New Suzhou High School
The New Suzhou High School next to the Temple of Confucius
in Suzhou, China
New Suzhou High School Slideshow
New Suzhou High School Photo Gallery (Downloadable Pictures)
Background
As Suzhou, China, has grown from an ancient region of
culture and trade, into a bourgeoning new high-technology
center, the educational needs of the area have expanded and
changed as well. In addition to continuing to teach ancient
Chinese culture, Suzhou’s elite schools have changed to
include multi-cultural high-technology education as well,
taught to all students interchangeably both in English and
Mandarin Chinese.
The history of the expansion of the old original Suzhou
Middle School, and the subsequent creation of the new Suzhou
High School – SIP campus, is an example of such
forward-looking adaptation to the demands of a new modern
economy, while at the same time respecting and honoring a
very long and distinguished history as an ancient center of
trade and culture.
The original Suzhou Middle School was founded, in the
Southern Yangtze River Area, by Prime Minister Fan Zhongyan,
of the Northern Song Dynasty, in 1035, and has been in
continuous operation since that date. Originally the Suzhou
Middle School taught scholars who were studying for the
Imperial Examinations. Today its mission continues to be the
multicultural education of tomorrow’s leaders. The School is
renowned for its excellent teaching staff and talented,
hard-working pupils. Over 80 percent of its graduates go on
to attend leading universities, situated both at home and
abroad.
Creation of Suzhou High School – SIP
As the City of Suzhou expanded beyond its old boundaries, to
encompass surrounding growing high-technology areas, the
educational needs of the citizenry grew in proportion.
Because the original Suzhou Middle School is constrained by
its location within the “Old Town,” still surrounded by the
Old Moat, the decision was made to expand Suzhou Middle
School into three campuses, to better serve the surrounding
new high-technology areas. The newest such branch campus is
Suzhou Middle School – SIP, which is described below.
Suzhou High School – SIP is located within the large new
Suzhou Industrial Park or “SIP.” Suzhou Industrial Park lies
to the east of Old Suzhou, and surrounds nearby Golden
Rooster Lake, with its many parks, walkways, first-class
restaurants and new residential and commercial centers. SIP
is soon to be serviced by a new subway which will run to and
throughout the old Downtown area.
Suzhou High School – SIP was founded in 2003 and opened its
doors in 2005. The campus holds six grades (Grades 7 – 12)
in 28 classes, currently containing a total of 984 students,
with 137 supporting staff. The students range in age from 12
– 19. All students are taught both Mandarin Chinese and
English. Most of the teaching staff is bi-lingual. Many
teachers have studied abroad, in the U.S., the UK, New
Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan, etc.
Suzhou High School – SIP is the only public boarding school
in Suzhou. Students live on campus and visit their families
on weekends or holidays. Living in a boarding school helps
the students to live a regular, orderly life. They learn to
live independently, to cooperate with each other, and to be
tolerant of other’s differences. Many parents report
satisfaction with the improvements they see in their
children’s attitudes and behavior, after their children have
become accustomed to boarding school life.
Sports are popular with the students, and a variety of
classes, and after-school activities, are available, from
basketball and soccer, to Taiji, Gongfu, Taekwondo, Yoga,
Sword Practice. The School has a resident Taiji Master, who
teaches both Taiji and Chinese Gongfu, to those students and
staff who are interested, both in formal classes and after
school. Every year, the School holds also a Sports Meeting,
where students compete with each other and with students
from other schools, in a variety of sports.
Many after-school classes are also available, for example,
Biology Research, Chorus, Chinese Musical Instruments,
Reading Clubs, Embroidery and Cross-Stitch, Japanese, Suzhou
Culture History and Archaeology, Geography, Astronomy,
Model-Making (the School has a fully-equipped model shop,
containing a variety of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) and
other lathes, milling machines and related equipment.)
A variety of field trips are undertaken by the students each
year, from visiting local historical sites, to engaging in
kite-flying competitions.
Suzhou High School – SIP enjoys valuable sister-school
relationships with schools in other countries throughout the
World, and regular exchanges take place between sister
schools, from faculty visits to student exchanges. For
example, last year, 12 students and 3 teachers from our
school visited a sister school in Melbourne, Australia, and
were warmly welcomed there. Then last month, 12 students
from Australia returned the visit, staying on campus here,
participating in school activities, chatting with the other
students. We feel that this kind of cultural exchange is
very helpful in developing cross-cultural understanding and
cooperation between students, from different countries, who
will in the future become leaders in their own societies. It
is useful to have friends in other countries.
To further improve international cooperation, Suzhou High
School – SIP is working closely with the prestigious Dulwich
College, headquartered in London, England, to establish a
Sino-British cooperative school here – Suzhou Dulwich
Integrated High School, as well as a British-funded
international school, Dulwich College, Suzhou, which will
occupy a portion of the existing new Suzhou Middle School –
SIP campus.
Our School Motto is Behave with Honesty,
Treat People with Sincerity.
Our aim is The Integration of Western and
Eastern Cultures, of Traditional Culture and Contemporary
Culture.
(Suzhou High School SIP's Website)
