Shanghai American School

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Independent, pre-k-12 school in Shanghai, China

Shanghai American School

Puxi campus

Location

Shanghai

China

Information
Former names|

* American Private School (1941–42)
* Community Private School (1942–43)
* Chapei Civilian Assembly Camp school (1943–45)
* Shanghai American Private School (1945–46)
* Private American School (1949–50)

Type| Independent, Pre-K-12
Motto| Possumus Quia Posse Videmur
("Since we think we can, we can.")
Established| 1912
Head of school| James Nelligan
Faculty| 388 from 51 countries
Enrollment| 2,800 from 44 countries
Campuses| Pudong (22 acres north of Pudong International Airport); Puxi (29 acres in Shanghai’s Minhang district)
Color(s)| Schoolwide

Red Blue White

Puxi  Gold

Pudong  Silver
Athletics|

* Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC)
* China International Schools Sports Association (CISSA)

Nickname| Eagles
Affiliations|

* Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
* College Board Advanced Placement (AP)
* International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB)
* Principal Training Center (PTC)

Website| saschina.org
Shanghai American School

Simplified Chinese| 上海美国外籍人员子女学校
Traditional Chinese| 上海美國外籍人員子女學校
Literal meaning| Shanghai United States Foreign Personnel Children's School
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Shànghǎi Měiguó Wàijí Rényuán Zǐnǚ Xuéxiào
Alternative Chinese name
Simplified Chinese| 上海美国学校
Traditional Chinese| 上海美國學校
Literal meaning| Shanghai United States School
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Shànghǎi Měiguó Xuéxiào
Aquatic Center, Puxi Campus

Shanghai American School (SAS) (Chinese: 上海美国外籍人员子女学校; pinyin: Shànghǎi měiguó wàijí rényuán zǐnǚ xuéxiào) is an independent international school located in Shanghai, China. Founded in 1912, SAS has two campuses and over 2,800 students enrolled in Pre-K through 12th grade.

The Puxi campus is located in Huacao Town, Minhang District, and the Pudong campus is located in the Shanghai Links Executive Community.[1]

1949 SAS cheerleaders Books to Eat, SAS Pudong Campus

## Academics

[edit]

The school has various signature programs, including Innovation Institute,[2][3] a two-year interdisciplinary project-based learning program, and Microcampus,[4] a month-long immersion into a small village in China's Yunnan Province. Microcampus and Innovation Institute have both been recognized by hundrED as part of the 100 most innovative education programs in the world.[5]

Both campuses, in Puxi and Pudong, offer Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Diplomas, as well as both programs together to high school students.

## Activities

[edit]

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Students at the school engage in over 150 clubs, sports, and other activities, including the National English Honor Society, National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Model United Nations, National Arts Honor Society, National Honor Society of Dance Arts, International Thespian Society, VEX Robotics Competition, and Tri-M Music Honor Society.

SAS is a founding member of Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC), which comprises some of the largest international schools in Asia. Through APAC, SAS students participate in a variety of intramural recreations, including badminton, volleyball, band, choir, and theater. The school also co-founded the China Cup and Tri-Cities competitions. SAS students also compete in the China International Schools Sports Association (CISSA) League.

## History

[edit]

### Early Decades

[edit]

SAS opened on September 17, 1912, with 38 students and a two-building campus in Shanghai's Hongkou District, north of the Bund. The school was founded to serve "the children of American missionaries and other European residents in the East." It quickly established a reputation for academic excellence, and within a decade, the campus had grown to include twelve buildings on or near North Sichuan Road. With the support of the Shanghai-based and overseas American businesses, especially Standard Oil Company, SAS broke ground on a purpose-built campus located amid farmland on the western edge of "Frenchtown" (today's former French Concession).[6][7]

In 1923, SAS moved to a new campus located on Avenue Petain (now Hengshan Road), whose administration building was modeled after Philadelphia's Independence Hall surrounded by a campus that included a lake and quadrangle reminiscent of historic American colleges.[8] (Parts of the campus remains along Hengshan Road including the Administration Building, headmaster's home, Girl's Dormitory, and Water Tower. Over the next two decades, SAS's fortunes echoed those of Shanghai. SAS enrollment increased until Japanese invaders occupied Shanghai and interned many foreigners, including SAS students and teachers during the Second Sino-Japanese War when the SAS board suspended operations.[9]

### Bootleg SAS

[edit]

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During the suspension, SAS teacher Frank "Unk" Cheney determined school must continue. He gathered the remaining faculty, staff, and equipment and continued SAS under a series of different names calling them "Bootleg SAS."

Bootleg SAS operated out of the SAS campus on Hengshan Road, as well as in the International Community Church across the street (still an active church at 53 Hengshan Road). In 1943, Cheney and most of the SAS population were forced into Chapei Civilian Assembly Camp, a Japanese-run internment camp. Still not content to see the school cease operations, Cheney packed thousands of books and brought them to an internment camp so the school could go on. Housed in an open-air shed with rudimentary supplies, the newest iteration of Bootleg SAS nevertheless opened with 222 students. At the end of World War II, the SAS Board of Managers vowed to re-open SAS in the fall of 1946. Unwilling to wait an additional year, Cheney opened yet another Bootleg SAS in the fall of 1945 to serve students until SAS could officially open the following fall.

### Post-WWII

[edit]

At SAS, the period of 1946–49 saw the return of old traditions, sports and arts programs. The school and its campus were even featured in LIFE magazine. But by 1949, with China at the end of the civil war and Shanghai about to be liberated by the Communist Party, the SAS Board of Managers once again made the decision to close the school.

The Rev. Val Sundt, then vice principal, was inspired to invoke the "Spirit of Cheney" and assure the school would once again continue. Sundt founded the final Bootleg SAS in 1949–50, called Private American School. At the conclusion of the school year in May 1950, Sundt closed the school and the remaining SAS teachers and students heeded evacuation warnings from the U.S. State Department and departed Shanghai.

### The Re-founding

[edit]

In January 1980, encouraged by the reformist efforts of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, the U.S. re-established its Consulate in Shanghai. One of the Consulate's first employees, economics advisor Tom Lauer, brought his wife, Linnea, and three children to Shanghai. Recognizing a need to educate the children of Consulate employees, the U.S. State Department asked Lauer to restart Shanghai American School.

SAS re-opened on the U.S. Consulate grounds on Huai Hai Road in September 1980. It remained there until outgrowing the space in 1989.

The Shanghai Girls #3 School agreed to share space with SAS. With a booming foreign population coming into Shanghai, SAS had heavy demand.

### Pit Stop Campus Era

[edit]

By the mid-1990s, SAS had decided to build not one but two purpose-built campuses – one on each side of Shanghai's Huangpu River. Before the campus construction could be completed, the school moved again.

Three temporary campuses were established. In Puxi, a semi-built cultural center in Zhudi Town was reassigned to the school. In Pudong, another cultural center – Huaxia – was selected to be SAS’ first presence on the Pudong side of the Huangpu River. A third temporary campus was founded in the Shanghai Centre on Nanjing Road to serve the youngest SAS attendees, though it soon proved unnecessary and closed after just one semester.

Facilities during this time in SAS history were makeshift at best. The school's swim team held competitions at Shanghai's Holiday Inn, and storefronts across from campus served as classrooms while the school continued making plans for the future. SAS became a co-founder of the region's Asia Pacific Athletic Conference (APAC), in spite of having no athletics facilities at the time.

### Modern-day SAS

[edit]

In 1998, the Pudong campus opened on in the Shanghai Links. In 2000, the Puxi campus opened in Minhang, just off the Shanghai-Changzhou Expressway.

In 2004, seven North Koreans climbed over the perimeter wall of the Puxi campus and, thinking that the school was US government property, attempted to claim asylum. The seven North Koreans were later removed by police.[10][11]

In 2017, Puxi campus English Teacher James Mikkelson was fired after sexual abuse allegations were sent in by former students.[12] The case was handed to the authorities, and the school advised students to have no further contact with him. Mikkelson had previously been accused of sexual misconduct in Italy.[13] A blog was set up where students and former colleagues shared their experiences about him.[14]

## See also

[edit]

* List of international schools in Shanghai
* Americans in China

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Home page. Shanghai American School. Retrieved on February 19, 2014. "Puxi Campus 258 Jinfeng Road Huacao Town, Minhang Dist. Shanghai, China 201107 6221-1445" and "Pudong Campus Shanghai Links Executive Community 1600 Lingbai Road Sanjiagang, Pudong Shanghai, China 201201 6221-1445"
2. ^ "Opening of the CID". ISSUU Eagle Review. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
3. ^ ""Try it!" High School Transformed | The International Educator (TIE Online)". www.tieonline.com. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
4. ^ "Shanghai American School: Microcampus". Retrieved 21 January 2020.
5. ^ "Want students to see a village as their classroom?Microcampus". hundrED. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
6. ^ "Our History". Shanghai American Chamber of Commerce. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
7. ^ Richards, Samuel J. (December 2023). "Archival Research with High School Students and School History: An Example of Signature Pedagogy through Project- and Place-Based Learning". Teaching History: A Journal of Methods. 48 (1): 39.
8. ^ Richards, Samuel J. (December 2023). "Archival Research with High School Students and School History: An Example of Signature Pedagogy through Project- and Place-Based Learning". Teaching History: A Journal of Methods. 48 (1): 39–40.
9. ^ Richards, Samuel J. (December 2023). "Archival Research with High School Students and School History: An Example of Signature Pedagogy through Project- and Place-Based Learning". Teaching History: A Journal of Methods. 48 (1): 40.
10. ^ "CNN.com – School turns over N. Koreans – Sep 30, 2004". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
11. ^ Mills, Angie (2008). A Story Of The Shanghai American School. the Shanghai American School Association. p. 386\. ASIN B0145XALME.
12. ^ "Shanghai American School sacks US teacher in sex abuse claims". SHINE. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
13. ^ Ke, Bryan (2017-12-07). "English Teacher at Top School in China Fired Over Sexual Abuse Allegations". NextShark. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
14. ^ "2017". Survivors of James Mikkelson. 2017-12-08. Retrieved 2024-04-15.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shanghai American School.

* Shanghai American School website
* Profile at the Good Schools Guide International
* Shanghai American School Educational Programs Blog(archived)
* SAS Pudong's school profile on Time Out Shanghai Family
* SAS Puxi's school profile on Time Out Shanghai Family

* v
* t
* e

Pudong

Areas|

* Gaoqiao
* Lujiazui
* Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone
* Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park

Education|

| Public high
schools|

* No. 2 High School Attached to East China Normal University
* Jianping High School
* Dongchang High School of ECNU
* Pudong Foreign Languages School of Shanghai International Studies University

|

Private schools|

* Concordia International School Shanghai
* Dulwich College Shanghai
* Harrow International School Shanghai
* Nord Anglia International School Shanghai Pudong
* Shanghai American School Pudong Campus
* The SMIC Private School
* Shanghai Gold Apple Bilingual School
* Shanghai Japanese School Pudong campus
* Shanghai Pinghe School
* Shanghai Shangde Experimental School
* Wellington College International Shanghai

Colleges and
universities|

* China Executive Leadership Academy in Pudong
* Fudan University Zhangjiang Campus
* New York University Shanghai
* Shanghai Maritime University

Landmarks|

* Century Avenue
* Century Park
* Jin Mao Tower
* Grand Hyatt Shanghai
* Jiuduansha
* Oriental Art Center
* Oriental Pearl Tower
* Shanghai Detention Center
* Shanghai Disney Resort
* More information
* Shanghai Expo Park
* Shanghai New International Expo Center
* Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
* Shanghai Tower
* Shanghai World Financial Center
* Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park
* Gigafactory Shanghai

Transport|

| Aviation|

* Shanghai Pudong International Airport

|

Maglev|

* Shanghai Maglev Train

Shanghai Metro
stations|

* Century Avenue
* Century Park
* Changqing Road
* China Art Museum
* Chuansha
* Dongchang Road
* East Huaxia Road
* Fanghua Road (formerly Hunan Road)
* Guanglan Road
* Haitiansan Road
* Houtan
* Huamu Road
* Jinke Road
* Jinxiu Road
* Lancun Road
* Lingkong Road
* Lingzhao Xincun
* Longyang Road
* Lujiazui
* Middle Chuangxin Road (formerly Tang Town East)
* Oriental Sports Center
* Pudian Road (Line 4)
* Pudian Road (Line 6)
* Pudong Avenue
* Pudong International Airport
* Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
* South Yanggao Road
* Tangqiao
* Tangzhen
* West Gaoke Road (formerly Hi-Tech West Road)
* Yangsi station
* Yaohua Road
* Yuandong Avenue
* Yuntai Road

This list is incomplete.
German School Shanghai and French School of Shanghai formerly had campuses in Pudong.

* v
* t
* e

Minhang District

Areas|

* Hongqiao
* Qibao
* Xinzhuang

Education|

* Nord Anglia Chinese International School
* Shanghai American School Puxi Campus
* Shanghai Japanese School Hongqiao Campus (elementary school)
* Shanghai Korean School
* Shanghai Singapore International School Minhang Campus
* Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi Campus
* Shanghai Rego International School (CLOSED)
* East China Normal University Minhang District
* Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Landmarks|

* Qibao Old Street
* Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena

Transport|

* Hongqiao transportation hub (part)

| Air|

* Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (part)

|

China Railway stations|

* Shanghai Hongqiao railway station

Shanghai Metro
stations|

* Beiqiao
* Chunshen Road
* Dongchengyi Road
* Dongchuan Road
* Donglan Road
* Gudai Road
* Hangzhong Road
* Hechuan Road
* Hongmei Road (part)
* Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 (Terminal 1 Station is in Changning Dist.)
* Hongqiao Railway Station
* Hongxin Road
* Huaning Road
* Huizhen Road
* Jianchuan Road
* Jiangchuan Road
* Jiangyue Road
* Jingxi Road
* Jinping Road
* West Huajing (part)

This list is incomplete.

* v
* t
* e

International schools in Shanghai

Operating|

* Lycée Français
* German
* Japanese
* Korean
* Singapore
* Nord Anglia Pudong
* BISS Puxi
* Dulwich
* Britannica
* Wellington
* Harrow
* American
* Shanghai Community International School
* Livingston
* Concordia
* Shanghai High School International Division
* Fudan
* Hong Qiao
* Pinghe
* United
* SMIC
* Shanghai World Foreign Language Middle School
* Western
* YK Pao
* Yew Chung

Defunct|

* Shanghai Rego International School

* v
* t
* e

American international schools in the People's Republic of China

Mainland China|

* Beijing Saint Paul American School
* Changchun American International School
* Concordia International School Shanghai
* QSI International School of Chengdu
* Dalian American International School
* American International School of Guangzhou
* Shanghai American School
* Shanghai Livingston American School
* Shenzhen American International School
* Suzhou North America High School

Special administrative regions|

*     * American International School Hong Kong
* American School Hong Kong
* Hong Kong International School

For schools in the Republic of China  on Taiwan see the list of international schools in Taiwan.

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States

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