gain real-world experience in content creation, and maybe even kickstart your own influencer journey.

What You’ll Do:
– Film and edit short, dynamic videos for social media
– Research and explore kid-friendly venues and events in Beijing
– Brainstorm creative ideas for fun, shareable content
– Assist with social media management

We’re Looking for Someone Who:
– Speaks fluent English (Chinese is a bonus but not required)
– Has basic video editing skills (you know how to trim clips, add simple effects, and keep things engaging)
– Owns a smartphone that can shoot decent-quality video
– Is creative, proactive, and comfortable working independently
– Loves discovering new things and has an eye for what kids and families would enjoy

Internship Details:
– Duration: flexible – anywhere from two weeks to the full summer
– Location: Beijing-based, with remote work possible
– This is an unpaid internship focused on experience and portfolio-building

How To Apply:
Send our editor Mina (WeChat ID: Wilhelmina87), a quick <1-minute video introducing yourself and explaining why you’d be a great fit. If you’ve made videos before, feel free to include samples!

Images: Freepik

It’s college acceptance season and senior students at Beijing’s high schools are collecting their admissions decisions and deciding their next steps.

Schools themselves collect and often publicize these admissions decisions, but parallel tradition is for the seniors themselves to make more personalized announcements via public Instagram pages.

Here’s a few of these pages where you can see where Beijing’s brightest are headed next:

Beijing City International School
British School of Beijing Shunyi 
Dulwich College Beijing
International School of Beijing
Western Academy of Beijing 

Please note that in most cases these accounts are student-run, and data is
voluntarily submitted by students themselves. Thus, they are not official representations of all of the school’s college acceptances.

Do your school’s seniors operate a public Instagram account to celebrate acceptances? Let us know in the comments!

Images: Pexels

Not only is tomorrow’s Jingkids International School Expo a great place for you to learn about dozens of educational choices for your child, it’s a great place to pick up some freebies.

First and foremost: the first 200 arrivals to the Jingkids booth will get their pick of RMB 100 vouchers to some of The Jing’s nicest eateries: Home Plate, Turkish Feast, QMex, The Local, Pizza Hut, Georgia’s Feast, GungHo!, COMMUNE and Big Joe’s to name a few. After visiting the fair and learning a thing or two about international schools in Beijing, take your voucher with your family in tow and enjoy a discounted meal. First come, first served!

Additionally, you’ll find some additional surprises for adults and children alike sprinkled in amongst the school booths:

Mind Gym Lab is a revolutionary workout that works the body and mind simultaneously, which helps sharpen focus, decision-making, reflexes, and problem-solving skills. Their training programs are tailored for athletes, students, rehab needs, and brain health enthusiasts. They’ll be offering visitors an RMB 800 voucher for their Cognitive Neuro-Response Assessment.

Secondly, the first 100 kids to visit Ms Jennifer Design Space booth at JISE can receive a RMB 600 Voucher to join her Harvard Design Thinking Classes! Tailored for students aged 6-18, this voucher grants access to a dynamic learning experience where young minds explore a new creative topic each week, from fashion and product design to graphic arts. Designed by Jennifer, an award-winning RISD graduate and former Education Director of Creative Arts at Dulwich International, these courses foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

There will also be surprises for kids from Purple Bamboo Chinese School and free Spanish language classes for adults from SpeakWhale Education!

All in all, a trip to JISE will pay off not only in terms of helping you decide the next step for your child but with valuable freebies as well!

See you at China World Summit Wing this Saturday, Feb 22 from 9am to 5pm.

Images: Courtesy of vendors, Jingkids

Foodie alert: Come dine for a good cause on Jan 17 at this student-run potluck dinner to raise money to support children with leukemia.

“Dining For Dreams” is part of Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) 11th grader Myriam La’s Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) program, a core component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. It encourages students to engage in a range of activities outside their day-to-day academic studies, fostering personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning.

Date: Friday, January 17, 2025
Time: 6-8 pm
Location: Western Academy of Beijing, High School Bamboo Court/Koi Garden
Tickets: RMB 75/person

Dining For Dreams is more than just a potluck: it’s a celebration of community and compassion. Participants will volunteer to share dishes from their home countries, creating an international feast for a good cause.

The event will also feature activities and a silent auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Children’s Pediatric Palliative Care Center (CPCC).

Why CPCC?

CPCC is an oasis for children with leukemia and their families. Many of these children cannot attend regular school and face social challenges due to the stigma surrounding their medical conditions. CPCC provides a safe space where they can meet others with similar experiences and participate in therapeutic activities like arts, music, reading, and writing.

Students from WAB will visit CPCC to help the children create decorations for the event. This collaboration will not only lend a festive atmosphere for the event but also foster a sense of connection and empathy between the students and the young patients.

Why Support This Project?

Supporting “Dining For Dreams” means supporting a student’s growth and development through the IB CAS program. This project exemplifies the values of CAS by combining creativity (organizing the event), activity (participating in the potluck), and service (raising funds for CPCC). By participating, you are not only helping children with leukemia but also encouraging the educational and personal growth of young students.

How You Can Help:

Bring a Dish: Share a piece of your culture by bringing a dish to the potluck. Sign up using the QR code on the poster.
Buy Tickets: Tickets are available for RMB 75/person. The event is open to all.
Donate: If you can’t attend, you can still support CPCC by donating through the same QR code.
Sponsor: We’re also looking for prize sponsors and cash support from local businesses.

Support CPCC and the brave children they serve by participating in “Dining For Dreams.” Your contributions will make a significant difference in their lives. Together, we can create a sense of empathy and support for young leukemia patients.

Questions? Please contact Myriam at 27myriaml@wab.edu

Images: Myriam Lam Pexels

The Battle of the Bands at Modernista on May 5 is the ultimate event for international high school bands in Beijing!

But questions abound – who can enter? How? Where can I get tickets? Here’s a few FAQs about the event, answered:

Q: How do I sign up for the Battle of the Bands?

A: To sign up, you need to scan the QR code from the sign-up poster and fill out a form with your band name, members, school, and contact information. You also need to upload an audio or video recording of one of your songs (don’t worry, it need not be professional quality – a recording of one of your practices will do). The deadline for signing up is Mar 1, 2024.

Q: What are the criteria for selecting the bands that will perform live at Modernista?

A: The bands will be selected by a panel of local music experts. They will judge the bands based on their musicality, originality, and style. They will also consider the diversity of genres and schools represented by the bands.

Q: How long will each band perform at the live event?

A: Each band will perform two songs of their choice, with a maximum of ten minutes per band. The bands will be allocated a time slot before the event. There will be a short break between each band to set up the stage and equipment.

Q: What kind of music can the bands play at the event?

A: The bands can play any kind of contemporary pop music they want. We welcome all genres and styles, from rock to pop, metal to folk, and anything in between. We encourage the bands to showcase their creativity and diversity. The only rule is bands must perform live with their own instruments and vocals — no karaoke style or performing to pre-recorded tracks.

Q: How can I buy tickets for the live event?

A: Tickets for the live event will go on sale in March. Proceeds from the tickets will go to Our Learning House, a school that helps kids in Beijing with special needs.

Q: What is Our Learning House and why are they the beneficiaries of the event?

A: Our Learning House helps underprivileged kids in Beijing with special needs. They offer free educational and therapeutic services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills training. They also support the families and teachers of these kids. You can learn more about them on their website: ourlearninghouse.cn/en.

Q: Who are the sponsors and partners of the event?

A: The event is sponsored by Modernista, Our Learning House, jingkids, and the Beijinger. We are still seeking both cash and in-kind sponsors who want to support this student-run event and get exposure to the international school community.

Q: How can I get involved as a sponsor?

A: If you want to get involved as a sponsor, you can send an email to 25eloisew@wab.edu and tell us about your company or organization, what kind of sponsorship you can offer, and why you are interested in supporting the event. We will get back to you as soon as possible and discuss the details and benefits of sponsorship.

Q: How can I volunteer for the event?

A: If you are a high school student and want to volunteer for the event, you can send an email to 25eloisew@wab.edu and tell us your name, school, grade, contact information, and why you want to volunteer. We need volunteers to help with promotion, ticketing, stage management, photography, videography, and more.

Q: What is the schedule of the live event?

A: The live event will be from 2pm to 6pm on Sun, May 5, 2024. A sound check for all bands will begin at 11am that day.

Q: Who are the judges of the event, and how will they score the bands?

A: The judges of the event are professional musicians who have experience and expertise in various genres and styles of music. They also have lots of experience performing in Beijing and none of them are associated with any one international school, so they are unbiased. They will judge each band individually based on three criteria: musicality, spirit, and stage presence. Each criterion will have a maximum of 10 points, for a total of 30 points per band. The band with the highest combined score will be the winner of the event.

Q: How do I vote for the Audience Favorite prize?

A: You can vote for the Audience Favorite prize by scanning a QR code at the venue. The band with the most votes will win the Audience Favorite prize.

Q: What kind of equipment and facilities will be provided at the venue?

A: The venue will provide the following equipment and facilities for the bands:

• A sound system with speakers, microphones, and monitors
• A drum kit
• Bass/guitar amps
• A keyboard and a keyboard stand
• A stage, a backstage area, and a projector

Q: What kind of equipment will bands need to provide?

A: The bands will need to bring their own:

• Guitars
• Bass guitars
• Other instruments not included in the previous list

Stay tuned to jingkids for more updates on the Battle of the Bands in the coming weeks!

Images: Courtesy of Modernista

Two primary schools in Xicheng and Fengtai District have suspended in-person classes due to fever outbreaks – but it seems norovirus and H1N1 are to blame, not a new Covid-19 outbreak.

According to several education-related WeChat accounts, at least two schools in Beijing have sent notices to parents that fever outbreaks have occurred, but instead of closing down schools and moving online (as had happened at multiple points during the Covid-19 outbreak), only those classes with multiple ill students have been temporarily shut.

Concurrently, other schools have been warning of outbreaks of norovirus and H1N1, and according to The Global Times, a similar fever outbreak in a Shanghai school has been definitively traced to H1N1.

Norovirus causes vomiting and diarrhea that often spreads easily in schools. H1N1 is a type of influenza virus that can cause respiratory illness, and also transmits easily in schools.

What’s interesting is that Covid-19 has not been mentioned as a factor in any of the outbreaks, and neither has it been ruled out – as one might have expected there to be during Covid-Zero. This by and large is a sign that Beijing has stepped out of the shadows of the Covid days when entire schools would go online at a moment’s notice when one student tested positive.

It was reported that one Fengtai public primary school had five students from one class that contracted a fever. In addition, three students from a neighboring classroom that shared a bathroom also fell ill. According to the provisions of infectious disease prevention and control, this warranted the temporary suspension of these two classes. The students are asked were self-monitor at home for four days.

With masks now optional at many schools, the one thing parents are likely to need to adjust to is more frequent transmission of viruses that were for the past three years slowed down by near-universal mask-wearing in Beijing’s classrooms.

Images: Pexels

Yesterday’s announcement of a change in Covid quarantine policy set off a new wave of concern amongst Beijing parents regarding the possibility of children being separated from their parents, as they have been during hospital treatment.

However, a message sent out this morning by Beijing city officials gives a strong indication that families will be able to quarantine together.

The post, which quotes guidelines issued by the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, doesn’t explicitly state that families will be able to quarantine together, but outlines behaviors that should be followed when sharing rooms while in quarantine, such as separating beds, and avoiding sharing toiletries.

Up until this week, all patients diagnosed with Covid-19, regardless of the severity of their symptoms, have been treated in individual isolation wards at Ditan Hospital. In the rare cases of children contracting the virus, they have been separated from their parents for treatment, regardless of age.

According to Beijing residents who have gone through the process, children under 14 years old flying in from abroad have been able to quarantine with a parent, as long as both parties have tested negative.

This week, rules were relaxed to allow local residents who test positive but are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms to be quarantined at facilities other than the hospital, presumably at quarantine hotels (though to date we are unaware of the specific locations).

If indeed children can quarantine in the same room as their parents, it comes as great relief to families across the city. We will keep an eye out for further confirmation on this and in the meantime, here is a full-text translation (via WeChat Translate) of the story that went out this morning:

1. Centralized isolation in conditional cases as far as possible to choose a suite of isolation places, each one, relatively independent, but also convenient care. If the isolation point does not have the conditions, should try to choose a large area, there are two beds in the room, it is recommended to achieve physical isolation between the two beds.

2. Parents, as guardians, should pay close attention to the changes in their children’s health and report any abnormal changes in time.

3. Parents and children should wear disposable surgical masks when they are in the same room. Minimize unnecessary contact with children and their supplies during isolation. Do not hug or quarrel during isolation. Keep a distance of more than 1 meter. If close contact is necessary, both sides should wear N95 masks. Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.

4. It is recommended to share meals, use special tableware, do not cross the use of tableware.

5. Do not share toiletries such as towels and electronics such as mobile phones during quarantine. Strengthen hand hygiene, provide hand sanitizer, and follow the seven-step method.

6. During the isolation period, the shared toilet should be cleaned and disinfected daily. After each use of the toilet, use 75% alcohol disinfection wipes to wipe and disinfect the toilet seat cushion, flushing on, toilet cover, and other parts of the skin.

7. For frequent contact with door handles, faucets, hand sanitizer, as well as remote controls, mobile phones, landline, and other personal items use 75% alcohol wipes for disinfection.

8. The isolation room should be ventilated at least once a day and in the afternoon, each time more than 30 minutes.

9. Clean the surfaces of the tabletop, countertop, and furniture in the room by wet cleaning. Use quaternary ammonium salt disinfectant or disinfectant wipes to wipe and disinfect the above surfaces at least once a day.

Images: Pexels

Beijing began administering vaccines to 12- to 14-year-olds yesterday, the next step in an effort to get all those above the age of 11 vaccinated – but so far foreign passport holders are not eligible for the jab.

Earlier this year Beijing cleared vaccines for use in 12- to 17-year-olds and began administering to kids aged 14, 15, and 16 on July 20. Over half a million teens have already gotten the first shot, and this group is now beginning to receive their second dose.

While expat children are currently ineligible to receive the vaccine, expectations are that eventually it will be offered to them, similar to how the vaccine was rolled out to adults in Beijing. Local adults began getting the jab in December 2020, and foreign citizens were given access about three months later.

International school administrators contacted for this story say they have not yet been informed when foreign students will be eligible, but that they are already arranging shots for their local passport-holding students.

As with adults, the shots given will be the Chinese-made Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines. Neither patients nor vaccine administrators have a choice in which one is given; it’s simply a case of which of the two vaccines is available at the time.

According to reports in The Global Times, both the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines have been administered to children as young as 3 in clinical trials held earlier this year. The vaccines were well-tolerated and resulted in the presence of antibodies, reports indicate.

As with adults, vaccination for teens at this point is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged.

Children currently in school over the summer will have their vaccinations arranged by school authorities, while those not in school will get access via their residential communities.

According to data from the Beijing Municipal Government Information Office, 94% of Beijing’s 18+ population is already fully inoculated against Covid-19. Informal polls in the 5,000-strong WeChat-based Safe & Sane communities show that the rate of vaccination amongst Beijing’s over-18 foreigners is not far behind, with an estimated 83% fully vaccinated and another 6% having received at least one of the two shots.

KEEP READING: Beijing’s Teens Now Have Access to Vaccine

Images: Pexels