Hong Kong Academy - Head of School Announcement

Hong Kong Academy
seeks its next Head of School to
join the community in July 2024

Welcome to Hong Kong Academy
HISTORY AND ACCREDITATION
Established in 2000, HKA is an independent, co-educational international school serving
students aged 3-18 years old
Authorised IB World School that offers the Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and
Diploma Programmes (IBDP)
HKA is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association
of Schools & Colleges (WASC)
Memberships include:
Global Citizen Diploma Consortium (GCD)
Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS)
International School Sports Federation of Hong Kong (ISSFHK)
Next Frontier: Inclusion (NFI)
Special Education Network and Inclusion Association (SENIA)
STUDENT NATIONALITIES
Our population reflects our commitment to
internationalism, diversity and inclusion, with
our 413 students representing 38 nationalities.
Hong Kong SAR
29%
UK
USA
16%
15%
Canada
Australia
6%
9%
Other
25%
FACULTY AND SUPPORT STAFF
112
52%
1:5
41
Teaching and Leadership Faculty
Faculty hold a master’s degree or higher
Teacher-to-student ratio
Support Staff
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MISSION AND STRATEGY
As we continue to evolve and grow as an organisation, we look to our mission as the driver of our
shared purpose. Recently updated to reflect where the school is today and where it aspires to be
in the future, the mission serves as a guidepost and foundation for all our efforts to provide
exceptional educational opportunities to our students.
Our core values anchor our strategic priorities, which have been developed in partnership with
faculty, staff, students and parents. The strategy frames our dialogue and discussion both
educationally and operationally, prioritising how we seek to move forward, providing a common
language for setting schoolwide priorities and supporting our identification of evidence of success.
Dynamic Learning
Community
Rigorous
International
Education
Educational
Leader
Pathways to
Individual
Excellence
CORE VALUES OF
HONG KONG ACADEMY
Engage in
Responsible
Action
Captivating
Learning
Environment
Sustainable
Future
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WHAT MAKES HKA UNIQUE?
Global Citizenship is at the heart of HKA’s mission and vision for learning. The school is
pursuing the Pathway 2 deep dive on global citizenship and intercultural learning in its current
CIS accreditation cycle, and global citizenship drives how learning, teaching and assessment
take place. All graduates earn the Global Citizen Diploma (GCD) certificate, an externally
recognised portfolio-based credential dedicated to nurturing intercultural communication,
global understanding, community engagement and academic rigour.
All HKA students are supported to pursue their pathways to individual excellence. Our
inquiry-based curriculum provides a holistic education that is differentiated for our full range
of learners. Students are given voice and agency at every grade level as they make and use
personal connections to engage in meaningful learning experiences. As they approach
graduation, students are supported to identify the best-fit pathway that will help them achieve
their post-secondary aspirations.
In our evolving educational landscape, we remain focussed on what students need to be
successful learners now and in the future. Teachers are innovative, calling on research-based
strategies and resources that invite students to be problem-seekers and changemakers both in
and beyond the classroom.
HKA offers a robust co-curricular programme for learners of every age, with over 100
offerings available each year. There is a balance of learning opportunities in the fine and
performing arts, STEM, sports, leadership, language studies and service learning for both
Primary and Secondary School students.
Our state-of-the-art campus is purpose-built, serving as a living learning lab. The Green
Building Council has awarded the facility Gold BEAM Plus status for its sustainable operational
procedures and environmentally-friendly design.
4

WORKING AND LIVING IN SAI KUNG
In 2013, Hong Kong Academy moved into its current location in the seaside town of Sai Kung.
Located in the New Territories, this exceptional location provides community members with the
very best of what Hong Kong has to offer. Surrounded by mountains, in proximity to a number of
country parks and with easy access to the sea, the Sai Kung area boasts a range of outdoor
activities for both children and adults. Central Hong Kong is a 35-40 minute drive away and
accessible by private car and public transport.
The HKA campus is a short walk from Sai Kung town,
where a wide range of restaurants, shops and local
businesses are centred around the local waterfront
promenade. The school works in partnership with the
community, making use of the public swimming pool,
running track and hardtop courts and opening its facilities
to neighbourhood organisations and sports teams.
5

About the Position
General duties of the Head of School include oversight of and accountability for HKA’s:
Purpose and Direction by:
Embodying and promoting the Mission and core values with all stakeholder groups
Ensuring that decision making is strategic and aligned with HKA’s guiding statements
Generating and communicating evidence of mission integrity and strategic growth
Governance and leadership by:
Acting as a liaison between the Board and the wider HKA community
Serving as an ex-officio member of all standing committees of the Board
Coordinating the activities of the entire organisation, including its educational and operational
departments
Leading the school’s implementation of and accountability towards the Board policies and
mission integrity
Learning and Teaching by:
Implementing the school’s definition of high quality learning
Embedding the learning and teaching framework in curriculum development, assessment
practices and professional development
Supporting and promoting the school’s approach to learning diversity, equity and inclusion
Evaluating the effectiveness of the school’s rigorous international curriculum through the
gathering and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data
Promoting research-based practices that enable student agency and co-construction of
learning experiences
6

Wellbeing by:
Fostering a culture of safety for all stakeholders
Ensuring that the child protection policy and
safeguarding protocols are understood and
implemented
Connecting with external partners and
resources to enhance curricular and cocurricular
programmes
Staffing by:
Recruiting, nurturing and retaining highly qualified leadership team
members, faculty and staff
Implementing the appraisal model in support of effective
professional practice and ongoing growth for all employees
Overseeing the school’s professional learning framework and
systems in collaboration with the educational leadership team
Facilities and Operations by:
Advocating for innovative and sustainable practices in all aspects of school operations
Elevating operational leadership in implementing structures and systems in technology,
finance, facility management and operational practices
Maintaining a physical environment that serves as a learning lab
View our campus on
the 360° virtual map
Community Engagement by:
Elevating the presence and reputation of the
school within the Hong Kong community and as
an educational leader
Promoting a through-school community that
brings all stakeholders together in service to the
school’s mission and core values
Collaborating with the Parent Teacher Community
Organisation to engage parents as partners within
the school community
Engaging in fundraising and community outreach
in support of Institutional Advancement goals
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Required Skills/Qualifications:
Graduate and/or post-graduate degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership,
or a related educational field
Previous leadership experience as Principal/Divisional Leadership, Deputy Head, or Head of
School
International experience and/or working in diverse and inclusive schools (learning access for all
students)
Preferred Skills/Qualifications:
Administrative credential
Chinese Language proficiency
Experience with accreditation
Experience with IB and the re-authorisation process
Experienced with strategic planning aligned with mission and vision
Experienced with increasing enrolment
Experienced with school marketing
Experienced with school fundraising
Community Engagement:
Keeps students at the centre and shows great commitment to all learners
Has mission integrity, embracing and communicating the school’s mission and vision and
actively fostering the identity of HKA
Commits to building relationships and nurturing community involvement
Provides effective direction and leads the community
Is enthusiastic and can motivate stakeholders
Is a strong decision maker
Is visionary, transformative, future thinking and a progressive leader
Is interculturally minded and has international perspective
Has worked in international schools with diverse learning communities and will elevate
diversity as a key feature of HKA
Collaborative and supports the culture of collaboration at HKA
Excellent networker and great opportunist who can communicate and implement robust ideas
as a leader
Personal Qualities:
Is kind, caring, and empathetic
Exhibits integrity, openness, honesty and transparency
Has a growth mindset, is open-minded, outward looking and curious
Is energised by making change and trying new things
Is a strong communicator and keeps the community informed
Is present and visible both in and outside of school
Has strong interpersonal skills, is approachable and has an open door policy
Models a life-long learner profile and values professional learning
Has an understanding of and commitment to inclusion and shares HKA’s philosophy of
inclusion
Compensation (Salary & Benefits):
HKA offers a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with position expectations
and market benchmarks. The initial contract is for three years. A longer tenure is envisaged.
8

Application Process
In the interest of identifying the best candidate for this position, HKA has partnered with Search
Associates to assist in this process with Dr. Lana Al-Aghbar and Dr. Eric Sands serving as the
Search consultants. Please note, the consultants will not recommend candidates for further
consideration by the school if the candidate is under contract or otherwise encumbered in such a
way that would preclude them from freely entering a new employment contract and being
available for the start date stipulated by HKA. The Search consultants will contact the current
employer/supervisor to request completion of a Search Associates Confidential Leadership
Reference Form for all applicants who emerge in the search as semi-finalists.
The application deadline is 1st May 2023, with interviews starting in late March and early April
2023. The new Head of School will commence their duties in August 2024. Candidates are asked
to submit the required materials outlined below as early as possible, as HKA reserves the right to
close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is found. For this reason, it is essential
that candidates submit an application at the earliest time possible. The review of applications
begins as applications are received.
Interested candidates should submit an application to include the following components:
A letter of interest, addressed to the HKA Head of School Search Committee no longer than
two pages, explaining your strengths and why you are interested in the Head of School
position.
A current resume not to exceed two pages.
A one to two page statement outlining educational beliefs and leadership style.
A one-page list of four references with phone numbers and email addresses. Two references
should be current direct supervisor references.
A minimum of two and a maximum of four recent letters of reference (scanned at low
resolution) that may already be in your possession is not a requirement but may be included in
the application.
Candidates should email this information as a single PDF attachment to Dr. Lana Al-Aghbar
(lalaghbar@searchassociates.com) and Dr. Eric Sands (esands@searchassociates.com).
Candidates wishing to learn more about Hong Kong Academy should visit the website at
www.hkacademy.edu.hk.

33 Wai Man Road, Sai Kung,
New Territories, Hong Kong SAR
+852 2655 1111
office@hkacademy.edu.hk
www.hkacademy.edu.hk
Accreditations & Authorisation
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