Head of School Message, Term 3, Week 1 2026

Welcome back to Term 3 and I extend a very warm welcome to all the new families joining our school this term. It was a pleasure meeting many of you at our parent coffee morning on Tuesday.

On Monday we resumed Term 3 much like we finished Term 2, under a Red Rainstorm warning! While weather disruptions can be frustrating for all of us, safety will always be the school’s priority in extreme weather situations, and we frequently review our processes to align with the EDB guidelines. The school's Extreme Weather Policy linked here (and available on Dhanara) has been updated in 2026. Please review the latest version as we expect more weather events in the coming months and be reminded teaching staff will activate synchronous and asynchronous online learning when EDB suspends lessons at school.

Celebrating Student Achievement: Valerie Dy 

I am incredibly pleased to share some extraordinary news! Year 12 student Valerie Dy was recently named the winner of the prestigious South China Morning Post Student of the Year Award for Best Devotion to School. It was a privilege to attend the award ceremony in July with Valerie and her family. Over 900 students from 181 schools across Hong Kong competed for just 40 awards. This was AISHK’s first year entering these awards, making Valerie’s achievement even more impressive. We are immensely proud of her dedication and leadership in the community. This month there will be an interview with Valerie in the weekly Dhanara about her impressive achievement.  

Senior Class of 2026

Best wishes to all Year 12 students as they commence their final full term of Secondary school. These young people have reached the ‘countdown’ and are studiously committed to the demands of the HSC or IBDP assessment and final examinations. All of them have the full support and encouragement of our community in these last crucial months of senior schooling. It is a time where the thoughts of poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) have relevance for our hard-working Year 12 Class of 2026:"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

Welcoming Amanda Hall – Deputy Head of Primary in 2027

Following our recent email announcement, I am pleased to introduce Amanda Hall as our incoming Deputy Head of Primary (Student Experience) where a key focus of her role will be related to student wellbeing. Amanda brings extensive experience in primary leadership and combined with her collaborative approach to nurturing character development in students will make her a wonderful fit for AISHK. Amanda will replace Chris Bird when he leaves for Melbourne at the end of the year. Chris has had a significant impact on the school, the students, and his colleagues over the last ten years. Our community will miss Chris and his family. Amanda recently expressed these words about her appointment as AISHK Deputy Head of Primary:

"Having recently spent time in Hong Kong and experiencing firsthand the warmth, energy and ambition of the AISHK community, I am truly honoured to be joining the school in 2027. I currently serve as Deputy Head of Junior School (Students) at Toowoomba Grammar School in Queensland, Australia, where I have led initiatives in student wellbeing, pastoral care and positive education from Prep to Year 6.

In just 48 hours, it was evident that AISHK is a thriving and flourishing environment where relationships, wellbeing and high expectations are deeply valued. I was particularly inspired by the school’s commitment to developing internationally minded students who are confident, compassionate and equipped to contribute meaningfully as global citizens.

As both an educator and a parent, I am passionate about creating inclusive, connected learning environments where every child feels known, valued and supported to thrive. I am especially looking forward to becoming part of the AISHK community alongside my family, embracing the unique cultural experiences Hong Kong offers, and partnering with staff, students and families to contribute to the continued growth and success of this exceptional school."

Images of Students Online

AISHK takes child safeguarding extremely seriously and we are putting measures in place to minimise the use of online images of students and staff. However, we do not want to stop celebrating students’ achievements, our community spirit and life on campus. From Term 3, visitors to the Dhanara website will be asked to enter a password. Everyone in the AISHK community will be reminded of the password each week in the Friday email.  

Over the last two years Australian school cyber safety experts (Susan McLean and Kirra Pendergast) have worked with the school reviewing our practices and advising us on best-practice actions in this area. We are adjusting practices in these ways:

• The school’s approach to using social media and the types of images we will publish is changing.

• Photos on the school's website will also change this term. 

• The school has adopted the Australian software Pixevety. Pixevety supports the safe sharing and storing of images. It also links a child's image to parent permission for acceptable use. 

The school is committed to the crucial educative aspect for students in their personal use of images online, sharing or keeping themselves safe in a complex cyber environment continues to be a core area of focus in pastoral, technology and wellbeing learning.

The digital sharing of images is a major issue for all schools and AI is rapidly changing our working practices and our lives. If you would like to know more about how to keep your families safe online click here to see guidance from School TV, the school's trusted knowledge bank.  

Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we look forward positively to the term ahead.