On April 24, SAS will host its second annual Gala, themed “An Evening of Celebration.” While we are assured that it will be another magical evening, the Gala has an even deeper purpose for our school.

Shanghai American School has much to be proud of.  Its academic and co-curricular offerings—and the results our students achieve—are the reasons SAS has become the leading international school in Shanghai. We deliver an American college-preparatory education, and we deliver it well.  To maintain our leading edge and to achieve our vision of 2012 — to be recognized as a leading international school in Asia and the world — we need to pull together as one-school two campuses to form a united community of families.

Shanghai is a big city, and SAS is a large school. We have the distinctive advantage of embracing two campus settings, which challenges us to offer both consistency and diversity of approach in our educational programs. Each campus naturally has its own culture, but we should never lose sight of the fact that we are, in the broad sense, one school.

The Gala reminds us that our two campuses—with nearly 3,000 students in 13 grade levels representing 40 nationalities—are one school with a shared vision of excellence that traces a common history to its adventurous founding in 1912.  And, this year we will have seven pre-revolution (1949) alumni in attendance, who will also take part in our Alumni Lecture series the following week.

The Gala, held at the historic British Consulate building, seeks to be a meeting point between the cultures of east and west, and modern meets classic.  The all-inclusive evening will feature the band Rock Suey, gaming tables, a fortune teller and many special Lucky Draw prizes.  And, we will be presenting our new Superintendent, Kerry Jacobson, in a social setting for all to meet.

We hope that everyone in our extended SAS community will view this year’s Gala not just as a wonderful social event—and we promise it will be that—but also as a chance to rediscover and celebrate our common ambition, across two campuses, to be a leading international school in Asia and the world. Join us on April 24th.

The SAS Gala: An Evening of Celebration is a ticketed event held on April 24, from 7:00–11:00 p.m., at YongFoo Elite, the former British Consulate, at 200 Yongfu Road. Tickets are 888 RMB per person, or 1776 RMB for two, and include all drinks, food and entertainment, and the chance to participate in a Lucky Draw with fabulous prizes.

Invitations were sent to the community by e-mail on March 12. Purchase tickets online with a credit card at www.saschina.org/gala, or in person at the cashier’s window on each campus. All tickets will be held for guests at the door.

Questions? Write gala@saschina.org.

By Sarah VOGEL, Director of Marketing