Korean International School of Hong Kong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Korean International School of Hong Kong 홍콩한국국제학교 香港韓國國際學校
Location
55 Lei King Road, Sai Wan Ho 香港西灣河鯉景道55號 Hong Kong, SAR
Coordinates	22°17′7″N 114°13′22″E / 22.28528°N 114.22278°E / 22.28528; 114.22278
Information
Type	International, co-educational
Motto	Find PASSION; Foster VISION; Encourage ACTION
Established	1994
School district	Sai Wan Ho, HK
Principal	Daniel Hilton (International section) Song, Byeong Geun (Korean section)
Staff	~100
Grades	Reception (K3) to 13
Number of students	~750
Color(s)	Blue,      Red
Mascot	Tiger

The Korean International School of Hong Kong (KISHK) is an international school in Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong. It is located near Lei King Wan and the Tai Koo Shing area. Many Korean families live in these areas. The school's international section started in 1994.

School Sections and Leadership

The Korean International School, often called 'KIS', has two main parts. One part teaches in Korean, and the other teaches in English. Each section has its own principal. Mr. Daniel Hilton is the principal for the International section. Mr. Song, Byeong Geun leads the Korean section.

KIS is special because it welcomes students who are not Korean. This is different from many other Korean schools outside of Korea. In 2013, about 560 students attended the school. KIS is a private school. It does not ask for extra fees or bonds when students apply.

What Students Learn at KIS

The school uses the British National Curriculum. This curriculum is approved by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). KIS is a certified member of CIE's Primary Programme. This means they have access to many helpful learning materials from CIE. Students learning English as a Second Language also follow CIE programs. They can take official exams through the British Council.

Learning Programs

The International section has three main programs:

• Primary Programme: This is for students from Reception (Kindergarten 3) to Year 6, usually aged 4 to 11. They use fun, themed units from the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC).
• Secondary Programme: This is for students from Year 7 to Year 13, aged 12 to 18. They follow a curriculum developed by Cambridge Assessment International Education, AQA, and Pearson BTEC.
• Springboard (SEN) Programme: This program helps children aged 6 to 18 who have mild to moderate learning differences.

School Houses and Points

KIS uses a traditional 'house' system, like many British schools. This system helps students feel supported and encourages friendly competition. Students are placed into one of four houses.

House Names

• In the primary school, houses are named after animals: Leopard Cat, Red Fox, Black Kite, and Fin Whale.
• In the secondary school, houses are named after elements: Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water.
• There is also a "Metal" house for the school's Senior Leadership Team.

Before 2023, the primary houses were Cougars, Eagles, Lions, and Pandas. The secondary houses were Apollo and Artemis.

Earning Points

Throughout the school year, teachers give points to students. Points are given for things like working hard, good behavior, representing the school, and doing well in sports. Each month, the points are counted to find the "House of the Month." At the end of the year, there is a big competition to announce the "Winning House."

School History

How KIS Started

The school's story began with a Saturday school in 1960. It started with only six students. People in Hong Kong's Korean community began talking about needing an international school in the 1980s. The Korean International School finally opened in 1994. It had both a Korean section and an English section from the start. The South Korean government helped pay for about half of the building costs. The rest came from donations by the local Korean community.

In its first year, the Korean section had 140 students, and the English section had 120. The English section of the middle school grew in August 1997 when the 9th grade was added.

In 1996, KIS became the first international school in Hong Kong to offer a special education program. This program was for children who needed extra support with their learning. KIS decided to create a small class for about 10 students because many families in the community needed this help.

The school grew quickly in its early years. However, student numbers dropped from 250 to 190 after the economic challenges of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Developments in the 2000s

In 2007, Peter Leesinky became the principal. He brought the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) into the school's curriculum. Since 2008, KIS has worked with Operation Santa Claus (OSC). This is a charity event that helps spread Christmas cheer and raise money for good causes. Joining OSC has become a long-standing tradition at KIS.

In 2010, many local students chose to study A-Levels (Advanced Level qualifications) at KIS. This was partly because of changes in the local school curriculum. While many international schools started using the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, KIS decided to keep its A-Level program. The school believed that Cambridge qualifications gave students more subject choices. It also allowed the school to include local topics in the curriculum, which the IB did not easily allow. A-Level qualifications are also widely accepted by universities around the world.

In 2011, Lynne Thomson became the principal. The next year, a ceremony was held to announce a new building extension. Also in 2012, KIS opened new computer and science areas. Samsung kindly donated computers to create two modern computer rooms. These were called Samsung Digital Room I and II. Interactive whiteboards were put in all primary classrooms. Wireless projectors were installed in secondary classrooms. This made internet resources available in all classrooms. KIS was proud to be a leader in 'IT-based Education'.

Recent Leadership Changes

In 2016, Christopher Chadwick became the principal of the International section. Mr. Chadwick had experience leading other international schools. He understood how schools that serve families from different countries often have dual-stream curriculums.

Mr. Chadwick retired in July 2023. Mr. Daniel Hilton was then appointed as the principal in August 2023.

See also

• Koreans in Hong Kong
• Consulate General of South Korea in Hong Kong