BCISers are all brimming with excitement now that our community is back on campus for another fun-filled school year! This week, we would like to say a special thank you to all our marvelous teachers who make high-quality learning possible at BCIS! Thanks to the many teachers who have remained at BCIS, some even since the school’s founding in 2005. Also, welcome to the new teachers that have joined us over the summer. BCIS wishes all its educators a happy Teacher’s Day and a successful new semester at school!

In a year that has been full of uncertainties, it is especially reassuring to welcome back our many returning teachers. This year, BCIS enjoyed an incredibly high teacher retention rate, with the vast majority of our highly qualified teachers continuing to share their professional expertize this academic year. This summer vacation was purposefully scheduled to provide sufficient time for our teachers to visit family and loved ones abroad, giving many a chance to visit home. BCIS is committed to the wellbeing of our teaching staff, making sure they have plenty of time to prepare for the year ahead.

Our returning teachers aren’t the only ones busy during the new academic year. BCIS also welcomed some new faces to our community this year. BCIS welcomed 24 new teachers with rich experience in international education from all over the world to join our team this year. Our academic team now represents 22 different countries, with a total of 155 teachers working together to create an open and diverse learning environment. We are excited to welcome all our new staff members to the BCIS community, right in the heart of the city!

n addition to a warm introduction to all the wonderful sights Beijing has to offer, our administrative team set up a week-long orientation to acquaint our teachers with the school. BCIS staff answered our teachers’ questions on everything from housing to bank cards, helping make the transition to BCIS a smooth one. Plus, during the orientation program, returning and new staff come together for social events to ensure everyone receives the support they need as they make new friends in a new community.

Two of our new teachers, Reidun, who joins our Early Childhood Center as a nursery teacher, and Stephen, who joins our Elementary School as a learning support teacher, are looking forward to starting their new journey in Beijing. Stephen describes why he chose BCIS, stating, “I wanted to work in an IB World School and felt the recruitment process allowed me to feel at ease.” Although starting this new journey during the pandemic wasn’t always easy, BCIS helped make the process as smooth as possible. “The entire BCIS family made our transition much smoother than expected.  We are so grateful to all the people who helped us get here (everyone in the HR department), to the people that helped answer all our questions (our personal and professional buddies), and to the people that are continuously supporting us daily (our colleagues, teammates, leadership, cleaning staff, security, etc.),” explains Reidun.

A warm welcome to our new teachers and students, and welcome back to campus to all our returning staff and students! This Teacher’s Day, we are thankful for all the awesome teachers who make the BCIS community inclusive and unique! Our teachers are the heart of our school’s strong school family, providing love and support for all our learners. Happy Teacher’s Day from BCIS!