When a school feels like a family

"You guys are amazing!" This is a text message I sent to one of our 4th grade teachers. She texted right back, "We are family."

Today, my wife, Misty, was admitted to a local Chinese hospital, Ruidong, for a four-hour IV and nebulizer treatment. She is home now, but she will be doing the same treatments at Ruidong for the next two days.

This morning I mentioned to a parent that Misty was not feeling good and within a few hours she emailed me about cooking and bringing us dinner tonight (Her noodle soup and garlic bread were delicious). Teachers have already offered to bring dinner the following three nights. One parent and their daughter would like to take Livia and Liam to a playground on Saturday. Just amazing!

I have been at Concordia International School Shanghai for less than three months and the sense of community is already strong. Community is really important at Concordia. Evidence of this is that Concordia is a founding partner of the Community Center in Shanghai. The Community Center serves the greater expat community, offering numerous services from language classes to counseling.

There is a keen sense that when a family begins at Concordia, many are also brand new to Shanghai. They are beginning a new life away from home. Making new friends, fitting in, feeling connected, making a contribution are all important things to figure out.

It is as if parents are paying for their child's educational success, but Concordia is going above and beyond and is giving support for whole family success in Shanghai. It is a blessing to be a part of an amazing community.