Daystar – Beijing Kids

Shunyi Happenings: School Happenings

Wed, 20 Nov 2013 01:00:00 +0000

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Anyone who has ever sent a child to school, or knows anyone who has ever sent a child to school, will remember that the end of November and all of December are activity-filled months. Whether the celebrations are pagan or religious, country-specific or more universal (or to simply mark the changing of the seasons) the calendars are heavy with gatherings and happenings.

The international school scene in Shunyi is no exception. This week you will find many things to look forward to as the days grow colder. So why not bundle up and head on out to any one (or more) of these activities at the district’s schools?

Academic Life

Daystar Academy Kindergarten Open House

If you are currently looking at kindergarten options for your children aged 22 months to 5 years, you might be interested to know that Daystar Academy is holding an open house on Wednesday, November 27, from 9-11.30am. Head down if you want to hear about Daystar’s 50/50 bilingual Chinese and English program.

Your child can also join a trial class in the toddler or kindergarten program. The toddler class is for children aged 22-36 months old. A new kindergarten class (for children 3-5 years) will be opening in February 2014.

Please register by email to admissions@daystarchina.cn. For questions, contact 5603 9446.

Keystone Academy Information Session and Salon Series

Keystone Academy will host an information session on Thursday, November 21, from 1-3pm. Hear from Head of School, Malcolm McKenzie, Dean of Admissions, Rachael Beare, on the school’s bilingual immersion program, teaching methods, and admission standards. Keystone Academy is preparing to welcome students from Foundation Stage to Grade 9 from the 2014-15 school year. Foreign and Chinese families welcome.

The school is also hosting a Salon Series, which will feature a talk on how older students hoping to gain admission into US universities can prepare themselves. It will again be presented by Rachael Beare, alongside Head of Middle School, Michael Yi, and will cover topics such as the type of students that elite US universities look for and how they can prepare for college and their career. Thursday, November 28, 4-5pm.

To reserve your place or for details on the venue, please call 5825 6008 or email event@keystoneacademy.cn

Extra-Curricular Activities for the Entire Community

Concerts at Dulwich College

With the support of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dulwich College Beijing is welcoming pianist Hugh Tinney and violinist Fionnuala Hunwith to perform in Beijing. Both originally from Ireland, they are accomplished, award-winning international musicians. Thursday, November 21, 7.30pm at the school’s Edward Alleyn Theatre. RMB 60/adults, RMB 40/children.

Dulwich College Beijing also premieres "Lessons in Love," a music and drama production written, produced, and performed by DCB music students. The show features West End Theatre and UK Television stars Aoife Mulholland and Morgan Crowley in their first appearances in China, as well as songs from the musicals Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd, and many more. Friday, November 22 at 7pm at the new Wodehouse Theater. RMB 80/adults, RMB 50/children.

Please e-mail RSVP@dulwich-beijing.cn for ticket reservations to either evening. For more information, including the program, check here.

SIBS International Expo Day

Springboard International Bilingual School is holding an International Expo Day to celebrate all the different cultures represented at the school on Saturday, November 23, 10am-4pm.

The fun-packed day will include international food tasting, international music and dances, culture quiz, face painting, and various tables set up by organizations serving the expat community. A tour of the international nursery and primary schools will also be available.

Bazaars Hosted by Schools

WAB’s Annual Parent Link Charity Bazaar

The popular Western Academy of Beijing annual Charity Bazaar will be held on Saturday, November 23 from 10.30am-3.30pm. Get that special gift for the holidays or treat yourself to something nice – all in the name of charity! Second-hand books will be sold by Roundabout to support their various projects, pre-loved toys will be on sale to benefit WAB’s Charity Link projects, and beijingkids will be there to make Christmas cards with your children. Learn more here.

BSB Shunyi Christmas Fayre

Save some energy for the afternoon though, because The British School of Beijing’s Christmas Fayre is also on on Saturday, November 23, from 4-7.30pm. There will be an outdoor German-style Christmas market, an indoor Christmas activities center, and a tree-lighting ceremony. Come to see the variety of homemade baked goods, jams, cheeses, as well as homemade handicrafts, cards, and jewelry. Entertainment will be provided by the school orchestra, wind band, and choirs. Santa will be present to take photos with all kids (and kids at heart).

Dulwich Coffee and Books Christmas Bazaar

And finally, why not come to the Dulwich College Coffee and Books Christmas Bazaar from 10am-2pm on Wednesday, November 27? Jewelry, silks, gifts and gift wrap, food, and more will be available. Table fees go to DCB’s various charities. All proceeds from the sale of drinks and baked goods available at the parent-run Coffee and Books coffee shop also go towards supporting the school’s charity efforts. For more details, email Mary Kate at brownmarykate@yahoo.co.uk

Photo courtesy of GoneApey (Flickr)

We’d like to hear from you! What are your Shunyi favorites? Any recommendations or bits of news you’d like to see here on Shunyi Happenings, please feel free to send it on to us via email to: danamercado@beijing-kids.com

Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.

Back to School BBQ a Welcome Idea

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Back in September, Daystar Academy told parents that the welcome back BBQ was going to be postponed until after the October holiday due to the resurfacing of the sports field. As the date of the “welcome back” BBQ finally came around this past weekend, I was pleased to see that the school had managed to plan the event on a day when the pollution was at bay and the sky was a glorious blue, even if the temperature was a tad crisp for some.

The event itself was fairly low-key: kids were playing pickup games of football (soccer to my fellow Americans), swinging on the swings, and zooming down the slides. Near the entrance to the school building, a clown was handing out long balloons that kids and parents transformed into animals, flowers, and intricate patterns. Nearby, a pair of ladies busily painted flowers, butterflies, and cat faces for a never-ending line of children while an equally popular table dispensed cotton candy. And of course, there was the BBQ. Daystar had catered the event by hiring Culinary Capers to provide the eats for the 300 or so guests. The spread was typical western style BBQ fare with mini burgers, sausages, seasoned grilled veggies, baked sweet potatoes, soups, and plates of cookies, banana bread, and fruit. To cut down on trash and make things a bit friendlier toward the environment, families brought their own picnic hardware: blanket, plates, cups, cutlery, etc.

It was a fun event, but the real pleasure for me was having a few hours to put faces to the names Reina had been talking about over the past six weeks and to meet more fellow Daystar parents. I continue to be impressed with the caliber of those who have chosen to educate their children at Daystar. Many are professionals with international and local companies based here in Beijing, but there is also a sizeable group of entrepreneurs who have built businesses in the capital, including a few that I was already a customer of. Yet despite our varied backgrounds, at the end of the day, we are all parents faced with the same challenges of contending with homework, extracurricular activities, and play date schedules. Busy people? Absolutely! But we all recognized the value of a good BBQ on a sunny afternoon at school.

Photo by Christopher Lay

Shunyi Happenings: November Events

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 02:00:00 +0000

From farmers’ markets and neighborhood coffees, health talks and a musical comedy, there are a variety of things to do in Shunyi this month. For events just around the corner, take note:

*Daystar Academy and The Country Fair & Farmers’ Market (CFFM) recently re-launched a bi-weekly farmers’ market, now open every second and fourth Sunday of each month from 10am-1pm. The next one scheduled will be held this weekend, November 11. Come out and buy locally grown organic foods as well as home-made treats, soaps, handicrafts and more. For more information, e-mail farmersmarketjb@gmail.com. For directions, go to www.daystarchina.cn/content/directions.

*INN meets at Starbucks in Pinnacle Plaza next Thursday (November 15) from 10am-noon. As always, it’s a great time to meet others in Shunyi and share information about the neighborhood – all welcome!

*“Bling It On…Again!” – come to a private sale held at the Green T. House Living in Shunyi on November 15 from 10am-4pm. This event was so popular that they are hosting it again, just in time for the holidays. From giftware to fine jewelry and clothing, enjoy a day out browsing, and indulge in a delicious buffet lunch or a shoulder massage, too! For directions, go to www.green-t-house.com.

*Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinics (BJU) has several education seminars during the month of November, open to the public. First up, on Wednesday, November 14 at 7pm, come learn about “Dealing with Apnea: An Interactive Discussion” with Dr. Lin Zhonghui, chair of the BJU ENT clinic. This seminar will be held in the 5th floor auditorium on BJU. Also mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 21 at 7pm (same location) to learn about “Upstairs Brain Parenting: How to Survive and Thrive” by the director of the BJU Pediatrics Specialty Clinic Dr. Alan Mease. Locally, don’t miss Dr. Richard St. Cyr’s seminar on “Ins and Outs of Immunizations: And other recommendations for healthy living in China.” This topic will be featured on Tuesday, November 20 from 9-10am in the elementary school lounge at WAB. For additional information, e-mail jenifer.sullivan@ufh.cn.com.

*Beijing Playhouse always has a spectacular show just before the holidays, and this year is no different! With a musical comedy twist, come out to see Snow White during its opening night at the British School of Beijing in Shunyi – Friday, December 7. Members can make reservations by e-mailing performance@beijingplayhouse.com; non-members can go to the website www.beijingplayhouse.com for ticket information.

*1st Beijing Scout Group, fully registered and accredited by the British Scout Association, is now enrolling new members for the next term. Boys and girls are equally welcome, as are all nationalities and schools. Three different sections focus on different age groups from 6-14; all sections normally meet at the Dulwich College Legend Garden Campus. Cubs and Scouts (ages 8-14) meet on Sundays from 9-10:30am; Beavers (ages 6-8) meet on Tuesdays from 5-6pm. Call Adrian Richardson at 186 1105 8474 or e-mail firstbeijingscouts@hotmail.com.