FOOD

Delicious meals provided by Café du Monde, New York City Deli and Pistolera.
Menus of the day!

 Café du Monde : Choice of chicken strips, hot dog, cajun chicken wrap or veggie wrap, served with fruit and a cookie.
New York City Deli : Choice of ribs or sandwich (ham, turkey or veggie), served with chips, coleslaw and a cookie.
Pistolera : Choice of a beef burrito, chicken burrito or cheese and bean burrito, served with chips and salsa.
 
All refreshments, water, soft drinks and ice creams provided by Glaceau Vitamin Water and by Nestle (Nestle Pure Life, Dreyers, Perrier, San Pellegrino).

International tables provided by our European and Korean friends 

FUN
Performances & entertainment
 
This year, the SAS Community will provide most of the entertainment. Enjoy our student performances on the musical stage !
Preview of the Middle School Musical Performance of BATS.
Middle School Rock Band.
Middle School Jazz Band.
Performance by the High School Dance Troupe.
Performance by Nafisah Khan, SAS High School Senior.
Performance by High School Jazz Band: EXPO Dixieland Band Plus.
And a special contest !

Games & activities
 
There will be many games and activities for the entire family, games of chance and games of skills for each age.

Enjoy and win fun prizes!
Enjoy the so popular Bouncy Castle from Santa Fe Relocation Services !
Join the balloon making and face painting organized by PureSmile.
And please bring skateboards and helmets as Iconx will run a quarter pipe ramp for skateboarders. Two coaches from Iconx will also give skateboard lessons.

Shopping
 
More vendors than ever : we will have between 50 to 70 different vendors for you to shop !

Eagle shop !
Returning favorites such as : Bean Bags Chairs (bean bags & gift ware), DTL Michelle (furniture outdoor), Jesher (ladies shoes), Long Art (hand painted art), the artist Peasant Painter, Steffanies (gifts & toys).
Food vendors selling bagel & cream cheese (Spread the bagel), brownies, cookies, pies & cakes (Sweet Bon-O-Mine), Coffee (Yomo).
Elegant fashion with Chic Collection, shoes Jesher, bags Lolaiba, Pilar’s studio, Vo2Max or jewelry with Amelia market place, Gwen Atelier, Julia Zhu, 5th Avenue Jewelry.
Houseware retailers with furniture, accessories or art (Chapin House, DTL, The Elm workshop, Mu Gallery), with decorative items to enhance your home (Christmas ornaments Simply Very, frames Shanghai Peles-meles, hand-made or hand-painted art, candles or lamps from China Whispers, Long Art or Shanghai Lamp, tablewares The Art of Living, Indian tunics Vedic Life), with kitchen & home products (Shanghai Yipin Trading).
Children’s services and goods including The Learning Tree (education & learning), the photograph Barefoot Portrait, Sunovo Trading (toys & children education) or Minis Group (toys & 3D puzzles).
This is a very short list of the great vendors that we have so far ! Please note that cash is required.

Thanks to our generous Sponsors !

You may take care of your wellness with Puresmile and win one of their special prizes ! Puresmile will host their own raffle at the Puresmile booth. The Grand Prize is a free Orthodontic braces treatment for two years !
Meet the Citibank’s experts ! You will have the chance to ask all your questions, sign up for new accounts or credit cards and take care of your investments !
Meet the Buick ’s team ! Learn everything about such a company or about your new car !
Enjoy the so popular Bouncy Castle from Santa Fe Relocation Service ! Santa Fe Relocation Services  provides also all the tents !
Organize your next holidays with Country Holidays !  Country Holidays will host their own raffle at their booth. Win their fantastic cruise : 3-night downstream or 4-night upstream cruise for 2 persons onboard the Yangzi Explorer, the only 5-star cruise ship on the Yangtze !
Relax with the famous SPA Dragon Fly ! Dragon Fly will offer 5-minutes massages.
Discover the latest high-tech electronics from Best Buy !
Enjoy the delicious meals from Café du Monde, New York City Deli and Pistolera !
Devour the famous Krispy Kreme Doughnuts !
Refreshments by Glaceau Vitamin Water and by Nestle! With all your favorites.
This is a very short list of the great items offered by our sponsors !

PROGRAM AND INFORMATION
The schedule of the events, the orientation map and all the information on the BBQ day will be presented in the program given to each participant on the BBQ day. More information will be posted on the Pudong PTSA blog at http://teachers.saschina.org/pudongptsa. 

TICKETS
The BBQ is the biggest event sponsored by the Pudong PTSA during the school year and the most important from a fund-raising perspective. Please note that pre-purchased tickets are required. Over 1,200 people are expected so we encourage you to buy your tickets now!

 “Food” tickets can be used for any menu choice from any of the vendors Café du Monde, New York City Deli or Pistolera. You may purchase adult “Food” tickets (adult and MS/HS children) at 100 RMB and child “Food” tickets (5th grade or younger) at 75 RMB.
“Star” game tickets can be used for games, extra meal or extra drinks. Each “Food” ticket will have a free “Star” game ticket for a drink. You may purchase a block of 10 “Star” game tickets for 100 RMB.
Tickets can be purchased in advance until September 15, with the ticket pre-order envelopes sent home on August 20 with your youngest/one child.  If you already pre-ordered before September 8, you will receive 5 extra tickets for each block of “Star” game tickets. These ticket orders will be held at school for you to pick up at the front gate on Saturday, September 18.
Tickets can also be purchased at the front gate on Saturday, September 18. Please note that cash is required.

Send in your ticket order soon and join your family and friends for a great day at the Welcome Back BBQ ! Please send your questions regarding tickets to emilie.pan@gmail.com or to mckenziemsc@aol.com.

TRANSPORTATION: Buses will be provided by YEAP and SAS. The shuttle bus schedule will be posted soon with the different times, from/returning to each compound.

VOLUNTEERS
We always need volunteers, so if you are interested in helping, please contact monica_omara@yahoo.com.

The BBQ is a wonderful opportunity to make new friends ! Please join us for a fantastic day for the whole family, with food, fun, games and shopping ! We are looking forward to welcoming you at the Welcome Back BBQ ! Saturday, September 18 !
—For the PTSA BBQ Committee.

A martial arts performance staged by one of the vendors, proudly presented our very own elementary students who are currently taking traditional martial arts lessons in their studio. The martial arts teacher hailed from the traditional center of kung fu, Shaolin shi.  

A newcomer to Shanghai is FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology).  This organization, in collaboration with Parametric Technology Corporation, is bringing the FIRST Tech Challenge to Shanghai international schools this year.  The program encourage students to combine science, technology, engineering and math subjects with hands-on learning, critical and creative thinking, business, presentation and teamwork skills.

Another technology-oriented program is offered by Children’s Technology Workshop and they also offer holiday camps, photography, video game design for children aged 3-14.
Looking for academic support for English essay writing, SAT preparation, Math and the  Sciences? New Horizons organizes group tutorials and it is always good to know that they are willing to discuss classes that can meet your needs. 

Mandarin is the common language used in China and not being able to communicate with your domestic helper or the shop keeper and drivers can be very frustrating.  Representatives of Mandarin language schools were available to introduce their lesson plans.

For many new families settling in to a foreign land, choosing the right healthcare facilities are daunting tasks. Having a chance to speak directly with representatives of such facilities give our families an understanding of what is available here.  We have many representatives of such organizations at the fair to help answer questions and to introduce their services to the community.

Having the peace of mind of the right insurance coverage is important for many of us. The chance to speak with a representative of such an organization helps tremendously and we were happy to have this vendor with us at the fair.

Living healthy lives is a must anywhere in the world.  Shanghai is no different.  Shanghai Organics, as the name suggests, provides an avenue for the purchase of organic vegetables and they provide delivery service that makes vegetable shopping a phone call away. A fitness company was also on hand to help plan exercise programs to help us stay trim and healthy.   
Questions about pets and their nutrition were taken care of by one of our vendors who have many years of experience in this business.

 Scouting has been a tradition for more than 100 years and for the Boy Scouts of America, their values-based youth development program helps young people build character, develop personal fitness and imbued in them qualities of responsible citizens. Not to leave his little Cub out in the cold, big brother Dave, shared his table space with his little Cub, Ted, who serves as the Cub Master for Shanghai.

Community service plays an important role in teaching our children compassion and helping others that are less fortunate.  Stepping Stones, a community service organization that runs English teaching programs in approximately 15 migrant schools in Shanghai can do with more volunteers and support from the community.  Another such charitable organization at our Fair, Half the Sky Foundation provides funding and support to help orphans receive the best possible care and attention in a nurturing environment, giving them opportunities that will help them lead normal, healthy lives.

The Community Center of Shanghai/Interkom, connects international residents through social, educational and charitable programs to the people, culture and energy of China. The center offers a variety of resources, including professional counseling, charity programs and social connections for youth.

It was altogether a fun and meaningful day for all present and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all participants, visitors, volunteers, parents and crews that made this event possible.
By Marilyn SU, Vice-President, PTSA Puxi Campus

Pudong campus Parent Information Fair held in conjunction with first PTSA meeting
On Thursday, August 26, an estimated 150 people attended the Parent Information Fair on the Pudong Campus. Twenty-eight vendors were on hand to offer helpful information to the parents. Some of these vendors included Best Buy, Community Center, Shanghai Daily, Country Holidays, PureSmile, Bio Farm, Citibank, and Bark Shanghai

The Pudong campus of the  PTSA organized a Parent Information Fair held in advance of the year’s first PTSA meeting. New parents, as well as veterans visited vendors showcasing their services. There were practical choices like dentists, doctors, eye clinics and food delivery businesses. Smiling vendors also shared information regarding sports activities, dog grooming, banking and holiday travel. Complimentary cupcakes and cookies were a special treat for parents as they walked through the fair. The room was alive with the sounds of families eager to learn about options available to them here in Shanghai. Please enjoy photos to the right.
 —Kim Crawford, Pudong campus parent

The Quiz Night Committee would like to thank everyone for their good humor, with special thanks to – Kimbra and Simon Power for their quick wit, natural stage presence, and calm technology support.

James Happer and his Design Technology student Patrick Lee for the lightening round buzzer system.

The St. Regis for their generosity.

And, door prize donors: The Eagle Shop, Cafe Du Monde, St. Regis Hotel, Children’s Technology Workshop, and Foster’s Salon.
See you all next year!

By Penny BENNET

The week before the event, all SAS Pudong campus high school students marked their preferences from the 30 available speakers.  Students chose from speakers in such fields as Accounting, Marketing, Architecture, Medicine, Engineering, Diplomacy, NGO’s, and Advertising, just to name a few (see sidebar at the right).  Miho Kinnas worked diligently to schedule each student in their top choices, and created an individual schedule for each high school student for the afternoon. 

Students began the afternoon by gathering in the gym at 12:30 for a short welcome by Patrick Stenger, HS Counselor.  Our keynote speaker, David Knox, then spoke to all of the students about how to ‘Get The Big Picture’ — choosing a career vs. looking for a job, being paid for doing your job, and their objectives for the day. 

After the keynote address, the students each attended three  different speaker sessions based on their chosen preferences.  The speakers gave a 20-minute presentation about their job, their industry, and what they wish they would have known about their job when they were in high school!  Students were then able to ask questions as well as network with the speakers. 

The afternoon ended with a coffee reception with delicious baked goods provided by the European Ladies group (Brigitte Engels, Birgit Imkamp, Andrea Schwung, Monique Loiselle, Patricia Brooks, Helen Ledel, Susanne Kargl, and Ann Stevens).  The HS PTSA parents without whose help this event could not have happened are: Miho Kinnas, Denise Morency, Lisa Chen, Esther Chun, Sharon Barns, Shelley Germain, Sheri Schroeder, Joann Dining, and Katie Ferguson.

Last, we are thankful for all of our speakers who gave generously of their time. They have made a difference in our students’ futures for which we all are grateful.

By Sharon BARNS, Pudong campus parent

Our wonderful students and parents were able to provide a Chinese New Year gift bag to 545 students, covering each and every child in the school. Above and beyond PuGuang, we were able to raise over 16,000RMB for Community Center Shanghai, The Giving Tree program to use for other schools in need. 

Upon arriving at the migrant school to deliver the bags, we were surprised to find that, due to the width of the road leading to the school, the bus had to stop about a 1/2 kilometer short of its destination. Although, none of us mind walking a little, the thought of carrying over 500 bags that far, was a bit overwhelming! But in the spirit of the people of our host country, we were not to be deterred by this dilemma. We flagged down a small truck, which was passing by without a load, and asked if they could help us deliver our gifts, and had the principal of the school gather all of the older children. In no time at all, the bus was unloaded, and excited children were returning to class.

The day following delivery, we returned to PuGuang for a distribution ceremony. We were thrilled to be joined by a few high school students, the middle school choir, and the elementary student council. Each of the children at the school marched out into the courtyard carrying the bag that had been filled for them. They filed into neat rows and stood at attention, as a few other students raised the Chinese flag. This was followed by songs performed by the PuGuang school students, as well as our own Middle School choir, a few speeches, and then some time to meet the students we helped. It was a touching and happy morning, and one that we will not soon forget.

This would not have been possible without all those who filled a bag, contributed to a bag, or made a cash donation to this very worthy cause, including Michael Chao, who took control of the high school portion of our bags, and put together a group of 11th graders to help organize, deliver, and collect bags. Katie Ferguson, Evelyn Sun, and many other parents helped me through this process, as well as, of course, the 3rd and 5th graders who helped me collect bags. We couldn’t have done it without all of this help!

This holiday season we have a reason to be proud, as our generosity shined in the smile on a child’s face.

By Beth Arnold

Santa’s Workshop is an SAS Pudong campus holiday boutique that provides an easy and fun way for students to purchase gifts for their family members, friends, ayis and drivers, and even their pets.  The price is right. No gift cost is more than 50 rmb. Santa’s Workshop saves parents the hassle of rushing the kids to and from stores during the holiday crunch!

If you are new to SAS, volunteering your time at Santa’s Workshop is a fun way to meet other parents while you enjoy helping out in the many areas of the Workshop.  You may likely meet more new people who also live in your compound.

Most of all, you will enjoy watching the excitement of the young students as they shop.  You will be able to break and enjoy your lunch with your child.  If your child’s class is shopping on the day you are working we can arrange that you avoid each other so their gifts remain a surprise.

Even if you have only an hour to spare, your volunteering that one hour will help out the Workshop.

 To join the fun, please contact Chris Lomason at chrislomason@hotmail.com or send message or call 13916952544  (please do not call after 8pm).

The success of this year’s Fall BBQ would not have been possible without all the students, parents and staff who contributed to this wonderful event for the SAS community!

The corporate sponsors of this event are:

The SAS Pudong campus Chinese Liaison group falls under the PTSA. Each year, the Chinese Liaison organizes a number of events and participates in major school events representing the Chinese parents as a culture group.

The first and most important event of the Chinese Liaison is the Chinese Liaison Luncheon held in September. Guest speakers from the School Board, the Administration and the PTSA of Pudong SAS will give new parents a brief introduction of how the school is run, responsibilities of school and parents, and communication channels. New parents also use this occasion to meet other parents, especially the ones with children in the same grades or even same class. For new parents, the annual Chinese Luncheon is the most important place to meet other parents and to make friends which will benefit them for the rest of their stay in Shanghai.

Other events organized by the Chinese Liaison group thorough out the year are culture events such as the Mooncake tasting at the Mid-Autumn Festival (There’s no Moon cake tasting for 2009 because the Mid Autumn Festival is in the middle of the National Day Holiday), assisting the Chinese department for the Chinese New Year stage performance, Lantern Festival culture activities and luncheons.

The Chinese community is also very active in participating school-wide activities, such as the Fall BBQ where we provide delicious Chinese food at our Chinese Food Stand and at the United Nations Day where we introduce Chinese culture from different ethnic groups and different regions and areas of China.

We welcome all of you to have fun with us, volunteering your time to our community and making your stay in Shanghai meaningful and memorable.

Pudong PTSA Chinese Liaison Team
Overall: Queenie Zhang (4th and 7th grade), zhangbingqing@hotmail.com
ES: Zhao Qian (3rd grade), lotus_qian@yahoo.com; Lesley Lu (1st grade & 4th grade), weihong523@yahoo.com.
—Submitted by Queenie Zhang

But it is the other two questions that offer more scope for reflection.

Well, why does the Pudong PTSA organize a Fall BBQ? Granted, it is a major fundraising event, generating funds to support a plethora of student activities throughout the year but this important outcome is not the main purpose of the event. The Fall BBQ is an opportunity to strengthen the connections that make us a community.

In addition to being a fun family outing, the Fall BBQ is a wonderful day to catch up with longtime friends and make new ones. It’s a day to meet your child’s classmates and their families. It’s a day to try new foods and experience different cultures. It’s a day to celebrate both the diversity and the unity of our community. No matter the path that brought you to SAS, the Fall BBQ is a day to celebrate that you belong to this community.

Which leads to the how of the event: it takes a crowd of people to make a successful community event! The nucleus of this community is the tireless committee of parents and administrators who organize the Fall BBQ but everyone contributes to the BBQ’s success.

So please enjoy the food, the shopping, the activities and entertainment, and please volunteer at some point during the day. Show your student that you value the SAS community and want to contribute to it. Grade Coordinators will contact you in the next few weeks to set up a roster of volunteers to run games and activities. Additionally, parents are needed to sell game tickets, work at the used book sale and sell popcorn and cotton candy. Send a message to pudongptsa@gmail.com to volunteer and watch the Pudong PTSA blog: http://teachers.saschina.org/pudongptsa for more details.

—Submitted by Maureen Spillane.