Concordia Shanghai Dedicates New High School
LCMS World Mission celebrates with the 1,500 students, parents, staff, and special guests of Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS) on the dedication of their new high school facility on Oct. 9. The new 12,000-square-meter, state-of-the-art high school will help Concordia continue to expand its educational opportunities and ministry among students from around the world. Concordia’s full student body, parents, and 70 special guests gathered in its newest gymnasium to celebrate the special day.
Head of School Dr. James Koerschen stated, “It was a great event in the life of Concordia to celebrate the opening of a new building and the completion of our campus development.”
Rev. David Birner, associate executive director, international mission, LCMS World Mission, was among the special guests present at the dedication-he also provided the sermon message. Rev. Birner was an advocate for starting the school since the early 1990s. He shared his impression that Concordia’s community, which is gathered around God’s love, is its greatest strength. Dr. Koerschen gave special thanks to Rev. Birner for his advocacy and support of Concordia International School from the beginning.
David Harris, CISS’ high school principal, shared, “What a wonderful blessing it was to dedicate the new high school to God’s glory. He has blessed Concordia richly through the years both with material blessings and in the people who He has brought to make up our wonderful community.”
Other special guests included Dr. Allan and Sandy Schmidt. When Dr. Schmidt and Sandy Schmidt became the founding head of school and director of admissions, respectively, for CISS in 1998, Concordia’s home in the eastern part of Shanghai-known as Pudong-was mainly rice fields. At the same time, however, Pudong was rapidly emerging as the new financial center of Shanghai and business hub in China. There was a recognized need for a Christian school to serve the growing expatriate community, and, that year, Concordia opened its doors with 14 staff members and 22 students.
Special messages were also given during the dedication ceremony by Dr. Fredrick Voigtmann, chairman of Concordia’s Board of Directors; Mr. Christopher Beede, deputy principal officer of the U.S. Consulate; and Mr. Ron Shen, general manager of Jinqiao Group. Also in attendance were guests from China Construction Bank; the facility’s architect and builder, Perkins Eastman Architects and PAC Group; other Shanghai international schools; and representatives from The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod who traveled from Hong Kong, the United States and Vietnam. Various students and musical groups shared their enthusiasm by participating in the dedication.
Founded in 1998, Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS) values its roots in the 150-year educational tradition of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. CISS offers expatriate families a Christian education for their children, aged preschool through 12th grade. Lutheran educators are called through LCMS World Mission to teach at CISS. Known for its caring community, CISS is actively involved in providing education to impoverished communities in Yunnan, China, through the Yunnan Education Project, and fostering social responsibility within the Concordia student body. Over the years, CISS’ Yunnan Education Project has worked in conjunction with the Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Hong Kong that strives to improve the livelihoods of impoverished rural communities in Asia.
CISS provides the Shanghai expatriate community with a holistic, American-based, college-preparatory education for students preschool through grade 12. Fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, CISS’s community is informed by the school’s Christian character. Technology is fully integrated throughout the learning process with grades 7-12 participating in a one-to-one Macbook program. Sixty percent of CISS’ 1,100-member student body and all overseas-hired staff live within one kilometer of the campus. CISS’ mission statement reads, “At Concordia, we view every student as a gift from God, entrusted to us by parents, and are committed in Christian stewardship to educate students holistically in a nurturing environment that includes comprehensive and challenging opportunities in academics, creative arts, spirituality, athletics and extracurricular activities.”
Special thanks to Karin Semler and the staff of CISS for their assistance with this news story.
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