Maple Leaf News

Maple Leaf Educational Systems Celebrates
Our 18th Anniversary and OPEN WEEK May 25 – 31, 2013

In celebration of our 18th anniversary, Maple Leaf Educational Systems is hosting OPEN WEEK festivities at all of our campus locations from May 25 - 31. Each campus will host a variety of events and activities, designed to showcase the programming and dedication of Maple Leaf staff and students. Some of the exciting events being held are:

• calligraphy, photography and painting exhibitions
• science exhibitions
• short drama and dance performances
• track & field sports games
• open classes
• concerts
• the Maple Leaf Cup English speech contest

For more information or to access the full schedule of events for any specific Maple Leaf campus location, please contact that school’s BC program office by telephone. The phone numbers can be accessed using the individual school listings on our website.

Please take this opportunity to visit your local Maple Leaf campus and join us in celebrating our 18th year of blending the best of East and West in international education. We look forward to welcoming you and your family.

Minister of International Trade for Canada congratulates Maple Leaf Educational Services

The Honorable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asian-Pacific Gateway is on a two-week business visit to Asia. During his stop in Beijing the Canada-China Business Council hosted a reception and dinner during which the Minister spoke about the importance of Canadian-Chinese trade relationships and our long history of cooperation.

At the CCBC event Minister Fast met with Dawn Sutherland, Vice President of Marketing and Development at Maple Leaf Educational Systems & Schools, to congratulate Maple Leaf on our recent approvals from the BC Ministry of Education to offer the BC curriculum at our two newest high school campuses in Shanghai and Luoyang. We were very honoured to be invited to meet with the Minister and discuss the growth and value of Canada’s offshore education programs in China.

Minister Fast’s Asian tour includes stops in Tokyo, Yokohama, Hong Kong, Beijing, Harbin and Tianjin, culminating in his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Indonesia.

A photo of this event can be viewed here.

MLES Now Approved to Deliver BC Curriculum in Shanghai and Luoyang

Maple Leaf Educational Systems is very pleased to announce that we have received approval to deliver the British Columbia Curriculum at two new schools – Maple Leaf International School – Shanghai and Maple Leaf International School – Luoyang. We have now signed an Initial Curriculum Delivery Agreement with the Province under the BC Global Education Program – Offshore Schools.

These two schools now join our BC Certified schools in Dalian, Wuhan, Tianjin, Chongqing and Zhenjiang in offering the BC high school curriculum. MLIS – Shanghai and MLIS – Luoyang will undergo BC Ministry of Education inspections in the spring of 2014 and will be eligible for final certification upon receipt of successful inspections.

MLIS – Shanghai is a new, purpose-built international high school located in Fengjing Town, Jinshan District, Shanghai. This school is currently under construction with completion of the facilities expected this summer. MLIS – Luoyang is currently constructed and undergoing final finishing’s and equipping. MLIS – Luoyang is located in the Maple Leaf Educational Park, Henan, Luoyang along with the MLIS elementary and middle schools.

Both schools are now accepting applications from qualified students.

Annual BC Ministry of Education Inspections Completed — another successful year with impressive results. Congratulations to ALL…

It is with pride that we announce that all Maple Leaf International Schools delivering programs accredited by the Ministry of Education of the Province of British Columbia, Canada have passed their annual on-site inspections. The inspection teams from Canada conducted their on-site inspections from November 25 – December 7, 2012. The five teams visited all Maple Leaf International High Schools (grade 10-12) in Dalian (Boys’ and Girls’ Campuses), Wuhan, Tianjin, Chongqing and Zhenjiang, and the Maple Leaf Foreign Nationals Schools (K-9 programs) in Dalian and Wuhan.

The BC Ministry of Education annual inspections are an important element of MLES quality assurance and we take our schools’ evaluations and the inspectors’ comments very seriously and use them to ensure continual improvements in our programs. Maple Leaf Head Office wishes to congratulate all of our schools’ teachers and principals for working hard to ensure another year of excellent results.

8th Annual Maple Leaf University/College Recruitment Fair a huge success!

The representatives from universities and colleges from Canada, the US, Australia, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom joined us this year for our most successful recruitment fair ever. 56 institutions kicked of this year’s fair in Dalian with 53 going on to Tianjin, 45 to Chongqing and 50 wrapping up these 8 days of events in Wuhan. The representatives met with nearly 1,500 grade 12 students and their parents and another 4,000 students currently in grades 10 and 11.

This face-to-face opportunity to meet gives the university and college representatives a first hand awareness of our students’ skills, interest and their preparation for post secondary studies. It gives our students and their parents the opportunity to meet directly with the institutional representatives and make decisions about which institutions are the best fit.

This year, two universities used the occasion of the recruitment fair to announce new scholarships for MLIS students. Royal Road University in Victoria, BC announced two scholarships, each in the amount of $3,000CAD; one for Environmental Leadership Initiative and one for Leadership and Communications Initiatives. Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario announced five $3,000CAD awards identified as the President’s Scholarships. These new awards add to the many other academic awards available to MLIS students each year and are much appreciated by our students and their parents.

We thank all of the institutions for their participation in this annual event and have passed on their many very positive comments about our students to each of the schools.

Participants this year, in alphabetical order by country, included Canada: Acadia University, University of Alberta, Brescia University College, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, Camosun College, Capilano University, Carleton University, Concordia University, College of the Rockies, Douglas College, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Fanshawe College, University of the Fraser Valley, George Brown College, Georgian College, King’s University College-UWO, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Lakehead University, Langara College, University of Lethbridge, MacEwan University, University of Manitoba, Niagara College, University of Northern British Columbia, Okanagan College, University of Ottawa, Quest University College, University of Regina, Royal Roads University, Sheridan College, Saint Mary’s University, St. Thomas University, Thompson Rivers University, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, Western University, University of Windsor, and York University. Australia: The University of Melbourne, Monash University, and University of Wollongong. Japan: Josai International University, and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Switzerland: Glion Institute of Higher Education, IMI University Centre, Les Roches International School of Hotel Management, and Swiss Education Group. United Kingdom: University of Arts, London. United States: Azusa Pacific University, University of California, Riverside, University of Illinois, Springfield, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Michigan Technological University, Roosevelt University and Temple University.

Lakehead University and Royal Road University Announce New MLIS Scholarships

This year two universities used the occasion of the 8th Annual University/College Recruitment Fair to announce new scholarships for MLIS students.

Dr. Allan Cahoon, President of Royal Road University in Victoria, BC visited Maple Leaf International School – Dalian on November 16th for a signing ceremony to announce two scholarships, each in the amount of $3,000CAD. One award is for the Bachelor of Business Administration program and one for the Bachelor of Global Tourism Management program.

Dr. Brian Stephenson, President of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario visited the recruitment fair on November 18th and attended a signing ceremony to announce five $3,000CAD President’s Scholarships. These scholarships will be awarded to the top five students from Maple Leaf International Schools attending Lakehead University each year.

These new awards add to the many other academic awards available to MLIS students each year and are much appreciated by our students and their parents.

Zhenjiang Moves to New Campus

On October 8th, 2012, students, teachers, staff, Principal and Headmaster began their first day at the newly opened campus in Dagang New District, Zhenjiang. Over the weekend the Chinese staff had fully moved all materials and furniture into the new school so that the students learning could move seamlessly from the borrowed facilities of the Dagang Middle School to the new Maple Leaf campus.

Maple Leaf International School – Zhenjiang first opened its doors to only 40 grade 10 students in September 2011 and today has already grown to 130 students, 86 in grade 10 and 44 in grade 11. Now that the school is established on its own campus with classroom and laboratory facilities, dormitories, gym, cafeteria and sports fields we anticipate greater student growth in the rapidly developing Dagang New District area.

Teachers and students alike were excited to finally be in their permanent facilities and at the same time very grateful to the generosity of the south campus of the Dagang Middle School for hosting them on their campus through the 2011/12 school year and the beginning of this school year.

Shanghai Groundbreaking Ceremony

Maple Leaf Educational Systems is very proud to officially signal our move into Southern China with the groundbreaking ceremony for our 8th campus location in Fengjing Town, Jinshan District, Shanghai. On September 13, 2012, before a gathering of government officials and invited guests Mr. Sherman Jen officially announced the plan to open Maple Leaf International School – Shanghai in September 2013. Congratulatory speeches where given by Ms. Andrea Clark-Grignon, Consul, Canadian Consulate General, Shanghai, Mr. Yuequ Li, Deputy Party Secretary and Chief of Jinshan District and Mr. Houqing Yin, Inspector and Vice Director of Shanghai Education Commission.

New Schools Open in Ordos and Luoyang

September 2012 brought the opening of two new Maple Leaf Internationals Schools, MLIS-Inner Mongolia, Ordos and MLIS-Henan Luoyang. These two newest schools are currently offering elementary and middle school classes, and MLIS-Inner Mongolia, Ordos has opened the first of two planned pre-schools. These schools are both the result of invitations from the local governments to establish Maple Leaf Schools in their regions and we have received exceptional support from both of these regions as we have moved very quickly to hire teachers, ready classrooms and recruit students. We were very pleased to meet our commitments and open these two new schools to our small but very enthusiastic students at the beginning of this school year.

Both of these schools deliver the Chinese elementary and middle school curriculum with the addition of MLES ESL classes. Each school has two qualified Canadian ESL teachers on campus, an early beginning to preparing these students for their eventual studies in our BC program high schools and their university and college studies in Canada and worldwide.

Maple Leaf Alumni Association Official Launch

June 9, 2012 will be remembered as a milestone in Maple Leaf Educational Systems history as it marked the official launch of the Global Alumni Association of Maple Leaf International Schools - MLAA.

Along with a new logo and pin the MLAA chose the theme – Connect, Cooperate and Contribute – to express the philosophy of the Association.

In 1999 a group of only 14 students became the first graduates of Maple Leaf International School - Dalian. They were a unique group of individuals who proved the success of the MLES vision - each one a blend of the best of east and west, with strong academic preparation and deep cultural understanding. Many of these first graduates still remain connected as friends and colleagues.

There are now over 5,600 MLES graduates, all welcomed into the MLAA.

Maple Leaf Alumni are studying in Canada and the US, in Europe, Australia and throughout Asia.Our 2012 graduates have been accepted into universities and colleges worldwide, including: University of Toronto, University of Alberta, McGill University, University of British Columbia, University of Arts, London, University of Edinburgh, Stanford University, Purdue University, University of Hong Kong and University of Tokyo

Our alumni continue to make us proud as they study for their Masters degrees and PhD’s at world-class universities including: University of Cambridge, Harvard University, Stanford University, McGill University, University of Toronto and University of British Columbia.

The Secretary General of the MLAA, Hongge (Fred) Ren, is currently at the Harvard Graduate School of Education completing a Masters Degree in Technology, Innovation and Education. His welcome speech to the 2012 graduates is below:

Hongge (Fred) Ren’s Welcome Speech

Distinguished guests, my fellow alumni, ladies and gentlemen:

It is my greatest honor to speak on behalf of the past alumni to welcome the 2012 graduates to the newly established Association. Congratulations! After all these years’ hard work, in the next few minutes, you will receive your high school diplomas and for the first time ever, the MLAA pins, which puts you into a unique group of international talents that share the philosophy of blending the best of east and west and are presented with a world of opportunity!

You have heard the numbers, over 5600 alumni in more than 20 countries, but you are not one 5600th of that message. Rather, you are the messenger that speaks for our shared vision - to connect, cooperate and contribute – for our families, our country and the international community.

As you now grow into adulthood and move forward into post-secondary studies abroad, know that as Maple Leaf graduates, you are better prepared than most young adults for the future challenges, equipped with bilingual abilities, bicultural backgrounds, and of course, through the Maple Leaf Alumni Association, a network of ‘Mapleleafers’ connected worldwide.

Maple Leaf Alumni Association is a volunteer organization. It is what we will make it. Your participation shapes it. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to make full use of this Association by actively taking part in the networking activities and other initiatives. Join the local branches where they already exist or start new branches where alumni begin to concentrate. Before long, with the annual increase in the number of Maple Leaf graduates, our Association can become an influential force in the international community.

MLES Announces New Superintendent and BC Agent

Maple Leaf Educational Systems announces the appointment of Mr. George Watson as Superintendent and BC Agent. Mr. Watson will replace Mrs. Susan Penner who has served in this role for the past three years.

Mr. George Watson has worked with MLES since 2006 as the BC Principal in the Shenyang, Dalian and Tianjin high schools. Prior to coming to Maple Leaf Mr. Watson was a school principal and district superintendent in British Columbia for over 30 years. His experience in the BC system along with his in-depth knowledge of MLES and Maple Leaf International Schools ideally prepares him to take on the challenges of this position.

Mrs. Susan Penner has given Maple Leaf Educational system three years of dedicated service and has overseen the expansion of our campuses throughout China. She has worked with BC and Chinese colleagues to raise awareness of our schools and, through our annual inspection process, the quality of our educational delivery. Mrs. Penner will continue to support Maple Leaf Educational Systems’ global expansion and future initiatives.

Mr. Watson will begin in his new position on April 1, 2012 working together with Mrs. Penner until July to ensure the smooth transition of this key position.

Newest Maple Leaf International School Announced for Luoyang, Henan

MLES is proud to announce the establishment of its newest school, the Maple Leaf International School – Henan. At an MOU signing ceremony held on December 24, 2011 Mr. Sherman Jen, Chairman and CEO of MLES and Mr. Wang Lilin, Director of Luoyang New District Administration Committee signed into agreement a partnership that will see the opening of the newest MLES Education Park in the historic city of Luoyang, Henan. The school which, will eventually offer programs from pre-school through high school graduation, will open to new students initially in grades 7 - 9 in September 2012.

MLES 7th Annual University/Colleges Student Recruitment Fair

November 19 – 26, 2011 MLES hosted the 7th annual university/colleges student recruitment tour, welcoming over 90 representatives from 59 colleges and universities in 6 countries worldwide, along with representatives from the Canadian Embassy in Beijing and the US Consulate in Shenyang. Over the 8 days of the tour the representatives visited our schools in Dalian, Tianjin, Chongqing and Wuhan meeting with over 1100 grade 12 students and over 4000 grade 10 and 11 students — and their parents — making this a very impressive series of educational gatherings.

We were especially pleased to have added MLIS-Chongqing to the official fair tour this year in recognition of their first graduating class – the class of 2012.

The theme for this event this year was ‘Presenting a World of Opportunities’. We view this annual event as a way to connect our students and their parents to the world of educational opportunities that a MLIS education brings, and to showcase our post secondary education partners from around the world.

Next year’s tour is already in the planning stages and will be held November 17 – 24, 2012.

Maple Leaf Opens New Campus in Zhenjiang

On September 1, 2011 Mr. Sherman Jen, Founder and CEO of Maple Leaf Educational Systems (MLES) and distinguished guests, parents and students celebrated the opening of the newest Maple Leaf international school in China. The Zhenjiang Maple Leaf International School (ZMLIS) is the 6th BC Certified High School and the 23rd school in the Maple Leaf system. MLES schools from pre-school to high school are also located in Dalian, Wuhan, Tianjin and Chongqing.

This opening was especially auspicious for Maple Leaf with several very special guests present for the occasion. Senior representatives from the Zhenjiang included:

• Deputy Secretary-General of Zhenjiang City—Mr.Zhu Jinsheng
• Director Ministry of Education of Zhenjiang City—Mr. Liu Guorong
• Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Secretary of Committee of Politics and Law of Zhenjiang New District—Mr. Wang Yixiang
• Deputy Secretary for Education of Zhenjiang City—Mr. Liu Yuanliang
• Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Zhenjiang City—Mr. Wang Xiaoming
• Deputy Director of New District Administrative Committee—Mr. Zhong Xinfu
• Director of District Party Working Committee and Center of Investment of Zhenjiang New District—Mr. Zhang Ninghui

In addition to this delegation representing City of Zhenjiang, Maple Leaf had the great honour to welcome to this opening two gentlemen who officiated at the opening of the very first Maple Leaf school in Dalian on September 6, 1995. Mr. Li Yongjin, former Mayor of Dalian Municipal People’s Government and Mr. Cao Guoxing, former Director, Department of International Exchanges, Ministry of Education.

The Headmaster Mr. Li Dongsheng and the Canadian Principal Mr. Ewan Hunt welcomed guests, parents and students to the beginning of this new school year. For this year classes are being held in rented facilities while the new school building is under construction nearby.

Maple Leaf Appoints New Vice President Marketing & Development

Mr. Sherman Jen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of China Maple Leaf Educational Systems, a leading private international school service provider in China, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Dawn Sutherland as Vice President for Marketing and Business Development. Ms. Sutherland brings more than 30 years experience in Canadian post secondary education, with the last sixteen years as a Director of International Education responsible for different aspects of international marketing, student recruitment and business development. Ms. Sutherland is the 2011 recipient of the BC Council for International Education Distinguished Leadership Award.