Western Academy of Beijing

Founded in 1994 Western Academy of Beijing (WAB, simplified Chinese: 北京京西国际学校; traditional Chinese: 北京京西國際學校; pinyin: Běijīng Jīngxī Guójì Xuéxiào[2][3]) is an international school located in Beijing.[4] The school provides education from Early Years 3 to Grade 12. WAB uses the IB PYP (IB Primary Years Program) until Grade 5, IB MYP (IB Middle Years Program) up to and including Grade 10, and the IB DP (IB Diploma Program) for Grades 11 and 12.

Western Academy of Beijing
北京京西国际学校
Western Academy of Beijing logo
Location
10 Laiguangying East Rd.
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102[1]

China
Coordinates40°01′18″N 116°30′38″E
Information
TypeInternational IB World School, Non-profit, Independent, Private School
Religious affiliation(s)Nonsectarian
Founded1994
DirectorDr. Marta Medved Krajnovic
Deputy DirectorJohn D'Arcy
Division PrincipalsAngela Steinmann (ES), Marina Frias-Gavidia (MS), Melanie Vrba (HS)
GradesNursery–12
Enrollment1,400
Student to teacher ratio8:1
Campus typeLarge Private Campus
Color(s) Red,  black,  yellow
Athletics conferenceACAMIS, APAC, Tri-Cities, China Cup, ISAC
MascotTigers
Annual tuition$48,515.99
Websitewab.edu

WAB was an Olympic Educational Model School for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Out of the 500 schools across China, who were awarded by Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games as an Olympic Educational Model School, WAB was among the top 120 schools.[5]

In 2013 Mike Embley, the headmaster of the British School of Beijing (BSB), stated that along with BSB and the International School of Beijing (ISB), WAB was one of the top three English-language international schools in Beijing, all having long waiting lists.[6] Citing Embley's definition of two lower tiers of Beijing Anglophone international schools which have vacant student spaces, Tristan Bunnell, the author of The Changing Landscape of International Schooling: Implications for Theory and Practice, stated that this was an instance of the idea of " 'superior' and 'inferior' schools" shared by teachers and parents.[7]

Facilities

WAB has an Early Childhood Center, Elementary School, Middle School and High School. Each school section has a dedicated building, and the HUB Sports, Arts & Technology Center is a shared facility in the center of the campus. The school has three libraries: the Sabina Brady Library (ES), the Red Scroll Library (MS), and the Green Sky Studio (HS). Other facilities include:

  • Three gymnasiums
  • Eight sub-gymnasiums
  • One swimming pool
  • Fitness center (known as the Adrenaline)
  • Certified outdoor field (one full-length football/soccer/rugby field, and three smaller fields)
  • Athletics track
  • Tiger L'Air, an air-supported, clean-air dome including indoor tennis courts
  • Indoor and outdoor basketball courts
  • Vertex climbing walls
  • Five theaters (Founders', Blue, OOB, Space, HS Amphitheater)
  • Three libraries
  • Computer laboratories
  • Forty science laboratories
  • Two photography and editing studios
  • Music, dance and drama studios
  • Soundproof recording studios
  • Live broadcast studio
  • Three TV/Video production studios (WABTV News)
  • Specialist classrooms, such as languages, technology, learning kitchens, arts and learning support
  • Dining courts, cafes and lounges (Lotus Lounge, Atrium, Galleri, Wild Ginger, Link, Koi Garden)
  • Two PTA supply stores
  • Five elevators (all accessible to students)
  • Large on-field scoreboard/monitor
  • 3 Apple-authorized help desks
  • Properties and securities building
  • WAB Wild (camp) office
  • Peace Park
  • Prototype learning spaces created by the studio of Rosan Bosch to support the Theory of Knowledge curriculum[8]

Technology

WAB offers a 1:1 laptop environment (for grade 3–12) with wireless access across the school. Students in grade 6 and up are required by the school to own their own Apple Macbook. The school utilizes a number of IT systems for education, including but not limited to Moodle, PowerSchool, and blogs. Drupal-powered public news sites and community portals are also integrated into regular school life.

The high school's Tiger Sports Network (TSN) also provides a livestream to watch most sporting matches, performances, parent meetings and assemblies.

WABX

WABX is WAB's extra-curricular program, offer more than 400 athletic, art, service, academic and social options to students school-wide. WAB participates in multiple interscholastic sporting competitions, including the ACAMIS (Association of Chinese And Mongolian International Schools), ISAC (International Schools Association in China), Tri-Cities (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai), China Cup, EARCOS and APAC (Asian Pacific Athletic Conference). Sports include: rugby, football (soccer), tennis, badminton, cross country, track and field, volleyball, basketball, swimming, baseball, table tennis, and softball.[9]

YearTeamCompetitionFinal Position
2011Boys soccerAPAC1st
2012Boys soccerAPAC1st
2013Boys soccerAPAC1st
2014Boys soccerAPAC1st
2014Boys volleyballAPAC3rd
2015Boys soccerAPAC1st
2015Boys rugbyAPAC2nd
2015Boys volleyballAPAC1st
2016Boys rugbyAPAC1st
2016Boys SoccerAPAC1st
2017Girls footballChina Cup2nd
2017Boys basketballISAC3rd
2017Girls basketballISAC2nd

The arts

WAB has an extensive arts program that engages students of all grade levels and levels of experience. WAB offers options for chorus, band and orchestra, drama options including original and classic musicals and plays; as well as visual arts. All are available as part of the IB curriculum, electives, or as after-school activities.

Student life

The school has many global citizenship projects, which are actively involved in the local, national and the international community. Each division (Elementary School, Middle School and High School) has its own student government, known as the "Student Council" or "StuCo" for short.

WAB also has many extra-curricular clubs such as:

  • Allen Wang Foundation
  • Chinese Culture Club
  • Fetch
  • Etch+
  • Friday Nite Lites (FNL)
  • Geek Force
  • Global Issues Network (GIN)
  • Graphite Designs
  • Hip-hop Club
  • H. Wang Student's Board (H. Wang SB)
  • LGBT+ Spectrum Club
  • Model United Nations (MUN)
  • soups & toots
  • Tedx Club - hosts
  • The International Thespian Society
  • Ultimate Frisbee Club
  • World Scholars Cup (WSC)
  • Vita Brevis Literary Society
  • Yearbook Club
  • TEAM 10

Accreditation

WAB is accredited by many associations, such as:

References
  1. Address in Chinese: 北京市朝阳区来广营东路10号
  2. "Directions to WAB." Western Academy of Beijing. Retrieved on August 17, 2015. "Western Academy of Beijing 10 Lai Guang Ying Dong Lu, Chao Yang District, Beijing 100102, P.R.C.[...]北京市朝阳区来广营东路10号 北京京西学校 邮政编码:100102"
  3. "Schools Approved by the Ministry of Education For Enrolling Children of Foreign Nationals" (Archive). Ministry of Education of China. Retrieved on August 17, 2015.
  4. theadmin (2003-05-24). "Western Academy of Beijing". www.thebeijinger.com. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
  5. "History | Western Academy Of Beijing - International School Beijing". www.wab.edu. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  6. Stefonek, Jonathan. "Passion for teaching English-style grows in Beijing suburbs" (Archive). China Daily. 7 October 2012. Retrieved on 2 October 2015.
  7. Bunnell, Tristan. The Changing Landscape of International Schooling: Implications for Theory and Practice. Routledge, June 27, 2014. ISBN 1317814495, 9781317814498. p. 101.
  8. "Learning Spaces at Western Academy of Beijing". Western Academy of Beijing.
  9. http://wabx.wab.edu
  10. "Western Academy of Beijing". International Baccalaureate®. Retrieved 2017-05-14.
  11. "Accreditation and Memberships". Western Academy of Beijing. Retrieved 2016-05-28.
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