Dear Guangwai-Pacelli Students, Parents, and Families,

 

Welcome to the new school year! We are excited to have our returning students back, and excited to meet our new students. Thank you for choosing us.

 

We currently have two English teachers - this is to allow for smaller classes. Ryan Alme is one of our new teachers, and I, Rose Lamensdorf, am a returning teacher. I will be teaching English, in addition to taking on a new role as head teacher of foreign staff (see our bios below!). All ESL classes have fewer than 10 students, and students are arranged based on their English proficiency level.

 

Our social studies teacher, Brian Honerbaum, is teaching three levels of social studies, also arranged by English proficiency level. (see his bio below!) This semester, he is teaching European History. Next semester, he will teach Western History. We are all excited to work with your students!

 

Until the foreign teachers are able to return to China, we are implementing live classes to better interact with students. Each of these live classes are one hour every day. Students will practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking daily, in all core subjects.

 

Starting this week, all students will have the opportunity to meet monthly with a foreign teacher to discuss their college admission (applications, essays, recommendation letters, housing, etc). This is required for Seniors, and optional for all other students. Please encourage them to take advantage of this resource!

 

In addition to daily classes and college advising, the students will also attend a pre-recorded “advisory” and “night study” class each day, given by the foreign teachers. These videos are meant to prepare students for college, whether it be abroad or in China.

 

Though teaching from a distance is not ideal, we are happy to still be able to provide a Wisconsin education to your students. We are all hoping to be able to return to China in the near future, and once we are allowed, we will come promptly! Until then, we are so appreciative of the staff who are currently at Guangwai-Pacelli. Andy, Adaline, Gabrielle, and all of the other Chinese staff have been so helpful throughout this time of transition. Thank you to them, and the parents, for working with us in this unprecedented time.

 

Finally, I would like to introduce an exciting opportunity for students. This year, our Guangwai-Pacelli student will have the opportunity to earn college credits through The University of Wisconsin- Green Bay (UW-Green Bay). All the college credits our students earn from UW-Green Bay will be able to transfer to all the universities in the United States. In addition to the college credits, UW-Green Bay will offer $5,000 scholarship per year for 4 years to all Guangwai-Pacelli students. I welcome our students to come to UW-Green Bay and other Wisconsin universities to study in the future!

 

Thank you for your time, and happy start of the semester!

 

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