Hong Kong International School

Last updated

Hong Kong International School
Location
Hong Kong International School
Information
TypePrivate
Religious affiliation(s)Christian
DenominationLutheran
Established19 September 1966;58 years ago (1966-09-19)
Head of schoolRon Roukema (Interim)
Staff500
Faculty250
GradesR-12
Number of studentsOver 2,800 students
Color(s)Dark Red, White, Navy
   
MascotTorch the Dragon
PublicationChuan Long, Ingenium, Theory of Everything
NewspaperJunto
YearbookOrientale
High School Principal:Aimmie Kellar
Middle School PrincipalCasey Faulknall
Upper Primary PrincipalDuncan FitzGerald
Lower Primary PrincipalGeoff Heney
Website www.hkis.edu.hk
Hong Kong International School
Traditional Chinese 香港國際學校
Simplified Chinese 香港国际学校
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Guójì Xuéxiào
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping hoeng1 gong2 gwok3 zai3 hok6 haau6

The school follows an American curriculum, [18] offering three foreign modern languages in Middle and High School—French, Spanish, and Chinese—and various Advanced Placement courses in High School. [19] [20] [21] Chinese language study is mandatory for R1-G5 students. [22]

Students in the High School are required to study English, mathematics, life and physical sciences, social studies, and a world language. They must also meet the various requirements in fine arts, religion, American history, Asian studies, physical education, and wellness. [23]

High School students in G11 and G12 can enroll in Independent Study and Senior Option, in which students design their own coursework and present their studies to faculty advisors.

Middle School students in G7 and G8 can enroll in electives including creative computing, religious education, culinary arts, Art Studio A and Studio B, performing arts, strings, band, physical education, and other electives. All students are enrolled in maths, science, social studies, and language arts. Middle school students in G6 cannot enroll in electives but can still choose among strings, band, and choir for the required musical topic. Additionally, they can also enroll in Spanish or Chinese. They also have "SPICES" which are a rotation of the electives in Grades 7 and 8.

Fine arts

HKIS' High School has an extensive fine arts program, offering numerous 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.

Performing arts

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. [24]

HKIS's high school has also hosted the annual Southeast Asia Honor Band Program, inviting several major schools from the region (e.g., Jakarta and 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 such as 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.

HKIS has several choirs: an Upper Primary choir of 60 students, several Middle School choirs totaling over 100 students, and three High School choirs totaling 80 students.

Every year, the Madrigal Singers perform at the American Club's tree-lighting ceremony and 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).

Visual arts

A statue in the Hong Kong International School Statue of HKIS.JPG
A statue in the Hong Kong International School

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.

Art program

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).

Film program

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.

Theater program

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 .

Technology

In 1988, the school began operating its own bulletin board system (BBS), called "Dragon BBS". [25] Additional technological infrastructure was installed around 1994. [26]

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. [27] Currently all Grades 6 to 12 students are required to bring their own MacBook to school every day. [28] In 2025, the school switched from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365.

Campuses

In 1994, John Haibrook of South China Morning Post described the Tai Tam campus as "reminiscent of a classy, overgrown Italian villa", and that it had an "isolated location". [26] At that time, its capacity was 2,200. [7]

Notable alumni

Arts and literature

Athletics

Business

Entertainment

Others

References

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  2. "Learning Overview - Hong Kong International School". www.hkis.edu.hk. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  3. Standard, The. "Three leading Hong Kong schools named among top 100 private schools in the world". The Standard. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  4. Standard, The. "Three HK schools named among top 100 private schools in the world". The Standard. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  5. "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"
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  7. 1 2 3 4 Campbell, Al (4 July 1995). "School nurtures diversity". South China Morning Post . p. 25.
  8. "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"
  9. 1 2 "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"
  10. "HKIS primary school dedication to take place this week". South China Morning Post . 28 October 1975. Retrieved 10 November 2018. - Online: 5 October 2016
  11. "Quality over quantity: 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
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  26. 1 2 Haibrook, John (21 May 1998). "IT puts school on leading edge". South China Morning Post . p. 69.
  27. "Hong Kong International School: Technology @ HKIS". Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
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  49. Choy, Gigi W (31 October 2011). "HKIS Alumnus Set to Release Sixth Album". Junto. p. 3. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
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22°14′16″N114°13′25″E / 22.23789°N 114.22354°E / 22.23789; 114.22354