Why should parents consider choosing YingHua International School for their children?

1. Bilingual Fluency
YHIS is committed to ensuring its graduates are highly proficient in two world languages: English and Chinese.

2. A Global Perspective
YHIS is committed to its mission to develop global citizenship. YHIS offers units of inquiry that are internationally focused, which are a pillar of the curriculum, alongside Chinese immersion. The diversity of the families also makes YHIS a uniquely rich learning community.

3. Study Abroad
YHIS is closely connected to YingHua Language School, a CSS-MSA accredited community school founded in 2002 that offers excellent opportunities for studying abroad. Since 2004, Dr. Bonnie Liao has designed and directed "YingHua in Beijing," a Summer Language & Leadership Institute that provides 4-week, in-depth learning opportunities to American youth ages 8 and up. Since 2005, the "YingHua in Beijing Honors Program" has been sending students in Grades 4-9 to live and study in Beijing for one semester (20 weeks). Having benefited from dual language education from a young age, YHIS students are uniquely positioned to make the most out of these life-changing experiences.

4. Lifelong Learning
YHIS is committed to cultivating a community of lifelong learners - which includes both students and teachers - through offering a rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum and a wide variety of specialty courses that are designed to broaden students' interests as well as to inspire their passion for mastery in a chosen field.

5. Small Classes & Dedicated Faculty
At YHIS, each child is known by every member of the faculty. Individual attention to every student is guaranteed and individual learning styles are addressed.

One of the best parts of YHIS is the strong and consistent support of families. YHIS families speak multiple languages, have multiple cultural identities, and share a love of and commitment to dual language immersion and inquiry-driven education.

On the following pages you will meet the diverse faces of current and former YHIS families. We welcome you to join us on the journey of promoting quality and innovative education for our children.

 YHIS Summer Camp 2012 is coming!!    Click here for Summer Camp 2012.                

Started in the summer of 2007, YHIS Chinese Immersion Summer Camp is designed to give children ages 3 to 10 a unique opportunity to spend their summer having fun learning or improving in the Chinese language. Both beginners and advanced speakers of Chinese are welcome as students are grouped according to both age and language proficiency. We offer an excellent teacher-to-student ratio of 1:7.

The Camp offers a great variety of activities centered on a weekly theme. A team of experienced teachers and enthusiastic camp counselors work with the campers to explore the theme through Chinese language arts, hands-on math, science experiments, physical activities such as sports and yoga, cooking, musical games, and arts and crafts.

Small-grouped lessons such as chess are also offered to interested campers. It is a fun and natural way to learn Chinese, gain knowledge and skills, and make awesome friends!


Helpful Tips:

* The camp usually runs from the end of June to late August for 8 to 10 weeks.
* The camp hours are from 9 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday (closed for Independence Day), with a half-day option of 9 am to 12:30 pm available to campers 5 years or under.
* Extended care is available from 8 to 9 am and from 3:30 to 6 pm for an additional fee.
* Campers bring their own lunch and snacks. Microwave service is available.


Typical Supply List:

* A set of clean change clothes (including underwear) in a bag labeled with your child’s name.
* Sun block lotion, labeled with your child’s name.
* A bathing suit and towel (labeled with your child’s name). These items should be brought home daily.
* A plastic or metal cup for drinking water, labeled with the child’s name.
* For full-day 3- and 4-year-old campers, a light blanket and/or a small pillow for napping. A storage box and sleeping mattress will be provided by the school.
* For children 5 years and older, there is scheduled quiet time after lunch. If your child prefers napping, please let us know and it will be accommodated. Please provide bedding accordingly.
* All children in the 5-and-up class should either wear sneakers/closed-toe shoes to school or have a pair of these shoes stored in school for daily P.E. class or outdoor play.
* All personal items (such as lunch boxes) should be labeled with your child's name.


Sample Daily Schedule for 3- to 5-year olds:

8-9 am                Before-care
9-9:30 am           Songs and rhymes and movements
9:30-10 am         Snack and center play
10-10:45 am       Outdoor play
10:45-11:45 am   Thematic activities & Enrichment (I)
11:45 -12:15 pm  Lunch
12:30 pm             Half-day pickup
12:15-12:45 pm   Quiet reading & Story time
12:45-2:30 pm     Nap
2:30-3 pm            Afternoon snack
3-3:30 pm            Enrichment (II)
3:30 pm               After-care starts
3:30-4 pm           Outdoor play
4-6 pm                Individual learning, Guided activities, Free play


Sample Daily Schedule for 6- to 10-year olds:

8-9 am               Before-care
9-9:30 am          Chinese language arts
9:30-10 am        Snack and Library time
10am-10:30 am  Thematic activities
10:30-11:15 am  Outdoor play
11:15-12 pm       Math & Science
12 -12:30 pm      Lunch
12:30-1:30 pm    Quiet activities: Reading & Board games
1:30-2 pm           Enrichment (I)
2-2:30 pm           Enrichment (II)
2:30-3 pm           Gym time
3-3:30 pm           Afternoon snack
3:30 pm              After-care starts
3:30-4 pm          Outdoor play
4-6 pm               Individual learning, Guided activities, Free play


Sample Weekly Themes:

Going Green
Protect the environment the hands-on way: planting trees, recycling, and fending off pollution. A visit to a nearby nature preserve will take campers out to nature to enjoy a feast of the 5 senses.

Arts
Campers will be dazzled by a comprehensive arts program that draws on fine arts, digital arts, and performing arts, led by guest artists.

Around the World
Campers will tour a different country everyday and learn about its culture, taste its cuisine, and enjoy its games, ending the week with an international fair.

Teamwork
Working in small groups, campers will venture into exciting, age-appropriate adventures. A visit to an indoor water park and the creation of an outdoor mini Olympics will surely inspire cooperation and creativity.

Food Fantasy
Starting with an all-you-can-eat buffet and moving on to donning a chef hat and apron, campers will learn to prepare a nutritious meal. Harvest fresh ingredients from a farmer's market and learn about NJ local produce.

Anything Goes
Campers will be challenged to come up with a topic of interest for investigation. Whatever the theme is, campers will practice teamwork, leadership, sharing and critical thinking skills … and be prepared for a big surprise from the teachers!

Under the Sea
Explore what lies under the mysterious sea. A visit with sharks, dolphins and other sea animals at an aquarium will delight campers of all ages.

Animal planet
Attention, animal lovers, young naturalists and aspiring zoologists! Come and visit the zoo with us, and learn all about domestic and wild animals with whom we share the earth.


Past Field Trips:

Plainsboro Preserve in Plainsboro, NJ

Sahara Sam's Oasis Indoor Water Park in West Berlin, NJ

Jenkinson's Aquarium in Pleasant Beach, NJ

Adventure to Health in Freehold, NJ

Animal Kingdom Zoo in Bordentown, NJ

At each grade level, four units of inquiry are covered each year. In each unit, guided by experienced teachers, students activate their prior knowledge about the topic in question, immerse themselves in all sorts of learning materials, pose essential questions, and launch in-depth investigation. It is a journey without a pre-written script, exciting for all involved and sometimes nerve-racking for even the most veteran teacher!

In school year 2011-2012, students will be exploring exciting topics such as inventions ("Let's fix it!"), natural resources ("Water, water, all over!"), local vs. global ("Princeton and Beijing"), and processing of food ("From farm to table").

In the following pages, you are invited to enter the classrooms and witness the great learning taking place there. Enjoy!

2011 Units Of Inquiry (1st Grade)
2011 Units Of Inquiry (K / Pre-K)
2011 Units Of Inquiry (PS)

Download school calendar 2011-2012