On the eve of the 2025 – 2026 academic year, SUIS Gubei commenced a week-long staff training and team-building event, introducing diverse activities to invigorate the educational team and inject fresh momentum into its professional development.
New Teacher Orientation:
Integration into the Xiehe Educational Ecosystem
The “2025 Xiehe Cross-Campus Chinese and Foreign New Teacher Professional Development Day” was held at SUIS Gubei. A total of 220 new teachers from 10 Xiehe schools gathered here to systematically learn about Xiehe’s educational philosophy, curriculum system and development history, and quickly integrate into the educational community through interactive discussions.
Announcement of Key Appointments:
A New Team Embarks on a New Journey
Ms Wang Liqiang (Secretary of the CPC United Party Branch of Xiehe Education) announced the important personnel appointments for the new semester at SUIS Gubei: Mr Bright Liu as Principal, Mr Rick Spadafora as Academic Principal, and Mr Derek Lee as Assistant Principal, Deputy Head and Director of Studies, bringing renewed leadership to the school’s ongoing development.
Speech by Ms Maxine Lu (General Principal of Xiehe Education, Chairman of the School Board of SUIS Gubei):
Uniting for Excellence, Embarking on a New Journey Together
SUIS Gubei was established in 2007, starting with just a handful of classes and a dedicated team ready to give it their all. Eighteen years have passed, and look at what we have built together. Over the years, we have navigated policy shifts, weathered industry ups and downs, and faced our own growth challenges. Through it all, your unwavering commitment — lesson by lesson, student by student — has cemented SUIS Gubei’s reputation as one of Shanghai’s leading international schools. This achievement is down to YOU, to your professionalism and dedication, and we on the Board are incredibly proud of this.
As we look ahead, our core direction is clear: we must double down on pursuing excellence in quality and features, moving from “good” to “outstanding”. This means every aspect of our professional work must align with the highest standards:
– Classrooms shall be a place of real inspiration and deep, meaningful learning.
– Activities organized shall build confidence, spark curiosity, and nurture character.
– Assessments and tests shall be carefully designed to diagnose the quality of teaching and learning, enabling regular reflection on results and discussions on improvements.
– We shall listen patiently to the voices of parents and students.
– Teachers’ professional development and evaluation shall be taken seriously…
As a mature flagship campus, the community has high expectations for SUIS Gubei. We must not only meet these expectations but consistently exceed them.
To support you in achieving this goal, the Board is fully committed:
- Empowering Leadership: We have every confidence in the new leadership team. We will ensure they have the autonomy and resources needed to lead effectively.
- Investing in Your Development: Your professional growth is crucial to the school’s success. You can expect enhanced Professional Development (PD) opportunities, access to leading training programs, and strong support for your career progression. Please let us know what you need to excel.
- Providing the Tools:We pledge the necessary resources — technological, physical, and operational — to create the optimal environment for teaching and learning.
- A True Partnership: While we are based at the center and not present on campus daily, please know the Board is deeply engaged in the campus’s development. We are your partners; we will listen to your needs, provide support, and work alongside you.
Colleagues, SUIS Gubei’s remarkable story has been written by dedicated educators like yourselves. As we embrace this new semester, let us carry forward the same spirit of collaboration and commitment to excellence that has brought us this far. While the challenges are real, so is our collective strength to overcome them.
Wishing you all a brilliant start to the semester. Thank you very much.
General Principal of Xiehe Education, Chairman of the School Board of SUIS Gubei
Ms Maxine Lu
Speech by Mr Bright:
Upholding Foundations, Strengthening Advantages, Jointly Building Gubei’s New Development
I would like to express my gratitude to the leaders of Xiehe Education Center for their support and trust. This is my fourth year at SUIS Gubei, and as time goes by, I have gained an increasingly clear understanding of SUIS Gubei’s unique value within the Xiehe system, as well as a profound comprehension of the reasons why parents choose us. As the principal of the school, I will take on the primary responsibility of coordinating with government departments and Xiehe Education Center, and spare no effort to safeguard the school’s operating environment in all aspects. Meanwhile, I will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team of SUIS Gubei to provide strong support for every faculty and staff member in their work.
Before the “tsunami” of major changes in the international education arrives, we must become a more competitive school at our current level. Special thanks to Principal Mr David Walsh for his hard work over the years. He has laid a solid foundation for the long-term development of SUIS Gubei.
Facing these challenges, there is no quick-fix solution. We need to build up our reputation and credibility step by step—by improving teaching quality, student care, college counseling, and all support services. Every small effort counts toward making “SUIS Gubei” a trusted and respected name. Let us join hands and work together for the outstanding development of the new school year!
Principal of SUIS Gubei
Mr Bright Liu
Training Hosted by Mr Spadafora:
Deepening Academic and Teaching Innovation
Mr Spadafora led a session for teachers on the core or essence of why we became educators, the hallmarks of an excellent school and then asked teachers for their definitions of what a “brilliant learner” actually means. The session ended with an appreciative inquiry where teachers submitted what was working really well at the school, what works but could use improvement and what we don’t have that they would like to see. Data from this inquiry will be followed up by the management team. Teachers felt a renewed sense of purpose by the end.
Prefects Training:
Enhancing Skills to Support the Campus
Teacher Team Building:
Uniting Hearts and Minds to Move Forward Together
On August 22nd, all staff participated in the on-campus team-building activities, enhancing mutual understanding and tacit understanding in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, laying a good foundation for team cooperation.
With the successful completion of the induction week, the staff of SUIS Gubei are fully prepared to embrace the new semester with renewed enthusiasm, and are committed to guiding students on a new journey of growth through professionalism and dedication.