Founded in 1998, Concordia has grown from 22 students and 14 staff members under the direction of founder Allan Schmidt to its current enrollment of over 1,200 students from pre-K to grade 12 under the direction of Dr. Mary Scott, the head of school. In August 2007, the school opened its new elementary school building and the David F. Rittmann Fine Arts Center. For the start of the 2015/2016 school year, Concordia added a new welcome center, cooking studio, drama room, business center, student media center, artificial turf, and a blue track to the school. For the start of the 2016/2017 school year, Concordia added new wall extensions, enclosing passages between, and into, buildings, a new music department office, a new Luther meeting room, and a middle school classroom. In 2018, following the food safety scandal at the Shanghai SMIC Private School, the Shanghai Municipal Food and Drug Administration conducted an investigation of other cafeterias in the city operated by Eurest, a subsidiary of Compass Group. The government agency discovered a bottle of expired seasoning in the cafeteria and expired bread in a nearby garbage bin. The school was ordered to terminate its relationship with Eurest.
Religious affiliation
Concordia follows the traditional education of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. This schooling system focuses on three main elements: body, mind and spirit. Concordia International School Shanghai is one of the three international schools in Asia operated by the LCMS. Concordia welcomes families and students of all faiths.
Programs and services
Concordia International School Shanghai offers several programs throughout the year for students from pre-K to grade 12. Programs range from sports such as soccer, softball, tennis, swimming, basketball, volleyball, baseball, cross country, track, and ultimate frisbee. Concordia is a member of the Asia Pacific Activities Conference which hosts competition events for international schools in P.R.C. China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Concordia also participates in APAC with various athletics and arts teams. Concordia International School Shanghai is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In addition, Concordia is also a member of associations, such as ACAMIS and EARCOS.
Uniform policy
Concordia International School Shanghai is a private school, and as such, it adheres to a uniform policy which is intended to reflect the ethos of the school. Students have a role in the selection of the uniform, which is based on khaki and blue pants or skirts and a navy blue or white polo shirt.. Moreover, starting from the 2016/2017 school year, the student council worked with the high school administration, slightly modifying the uniform policy for the high school to allow any school related jackets, including ones received from co-curricular activities, to be worn during the school day.
