Partnering with Parents in the New School Year. What’s one thing that the PYP, MYP, and DP all have in common at Hanova? A strong partnership with parents! With the new school year fully under way, last week Hanova hosted the widely-attended Meet the Teacher in the PYP and MYP/DP Parent Info Sessions, two days of events crucial to starting the year off right for all students and the school-family partnership!
Our PYP teachers invited parents to the classrooms, sparking conversation and excitement as well as answering many of those “first days” kind-of-questions. In the MYP and DP, our Secondary School leaders shared about new goings-on in the Secondary, insights into our concept-based MYP curriculum, how to navigate all that is the DP, and what students and parents can expect in the way of pastoral care.
Thank you to the hundreds of parents who attended last week’s events, and here’s to our growing partnership in the new year!
Demystifying the SAT. As the school year kicks into high gear, many of our DP students (and even some ambitious MYP students), are hearing a short but powerful three-letter “word” in the college admission process: SAT. But what exactly is the SAT?
It’s a standardized test widely used for university admission in the United States, as well as a globally recognized admission exam. The purpose of the exam is to test high school students’ readiness for college by assessing general reading, writing, and mathematics skills, thus improving your chances of being accepted into top universities and showing your potential to succeed.
The key thing to remember, however: The SAT is just one part of a holistic admission profile. Universities also consider a student's academic records, course rigor, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendation letters.
What’s on the SAT (The digital SAT Breakdown):
The SAT transitioned to a fully digital, adaptive format in 2024. Here’s the new structure:
- Total time: 2 hours 14 minutes (significantly shorter than the old paper test)
- Format: Taken on a laptop or tablet at a testing center
- Two sections:
- Reading and Writing: 64 minutes, split into two 32-minutes modules.
- Math: 70 minutes, split into two 35-minutes modules.
Thank you to our students who participated in the August 23rd SAT exam held at Hanova last Saturday. The in-school testing provided a familiar and comfortable environment for test-takers, eliminating the stress of traveling to an unknown location. We are proud of our students for their focus and determination, and we trust the convenient setting helped them to perform to the best of their abilities.
As always, Hanova’s university & careers counselors (UCCs) are here to support! If you’d like more information about the SAT or how to register for the SAT at Hanova (see dates below), contact Ms. Sharon Zhu (sharon.zhu@his-xian.com) or Ms. Jane Lei (jane.lei@his-xian.com).
