Our Mission & Philosophy

At SAS, the beliefs we hold and the goals we have come to life on a daily basis. Walk one of our beautiful campuses and you’ll see project-based, experiential, and service learning, after-school activities, and personalized counseling. You’ll see students bringing our Mission to life by gaining the courage to live their dreams. You’ll see faculty members demonstrating the fact that learning never stops. You’ll see a diverse group of students collaborating effectively, communicating skillfully, and thinking critically. And by the time they don the SAS cap and gown, you’ll see students who have evolved into ethical global citizens, poised and prepared to make the world around us a better place.

Shanghai American School inspires in all students:

  • A lifelong passion for learning
  • A commitment to act with integrity and compassion
  • The courage to live their dreams

A Shanghai American School education equips students to transfer their knowledge and skills beyond the classroom, in authentic settings, over a lifetime.

CRITICAL THINKERS  - SAS students are critical thinkers who develop ideas and construct arguments by questioning, evaluating, synthesizing, and considering perspective.  SAS students…

  • Consider multiple approaches and perspectives to evaluate decisions 
  • Ask relevant, discerning questions to stimulate reflection 
  • Evaluate evidence and sources to support arguments and conclusions 
  • Synthesize and apply new understanding to a variety of contexts

SKILLFUL COMMUNICATORS - SAS students are skillful communicators who advocate for self, others, and ideas in more than one language by listening, responding, and articulating through multiple media. SAS students…

  • Use appropriate listening skills to integrate information across contexts 
  • Respond to emotions in self and in others 
  • Articulate ideas with exceptional clarity 
  • Select an appropriate medium to communicate with an audience

EFFECTIVE COLLABORATORS - SAS students are effective collaborators who help teams innovate outcomes to achieve a goal by holding themselves and others accountable, contributing in productive ways, and sustaining respectful interactions. SAS students…

  • Hold themselves and others accountable for team agreements
  • Build on the perspectives and contributions of others 
  • Develop and implement appropriate strategies to manage interactions

CREATIVE LEARNERS - SAS students are creative learners who engage their imaginations to generate novel ideas, demonstrate flexible thinking, evaluate approaches, and take action. SAS students….

  • Use their imagination to generate novel ideas
  • Demonstrate flexible thinking 
  • Use strategies to evaluate the creative process 
  • Execute ideas with exceptional clarity and effectiveness

ETHICAL GLOBAL CITIZENS - SAS students are ethical global citizens who take action based on informed decisions filtered through empathy, integrity, sustainability, and social justice. SAS students…

  • Acknowledge and respect perspectives and cultures with consideration and care  
  • Take action with sincerity and honesty 
  • Make decisions and take actions to impact sustainability significantly
  • Engage in authentic opportunities to impact others positively

In spring 2021, we completed and shared SAS Forward, our strategic plan. Take a look at the vision, commitments and targets that will inform our planning now and into the future.

  • Innovative & Individualized Academics: SAS believes a vibrant academic program models innovation, nurtures students’ individual growth, and allows them to create personal pathways to success in school, in college, and in life.
  • Inspiring & Creative Learning Environment: SAS believes that exceptional learning happens when innovative educators inspire future leaders in world-class, technologically advanced learning spaces, on campus and online.
  • Personal Growth & Exploration: SAS believes in an expansive, whole-child educational experience that extends beyond the classroom to inspire our students to live their dreams.
  • Ethical Global Citizenship: SAS believes all members of the SAS Community are global citizens capable of changing the world for the better.
  • Vibrant Community: SAS believes in a vibrant school community united in mission and aspiration.