Mastery Report Cards and College Advising Day
October 17, 2025
Hear from the Head
TIS Family,
In the cyclical nature of the school year, we can officially say that we have completed
𝜋/2 of the 2025 – 2026 cycle. Depending on whether you are observing the behavior of cos or sin, you might feel your energy tank is at 0 or 1. Although those highs and lows are inevitable for everyone throughout the year, the first half of the semester evidenced a community that continues to thrive. A community that works together to ensure an environment of educational excellence will confidently reach 2 𝜋 and successfully complete the cycle.
Looking backward
As I look back at the first quarter of our school year, I was delighted to celebrate the 40th anniversary with everyone during our International Day. The beauty of international education is the celebration of cultures coming together to develop a unique school culture. This year, International Day has evidenced the 40-year commitment to providing this beautiful culture here in Tianjin. The 40-year celebration is not complete and will continue to unfold throughout the school year.
Looking forward
The calendar ahead of us is filled with excitement and engagement opportunities. This second quarter includes Student-led Conferences, athletic tournaments, TIANMUN, drama productions, concerts, Christmas Bazaar, and so much more.
This month’s LifePlus Quality is Courage. I believe that courage is a fitting quality for our children because the students at TIS have many significant opportunities to build courage. Courage is a muscle that requires exercising. The more people practice courage, the more they become courageous. At TIS, we know all of our students are learning to be courageous.
See you soon!
Ryan Witt
School Wide Announcements
Spirit Week
Spirit Week will take place from October 27 – October 31, and we invite everyone to join! Get in the school spirit and share class pride by dressing up for each day’s theme.
Monday: Pajama Day
Tuesday: Career Day
Wednesday: Tacky Day
Thursday: Sports Day
Friday: Fancy Day
Upcoming Library Events
Author Visit
Book Fair
Divisional News
ECC & Elementary
Doughnuts with Dad
ECC
Elementary
1st-5th Grades
Dear Parents,
As we shared last year, our school is now using a Mastery Report Card to show student learning. Beginning this year, grades will be given on a 1 to 4 scale every quarter. These grades show how well your child has mastered the skills and knowledge in each subject.
To give families a complete picture of learning, here is how reporting will work this year:
- Quarter 1 and Quarter 3
- Students will receive grades (1–4).
- We will also hold Student-Led Conferences (SLCs).
-In each Student-led Conference, your child will share their learning, progress, and goals for 15 minutes with the teacher present.
-After that, there will be 10 minutes for parents and teachers to talk with each other.
-There will be no written comments as SLCs allow families to hear directly from their child and the teacher.
- Quarter 2 (end of first semester) and Quarter 4 (end of year)
- Students will receive grades (1–4) and written report comments.
- These comments will provide a detailed explanation of your child’s growth and areas for improvement.
Behaviors that Support Learning
We are changing “Behavior Growth” to “Behaviors that Support Learning.” This section has undergone some changes, but the goal remains the same: to demonstrate that school is not only about academics, but also about how students participate, put forth effort, cooperate, and show respect in class.
New this year: Special subject teachers (such as Music, Art, and PE) will also report on these learning behaviors. This helps families see a more complete picture of their child's progress, both in what they are learning and how they are learning.
Together, the Mastery scale (1–4) and the change in 'Our Behavior' section make our report card stronger, clearer, and more meaningful. After two years of preparing for this change, we are excited that report cards now reflect our Mastery Learning system and provide families with richer information about student growth.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Please contact us if you have any questions about the Mastery Report Card or the Student-led Conferences.
Sincerely,
Miss Barsalou
Secondary
Pepero Day
Pepero Day will take place on Tuesday, November 11. This year, preorders for Pepero will be taken, starting Monday, November 3. Students, if you’d like to place an order for Pepero before November 11, please go to the StuCo store for purchasing.
Guidance Counselor
PSAT
All eleventh-grade students will take the PSAT on Tuesday, October 21. An email has been sent out with important information to parents and students. Please review this email and reach out if you have any questions.
Upcoming SAT Dates:
- Saturday, November 8 - Register by October 24
- Saturday, December 6 - Register by November 21
Register for upcoming SATs here: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/dates-deadlines
AP Self-Study Sign Up
An email has been sent to all students and parents regarding AP Self-Study Sign Up. Please review this email with your student and complete all action steps before the deadline of November 14th.
Upcoming University Information Sessions
Athletics
- Thursday, October 16 - Saturday, October 18 - LifePlus HS Boys & Girls Volleyball Tournament in Wuhan
- Saturday, October 18 - ISCOT MS Soccer. Boys @ TIS / Girls @ Wellington.
Let's go, Eagles!
PTO
Health Office
Take Action, Prevent the Flu
Flu season is coming. Although not required, we highly recommend getting the flu vaccination to help protect your children and your family. The ideal time to get vaccinated is about a month before the flu epidemic begins. Since the epidemic period varies slightly from year to year, it is recommended to complete vaccination from approximately October to early November. When you get a flu vaccine, protective antibodies remain for about six months and then decrease. Since the symptoms of flu and other respiratory infections cannot be distinguished, and the flu shot also reduces the risk of multiple infections such as COVID-19 or mycoplasma infections, flu vaccination is a must. In addition, even during any respiratory infection outbreak or not, it is recommended not to delay vaccinations and to get vaccinated as timely as possible. Parents can refer to the following information to consider taking the flu shot.
Some hospitals and the local community health centers (社区卫生服务中心) are providing flu vaccinations on-site until the end of the year, depending on appointment availability and supply.
Tianjin United Family Hospital 天津和睦家医院
Address: No. 22, TianXiaoYuan, Tanjiang Road, Hexi District.
天津市河西区潭江道天潇园 22 号
Telephone 电话:+86 22 5856 8500
Website 网址: http://www.ufh.com.cn
New Century Women’s & Children’s Hospital 天津和平新世纪妇儿医院
Address: No. 33, Chifeng Road, Heping District.
天津市和平区赤峰道33号
Exclusive reservation QR code. Injection time: Wednesday-Sunday, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., specially opened for our school.
The hospital’s WeChat also provides reservation service in English and Chinese.
You can get more details about the local community health centers (社区卫生服务中心) at the WeChat official account 约苗(Yuemiao).
House Points Total
What’s Happening at TIS
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 16-18 | LifePlus HS Volleyball Tournament in Wuhan |
| October 17 | End of Quarter 1 |
| October 18 | ISCOT MS Soccer Tournament |
| October 20 | Quarter 2 begins |
| October 22 | College Advising Day |
| October 23-25 | LifePlus MS Soccer Tournament in Yantai |
| October 25 | ISCOT HS Volleyball Tournament |
| October 27-31 | Spirit Week |
| October 30 | Author Visit |
| October 30-31 | Book Fair |
| October 31-November 1 | Mid-Semester Student-led Conferences & ECC Home Visits |
Recognized for excellence
Tianjin International School is accredited by Cognia, the largest education improvement organization in the world—demonstrating our commitment to learners, teachers, leaders and communities.