The Inclusion BY KRISTEL SOLOMON-SALEEM


As a leading institution in the field of inclusive education, Hong Kong Academy is a member of the path-breaking international educational organization Next Frontier: Inclusion (NFI). NFI was founded by a small but dedicated team of educators led by Bill and Ochan Powell. Their guiding belief: that high quality education is a basic human right for all children and that families living overseas should be able to stay together and provide an appropriate education for all of their children. NFI also began with the core assumption that international education must include all children and that including students who require additional learner support enhances the education of all. HKA was founded on similar assumptions about inclusion and “mutual benefit” — the idea that all students learn better when diverse students learn together — and adopted that model from its opening in 2000. Next Frontier: Inclusion’s membership now includes more than 90 international schools and enjoys the support of at least 9 additional organizations, including the US State Department and the International Baccalaureate Organization.


In September, HKA had the opportunity to host over 140 educators for the NFI Transformational Learning For All Conversation. The “conversation”, as it was titled, was an opportunity for school leaders, teachers, and board members to share in rich discussions, practices, and insights on the topic of inclusion. More than 32 international schools from over 26 countries took part, and there was still an extensive waiting list! Over the 3-day conversation, which included opportunities to visit and observe HKA classrooms and instruction, Hong Kong Academy teachers, administrators and board members not only participated but also presented and facilitated workshops.


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