Campus Development

Hong Kong Academy’s new campus, opening August 2013

Hong Kong Academy: Building for the Future

By Jennifer Barnes Eliot, jennifer.eliot@hkacademy.edu.hk

Hong Kong Academy is on the move, both figuratively and literally. Long known for its innovative, child-centred teaching and its commitment to diversity, HKA is now looking forward to life at a new campus that matches the quality of its programmes and expresses its commitment to environmental sustainability. HKA expects to settle into the 23,000 sm2, purposebuilt facility in time for the 2013-2014 school year.

“It’s been an extraordinary experience,” says Head of School Stephen Dare, who joined HKA just as the planning and fundraising for the new campus was taking off. “HKA is still a young school, and it will really be able to come into its own with this new building.”

The HKA community is enthusiastic about having a campus that meets the learning needs of the students, faculty, staff and parents. Now in its 12th year, HKA has been in temporary premises that could not easily accommodate the growing student body and increasingly complex learning needs of older students.

The new campus will have classroom space for 660 students with state-ofthe art lab classrooms, opportunities for “hands-on” science experiments for all age levels, computer and technology spaces, and art and music studios. The building will also feature a 350 seat theater, an 80-seat studio theatre, a 750+ seat full court gymnasium, student and parent lounges, cafeteria, and smaller café for visitors. The inclusion of spaces for volunteers was important in the building design. “HKA is, first and foremost, a community,” explains Dare. “Our parents are extremely important to the fabric of the school. We wanted to make sure we had a place for parents, who volunteer generously, to gather socially and for meetings.”

One of HKA’s key values is global citizenship, and the school expresses that value through its commitment to environmental sustainability. The new building is aiming for a Platinum BEAM Plus certification, Hong Kong’s environmental assessment for green buildings. A green roof will help reclaim water that will be filtered into the building’s “gray” water systems. The roof will be a teaching tool in and of itself, notes Dare. Monitors throughout the building will allow students to track energy, water consumption and recycling, for example. And the building will be flooded with natural light and cooled by a sophisticated air handling system that ensures fresh air rather than recycled air is circulated throughout the classrooms and office space.

The most important impetus for the new building was HKA’s growing student body. Founded in 2000 with fewer than a dozen students, the student body has grown to 500, with a Secondary school that is still expanding. The school offers a programme for children in Pre-K and goes through Grade 12. In May 2012, HKA celebrated a major milestone with the graduation of its first senior class.

The location of the new campus is an added benefit. It faces the Sai Kung water front and is adjacent to wide range of sports areas, including an Olympic size pool, a full track, tennis and squash courts, and boating docks “The school will at last be able to host visiting schools across our full sports programme, which is especially important for our older students,” says Doug Musco, Middle/High School Principal.

HKA’s younger students have not been overlooked at the new campus, which is especially clear, for example, in the play areas. “We wanted a space that provided opportunities for fun, physical activity, and inquiry,” says Primary School Principal Virginia Hunt. “The new space is wonderful for creative play.”

The road to the new campus has been a long one, beginning with tendering the Hong Kong government for a building site, to working with architects and designers, and raising the funds. The process itself has prompted the school to grow and extend, and moving into the new facility will be a fitting final step.

ICS Athletic Recreation Center Exterior Perspective Campus Development

International Community School (ICS) of Bangkok, Thailand Building New Athletic and Recreation Center

By Darren Gentry, Headmaster

This year ICS completes 20 years of providing quality Christian education to the international community of Bangkok. Also this year, the ICS School Board and school community are excited to complete construction of our new Athletic and Recreation Center. This facility culminates several years of planning and prepares the school for the next 20 years of educating the 900+ students who call ICS home.

It includes three full gymnasiums and associated locker rooms, multipurpose meeting rooms, classrooms, special meeting rooms for Boy Scouts of America, dance, martial arts, and weight training. Additionally there are an indoor soccer pitch, offices, and competition and beginner swimming pools. Expansive areas for fellowship, a large indoor play structure, and a coffee shop will foster the fellowship that builds community. ICS eagerly anticipates offering more extracurricular and physical activities for students of all ages.

We will dedicate the building to God in January 2013.

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Campus Development New Tennis Facility at International School Manila

Months after bagging double tennis championships at the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS), International School Manila opened its newest sports facility—a covered tennis court complex on its roof deck. Superintendent David Toze led the inauguration ceremony on October 4, 2012 in an event attended by students, parents, faculty and alumni. Guests had the honor of breaking in the new courts, joined by ISM’s top tennis players.

The inauguration brought to an end seven months of construction which enclosed the existing courts on the roof of the campus. Today the 5,500 sqm space is home to 8 artificial grass courts equipped with male/female locker rooms, bathrooms and bleacher seating for 300 spectators. Envisioned as a multipurpose area that will provide a year-round venue for sports, the space also converts into 4 basketball courts and 2 futsal fields.

The opening of the tennis courts marks ISM’s tenth year on its new location in Manila’s Fort Bonifacio Global City. With the motif of ‘Ten Years Young, Ten Years New,’ the school renews its commitment to creating the best possible environment for its students through well thought-out facilities that support opportunities for learning. Among other projects recently completed are the resurfacing of the running track and construction of a new floor that now houses the school’s Design and Robotics suite. The next big plans are geared towards creating not just bigger but better spaces for ISM’s Learning Support and Fine and Performing Arts Departments.

In the meantime, the covered tennis courts are definitely a welcome addition to ISM’s topnotch sports facilities, bringing the total number of ISM tennis courts to ten, including 2 existing covered hard courts. The soaring structure cuts quite an impressive figure over the campus landscape. But more than the new look, it’s the difference this facility will make on ISM’s sports program that is truly notable. As Superintendent Toze has remarked, “[I]t significantly enhances the covered space available for athletic activities essential during the rainy season and, of course, in the summer months when the sun can be oppressively hot for those on the field.”

Mark Pekin, Athletics and Activities Director of ISM, says the opening of the court is a “wonderful start to the beginning of the tennis season program for our students.” The boys and girls tennis team, says Pekin, are looking forward to defending their championships at homecourt come the second season of IASAS in January 2013.

Superintendent David Toze cuts the ribbon.

SCIS-Pudong opens “state-of the art” art facility

Daniel Jubert, Head of School - Pudong Campuses djubert@scischina.org

The focus on the Arts at SCIS has been a constant since the school opened in 1996. Over the past 16 years, programs and facilities have been added to ensure the arts remain a high priority, one fostering a well-rounded and rigorous education. To that end, we are pleased to announce the opening of a beautiful and spacious new art wing on our SCIS Pudong campus. The wing now includes a number of art studios, a large gallery for showcasing art, and a specific IB art room dedicated to students within the program.

Research affirms the connection between academic achievement and an integrated arts experience. The arts not only captivates students’ imagination, but also exposes them to the cultural diversity and celebrations of our community. Arts education is a vital element of a high-quality, engaging and effective learning environment, and having the facilities to provide this program is a necessity. With the addition of the new art wing, SCIS remains dedicated to its focus on the arts.

Already, comprehensive, innovative art initiatives are taking root, with more than twice as many students enrolled in art classes this year compared to last. Students are busy with units in pottery, portrait drawing, concept design, print making, and plenty of painting. SCIS art teacher Isaac Marshall played a major role in designing the new space: “The room is designed for the feel of an art studio; it is a different place for students to go outside of the regular classrooms. Students are able to expand their creativity and find inspiration in our new environment.” He is not the only one to feel this way. Emma Clary, a 7th grade student, commented, “I feel more inspired to do art this year. It is really nice to have a big room. Last year, we were on top of each other. Now, we have plenty of room to spread out and create our artwork.”

We are all excited to see the beautiful pieces of work soon to be produced!

Taipei American School Celebrates New Science and Technology

Building By Kristen Lowman, Communications/Marketing Officer, lowmank@tas.edu.tw On September 28, Teachers’ Day, in a fitting celebration of teaching and learning, Taipei American School (TAS) hosted a Dedication Ceremony for the school’s newly opened Upper School Science and Technology Building. AIT Deputy Director Brent Christensen, government officials, local dignitaries, students, parents, alumni, faculty, and school administrators, led by Superintendent Dr. Sharon D. Hennessy, gathered for the ceremony in the gymnasium of the new facility, which features specialized science and robotics laboratories, new classrooms equipped with cutting-edge technology, and a state of the art lecture hall. Guests enjoyed the festive atmosphere, highlighted by a lion dance and firecrackers intended to bring auspicious blessings.

TAS Upper School Principal Dr. Richard Hartzell summed up the enthusiasm of the TAS community: “People, program, and--now--place: it’s wonderful to see everything coming together to provide students with the best learning experience possible.” Recent TAS program initiatives have developed top caliber, signature programs in robotics, public speaking and debate, and character education, complementing the school’s longstanding focus on excellence in core areas such as English, history, fine and performing arts, and STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

In addition to providing students with modern resources that are unmatched in the region, the new building embodies the school’s attention to eco-friendly green initiatives, featuring energy efficient window, lighting, and heating/cooling systems. The building’s design qualifies it for the Bronze Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction, and Health (EEWH) Certification.

The new Science and Technology Building at TAS is only part of the project that also includes expanded sports facilities – covered and outdoor tennis courts and a health and wellness center – as well as a new arts complex for fine and performing arts and increased cafeteria capacity. The Science and Technology Building opened to students at the beginning of this school year, on August 20, 2012.

RIS Opens The Residence at Seelos Hall

By Laura Axtell, lauraa@rism.ac.th

Ruamrudee International School (RIS) announces the opening of The Residence @ Seelos Hall, a new on-campus residential program for students in grades 9 – 12. The Residence, which opened in August, provides apartmentlike living spaces with private amenities and fosters a sense of belonging.

Open to students for five days or the full week, The Residence @ Seelos Hall is designed to assist students in developing their whole person by encouraging both independence and interdependence. Students establish individual academic and personal goals while living and studying with others as a member of a multicultural, caring coming.

A 10th grade resident describes her living experience: “My room is twice as large as the form I had in England and I only have one roommate instead of two. Everything here is new and the food is very good, laundry is provided, and every student his a desk in the study hall.”

Taejon Christian International School Moves to Brand New Campus A Distinctive Tradition in Education Excellence Continues

By Dr. Thomas J. Penland, Head of School

On September 13, 2012, Taejon Christian International School hosted a Grand Opening Ceremony for its new “state of the arts” campus and facilities in the newly developed area of Techno Valley in Daejeon City, South Korea. Taejon Christian International School, known in the international community as TCIS, has a 54-year history of excellence in international education in South Korea. TCIS, formerly known as Taejon Foreign School and Korea Christian Academy, was founded in 1958 on a missionary compound in the O-jung Dong area of Daejeon. It is the third oldest foreign school in Korea following Pyongyang Foreign School and Seoul Foreign School. Graduates of TCIS are found throughout the world, and many have distinguished themselves as Christian global leaders.

TCIS struggled for years with inadequate facilities that did not match the quality of the programs and educational product delivered at the school. The new Techno Valley Campus now allows TCIS to offer not only quality programs but also a first-class learning environment. The campus is located next to the Daedeok Techno Valley Golf Course and is just minutes from Asia’s leading science and technology university KAIST, the new Daejeon Science Belt, and Korea’s new capital Sejong City.

TCIS is the first international school in Korea to provide its students with a 10G technology environment. TCIS is a one-to-one laptop secondary school; students can access the high-speed network and the Internet wirelessly from anywhere on the campus.

The new facilities include a 500-seat Performing Arts Center fully capable of supporting the IB Diploma Theater Arts curriculum. The school has eight science labs (five currently furnished) and two MYP Design Technology classrooms. The Athletic and Physical Education Departments have access to five (5) artificial turf tennis courts, an artificial turf soccer and rugby field, and two indoor gymnasiums. The dormitories offer living, recreational, social, and study areas for students.

Thanks to the expert leadership and deep commitment of the new Board of Trustees at TCIS along with the ongoing support of our parents, TCIS completed the extensive campus relocation project and finally moved to the new campus nearly three years after the start of construction in late 2009. TCIS remains committed to humbly serve the Korean peninsula and Asia by providing the best in excellent Christian international education. TCIS takes pride and passion in the purpose of producing global citizens who graduate committed to make a difference for good in the world and in the lives of others.