Hong Kong Academy
| Hong Kong Academy | |
|---|---|
| File:Hong Kong Academy 2015.png Logo of the school | |
| Location | 33 Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, Hong Kong |
| Type | Private international (non-profit) |
| Established | 2000 |
| Head of School | Stephen Dare |
| Primary School Principal | Virginia Hunt |
| Secondary School Principal | Teresa Tung |
| Grades | PK1 to G12 |
| Curriculum framework | International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Current enrollment/number of students | 650+ |
| Accreditation and affiliations | |
| Website | www.hkacademy.edu.hk |
Hong Kong Academy is an independent co-educational day school for students ages 3 – 18 in Hong Kong. The school was founded in 2001 by Teresa Richman and Ben Frankel.[1] The middle school was added in September 2006 and in 2007 the board approved the inclusion of a high school programme that began in 2008/9 academic year. HKA graduated its first IB Diploma cohort in May 2012.
Student and Staff[edit]
Staff Feedback[edit]
Glassdoor.com[edit]
Hong Kong Academy received a 3.9/5 from its staff on Glassdoor. [2] To put this into perspective, Hong Kong International School (HKIS), Delia School of Canada (DSC), and Island School all have at least an average of 4.5/5 from its staff. [3] [4] [5]
InternationalSchoolReviews.com[edit]
International School Reviews (ISR) is an established source for international educates to keep each other informed. Hong Kong Academy has earned an 8/10 on faculty International School Reviews (ISR). [6] With that said, most of the recent reviews have been polarizing.
Sample ISR Reviews
Sample One:
Hong Kong Academy has recently relocated into their first purpose built campus in the New Territories, Sai Kung, a small fishing village that has quickly been transformed into an expat enclave. This means that small family owned restaurants and businesses have been moving out and bigger Western style places are moving in (Pacific Coffee, Starbucks, Jaspas, Dymocks) all of which are increasing rents in the area and unfortunately, animosity toward the school from longtime residents as well. Be aware that Sai Kung is just over an hour away from central. If you are single you might not want to live so far away from the heartbeat of the city. Some teachers commute in every day using a combination of taxi shares and carpools in the morning and public transport to get home; others live in Sai Kung and enjoy the openness and greenery of Sai Kung. If you enjoy the outdoors and a quiet night life, then you might enjoy living here. I found working at Hong Kong Academy the most frustrating of my entire teaching career, and was not alone in this assessment. The majority of teachers here are dissatisfied with their lot but fail to speak up for several reasons. First and foremost administrators at HKA are not leading with compassion and intellect but with, as American president Dwight D. Eisenhower once coined, “misplaced power”. Teachers are consistently treated like worker-bees, being told what to do with little appreciation for their contributions and/or hard work. They have no voice when it comes to school policy, nor is there a system in place for genuine feedback or even back-and-forth dialogue. Teachers who are more verbal in their attempts to have an open dialogue are frequently not offered contract renewals; this was true during my time there and has continued to be true since my departure. Teachers are reviewed annually using Instructional Rounds, where teaching teams are observed by a team of administrators and teachers, and observations are shared with “I saw....” statements. Though it felt validating to be noticed no new information was shared, no genuine feedback was given, and no recommendations for improvements were given. The rounds inform administrators in knowing what is going on in the classroom and provides them with a greater understanding of their teacher’s unique skills, but is a far cry from teachers receiving specific feedback for the work that they do. To add to the frustration level administrators frequently say one thing, then model another. They constantly talk about collaboration and diversity, yet they rarely collaborate with their teachers and have a system in place that lacks diversity among the staff. Hong Kong might be a good choice for relocation but there are lots of other schools in this city that offer better packages, pay, location and certainly a more fulfilling work environment. [7]
Sample Two:
The school was founded to intentionally support a range of learners. As a young school that started with 3 students and grown to 600 there are bound to be some growing pains and those who want things to stay just as they were when it was a much smaller institution. With growth and change, it can cause discomfort, frustration and even push back. However it can also present exciting opportunities. The school has taken these opportunities to establish itself as a lead learning institution within Hong Kong and the greater international community. Professional Development is very important to the school and expects it for their teachers to continue to improve and reflect on their practice.
... All schools have areas they are developing in and areas that are real strengths. HKA prides itself on being mission driven and tries to embed that in all initiatives taken throughout the school. I have been with the school for many years and it is definitely a busy place with high expectations and standards for itself. An school that supports student learning should hold not only students to this standard but all the faculty. If hard work is something you shy away from and instead spend time complaining perpetuating a "conspiracy theory" than this is not the place for you. Teachers can be involved as much as they'd like, however if you do, know that with this involvement comes more responsibility.
Sai Kung is beautiful place to live with a lot of outdoor activities. It is also one of the safest places I have ever lived in. The families and teachers care a lot about what they do and how it is viewed by all stakeholders. Every school is not for everyone and its important that a teacher coming here is dedicated to the maintenance and growth of the program, students and mission.
Student/ Parent Reviews[edit]
Google reviews by students and parents rate Hong Kong Academy a 3.8/5 and its facebook reviews have been deleted. [8] To put this into perspective, Hong Kong International School (HKIS) has a 4.6/5 on Facebook. [9]
Curriculum[edit]
Early childhood[edit]
The Hong Kong Academy Early Childhood program consists of grades PK1-G1. Students study four International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) units of inquiry, integrating Art, Music, Physical Education and Mandarin. The school claims there are at least two full-time teachers in each class, however, it does not specify whether the second teacher is in fact a qualified full-time instructor. Stating that in PK1 and PK2, there is one English-speaking and one Mandarin-speaking teacher.
Primary school[edit]
HKA has adopted the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. The school chose the PYP intentionally because of its curriculum and its focus on personal development. The PYP's transdisciplinary approach to learning promotes creative questioning and meaningful exploration of themes. Using “Units of Inquiry”, students develop core competencies in mathematics and language arts within and across themes in a context that promotes learning for understanding.
The primary school is led by a principal, an assistant principal and PYP coordinator, and a counsellor. For students receiving learner support, the Learner Support Team works closely with teachers and with the primary school leadership.
Secondary school[edit]
Students in grades 6-10 follow the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. The full full IB Diploma Programme is available to grade 11 and 12 students.[1]
Diploma Options[edit]
Students at HKA are given the opportunity to qualify for the HKA Diploma and/or a mix of Diploma Certificates or the full IB Diploma. Qualification for the HKA High School Diploma is determined by credits awarded in the final four years of school.
Option 1: HKA Diploma[edit]
Students must earn 26 credits over four years (Grades 9-12) in order to obtain their HKA Diploma. A credit is earned by earning a year-end mark of 3 (out of a possible 7) or higher.
Option 2: HKA Diploma and the IB DP[edit]
Students that choose to pursue the IB DP must complete all of the requirements of the IB DP during Grades 11 and 12. This includes scoring a minimum of 24 points on their 6 IB exams, and successful completion of the extended essay, CAS, and the Theory of Knowledge. Students successful in this option will have earned BOTH the HKA and IB DP.
Option 3: HKA Diploma and IB Certificates[edit]
Students that do not choose the IB DP will sit for external IB examinations in May of their grade 12 year in SOME IB classes and SOME HKA classes. They will earn IB certificates for subjects in which they sit for the IB examination.
Learner support[edit]
Children needing learning support are admitted upon the same criteria as other students. They must be able to succeed in the mainstream classroom with support services. HKA learning support includes children who are performing beyond grade level expectations, those with physical disabilities, or intellectual challenges, etc.
Campus[edit]
The campus was located in Wan Chai and Kennedy Town. In August 2013 the school moved to its new permanent site in Sai Kung.
2019 College Admissions Bribery Scandal[edit]
A New York Times report connected Hong Kong Academy to the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. [10] The Times reports that Gamal Abdelaziz’s daughter was portrayed as a standout basketball player at Hong Kong Academy. A coach at U.S.C. named Laura Janke created a profile of a girl who starred for a Hong Kong Academy's basketball team, earning such awards as “Asia Pacific Activities Conference All-Star Team,” “2016 China Cup Champions,” “Hong Kong Academy team M.V.P.,” and “team captain.” Hong Kong Academy is part of neither of the two said leagues, only participating in ACAMIS and ISSFHK non-competitive leagues. Hong Kong Academy does not have team MVP awards for reasons of inclusivity. Players of the 2018 Hong Kong Academy basketball team say Abdelaziz’s daughter never attended the school, let alone lead the basketball team. The Times does not implicate or accuse Hong Kong Academy or any of its staff of falsifying records. It is still unclear whether the international school played a role in the scandal.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "School Profile" (PDF). hkacademy.edu.hk. Hong Kong Academy. 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- ↑ name= "Glassdoor">"Working at Hong Kong Academy". Glassdoor. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "Glassdoor">"Working at Hong Kong International School". Glassdoor. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "Glassdoor">"Working at DSC". Glassdoor. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "Glassdoor">"Working at Island School". Glassdoor. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "International School Reviews">"HKA International School Reviews". International School Reviews. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "International School Reviews">"HKA International School Reviews". International School Reviews. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "Google Reviews">"Hong Kong Academy". Google. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "Facebook">"HKIS". Facebook. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ↑ name= "2019 Admissions Bribery Scandal">"The 145-Pound Long Snapper and Other Tales of College Admissions Puffery". New York Times. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
External links[edit]
Coordinates: 22°23′09″N 114°16′30″E / 22.38585°N 114.27508°E
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