#ChooseCAIS Our Family: “Matthew and Carrie, Evelyn (6th Grade) and her little sister Olivia.” Why CAIS: “We chose CAIS for its exceptional bilingual education program, its commitment to fostering a multicultural environment, and the strong sense of community we felt during our visits. Evelyn has a keen interest in learning Mandarin, and CAIS offers the perfect environment to foster her interest. When Evelyn spent a day at CAIS, she felt confident, encouraged, and very welcomed by both the teachers and her future friends. The warmth and support she received made her excited about joining the school. As parents, we are really happy to see her transitioning smoothly into this new chapter.” Our experience during the admission process this year: “The admission process was smooth and informative. The staff was incredibly supportive, providing clear communication and answering all our questions, which made us feel confident in our decision.”

Blue blocks are fun and great for educational development! They help children improve their fine motor skills, foster creativity, and encourage problem-solving through hands-on play. Whether building structures or creating imaginative designs, students are learning while having a great time!

In-Service to a Collegial Community✨ At last week's In-Service Days, faculty and staff found numerous ways to build connection across grades and departments. Whether it was the fun (and awesomely competitive) name games designed by Lower School Head Kimberly Kaz, peer-organized affinity group lunches, or the faculty-led wellness activities, colleagues came together in a kaleidoscope of joyful configurations and purposes.

“My name is Xinyi (Cindy) Huang, and I am from Yangzhou, China. I have teaching experience from PreK to 12th grade. I have also worked as a full-time music teacher in Maryland, responsible for general music, choir, band, and orchestra instruction. I hold a Maryland teaching certificate and have Orff and Kodály music teaching certifications. My primary instrument is voice, and I have performed many opera pieces and art songs. In my free time, I love traveling, trying new things, tasting different cuisines, watching sports, and playing pool. I am particularly fond of Yoga, Pilates, and dance, and I am currently learning African dance. Making life interesting is one of my favorite things. As an ENFP personality type, I enjoy making friends and socializing. Furthermore, I am passionate about my work, love building relationships with my students, and enjoy sharing the joy of music with them. I am very excited to work with the excellent teachers at CAIS and can't wait to meet my students and create musical miracles together.”

Go Firedragons! Our CAIS Cross Country team had a fantastic race at McLaren Park, pushing through the challenging course with determination and team spirit. Great job to all the students for giving it their all and representing CAIS proudly! Congratulations to eighth grader Liv A. and fifth grader Caitlyn S., who both took first place in their respective races!

Our first graders are loving their new school and making new friends! They're learning, playing, and having fun together every day as they settle into their new environment.

Second Grade All About Me Share! Students are getting to know each other better and building a strong classroom community by sharing family pictures, favorite stuffed animals, cards, toys, and more! What would you put in your All About Me Bag?

In-service Days carve out important time for professional development and intentional community building. This morning, our English and Chinese teams collaborated to enhance teachers’ own learning skills. Together, we’re channeling our Curiosity and Inclusion Firedragon Core Values!