Secondary School

QSI believes in 'Success for All' and that all students can achieve at a high level given enough time and feedback. Mastery learning is the instructional strategy used in all QSI schools. Small class sizes allow the teacher to keep working with a student until the student demonstrates a high level of understanding on each topic of study.

QSI curriculum is reviewed and revised by current, expert educators on a seven-year cycle. It is implemented worldwide and is aligned with the American Common Core State Standards. The Common Core Standards were developed to ensure a rigorous and consistent education in USA schools. Likewise, QSI's curriculum amply prepares students for their post-secondary education and career.

Secondary-age students are placed into Secondary I by age (14 years old by the end of October), even though secondary students may be engaged in some elementary units. Progress through the secondary levels is determined at the beginning of each school year by the number of credits attained.

In addition to focusing on students' academic growth, teachers also strive to teach the importance of lifelong values and characteristics that lead to success. We call these values Success Orientations. They include:

• Responsibility
• Independent Endeavor
• Kindness & Politeness
• Concern for Others
• Group Interaction
• Trustworthiness
• Aesthetic Appreciation

More on Success Orientations

• All Students can succeed;
• Success breeds success;
• It is the school's responsibility to provide the conditions for the student's success.

With this in mind, Quality Schools International does not accept mediocre (grade of "C") or poor (grade of "D" or "F") work. The grades of "A" and "B" are mastery grades, and indicate that a student has successfully mastered the learning objective and is ready to build on that learning.

In view of the above comments, the evaluations issued in the written status reports are defined as follows:

A = All essential parts of the outcome were mastered at an appropriately high level. The student consistently demonstrated noteworthy achievement of a high quality, particularly in the higher order thinking or performance skills.

B = All essential parts of the outcome were mastered at an appropriately high level in which the student successfully engaged in higher order thinking or performance skills.

P = The student is "In progress" in the outcome (normal status).

H = This outcome is "on hold" for a legitimate reason. (The student has begun the outcome but is not currently pursuing it.)

D = The student has not made a reasonable effort and is therefore "deficient" in attaining mastery of the outcome.

E = "Exposure". The student made a reasonable effort in the outcome and attained a level of mastery consistent with his/her capabilities. (Elementary classes only, but not in mathematics, reading, or writing.)

W = The student has withdrawn from this outcome.

In Secondary school, students are granted one credit for mastery of each unit outcome which is credentialed "A" or "B". Thus, ten credits correspond to one "Carnegie Unit" as used by many American secondary schools. Because Quality Schools International encourages continued learning, if students receive an evaluation of "B" on a unit outcome, they may continue to work independently in that outcome and request another opportunity to demonstrate a higher level of mastery. If demonstrated, the evaluation may be changed from a "B" to an "A" within the same school year.

Academic with Honors Diploma

The Academic with Honors Diploma is granted to students who have successfully completed 240 credits and have taken, and successfully completed at least two or more AP courses

Academic Diploma

The Academic Diploma is granted to students who have completed 240 credits within their 4 years at QSID (including the equivalent of with transference credits from other schools).

General Diploma

The General Diploma is granted to students who have successfully completed 220 credits within their 4 years at QSID (including the equivalent of with transference credits from other schools).

Students may qualify to take an Advanced Placement (AP)^® Course. This is a university level course that allows a student to demonstrate their college readiness, strengthens their college application and challenges them in preparation for university coursework. Students must meet AP course requirements of prerequisites and GPA. 

Advanced Placement (AP)^® Courses are also taught in the areas of World History, Science, Mathematics, English Literature, English Language, and Mandarin Language on a regular basis, along with others that may alternate.

QSID offers the following (AP)^® courses per academic school year either yearly or on alternating years:

• AP^® Art 
• AP^® Economics
• AP^® English
• AP^® Calculus
• AP^® Biology
• AP^® Chemistry
• AP^® Psychology 
• AP^® History

 

QSI International School of Dongguan is a member of the College Board^®, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Enrolled students are given the opportunity to take the SAT, which is a college entrance examination recognized by many universities in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and other countries. Advanced Placement (AP)^® Courses and corresponding exams are also administered on campus each spring.

Office 365: Each Secondary student will receive a school Office 365 account. Teachers and Administration will use Microsoft Teams and email to communicate with students. Secondary students also receive a subscription to download the Microsoft Office Suite.

Email: The school will send communication to the parent emails registered with the school. Every teacher has a regularly accessed work email.: FirstName-LastName@dongguan.qsi.org.