Concordia fosters an environment where big ideas are championed and dreams truly do become reality.
- In 2009, Concordia Head of School, Dr. James Koerschen, challenged the faculty to think big in the area of student learning. A group of teachers accepted the challenge and developed a plan to leverage Concordia’s convenient location to get “interesting people together to share in interesting things.” The team created a plan to bring relevant and impactful visitors to the Concordia campus and lay the foundation for what they termed the “Intellectual Hub.”
- Since the inception of the Intellectual Hub, Concordia has engaged more than 12 speakers, hosted various events, opened the Apple Regional Training Center and partnered with the Shanghai International Literary Festival. Concordia has also provided professional development opportunities in timely areas including Technology, Brain Research, and Intellectual Property Practices for international educators in greater China. The blended goals of the Intellectual Hub have evolved to become enhancing student learning, engendering life-long scholarship, and building community. These goals have pushed the boundaries of the traditional and created an environment of pioneering excellence in international school education and community outreach.
- Where we find excellence, we find ways to spread the wealth.
- With the success of the National History Day in the High School, Concordia has expanded the program to upper middle school students to engage them in history and personal expression. The inaugural National History Day Junior Division was held in the spring of 2011.
- From a place of strength, the Concordia Model United Nations (MUN) program expanded to create a CISSMUN conference. This expansion provides leadership opportunities for Concordia students and opens a door for other area international schools the opportunity to participate in an MUN conference close to home.
- Concordia’s one school on one campus creates a solid sense of community. From this community, the school promotes a strong spirit of mentorship among students. Varsity student athletes coach middle school team sports. Middle School students work with Elementary School students in core academic subjects. Older students facilitate younger student field days and activities. This cross-school mentoring engenders a spirit of family across the school where the 1st grader knows the name of the high school junior and the older student is not too busy to stop and chat with the ‘little’ guys at lunch.