Welcome Back!

Welcome back to HKA for the 2016-17 school year! The new teachers arrived the first week in August (click here to view their bios), followed shortly thereafter by our returning faculty. The school is once again buzzing with activity, and we eagerly await the arrival of students and families. Enrolment is over 640 for the beginning of the year, which is more than 5% growth in the student body. The first eNews of the year will be sent this Friday, 12th August, ahead of that, I wanted to reach out to you all with a few important items.

Food, glorious food! HKA is debuting a new food service this autumn, hkaEats. We’ve taken the catering in-house with our own chef, Chris Gallaga. Using the Zest model, our menus and service will emphasise fresh and freshly prepared meals at both the cafeteria and the cafe. There will also be a new payment feature using a student ID card where parents can top-up value with the ability to also enrol in meal plans...all online! More information regarding hkaEats and the new online systems will be announced soon!

Facilities Update. Over the summer, in addition to the regular repair and maintenance, we made a few significant changes. I hope you’ll swing by the fitness and multi-purpose space on the Upper Ground area that overlooks the gymnasium. This area has been transformed and provides a wonderful physical education space, especially for our youngest students. The area will also be available for other activities out of school hours. The renovation on this space constituted the first phase of the climbing wall project; we’re looking forward to inaugurating that resource in early 2017. The Extended Learning and ASA Office is now located near the gym, across from the changing rooms. We’re excited to have this programme housed near the PE office!

Class of 2016. Members of the Class of 2016 are now on their way to their next adventures! Over the summer, initial IB results were announced, and I’m happy to report that this year’s graduates meeting or exceeding their predicted scores. Most of HKA’s Grade 12 students choose to pursue the IB Diploma or IB certificates, arguably one of the most rigorous academic programmes in the world. The IB exams take place in May of each year, and most exam results are shared in July. Visit http://www.ibo.org/diploma for more information about how the IB Diploma works, including the scoring and grading system.

All of HKA’s students who pursued the full Diploma passed the exam, with the highest score being 40 out of 45. Students’ overall results were within one point of their predicted scores, a frequently cited standard of success. The students who took certificates rather than the full Diploma also performed extremely well. We are proud of them all! For an overview of HKA’s 2016 IB scores, please click here. To see where the Class of 2016 is heading next, check out the list of university and college offers, matriculations and other choices that are linked in the IB scores overview. Importantly, HKA graduates pursuing tertiary education are attending their preferred institutions. They are pursuing the pathways that are right for them. While I am always happy to share stories of HKA’s academic rigour and our students’ successes, it’s important to remember that exam results and university placements are only two measures of achievement. With our a student-centred, inquiry-based education, we believe a truly rigorous education prepares students for the lives they are meant to lead. We value a differentiated approach to teaching that stretches and engages all students and helps them develop their talents to their fullest. And we all work together to support this process, faculty, students and parents alike. It’s cliche to say that it takes a village, but it’s also true. And I thank you for being a part of this village.