hkaVoices - Autumn 2017

hkaVoices 

Autumn 2017 

The dynamics of a lead 

international school 

hkacademy.edu.hk 

Cultivating 

STUDENT 

LEADERSHIP 

and Voice

hka 

Voices 

letter from the editor 

Dear Hong Kong Academy Community, 

We’ve heard the question many times: If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? 

This question is often attributed to the 18th century philosopher George Berkeley, but it turns out he may not have actually posed it in 

this way. He did draw on the imagery of trees and forests, but what intrigued Berkeley — and continues to intrigue philosophers and 

physicists to this day — is whether or not something has to be perceived in order to be real. If you or I personally don’t hear something, 

is there actually a sound? 

While not settling a more than 400 year old debate, this issue of hkaVoices provides a fairly clear answer to this question. Yes. 

Whether or not we hear a particular voice, that voice still makes a sound. It is our responsibility to listen to each other’s voices and 

to allow ourselves to be changed by what we hear. 

As the articles in this issue make clear, HKA is keen to cultivate and listen to students’ voices. I hope you enjoy reading this issue 

and making those sounds come alive. 

Warmly, 

Laura Mitchell 

Director of Institutional Advancement 

artwork: Lily Robinette, Grade 9

contents 

n Authentic Student Leadership 2 

n Becoming More Internationally Minded 4 

n ELL @ HKA English Language Learning 5 

on Many Levels 

n Conversations for Growth: 6 

Teaching and Learning Standards at HKA 

n Social Emotional Learning — Research Based Results 8 

n Warming Hearts: 10 

HKA’s Youngest Students Make Friends in the Community 

n Reaching New Mathitudes 12 

n Information and Communications Technology 14 

in the Primary School 

n The Production of Shockheaded Peter: 15 

Students Directing the Creative Process 

n Stories About the Bus Go Round and Round 16 

n The New Panda Club 18 

n Inclusion in Sports 19 

n Behind the Scenes Hero | Fanny Chan 21 

n Happenings 22 

n Contributors inside back cover 

33 Wai Man Road 

Sai Kung | New Territories | Hong Kong SAR 

tel +852 2655 1111 | fax +852 2655 1222 

hkacademy.edu.hk 

Editor Laura Mitchell 

HKA Voices is published twice a year by the communications 

Graphic Designer Amie Shaw office of Hong Kong Academy. It is distributed free of charge to 

Photography Jamie Cadman alumni, parents and faculty. We welcome input from the HKA 

Photography Jennie Tsang community. Please contact Laura Mitchell with your story ideas 

or comments at laura.mitchell@hkacademy.edu.hk. 

Paper: Mango Satin, a recycled paper with fiber of well managed forestry and Totally Chlorine Free (TCF). 

Ink: Soy inks were used for printing. Printer: Pixel Printing, Hong Kong a FSC certified printer.

Authentic Student 

Leadership 

by Stephen Dare 

Early in 2017, I was one of twenty Heads of 

School invited to attend the Klingenstein 

Fellowship Program at Columbia University 

in New York City. The course is known for 

being intense; participants engage in two 

weeks of study that include significant 

amounts of reading, with written 

assignments expected to be completed 

at the end of each full day of classes. I 

remember one evening in particular at the 

end of the first week: we had been asked 

to pour over many pages of academic 

writing, had two assignments due on 

the following Monday morning, and we 

were handed the syllabus for the second 

week that included two more written 

assignments and a final presentation. 

When Monday morning arrived and the 

professor entered the room, the stress 

level in the room was running high. The 

professor felt the angst in the room and 

asked, “How is everyone doing?” 

The professor had clearly asked the right 

question. In a few short minutes we (the 

students) identified our problem and 

advocated for a change in the experience. 

The professor listened, presented some 

alternatives, and together we worked out a 

different learning pathway. The reduction 

of the stress in the room was palpable 

and immediate. I remember asking the 

question: if we can advocate for ourselves 

as adult learners, how can we establish 

classrooms where younger students feel 

as empowered and comfortable to do this 

themselves? 

Creating a culture in which student voice 

can thrive has significant benefits for 

learning. Russell Quaglia, renowned 

author and advocate for student voice, 

suggests that students are seven times 

more likely to be motivated to learn if they 

believe that they have a voice in their 

education. At HKA, student voice takes 

a number of forms: sharing opinions 

about school-based issues with faculty 

and leaders; collaborating with peers to 

address problems within the school; and 

supporting students to assume leadership 

roles that foster change. 

At HKA, we have the opportunity to hear 

student voices throughout the school 

year. The PYP Grade 5 Exhibition and 

MYP Personal Projects are a marvelous 

opportunity for students to express 

themselves and share their personal 

passions. Walk around campus and you’ll 

see student-created signage encouraging 

others to take action to make the school 

a better place or to be more mindful of 

our carbon footprints. On any given day, 

students are engaged in a myriad of 

community action and service projects, 

whether it’s the garden ambassadors at 

work, the student council’s initiatives in 

process and, or students making the most 

of casual dress days. All are examples 

of student voice that can and do lead to 

meaningful change. 

This spring, HKA hosted the Middle School 

GIN conference during which students 

2

from more than 20 schools in Southeast 

Asia came together and engaged in 

dialogue around global themes such as 

education, human trafficking, and animal 

welfare to create a vision for change. 

Additionally, it provided some of our 

older students with the opportunity to 

demonstrate their leadership skills in 

setting up a programme for the more than 

200 participants. Following the event I 

interviewed the students who contributed 

to the success of the GIN conference 

about their experiences. I asked them 

some key questions related to student 

voice, and this is what they told me. 

What made you decide to get involved? 

Responses included: 

My friends got involved. 

I wanted to take action to save the world. 

I attended a previous conference and thought HKA could do better. 

It was an opportunity for creating something different and taking action. 

I wanted to get people inspired and educated to take action. 

I wanted to do something that would make a lasting impact. 

Preparing for and leading the conference was interactive and hands on. 

It gave me a chance to tackle out of reach problems. 

I thought that it would be fun. 

I could bring expertise that would help. 

In what ways did the experience help you 

to grow as a leader? 


Logistics and how to consider the pros and cons of events of different 

planning choices. 

Effective communication. 

Learning to advocate for my point of view. 

Public speaking, awareness of personal presentation when standing up 

in front of an audience, and gaining confidence in this arena. 

Caring for others. 

Being available to help and taking the initiative. 

Listening to others’ ideas. 

Being open-minded and considering the possibility of being wrong. 

Allocating tasks, identifying the skill sets of different team members and then 

sharing the work accordingly. This enabled the team members to do the things 

that they could and do them well. 

Trusting each other that each would do their part and get things done. 

What suggestions might you give to students 

in the future? 


Don’t stress out, it’s going to be ok. 

Be creative — how you approach problems might be different. 

Find the right people. 

Be organized. 

Develop your speaking skills — communicate with confidence. 

Make sure that you can collaborate. 

Be ready to adapt and be open to change — help where needed and be flexible. 

Work on your problem-solving skills. 

Over a dozen HKA students helped make the 

GIN Conference a success at HKA, with Anna 

Loretan, Cecilia Shin and Valeria Riquelme Lara 

playing key planning and implementation roles 

leading up to and during the conference. 

Given the opportunity to express 

themselves about their learning 

experiences, the students were extremely 

articulate in their responses. What 

was striking for me was the extent to 

which they were highly motivated by 

altruism and less focused on their own 

needs as learners. Unlike my adult 

experience in Columbia University that 

had essentially been motivated by selfinterest, 

the students’ motivation for 

the GIN Conference was grounded in the 

experiences and support that they could 

provide for others. 

Over the coming months I will be 

conducting more formal research as a part 

of my doctoral studies to learn more from 

students about their perceptions on voice 

and the extent to which their voice is 

evident within classrooms. As educators, 

we have a responsibility to ensure that we 

create classroom environments in which 

effective student voice can thrive. We 

need to be asking the right questions to 

promote advocacy for self and others and 

we should be checking in with students to 

find out how they are doing as learners. 

Elevating student voice will require us to 

provide students with the tools to express 

their needs and engage them in finding 

solutions to address these needs in and 

out of the classroom. When we listen to 

students, it also requires us as adults 

to be flexible in our planning, open to 

learning from the children in our care, 

and willing to change. 

3

Becoming More 

Internationally 

Minded 

by Cornel Marais 

4 

At HKA 

we learn how to ... 

— incorporate diverse perspectives. 

— enhance our awareness of our 

place in this shared world. 

— make connections through 

languages, history and the arts. 

— open our minds to new and 

challenging thoughts. 

— appreciate and celebrate our 

diversity. 

— be part of a dynamic and 

captivating community of people. 

— serve not ony one another, 

but also our planet. 

In years past, receiving an international education might have meant that families living 

abroad were able to offer their children an education similar to the one they would have 

received back in their own home countries. Technically speaking, this would equate more 

to learning within a national curriculum, but in a different country. But in recent years, 

the concept of an “international education” has changed significantly and has been the 

focus of educational research, philosophy, and practice the world over. Increasingly, 

authentic international education has become synonymous with concepts and attributes 

such as global citizenship and international mindedness. Rather, it has become a driving 

attitude, perspective and characteristic that is being developed in students the world 

over, and especially so here at Hong Kong Academy. 

What does it even mean to be internationally minded? If you ask 10 different people 

you will receive a mix of overlapping ideas and opinions. Even scholars and researchers 

struggle to find an agreed upon definition. At HKA we define this vital concept around 

two terms: internationalism and interculturalism, both of which we have systematically 

embedded into our school’s curriculum and life. Internationalism is a worldview that 

aims to unite people across national, political, racial, cultural and class divides to 

encourage working together for the betterment of our common humanity. Interculturalism 

specifically aims to strengthen a sense of cross-cultural understanding. Our community 

here consists of over 40 different nationalities and cultures from across the globe; at 

HKA, being internationally minded is not an added extra, but rather is at the heart of 

everything we aim to accomplish here. 

In order to promote international mindedness, we honour a range of diverse perspectives 

and ideas through dialogues and discussion during class; we purposefully seek out a 

variety of literature and design units of inquiry that explore different yet interconnected 

stories of the human experience. At HKA we to promote international mindedness both 

in and out of the classroom in many different ways. For example, in class, we honour 

a range of diverse perspectives and ideas through dialogues and discussion. We also 

purposefully seek out a variety of literature to read and design units of inquiry that 

explore diverse yet interconnected stories of the human experience. At HKA Our students 

also take the conceptual understandings gained through their learning and put those 

learnings into practice in a variety of different ways. For example, each grade level in the 

Secondary School travels to different countries to experience and interact with unique 

cultures first-hand. In the past year as a school, our students have travelled to China, 

Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and more. HKA’s annual Community Fair and International 

Food Festival is another highlight of the year where parents, students and teachers all 

come together to celebrate our diversity together. We particularly honour the culture and 

traditions of our host nation by having a dedicated Chinese New Year celebration at the 

start of each lunar new year. The more lenses through which we can empathetically look 

at one another, the greater our self- understanding, as well as our global understanding, 

becomes.

ELL @ 

Language Learning 

HKA 

ON many levels 

by Denis Wong 

We’ve ended up discussing the topic of education in the Grade 6 

English Language Learning (ELL) classroom. 

“In Sweden we call it gymnasium,” one student explains. 

“Like a P.E. gymnasium?” asks another student. 

The students exchange a few words in Swedish, followed by a 

few more in English. “It’s kind of like university.” 

I try to say “gymnasium” like my Swedish students do, but there’s 

a phonetic blend in the middle that my throat doesn’t do, and 

the kids squint at me funny. “Almost, Mr. Wong.” They encourage 

me and then repeat the word again. The actual lesson is about 

advertising, but in a classroom where English, Italian, Russian, 

Danish, and Cantonese all exist and mix, these diversions into 

differences and similarities in language are regular occurrences. 

We all become language teachers and students. 

In the past two 

years, ELL at HKA 

has become a 

distinct program 

within Learner 

Support at HKA. The 

English acquisition 

class is taught 

using meaningful 

interactions and 

situations, with 

complete teaching 

cycles that allow 

students to practice examples of language. The students also 

learn how to become more independent and effective in their 

communication skills. When we consider the students, we look 

for ways to incorporate their strengths and home language to 

facilitate English acquisition. Language support is delivered 

holistically, both in and out of the classroom, depending on the 

needs of the student. We use data from targeted assessments 

such as the WIDA MODEL (Measure of Developing English 

Language) to track the effectiveness of our methods and progress. 

This information is then integrated into the ELL Individual 

Learning Plans created for each student. 

When working with students acquiring English language 

skills, several key questions provide a framework for our 

learning: 

What does it mean to learn English as a language while also 

learning within the language? 

How does learning context shape the language choices and 

structures? 

What are the functions of language? 

How can we build upon the strengths of students? 

What does it mean to be truly inclusive? 

Given the nature of international schools and of Hong Kong 

Academy’s population, answering these questions is a complex 

and dynamic process. Our community is not only multilingual, 

it is multicultural, making the language learning process all 

the richer. In our cafeteria and hallways, a sentence beginning 

in one language can easily end in another. With this setting in 

mind, a priority of the ELL program has been to build an inclusive 

environment for language learners. Almost half of our teachers in 

the Primary and Secondary Schools have undertaken the Teaching 

ESL Students in Mainstream Classrooms (TESMC) certificate, 

which is a course that focuses on inclusive methods to teach 

English across the curriculum. The participants’ subject areas 

range from Drama to Maths to PE to Science, from Early 

Childhood to Diploma level. 

Learning the English language at HKA does not occur in isolation. 

Grammatical accuracy and academic writing are just parts of the 

goal in developing English as a form of expression and a medium 

for building and shaping knowledge. The ELL program aims to be 

a bridge to connect our school’s multiple languages. After all, we 

are all language teachers and students. 

5

Conversations for Growth 

Teaching and Learning Standards at HKA 

by Warren Needham 

Knowing what makes a “good” teacher can be difficult to define. 

We all know a good teacher when we see one, but what are the 

skills and dispositions the create the magic of “good” teaching? 

Traditionally, schools have used sets of “teaching standards” to 

define what it means to be a competent teacher. 

were often written in broad, generic terms offering feedback that 

had little to do with what the teacher was trying to accomplish 

with his or her students. In my experience, this sort of process 

didn’t help teachers hone their skills, but it took a lot of time for 

supervisor to complete. 

Fast forward to the present where my career has moved towards 

education administration, and I now find myself as a supervisor. 

Through conversations with the educational leadership at HKA, 

I again found myself wondering about the value of teacher 

standards and I wanted to learn more about new trends in best 

practice for evaluating teachers. In the summer of 2015 I had the 

opportunity to attend a course at the Principal’s Training Centre 

(PTC) entitled “Instructional Supervision and Evaluation - The 

Teaching Process”. The PTC, based in Miami, Florida is a global 

leader in providing professional development opportunities for 

principals. For this course, teachers and administrators from 

international schools all over the world gathered together for 

seven days to pick apart a variety of teacher standard models 

and discuss how we approached teacher standards at our own 

schools. 

The use of static benchmarks to evaluate teachers and teaching 

has always been a curious thing for me. Over the course of 

my career, I have taught both at schools which have clearly 

articulated what the administration believes makes a good 

teacher and at those which haven’t made their expectations 

quite as clear. The ones that did spell out their understanding of 

quality teaching often spent a lot of time talking to teachers about 

those standards, sometimes with great fanfare, only to let those 

standards sit in a nice folder on a shelf in the administration 

office, never to be seen again. I suppose this was no surprise; as 

a teacher, I often found that teaching standards were written as 

an intimidating laundry list of “thou shalt do” statements with 

equally intimidating tick boxes labeled “unsatisfactory”, “poor”, 

“does not meet standards’ and “improvement necessary”. Not 

very encouraging language, which often meant teachers didn’t 

eagerly adopt the standards in their classrooms. 

Equally unsatisfactory to me was the typical approach to 

implementing these standards. In my experience, at schools 

utilizing traditional teaching standards to evaluate teachers, 

supervisors would typically visit classrooms one or two times in a 

year, maybe watch a lesson, and then tick off boxes on a form. In 

some cases, they might scribble a few hurried comments before 

rushing off to the next teacher on their list. The resulting reports 

I began the week still harbouring my long held disquiet about 

teaching standards, but on the 3rd day I had a conversation 

with a fellow student that got me thinking about the differences 

between teaching standards that were designed as form of 

“quality control” as opposed to standards written to facilitate 

teacher growth and development. The latter perspective really 

spoke to me, especially when I reflected back on early days in my 

own career. 

6

“The HKA Teaching and Learning Standards reflect the school’s beliefs and values for 

authentic learning; they provide a common language for both adult and student learning 

and empower educators to define and pursue pathways to individual excellence through 

their own professional journey.” — HKA Teaching and Learning standards, 2016 

This conversation got me thinking about teaching standards 

in the HKA context. At HKA, we have extremely accomplished 

teachers who are professionals in their fields and do not require 

management and monitoring. Quite the opposite. We have a 

teaching staff who actively seek growth and development and 

who want to extend and improve their teaching practices to 

positively impact their students’ learning. 

The HKA Teaching and Learning standards 

support educators to: 

Embody and nurture HKA’s mission, vision and values. 

Model and promote the skills and attitudes of an internationally 

minded person. 

Skillfully, collaboratively and positively contribute to the 

curriculum cycle. 

Use assessment feedback to improve teaching and learning. 

Critically evaluate and effectively apply relevant researched 

based strategies in a diverse and inclusive setting. 

Create a culture of thinking. 

Positively and constructively collaborate with all members of the 

learning community. 

Given this positive, growth mindset among faculty at HKA, my 

take away from the PTC course was that at HKA, we could develop 

teaching standards that encourage and support our teachers to 

do what they are already doing so well. Upon my return to HKA, 

I met with our Head of School, Steve Dare, to discuss what I had 

learned and my new found perspective on teaching standards. 

We pulled out HKA’s existing laundry list style teaching standards 

and discussed the various models explored at the PTC. We found 

ourselves drawn to a model proffered by Bambi Betts, the director 

of the Principal’s Training Centre. This model encompasses a set 

of nine statements aimed at provoking conversations. Steven and 

I took the statements to the Educational Leadership Team (ELT) 

and crafted a set which we felt were relevant to the HKA context. 

We then presented these statements to the teaching faculty to 

get their ideas about what the statements might look like in our 

classrooms. 

Our new standards are rooted in the belief that everyone at 

HKA has the capacity to grow and develop within our learning 

community and are framed to provoke dialogue and discussion. 

The result is that we now have the foundation for a dynamic 

process for teacher evaluation that allows for growth and change, 

often in real time, with immediate impact in the classroom. We 

have adopted the “walk through” model for observing what’s 

happening in the classroom and then having conversations with 

teachers about their own approach. With this model, our teaching 

standards are alive — they walk with us — and never succumb to 

being a set of documents on a shelf. 

And this is just the beginning! Looking to the future, we are 

considering ways to make this process even more collaborative 

and focused on professional growth. One key element of our 

evolving process is the use of intentional conversations that 

support teachers in their own individual pathways to success, 

just as we do with our students. At HKA, we know that our 

teachers are learners, too, and our approach to our teaching 

standards is designed to encourage faculty to direct their 

own growth and development and explore their aspirations in 

improving student learning. 

The feedback from teachers prompted a significant shift in 

thinking. In addition to eliminating one of the statements, the 

educational leadership team recrafted the remaining statements 

to include what learning might look like. Consequently the 

statements became teaching and learning standards. The 

outcome was the following: 

7

Social Emotional 

Learning — 

Research Based Results 

by Kira Galbraith 

Recent studies have highlighted the 

importance of focusing on the whole 

child, specifically social and emotional 

intelligence, in order to support the 

successful development of future 

generations. Research shows that 

social and emotional learning not only 

improves academic achievement, but also 

enhances positive social behaviors such 

as kindness, sharing and empathy, as well 

as improves attitudes toward school and 

reduces stress and depression among 

students (Weissberg et al., 2016). As such, 

there has been a recent shift in education 

practices to intentionally integrate 

social and emotional learning (SEL) into 

educational programs. 

What is SEL? 

SEL involves the process by which 

students develop emotional and social 

intelligence, responsible decision making 

skills, positive relationships, and learn 

how to recognize and avoid negative 

behaviors. Apart from developing a 

greater awareness of self and others, 

SEL also provides an opportunity for 

students and teachers to connect beyond 

the classroom through fostering a caring 

and safe environment where students 

feel comfortable connecting and sharing 

with one another. This allows for new 

relationships to forge and genuine 

reflective learning to take place whilst 

students are engaging in fun activities. 

WHY? 

Despite more and more literature 

supporting intentional SEL in schools, 

there remains some criticism as to why 

the focus on adolescent needs has moved 

beyond the academic in the classroom. 

A recent meta-analysis of SEL programs 

representing over 300,000 students from 

various parts of the United States, found 

that students who participated in SEL 

programs within their schools profited 

in multiple ways compared to those who 

did not experience SEL. Improvements 

were found in social and emotional skills, 

attitudes about self, others, and school, 

social and classroom behaviors, and 

academic achievements (CASEL, 2007). It 

is no longer enough to offer only academic 

subjects, regardless of quality. 

Children and adolescents are under 

surmounting pressure to navigate the 

ever changing dynamics of society today. 

Providing a space where students can 

dialogue, practice, and explore various 

personal and social experiences fosters 

deeper peer relationships and allows for 

students to connect with their teachers 

beyond academic mentoring. It also 

allows for a space where students can 

explore their identity, values and beliefs, 

as well as how they connect with those 

around them. 

With our increased knowledge of the 

importance of SEL in the classrooms, 

Hong Kong Academy has designated an 

80-minute Advisory block once a week. 

Students are formed into smaller groups 

of 8-12 and guided through various 

activities focusing on awareness of self 

and others, self-regulation, relationships 

skills, and responsible decision making. 

8

The Advisory programme 

support students’ academic, 

social and emotional wellbeing 

by: 

n Ensuring that every student has an 

advocate who knows him/her well 

and who facilitates social and 

emotional learning in a proactive 

and responsive way; 

n Building community amongst 

students and staff so that every 

student feels a sense of belonging 

and respect and experiences an 

environment of mutual support; 

n Encouraging opportunities for 

students to understand their 

changing world in ways that lead 

to responsible action; Providing 

academic mentoring to help students 

succeed through an organised, 

proactive system of support. 

Furthermore, the Advisory Programme 

provides an opportunity to support the 

development of the whole child and 

socio-emotional growth. In working 

with children and adolescents, we are 

teaching them during a time of rapid 

personal development where they are 

experiencing social scenarios, physical 

changes, and new emotions for the first 

time. With guidance through SEL in the 

Advisory Programme, they are able to 

become better equipped to face such 

developmental changes and navigate the 

adolescent world with greater awareness. 

The foundations of SEL are rooted in an 

understanding of self, others, and making 

responsible decisions. Through learning 

such social skills and an awareness of 

self, we are supporting the development 

of balanced individuals, who will 

ultimately perform better academically. 

They will be self-advocates, knowing how 

to identify and regulate their emotions, 

how to organize and manage their time, 

and how to foster positive relationships 

with peers and adults. Ultimately, 

social and emotional learning at HKA 

promotes the development of the whole 

child by fostering a positive nourishing 

environment where students can flourish. 

References: 

CASEL (2007). http://www.casel. 

org/impact/Weissberg, R., Durlak, J., 

Domitrovich, C., and Gullotta, T. (2016). 

“Why Social and Emotional Learning 

is Essential for Students”, Edutopia. 

Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia. 

org/blog/why-sel-essential-for-studentsweissberg-durlak-domitrovich-gullotta 

9

Warming Hearts: 

HKA’s Youngest Students Make Friends 

in the Community 

by Marie Baker 

“If you want 

happiness for an 

hour, take a nap. 

If you want 

happiness for a 

day, go fishing. 

HKA has a culture of philanthropy and service to others and aims to develop this 

through student action. In the Early Childhood department, the PK2 children have been 

introduced to the joys of giving through a simple yet heartwarming connection to local 

elderly residents. 

Over the past several months, HKA’s PK2 classes have been developing relationships 

with local residents through the Sai Kung Community Centre, situated just a short 

distance from the school campus. In the past, students have visited the centre to sing 

songs and participate in simple craft activities with the elders, and we invited the elders 

to attend our celebrations during Chinese New Year. 

If you want 

happiness for a 

year, inherit a 

fortune. 

If you want 

happiness for 

a lifetime, help 

somebody.” 

— Chinese Proverb 

Recently, 39 elders came to HKA for the morning. We began in the playground with ‘buddy 

exercise’, an activity where each student was paired up with an elder and together they 

completed simple physical exercises such as bending, stretching, and balancing. At first, 

the students seemed a little shy of their new friends, but they soon relaxed and joined 

in enthusiastically. Despite the language barrier, both students and elders were able to 

follow directions and the activity was enjoyed by all. 

Each child then led their ‘buddy’ to the classroom for snack. Students happily served tea 

and cakes to the elders and performed both English and Chinese songs for them while 

they ate. The children then taught the elders how to sing ‘ 当我们同在一起 ’, the Chinese 

version of The More We Get Together, and everyone sang the song together. Although the 

elders are predominantly Cantonese speakers, students were able to communicate with 

them using basic Mandarin, and the elders attempted some English phrases such as 

‘hello’, ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye’. 

Later, the students reflected on how it went. They noticed that the elders had been happy 

and smiling during their visit and said that they enjoyed it, too. We talked about the 

positive impact we can have on others just by spending time with them and decided that 

we would definitely like to invite the elders to HKA again! 

10

Quotes from the elders 

“I used to be a fisherman. I was very poor 

during my childhood and have no chance 

to go to school. The visit at HKA is very 

special to me because I was like in 

school, I hope we can go again.” 

— Ms. Lee 

“The children are so lovely and we did 

“buddy exercise” together! Some of them 

was hugging me and I feel like hugging 

by my child-daughter” — Ms. Shek 

“ I don’t understand what my little buddy 

was saying to me, I don’t understand 

English, but the little boy was holding my 

hands and invite me to visit his 

classroom, I feel so happy!’ — Ms. Law 

“I used to be school bus driver. The 

classroom and the settings in HKA are 

different from the local schools, the 

class size is smaller, it’s a different 

experience!’ — Mr. Yip 

Quotes from the children 

“She is very happy ‘cos I am hugging her. She loved hugging me. I am happy ‘cos 

I love hugging people.” — Zoe Anne 

“The grandmas came. We gave out the food and did exercises. I like the exercises 

because the grandma and me did exercises together and it made… it made my 

heart feel warm.” — Elliott 

11

Reaching New Mathitudes 

by Maria Tullberg 

With a broad smile and an abundance of enthusiasm, a Grade 5 

student exclaimed to me, “I really don’t know how to solve this 

maths problem, and my brain hurts, this is so much fun. I can’t 

wait until I figure this out!” 

I replied with encouragement and a smile. “Think about what you 

already know, look for patterns, or maybe you can try to look at 

the problem from a different perspective.” 

conceptual framework that is hands-on and that forces students 

to explain why a particular maths strategy works. A maths lesson 

often begins with describing a “real world” problem rather than 

saying, “Hey everyone, let’s learn division!” 

My advice to her, in teacher-talk, was to apply a growth mindset 

to the maths problem at hand and to draw on conceptual-based 

learning to identify different strategies. While we have always 

incorporated these approaches in our toolkit for instruction, in 

the last year, we have embraced these thought-provoking shifts 

even more as we teach maths in the Primary School. Gone are 

the days when we prescribe a single, correct way of solving a 

problem or providing the students with a rule to follow when 

doing arithmetic. 

It all started three years ago when HKA decided to move to 

the Common Core, a set of standards developed in the U.S. 

The Common Core offers several advantages over other maths 

programmes, both for students and teachers, including a 

While we have always encouraged students to show their work 

so that we can see their thought processes, now we take this a 

step further to require students to explain their thinking in detail 

before putting pencil to paper. Using the highly effective “build 

it-draw it-explain it” process, students focus on the “why” and 

the “how”. The “right answer” isn’t just the number at the end; 

it’s all the steps along the way. This ensures that the student fully 

understands the concept before applying the skill in a real world 

maths problem. 

In addition to adopting the Common Core, HKA is also taking 

seriously new research about how the brain works when learning 

maths. This exciting field is led by two eminent scholars: Carol 

Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and a 

pioneering researcher in the field of motivation, and Jo Boaler, 

Professor of Mathematics Education at the Stanford Graduate 

School of Education. These two women believe fundamentally 

there is no “good” maths student or “bad” maths student, 

12

ut that rather it is our attitudes towards learning maths that 

predict our success in learning maths. Based on their findings, 

they recommend that teachers emphasise growth mindsets, 

encouraging students to move from thinking, “I can’t do this” to 

“I can’t do this yet”. 

where we shared best practices, identified resources, and looked 

at how to enhance discourse in the classroom. During our Parent 

Curriculum Evening in November, it was evident that the parents 

enjoyed these new practices as much as the children do! 

One of the resources Boaler has developed to help students 

develop positive attitudes about learning maths is Youcubed, 

www.youcubed.org. This website offers many resources, including 

a student and parent section with helpful tips for parents to 

encourage mathematical confidence. One immediate takeaway: 

parents’ views of themselves as maths learners directly impacts 

their children. Who knew that saying, “I am also bad at maths,” 

or “I’m not a maths person,” could be so damaging to a child’s 

development! But it is, especially when a mother says this to her 

daughter. 

As a PYP school, it only makes sense to follow the inquiry model 

in all subject areas. It has been enlightening to ask ourselves the 

simple question, “Why do we treat the subject of Mathematics 

so differently from Language Arts or Unit of Inquiry?” When we 

explore, wonder and inquire into maths, we are able to change 

our mindset from, “I can’t solve this because I don’t remember 

how to do long division,” to “What tools and knowledge do I need 

to figure this out?” By building confidence and a growth mindset 

we make everyone a successful mathematician at HKA. 

Since the implementation of the Common Core at HKA, there 

has been a continued focus on enhancing our mathematical 

practice. Last year we welcomed two professors, both of whom 

are prominent in the development of the Common Core, to work 

with us in residence to build our knowledge and understanding. 

This academic year, the Primary School teachers have been able 

to take advantage of six professional development sessions 

13

INFORMATION AND 

COMMUNICATIONS 

TECHNOLOGY 

IN THE PRIMARY 

SCHOOL 

by Bruce Roadside 

ICT in the Primary School at HKA is integrated into the whole curriculum as a tool to 

support student learning. Throughout the school, teachers along with the technology 

integration coach, choose the appropriate technology for teaching, learning and 

assessing. Technology is a powerful tool that is meaningfully embedded throughout 

learning at HKA. 

Students in PK1 to Grade 1 have iPads. The touch screen interface allows for a simplified 

interaction with educational tools and applications that enhances learning in the 

classroom. The students also have dedicated times when the technology integration 

coach joins the classroom to develop the integration of technology and help the students 

understand and use different educational applications. 

Grade 2 to 5 students are 

part of our personalized 

technology learning 

environment and have access 

to their own computer or iPad 

in the classroom. This direct 

access to technology enables 

the teachers and technology 

integration coach to integrate 

technology into all curriculum 

areas, whilst helping students 

understand appropriate use 

and the responsibility of 

maintaining a digital device. 

Students also develop and maintain their own digital portfolio; SeeSaw PK1 to Grade 3 or 

a website Grade 4 and 5, through which they showcase their learning journey, as well as 

learn about issues such as cyber safety, digital ethics and netiquette. 

We also endeavor to make parents a part of the learning experience through the class 

websites and digital portfolios and ask that parents take an active role in helping 

students understand the importance of maintaining balance whilst using technology. 

14

The Production of Shockheaded Peter: 

Students Directing the Creative Process 

by Grade 9 Students HEIDI BOSHOFF, Sophia Chan and Mathea Sobejana 

How was the music created 

for the show? The show band was 

comprised of Grade 10 and 11 students 

taking music class. As a part of their 

classroom learning, students composed 

and arranged almost all of the music. 

Some pieces were based on German 

music that was inspired by Hoffman’s 

original tales; another piece was an HKA 

take on The Tiger Lilies’ version of Snip, 

Snip transposed by Ben Hiley and sung in 

the show by Matilda Nulf (Grade 6). Lastly, 

Flying Roberta, an HKA original, was 

composed by Dylan Halbroth (Grade 11) 

and sung by Ella De Leon (Grade 7). 

This year’s Secondary School play was 

a production based on a set of German 

fairy tales from the nineteenth century. 

Originally Der Struwwelpeter (1845) 

or Shockheaded Peter, is a German 

children’s book by Heinrich Hoffman. It 

is comprised of rhymed stories, mostly 

about children, and each story has a clear 

moral that demonstrates the disastrous 

consequences of misbehaviour. 

From February to May, students and 

teachers worked tirelessly to create an 

original piece of theatre. Music students 

wrote the music, and Drama students 

devised the scenes and choreographed 

the dances. Students from across the 

Secondary School made wonderful 

props, designed and made masks, built 

sets, arranged the sound and lights, ran 

back-stage, organised costumes and 

sold tickets. Everything about this year’s 

production was totally original, unique to 

HKA and created by our fantastic students. 

How did we create each story? 

The students were very much involved 

in the making of each scene. Nearly 

every single story was composed by 

the students who performed in them, 

offering both artistic and leadership 

opportunities for students. Three of the 

stories, performed in English, Chinese and 

German, were all directed and devised by 

students. The dances were choreographed 

predominantly by students in Grade 9. The 

way we created the scenes was simple: 

we all sat down together, read through the 

script and discussed how we interpreted 

it, and then determined how we would 

like to make it come alive on stage. 

What did we want the audience 

to get out of our performance? 

Originally, we wanted the production 

to exude a creepy and sort of uncanny 

theme. We also wanted the audience to 

leave the performance feeling not only 

entertained but slightly unsure as to what 

just occurred on the stage and slightly 

unsure how to react to it. 

The Makeup Crew 

The Special Effects Team (SFX), an After 

School Activity, learned and practiced 

various theatrical make up skills to 

compliment the characters for the 

production. The team included Grade 9, 

10, and 11 students Laila Burgin, Maeve 

Kelly, Gabrielle Powell, Georgina Reilly, 

Jack Robb, Marissa Sosa and Gigi Wong 

all contributed their newly found skills 

to the play and grew with confidence 

week by week. From applying prosthetics 

to wig installations to horror makeup 

and fanciful and aged looks, the team 

collaborated with each other to share tips, 

themes and creative ideas. 

Overall, the production allowed us to take 

on leadership responsibilities which led 

to several successful performances. We 

have learnt about stage presence, how 

to translate ideas into reality, and how to 

connect and cooperate with others from 

different grades levels. It was amazing 

to receive positive feedback from people 

who were or were not familiar with 

the story. Through this experience, we 

showcased our talents, worked hard and 

we are all very proud. 

15

Stories about the bus 

go round and round 

by Nicole Bolle 

As any parent of a young child knows, buses are prevalent in 

children’s literature and stories. You only have to step into the 

HKA Primary School Library to find many choices on the topic, The 

Magic School Bus, The Hundred Decker Bus, Last Stop on Market 

Street, and Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, just to name a few. 

These stories are internationally popular and hold great appeal 

with young and adult readers alike. So what cultivates our 

continual fascination with buses? What purpose can these books 

serve as our students prepare for a new school year? And just 

what is it about the bus that helps us better understand both 

ourselves and others? 

In the stories mentioned, buses are ‘vehicles’ for exciting 

journeys. They expose the passengers to diversity both amongst 

people and passing environments. They encourage responsibility 

and cooperation as well as provide a sense of familiarity, routine 

and commitment. Whilst most of the books I found in the PS 

Library aren’t exclusively about riding the school bus, they all 

address riding the bus in one way or another and can be used 

to assist students who may be feeling either super excited or a 

little bit nervous. These books can guide us to better manage our 

expectations and make the most of the experience. 

The tale of students riding the HKA bus is not dissimilar to the 

experiences shared in these stories. A trip on a HKA school bus 

provides independence, allowing both students and parents alike 

to ‘let go’. 

The bus ride is also fertile ground for unexpected friendships as 

students are able to find commonality and understanding in peers 

outside the comfort of a HKA classroom. At the same time, a bus 

ride encourages tolerance and understanding as you may have to 

share your seat with someone you were not quite expecting. 

However, the trip on the school bus is not just about developing 

relationships or getting from A to B. The journey on the bus also 

provides a window to the ever-changing and diverse face of the 

city we have come to or are are starting to call home. The trip 

is also an opportunity to engage with our local bus mothers, 

whether it be a smile, an attempted or translated conversation. 

This is the opportunity for our students to find out about crossgenerational 

and international perspectives on an evolving and 

continually changing Hong Kong. 

And whilst not everything may go according to plan, riding 

the bus teaches us that that’s okay, too. Sometimes traffic or 

16

poor weather causes a delay, and students (and parents and 

helpers) have to be flexible. Our students are still part of a ‘dress 

rehearsal’ so to speak, the bus is clearly identifiable and tracked. 

Any circumstances of concern are addressed immediately with 

our HKA Principals and Facilities & Operation Department. We 

benefit from these learning experiences, and our students grow 

more confident as they continue to venture on exciting journeys 

beyond the doors of HKA. 

Books are a great way to share experiences with our children. 

The library hosts over 100-bus books, and whilst I have not 

read them all, here are a few of my favourites: 

Go Bus, Bobby Lynn Maslen (1999), uses the context of a school 

bus for introductory readers. 

The Little School Bus, Margery Cuyler/Bob Kolar (2014), is a 

rhyming tale which follows young children on their journey to 

school. 

School Bus, Donald Crews (2002), follows the daily routine of the 

school bus. 

Don’t Let the Pigeon Ride The Bus, Mo Willems (2003,) when a 

bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer 

springs up to take his place — a pigeon! 

Hundred Decker Bus, Mike Smith (2013), takes us on an adventure 

and shows what happens when things don’t quite go as planned. 

Last Stop on Market Street, Matt de La Pena (2015), Is an energetic 

ride through a bustling city. 

A Bus Called Heaven, Bob Graham (2012), is a community focused 

story about finding magic in the mundane. 

17

The NEW Panda Club 

BY Nora Yeung 

In January 2016, the Panda Shop got a new name and a new 

identity and became the Panda Club. The shift is significant 

because it reflects the broader nature of the Mandarin based 

learning activities that the Club provides outside the classroom 

for Primary School students. By aligning with HKA’s inclusion 

policy, we worked on two key areas. First, we designed new 

engaging games and activities accessible for students of all 

Mandarin levels. The new format was a huge success which 

encouraged us to keep going. After 3 more months of trial and 

error, positive student and parent feedback, we felt confident to 

keep going in this direction. We finished the 2015-2016 school 

year with a surprise class visit from Kung Fu Panda (aka Mr. Dean). 

When we returned to school in August 2016, fresh and ready 

for the new 2016 – 2017 school year, the Panda Club volunteers 

focused on our second task: to include all interested parents 

in helping to facilitate the games and activities across all grade 

levels from K – Grade 5. 

At the welcome back and volunteer information coffee morning 

during the first week of school, we emphasized that Panda Club 

volunteers did not need the ability to speak Mandarin to help with 

the Club. Mandarin speaking volunteers are eager and willing 

to teach non-Mandarin speaking adults as well as children. In 

addition, the presence of non-Chinese parents on the Panda 

Club team also speaking or learning mandarin is extremely 

18

encouraging for the students. The participation of non-Mandarin 

speaking parents helps everyone see and understand better the 

different ways children can learn Mandarin as a living language. 

We are so happy that The Panda Club parent volunteers are now 

as diverse as the students! 

With so many creative volunteers and the support of the school, 

The Panda Club has been able to incorporate technology and pop 

culture into our activities, too. One highlight was the Mandarin 

version of the viral hit Pen Pineapple Apple Pen (PPAP) song. 

We filmed our students singing their own version in Mandarin 

drawing on any combination of words they knew. The video was 

then played on a loop on giant TV screens. We all had a blast. 

Another well-received and fun activity was showing the students 

pictures on iPads of Primary School Principal Virginia Hunt and 

Primary School Assistant Principal Dean Johnson going about 

their daily activities at school. Students were enthusiastic to tell 

us in Mandarin what they were doing, be it eating, teaching or 

writing. We could then stimulate more conversation by asking 

questions about the photo in more detail. 

Our current range of games and activities include Chinese 

character or number Bingo, calligraphy, flash cards snap, 

sentence making, Pick-up Pandas with Chopsticks, Chinese 

Calendar say-the-date/name-the-festival, English-Mandarin 

Picture Story Telling Translation and more. 

More recently, we created an opportunity for Grades 4 and 5 

students to take a more active role as Panda Club Ambassadors. 

By empowering the Ambassadors to facilitate the game or activity, 

we hope to increase future student involvement and feedback. 

One Ambassador from each grade will receive a Profile Star at the 

end of the year as a recognition of their helpful participation. 

Some Panda Club mums also help the Mandarin teachers with 

the reading program and with Chinese cultural activities such 

as making dumplings during various Chinese festivities. Their 

contribution to cultural learning is invaluable. Parents interested 

in helping share Chinese culture are welcome to join! Their 

contribution to cultural learning is invaluable. Parents interested 

to help and learn some Chinese culture are welcome to join! 

In the future, we aim to develop more fun interactive mandarin 

programs during and after school. Your support means a lot to 

us. For Panda Club updates or to volunteer, please visit the 

HKA website for more information. 

19

HKA Athletics 

Inclusion in Sports 

by HEIDI BOSHOFF 

At HKA, we value a rigorous and inclusive international education. When we talk about 

inclusion, we generally think first of the classroom. But as we experienced in a recent 

sporting event, an inclusive mindset is so much more than that. During a football 

competition this term, the Dragonfly U12 Boys Team competed in a match with an 

opposing team whose goalie had a physical disability. HKA went on to win 5 -2, but more 

important than the win was the way in which the boys won. Equipped with an inclusive 

mindset, they played well and competed not only with respect for their opponents, but 

with enthusiasm for participating in an inclusive match. 

This got me thinking about what is an inclusively-minded athlete. What does that look 

like? At a very basic level, it means that all persons should be valued and treated in an 

equitable and fair manner. To me that’s embodied in our mission statement: 

“HKA is committed to maintaining a diverse, collaborative and captivating learning 

environment in which students become adaptable, confident and tolerant, equipping 

them for the future.” 

But what does that imply for kicking a ball from one end of the field to another? To 

me, it’s rather simple. In our Sports Programme, we believe it’s about the person, not 

the score. Naturally, we all would love to win — and it is good to strive for that — but 

it is the athletes that matter, not only the win. At HKA, we emphasise the importance 

of respecting and trusting your teammates who are running alongside you or who are 

sitting on the bench. In our community, teammates come from all over the world and 

have different cultural backgrounds. Sometimes there’s a language barrier to overcome 

and different worldviews to understand. But with sport, we focus on the importance of 

a shared goal to create connections, foster dialogue and enhance understanding across 

multiple perspectives. 

By prioritising people in all their diversity (whether teammates or competitors), we 

create an environment where empathy and personal concern manifests themselves in a 

sense of moral responsibility to others and a commitment to the values of that sporting 

community. It is precisely because of this belief in diversity — which is an integral part 

of HKA’s core mission — that HKA Sport is working towards offering a variety of sports for 

athletes to find their own pathways to excellence. We believe the more opportunities we 

create for students, the greater their global perspective and interest will be. 

20

Interviewed by by Amelia and Christian, Grade 5 students 

Behind the Scenes HERoes 

Fanny Chan| 

You will always see her with her phone: 

an interview with Ms. Fanny 

What’s the best part about working in 

Hong Kong academy? 

Ms. Fanny – “The school events!” 

What would be your dream job? 

Ms. Fanny – “My dream job is similar 

to this work. I like to work with people, 

coordinating events and making people 

feel satisfied and happy.” 

What do you do in your free time? 

Ms. Fanny – “I love shopping! Most of 

the time I spend time with my family. I 

visit my mother. I have one daughter, 

she is studying at HKA in Grade 7. I love 

travel too. During my holiday, I love to 

go on vacation with my family. I enjoy 

it very much.” 

What part of the school do you run? 

Ms. Fanny – “I work in the operations 

department for cleaning, maintenance, 

and security.” 

How long have you been working in Hong 

Kong academy? 

Ms. Fanny – “In October 2017, it will be 

4 years.” 

What was your first job? 

Ms. Fanny – “My first job in HK was 

working for ESF. I worked in PTA 

fundraising and uniforms, but I did have 

a job in Canada which was with mutual 

funds and as a property manager.” 

How many people do you work with? 

Ms. Fanny – “I work with about 60 people 

in total: 38 bus drivers and bus mothers, 

10 cleaners, 2 security guards per shift 

and 3 maintenance workers. I cannot 

lose them, they are a very important 

part of my job.” 

Have you ever considered doing the 

same job somewhere else? 

Ms. Fanny – “Actually, the job before 

this one was totally different. I am very 

happy to be here because I learn so 

much everyday.” 

How long does it take to organize 

an event? 

Ms. Fanny – “We have to be available to 

call in case something happens. We use 

WhatsApp or telephone. I am available 

weekends, weeknights and holidays. It 

is hard to say how much time as it also 

depends on the event.” 

Why did you come to Hong Kong 

Academy? 

Ms. Fanny – “We came to Hong Kong in 

2006 for my husband’s job opportunity. 

When I first started here I was the bus 

supervisor, but after two months I had the 

opportunity to be the Assistant Operations 

Manager.” 

What is the most important part of 

your job? 

Ms. Fanny – “Making the school run 

smoothly. I work with three departments: 

cleaning, security and maintenance. I 

cannot miss any one of them. I need their 

support to make sure everything is done 

right and does not affect the school or 

the learning. All departments must work 

together. 

My record is five events in three days 

from Friday to Sunday and then getting 

everything ready for school on Monday. 

Coordinating the staff and their time is 

important; sometimes we have to hire 

extra staff. I am very lucky my team 

cooperates, works well together and 

communicates on WhatsApp. You will 

always see me with my phone. My team 

is very important to me I cannot do 

anything by myself, it is all teamwork.” 

Thank you! 

21

Happenings 

looking back 

6 February 

London Alumni Event 

More than a dozen parents joined the Head 

of School for lunch. 

16 February 

Secondary School Sports Day 

27 February - 3 March 

Primary School Literacy Week 

11 -14 MArch 

Adaptive Schools Seminar 

HKA hosted the Adaptive Schools Seminar 

which shared leading teaching practices. 

16-17 March 

Grade 2 Exhibition 

Phoenixes took their first win in 10 years. 

17 February 

Primary School Sports Day 

Reading was the highlight of everyone’s week 

with visiting authors and the Continuous 

Reading Chair to dressing as your favourite 

book character and pajama day. 

1 MArch 

Book Fair 

4 - 5 March 

GIN Conference 

Grade 2 students shared their knowledge with 

other Primary School students and parents. 

21 MArch 


Primary School students combined fun and 

friendly sports competition for another great 

Sports Day! 

18 February 

Community Fair and 

Climbing Wall Inauguration 

HKA hosted its first GIN conference, 

welcoming students from around the region 

for two days of challenging, interactive and 

hands-on learning about global issues and 

how to address them. 

8-10 March 

The Grade 3 Exhibition focused on the Unity 

of Inquiry theme “Who We Are” and taught 

us all about the human body. 

21 March 

Primary School Music Concert 

and Reception 

Families enjoyed all the traditional food 

and fun of HKA’s annual Community 

Fair, combined with the excitement of 

inaugurating the school’s indoor 

Climbing Wall. 

Grade 3 Camp 

Grade 3 enjoyed their first HKA camp with fun 

water and team building activities. 

Each Primary School grade wowed the 

audience with their performances. 

22

31 March 

Coffee House 

Secondary Students brought their talents to 

the stage and creativity to the canvas for a 

great evening. 

1 April 

Rock and Roll Bowl and Auction 

For the second year in a row, parents turned 

out for a fun evening of bowling and bidding 

to raise funds for the school’s Annual Fund. 

Overall, families had contributed more 

than HKD 1.8 million in 2016-17, much of 

which helps make the new Primary School 

Playscapes possible. 

6 April 

Music Recital and 

Grade 12 Visual Arts Exhibition 

A classical music recital featuring many 

traditions, followed by a reception and the 

Grade 12 DP Art Show made for a wonderful 

evening of fine arts at HKA. 

24 April 

Singapore Alumni Event 

Former as well as future HKA families 

connected with each other, along with former 

and current faculty and staff. 

5 May 

Hot Cocoa House 

Primary School students gathered to see a 

variety of performances from their peers. 

11-12 April 


Grade 5 students shared their research, 

reflections and actions that addressed 

global issues with the HKA community. 

17 MaY 

Primary School Service Learning Fair 

Students met with a variety of non-profit 

organizations and learned ways they could 

take action to benefit others. 

19 May 

Shockheaded Peter Performance 

The student directed play allowed individuals 

to find their own ways to actively engage in 

the whole process. 

25 MAY 

Primary School Art Exhibition 

Art filled the halls, hung from the ceiling and 

covered the floors for all to enjoy. 

25 MAy 

Ronaldo Visits HKA 

Football super star Ronaldo visited HKA 

to a very enthusiastic crowd. 

31 MAy 

Parent Volunteer Appreciation 

Breakfast 

Head of School thanked parent volunteers, 

one of HKA’s most valuable resources. 

2 June 

Graduation — Class of 2017 

Graduating students celebrated their 

accomplishments and looked to the future. 

7 June 

Secondary School Renaissance 

Festival and Grade 10 Exhibition 

Shakespeare came to life in many forms at this 

year’s festival. 

9 June 

Grade 4 Play, Recipe for Adventure 

Adventures from around the globe right in 

the kitchen! 

23

Happenings 

looking forward 

Don’t miss... 

BAck to School Coffee 

18 August - 8:15 AM at the Theatre 

Meet up with friends and welcome 

new ones and find out about parent 

volunteer opportunities at HKA! 

PRimary SChool 

back to school Night 

31 August 

Primary school parents are invited to 

meet their children’s teachers and 

learn about educational experiences 

and activities planned for the year. 

Movie Night 

21 October - 3:30 PM 

Movie (Day and) Night returns with 

matinee, followed by dinner in the 

cafeteria and an evening show. 

Community FaiR 

18 November -time 11:00 AM 

Mark your calendars now for 

this year’s Community Fair on 18 

November! With food and fun from all 

over the world, the Community Fair is 

one of HKA’s most beloved traditions. 

Many thanks to Hilde Santens (mom 

of Irene ‘15 and Leo ‘17) and Jessica 

Wong (mom of Harold ‘16 and Valerie 

‘22) who chaired this event for many 

years with grace, skill and panache! 

And thank you to Hilde’s and Jessica’s 

wonderful successors at the helm, 

Melita Law, Diana Laudani, and 

Masako Yoshino. 

HKA Golf Tournament 

14 December 

Join the fun and support the school 

at HKA’s 5th Annual Golf Tournament 

at the Clearwater Bay Golf and 

Country Club. 

Calendar Highlights 

16 August 

First Day of School - Half Day 

18 August 

Grades 6-11 Retreats and 

Back to School Coffee for HKA Parents 

30 August 

Grade 12 Higher Education Night 

31 August 

Primary School 

Back to School Night 

3-6 September 

Foundation Adaptive Schools Seminar 

4-6 September 

School Photos 

7 September 

Grades 9-12 Back to School Night and 

Learning Outside The Classroom 

(LOTC) information evening 

14 September 

Grades 6-8 Back to School Night and 

Learning Outside The Classroom 

(LOTC) information evening 

19-22 September 

Grade 4 & Grade 5 Camp 

22 September 

Primary School Counsellor 

Coffee Morning 

27 September 

Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration 

2-6 October 

Autumn Holiday 

10 October 

MYP Parent Evening 

19 October 


21 October 

Movie Night 

23-27 October 

Grades 6-8 LOTC 

25 October 

PSAT for Grades 10-11 

31 October - 1 November 

Primary and Secondary School 

Parent Teacher Student Conferences 

(PTSC) 

18 November 

Community Fair 

30 November 


and Pathways Evening 

3-7 DECember 

Grades 9-12 LOTC 

8 December 


Coffee Morning 

13 December 

Grade 4 & Grade 5 Concert 

14 December 

5th Annual HKA Golf Tournament 

18 December - 5 JANUARY 

Winter Holiday 

18 January 

Grade 10 Personal Project Exhibition 

and Grade 9 Higher Education Night 

19 January 


Coffee Morning and Semester 1 Ends 

22 January 

Semester 2 Begins 

7 February 

Lunar New Year Assembly 

12-19 February 

Lunar New Year Holiday 

24

hka 

Voices 

contributors 

Amelia And Emily from Grade 5 interviewed 

HKA’s Fanny Chan for this issue’s behind the 

scenes hero feature. 

Marie Baker was born and raised in the UK and 

has been teaching Early Childhood Education for 

over 16 years. She loves nature and animals and 

can often be found in the EC shared area tending 

to her pet frogs or in the playground hanging out 

with Jeffrey the turtle. In her spare time she enjoys 

swimming, hiking, kayaking, reading and eating 

sweets with her daughters, Kaela and Ruby. 

NICOLE BOLLE is now in her fourth year as 

Facilities & Operations Director at HKA. Originally 

from Australia, she worked in China and Taiwan 

from 2004 to 2007 on various civil and building 

construction projects. She moved to Hong Kong 

in 2008, continuing this role before starting at 

HKA. Nicole has enjoyed working for Facilities at 

HKA both in managing and promoting the school, 

in particular the unique finishes and collaborative 

feel it emanates. Nicole’s favourite thing about 

Hong Kong is running through and exploring the 

Country Parks. When not at school Nicole enjoys 

spending time with her husband and two young 

children. 

HEIDI BOSHOFF was born in Namibia, raised in 

South Africa, travels on an Austrian passport with 

Irish-born children and has lived in Hong Kong 

for the past 8 years. Heidi studied Sports Science, 

specialising in people with disabilities, and is 

passionate about seeing people reaching their 

full potential. After working nearly two years in 

the Learner Support Department, Heidi is now the 

Athletics and Activities Coordinator. She has two 

children in the Secondary School, Heidi in Grade 

9 and Johsua in Grade 11. 

Heidi Boshoff, Sophia Chan and Mathea 

Sobejana Grade 9 students discuss the making 

of this year’s Secondary School Play. 

Stephen Dare is the Head of School at 

Hong Kong Academy. Before coming to HKA, 

Stephen was an administrator at the International 

School of Manila. In 2016, he began his doctoral 

studies in education and was a Klingenstein 

Fellow at Columbia University in 2017. 

KIRA GALBRAITH is in her second year as the 

Secondary School Counsellor at HKA. With a 

background in humanitarian aid, Kira recently 

made a career change into counseling because 

of her desire to support the next generation of 

global citizens, parents, workers, and leaders. 

She is a strong advocate for Positive Psychology 

and Social Emotional Learning within education, 

and as such has helped spearhead a proactive 

and preventative approach to student wellbeing 

through the Secondary School Advisory Program. 

As a true Seattle native, Kira is often found 

running the trails of Hong Kong and searching for 

the best coffee in town. 

CORNEL MARAIS a native of South Africa, is 

in his second year at HKA and his sixth in Hong 

Kong. At HKA he works in the Learner Support 

department overseeing grades 9-12. He also 

previously taught Language and Literature 

and currently teaches Individuals & Societies. 

He changed careers to become a teacher 11 

years ago and has since taught in South Africa, 

Taiwan, New Zealand and Hong Kong. He 

previously worked as an orthopaedic and cardiac 

rehabilitation therapist. Cornel is in his final year 

of completing a Masters degree in International 

Education Administration through the University 

of Sunderland. 

WARREN NEEDHAM is an Assistant Principal in 

the Secondary School at HKA. Warren has been 

teaching for 30 years, including the last 11 years 

at HKA. Over the course of his career, Warren has 

taught many disciplines in both the primary and 

secondary school settings, including health and 

physical education, mathematics, music, science 

and even geography. He is an avid rugby fan who 

loves to watch the Reds and the Wallabies play 

and is a former international rugby referee with 7 

caps to his name. He is also a keen musician who 

plays guitar and sings and can be found playing 

at markets and with the HKA staff band Gecko 

Bait. He has recently joined a Pink Floyd tribute 

band as the lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist. 

BRUCE ROADSIDE just completed his second 

year as the Primary School Technology Integration 

Coach at HKA. Originally from the United States, 

he has taught internationally for over 20 years 

throughout Europe and Asia. He is passionate 

about the effective use of technology for learning 

and is expanding his knowledge base to include 

how the maker movement can be integrated 

into the primary years. Bruce loves to be active 

in the outdoors and can be found biking, hiking, 

climbing, skiing, and dragonboating in his 

free time. 

MARIA TULLBERG has lived in all corners of 

the world, making her a global citizen and third 

culture kid. She considers Hong Kong home 

now, and has taught at HKA for seven years in 

various grade levels. Previously Maria worked 

with communication and administration in 

other international schools in Hong Kong. Maria 

has a Master’s Degree in Asian Studies and 

a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education from 

HKU. Recently, Maria completed a certificate in 

Mathematics in International Schools K-8, and 

she believes that everyone can be a successful 

mathematician. 

DENIS WONG was born and raised in New York 

City. He has been the secondary ELL teacher at 

HKA for two years. Prior to HKA, Denis was a high 

school English teacher and special education 

teacher in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, 

where he was part of the New York City Teaching 

Fellows program. Denis has a BA in English and 

Psychology from Rutgers University, an MA in 

Special Education from Long Island University, 

and an MFA in Creative Writing from the City 

University of Hong Kong. When not thinking about 

grammar, Denis is interested in travel, music, his 

family, and writing. 

Nora Yeung was born in Hong Kong but 

grew up in Melbourne, Australia. Nora and her 

husband, Allan Jupp have 3 kids at Hong Kong 

Academy – Jake in Grade 8, Dylan in Grade 5 

and Bianca in Grade 2. Aside from running an 

international export business, she is also the 

founder of Creative Coding HK and is passionate 

about spreading digital literacy and helping kids 

to develop a maker mindset. She has enjoyed 

being a volunteer and committee member of the 

Panda Club for last 3 years. In her spare time, 

Nora loves travelling to new places with her 

family.

Inquirers 

“I am trying to ask questions, 

to communicate and be nice.” 

— Haelyn, PK2 

Inquirers | Knowledgeable | Thinkers | Communicators | Principled | Open-Minded | Caring | Risk-takers | Balanced | Reflective 

INQUIRERS We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently 

and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

hkaVoices - Autumn 2017

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