Welcome to the first issue of HKAVoices, the magazine of Hong Kong Academy.


HKAVoices is for the entire Hong Kong Academy community to talk about what’s happening on campus, what’s new in international education, and what’s meaningful about the HKA experience.


Coming from Stubbs Road and Kennedy Town, we oſten say that at HKA, “It’s not about the building.” And even now, in our beautiful new campus, HKA still isn’t about the building. HKA is about the students, families, faculty, staff, former families and alumni that together make HKA the wonderful school that it is. HKAVoices tells the stories of that dynamic learning community.


Our inaugural issue of HKAVoices coincides with the opening of our new campus in Sai Kung. To mark that journey, Primary School Principal Virginia Hunt reflects on the transition from Stubbs Road to Kennedy Town to Sai Kung. Student Elisa Ip and recent graduate Suhail Bindra also reflect on years of change, reminding us of where we’ve come from and where we’re going, both literally and figuratively.


Other articles reflect HKA’s role as a lead-learning international school. Whether it’s our new programmes in environmental sustainability and service learning or a discussion about home work and home learning, HKA is developing and implementing best practices in international education. We hope you enjoy this issue of HKAVoices and welcome your feedback. We’d love to hear from you!


Happy Reading,


Laura Mitchell Advancement and Communications Director


CONTRIBUTORS


SUHAIL BINDRA Suhail Bindra is a member of the Class of 2013. He has the extraordinary distinction of having earned a perfect score on his IB exams. A student at the University of Hong Kong studying law, Suhail’s other interests include music and sports, especially guitar and racquet sports such as tennis, squash and table- tennis. He enjoys studying the law for the interesting practical aspects that change the way he looks at the world. As Suhail puts it, “I find studying the thin line between legality and illegality fascinating!”


STEPHEN DARE Stephen Dare is the Head of School at Hong Kong Academy. He has worked in international schools in North and South America and South East Asia. For the last five years, Stephen has been a co-trainer for the Principal’s Training Center Summer Institutes for Curriculum and Leadership and, more recently, for Leadership and Group Dynamics. He currently sits on the Advisory Board for the Next Frontier Inclusion Project and is a member of the ACAMIS Board. He originally leſt the UK for a couple of years to explore the world of international education and to travel to Machu Picchu. He never made it to Peru and is still working overseas 25 years later.


VIRGINIA HUNT Virginia Hunt is in her seventh year at Hong Kong Academy and has enjoyed all three campuses during her role as Primary School Principal. Prior to Hong Kong Academy, Virginia opened the Internationale Schule Frankfurt Rhein-Mein and was part of the build for Dubai National School and the design premise of the American School Dubai, Al Barsha campus.


ELISA IP Elisa Ip is a Grade 12 student at HKA. She has attended HKA since Grade 3. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing a wide range of genres from biographies to thrillers, to books about the military and animal behaviour. She loves learning about different people and cultures. Elisa is also an accomplished painter.


HEATHER LINHARDT Heather Linhardt is HKA’s first Sustainability Coordinator. She has 16 years combined experience in environmental education, non-profit management, organisational development and classroom teaching. Before moving to Hong Kong, she co-founded an NGO in Mexico devoted to environmental education. She also served as Executive Director of Outward Bound Mexico and worked with service learning and experiential education programmes in IB schools in Mexico. Heather is looking forward to coordinating efforts of students, teachers, and parents at HKA towards a more sustainable future.


DOUG MUSCO A native of Ithaca, NY, Doug Musco always loved school and sports. Aſter attending the University of Massachusetts/Amherst on an academic and lacrosse scholarship, he worked in the financial services industry for a few years, but returned to school for master’s degrees in education and administration. His international education experience spans the globe, including positions in Venezuela, Morocco, Ghana, and now in Hong Kong. Before becoming a school principal, he taught IB History and served as an IB Coordinator. Outside of school he enjoys spending time with his family and being outside hiking, kayaking, and being a rugby and soccer dad.


RICHARD REILLY Richard Reilly joined HKA this year as the school’s first Student Action Coordinator. Before moving to Hong Kong, he taught at the International School of Manila. His academic focus is physics and maths, but his career has encompassed much more than the classroom experience. He worked as a professional brewer before spending 3 years as a Counter Terrorism Analyst for the British Government, followed by several years in Beijing with the British Foreign Office. Richard returned to education 8 years ago and is passionate about helping students to develop adaptability, self-management and problem- solving skills so that they can apply their knowledge in effective and meaningful ways.


VIVIAN SO Vivian So grew up in Canada and came back to Hong Kong aſter graduating from the University of Alberta. Aſter working in investment banking for a few years, Vivian leſt the financial sector last year to pursue her second career in Communications. She recently graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a degree in E-Commerce with emphasis on social media, online communications, relationship management, and marketing. Vivian is enjoying her second career, the cows in Sai Kung, as well as her time at HKA.


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