Hong Kong International School

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Hong Kong International School
File:HKIS Logo.png
Location
Repulse Bay and Tai Tam, Hong Kong
Information
TypePrivate
Established19 September 1966; 57 years ago (1966-09-19)
Head of schoolRon Roukema (Interim)
Staff250
Faculty250
GradesR-12
Number of studentsOver 2,640 students
Color(s)Dark Red, White, Navy
   
MascotTorch the Dragon
NewspaperJunto
YearbookOrientale
High School Principal:David Lovelin
Middle School PrincipalBrad Latzke
Upper Primary PrincipalBen Hart
Lower Primary PrincipalGeoff Heney
Campus surroundingsPrivate Campus
Websitewww.hkis.edu.hk
Hong Kong International School
Traditional Chinese香港國際學校
Simplified Chinese香港国际学校
Front view of the Hong Kong International School (HKIS)

Hong Kong International School (HKIS) is an international private school with campuses in Tai Tam and Repulse Bay, Hong Kong. The school was founded in 1966. Today, HKIS spans from reception one to the twelfth grade. Its Lower and Upper Primary Divisions are located in Repulse Bay, and the Middle and High Schools are located in Tai Tam. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges has continuously accredited Hong Kong International School since 1971.[citation needed]

History

In 1964, a Hong Kong-based committee of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) first submitted a proposal to have the school built.[1]

Hong Kong International School was founded in September 1966, its first location consisting of makeshift premises including residential flats in Chung Hom Kok, housing 120 students. The school was brought to life by the actions of three groups, all working together to the same ends; the Hong Kong Government (which granted land and interest-free loans), a group of American businessmen and representatives of the educational arm of the LCMS. On 14 September 1967, HKIS opened a new camp in Repulse Bay and housed 630 multi-national students.[citation needed] The first permanent school building, with seven stories, 32 classrooms, and a capacity for 750 pupils, cost $5,350,000 Hong Kong dollars. The campus included a cafeteria, library, and gymnasium. It became the first school in Hong Kong with a U.S. education program.[2]

HKIS continued to expand over time, which led to the creation of a second building in Repulse Bay, and finally an additional campus in Tai Tam.[3] Its first primary school building in South Bay Close, Repulse Bay, was dedicated in 1975.[4] In the 1970s the school had both American students and students of other nationalities.[5]

Lower Primary and Upper Primary remain in Repulse Bay while Middle School and High School are in Tai Tam. In 2003, HKIS and BrainPop collaborated on an episode of the latter about SARS/MERS. The school has just finished undergoing its fourth major infrastructure development plan around mid-2010 in the Middle School Campus, called the Middle School Annex.

Heads of School

The following have served as Head of School:[6]

  1. Robert "Bob" E. Christian (1966–1977)
  2. David F. Rittmann (1977–1996)
  3. Earl J. Westrick (1996–1997)
  4. Charles "Chuck" W. Dull (1997–2001)
  5. William B. Wehrenberg (2001–2004)
  6. James "Jim" A. Handrich (2004–2005)
  7. Richard W. Mueller (2005–2010)
  8. David J. "DJ" Condon (2010–2011)
  9. Kevin M. Dunning (2011–2014)
    • Linda A. Anderson (Interim, 2014)
  10. Alan P. Runge (2014–2017)
    • Ronald "Ron" Roukema (Interim, 2017–present)

Institution

Organisation

A statue in the Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong International School grounds

The school is divided into four divisions, all co-educational: Lower Primary (Grades R1 and R2-Grades 1 and 2), Upper Primary (Grades 3–5), Middle School (Grades 6–8) and High School (Grades 9–12). Lower Primary (LP) and Upper Primary (UP) are housed in the original building in Repulse Bay, while the Middle School (MS) and High School (HS) are in the newer building in Tai Tam.

In 2010, HKIS became a 1:1 (one laptop, one student) school, offering education in traditional and technological forms. Every student from grade 5 upwards was equipped with an Apple MacBook Pro and, younger students learn using a wide range of software using MacBook Pros, iPods, and iPads that remain at school. In 2013 the school switched to MacBook Airs for students participating in the 1:1 program.[7]

Each school division has its own administration and student government organization; the high school's is known as the Senate, the middle school's is called the Student Leadership Team, and the upper primaries are called the Student Consul. The entire school is overseen by the current Head of School, Ron Roukema.

For the 2011/17 academic year, over 2,640 students (from over 40 different nationalities) and 500 faculty and staff occupy the two separate campuses of HKIS. Four libraries house a total of 200,000 books, periodicals and technological resources.

Hong Kong International School is located in Hong Kong Island
Tai Tam
Tai Tam
Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay
class=notpageimage|
Campuses
Hong Kong International School is located in Hong Kong
Tai Tam
Tai Tam
Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay
class=notpageimage|
Campuses

Academics

The school follows an American curriculum, offering various Advanced Placement courses and 3 foreign languages in Middle School and High School: French, Spanish and Chinese. Chinese language study is mandatory for R1-G5 students.

Students in the High School division are required to study interdisciplinary Humanities, American History, Biblical Studies, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and also meet various requirements in Fine Arts, Information Technology, Asian Studies, and Physical Education & Health. Religious education is a compulsory element of the curriculum.

Independent Study and Senior Option, where students design their own coursework and present their studies to faculty advisors.

Fine arts

HKIS' High School has an extensive fine arts program, offering numerous the Performing and Visual arts courses. At least one arts credit is required for graduation, with at least one half-credit course in performance/studio arts and, if only the minimum requirement is met, a one half-credit fine arts survey course.

HKIS is a member of the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS), which hosts honor festivals for students of international schools. Acceptance is highly competitive and HKIS' Middle School and High School bands, choirs, and strings programs have been well represented at AMIS festivals since 2009. HKIS's high school has also hosted the annual Southeast Asia Honor Band Program, inviting several major schools from the region (i.e. Jakarta, Taipei) to participate. At these festivals, HKIS also provided three honor bands of its own: the Middle School band, the Junior Varsity band, and a Varsity honor band. In 2005, the High School Wind Ensemble earned first place at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. The High School band also travels to various countries for the APAC Festival, where students work with composers such as Robert W. Smith to put on a full-length concert in a few days. This festival has been held in places like Seoul and Shanghai. The Middle School band performs twice annually: once publicly, often in Stanley or City Hall, and once privately, usually in the Middle School Gymnasium. Other instrumental programs include the Strings program, which performs twice a year.

In Middle School, there are two performances per year, a musical and a play. Along with these, there are also Musical Theater classes, drama classes, and classes on theater craft.

Finally, HKIS has various choirs:

The Upper Primary choir of 60

Several Middle School Choirs totaling over 100 singers

Three High School choirs with a total membership of 80.

Every year, the Madrigal Singers perform at the American Club's tree-lighting ceremony, the Rugby Sevens, and the Middle School choir sends a contingent to AMIS festivals around the world every year, in locations such as Kuala Lumpur (2012), Jakarta (2010), Scotland (2009), and Paris (2010).

The High School, visual arts program, offers classes of various levels in 2D studio art, 3D studio art, photography, and more recently, graphic design. Classes at the introductory level are more structured, with students gaining more freedom in project direction as they progress in the curriculum. There is a strong emphasis on socially conscientious art; students from the High School art program were invited in 2005 to participate in The Art Miles Mural Project, and the 100 People World Portrait Project (100People.org). The film program has also expanded in the past several years, now boasting the Tai Tam Virtual Film Festival, judged by industry professionals as well as media instructors throughout Hong Kong and the Asia region.

Students in both High School and Middle School can also participate in school plays and musicals, both backstage and onstage. In the past three years alone, HKIS' HS and MS have produced many shows, including Into the Woods Jr., The Apple Tree, Aida, The Crucible, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr., and The Bald Soprano.

Demographics

In 1969 the school had 900 students from 26 nationalities, with 80% being U.S. citizens.[8]

Summer school

By 2004 the school established an extracurricular summer school, which was one of the largest in Hong Kong.[9]

Recent developments

The Middle School completed a new annex during the summers of 2009 overlooking Tai Tam Bay.

The annex includes:

Administrative offices.

A boardroom.

Several new Modern Languages classrooms.

A flexible seminar/meeting space.

Some of these classrooms have been earmarked to house the R1 classes during the redevelopment of the Lower Primary building.

In June 2011, HKIS announced that it would be redeveloping the Lower Primary school building in Repulse Bay. The project will require Lower Primary students to move to a new school building for a period of three years. During the redevelopment, the old building will be leveled. After turning down temporary campuses in Chai Wan and Hung Hom, HKIS announced in the Spring of 2013 that the lower primary students would move to the Tai Tam campus starting in the 2014-'15 school year. Offices and support staff rooms at Tai Tam will be retrofitted into classrooms, along with some space in the Middle School being turned over to the Lower Primary. Work will begin in 2014. When completed, the new campus will feature an indoor swimming pool, a large auditorium, gymnasium and indoor and outdoor learning spaces and housing facilities for some teachers.

During the 2016–2017 academic year, HKIS celebrated its 50th anniversary.[10] One of the biggest events included the 50th Anniversary Ball, among a series of other celebrations held throughout May 2017.

The school completed a complete renovation of the Lower and Upper Primary Campus in Repulse Bay. in 2017 and 2018, respectively These renovations include a renovated Lower Primary school with 6 new playgrounds, swimming pool, 750 student auditorium, a cafeteria and a "Wonder Lab" (maker space). The Upper Primary school also received major renovations with all classrooms increasing size, a new Art, Science, and Design Garage, a new Chinese Cultural Center, a new cafeteria, a multiple purpose sports room, and a two-story indoor place area.[11]

Notable students and alumni

Arts and Literature

Athletics

Business

Entertainment

Others

See also

References

  1. ^ "Proposal for US-based international school submitted". South China Morning Post. 7 August 1964. Retrieved 10 November 2018. - Online: 6 October 2016 - Print: "School with U.S. Curriculum Proposed"
  2. ^ "An American education-Authentic US curriculum offered at Hong Kong International School". South China Morning Post. 7 January 1968. Retrieved 10 November 2018. - Online: 21 November 2016 - Print: "The American Way of Schooling: U.S. curriculum and programme at H.K. International School"
  3. ^ "3", Hong Kong International School: Celebrating 40 years of learning and service, Hong Kong: Impressions Designs & Print Limited (published 2007), 21 November 2012, p. 79, ISBN 978-988-99751-1-1, retrieved 22 September 2021
  4. ^ "HKIS primary school dedication to take place this week". South China Morning Post. 28 October 1975. Retrieved 10 November 2018. - Online: 5 October 2016
  5. ^ "Quality over quan29ty: New HKIS expansion plans focused on providing world-class student service". South China Morning Post. 29 October 1975. Retrieved 10 November 2018. - Online: 6 October 2016
  6. ^ "DragonTales Summer 2016". Issuu. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Hong Kong International School: Technology @ HKIS". Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  8. ^ "HKIS hosts discussion on American schools in Asia". South China Morning Post. 26 November 1969. Retrieved 10 November 2018. - Online: 16 October 2016 - Print: "Discussion on U.S.-Run Schools in Asia"
  9. ^ "An elite summer school, too". South China Morning Post. 15 May 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2018. - Re-posted on 12 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Fiftieth Anniversary - Hong Kong International School". www.hkis.edu.hk. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Overview - Hong Kong International School". www.hkis.edu.hk. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  12. ^ "Learning how to give back". Young Post. Retrieved 27 July 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hong Kong International School.

Coordinates: 22°14′16″N 114°13′25″E / 22.23789°N 114.22354°E / 22.23789; 114.22354

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