Dragon Tales

For me, success has never been about the prestige of the university. It has always been about fit. The greatest joy comes from witnessing students find the place where they truly belong – where their personalities, values, and cultures align with the university they will soon call home. And in 2026, we have seen so many of our students do exactly that. The Hangzhou International School Class of 2026, altogether 41 graduates, were accepted to 235 universities in 14 countries, with almost USD 1 million awarded in scholarship money.

When people reflect on school, they often talk about achievements first. Grades, awards, competition results, leadership positions — the measurable things. Those are the moments that appear on report cards and university applications, so naturally they seem important. For a long time, I thought those things were the clearest proof of growth too. I believed improvement would look obvious: better results, bigger accomplishments, clearer evidence that I was becoming more capable than before. Looking back now, I think I misunderstood what growth actually feels like.

On International Children’s Day, June 1, Hangzhou International School (HIS) took a meaningful step forward in its commitment to inclusion, signing a Special Olympics Unified Schools partnership agreement with Hangzhou Yanglingzi School. The visit brought together the President of Special Olympics East Asia, Ms Freda Fung, alongside HIS leaders, staff, and students for a day of shared experiences and forward-looking collaboration.

At Hangzhou International School (HIS), science is much more than a subject. It is a way for our youngest learners to explore, question, and make sense of the world around them. In our Lower School and Kindergarten classrooms, scientific inquiry sparks curiosity, nurtures critical thinking, and helps children develop lifelong skills for learning.

In the foreign‑passport international high school category, HIS remains in the Top 30 Schools in China, standing alongside a well‑regarded group of international schools across the country evaluated for academic outcomes, teaching quality, school environment, and future‑focused development. For families, this recognition confirms that students at HIS are learning in a school that meets rigorous national standards, with a successful pathway to graduation that leads to top universities worldwide.

The 2026 Hangzhou Student Film Festival, hosted by Hangzhou International School (HIS), brought together young filmmakers from HIS, CIS Hangzhou and Nanjing International School for an inspiring evening of creativity, collaboration, and cinematic storytelling.

At Hangzhou International School (HIS), we're always looking for meaningful ways to support our educators in growing professionally – especially when it comes to thoughtfully integrating technology into our IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) teaching and learning. That's where Nova comes in: our new internal SharePoint-based hub designed specifically as a central resource and playground for teachers to explore, learn, and share around technology integration

At Hangzhou International School, one swimmer has emerged as a symbol of what dedication and community can achieve. At just 14 years old, Grade 8 student Jean M is already rewriting records and inspiring teammates with his modesty and drive. I sat down with him a few weeks ago to talk about his recent successes, his motivation, and the realities of balancing life as both a middle schooler and a competitive swimmer.

Every year Hangzhou International School asks us, as teachers, to set goals for ourselves. This year my professional goal was to try to increase student engagement by embedding daily hands-on, interactive activities into my lesson planning. 

No matter how long you spend at Hangzhou International School, you can always try new things and discover your passion. Eventually, it will be your turn to go off into the world on your own and explore the possibilities, which is exactly what our seniors are getting ready to do. We sat down with Raina C, a senior that has been at HIS since kindergarten, to ask her what the future holds.

No matter how long you spend at Hangzhou International School, you can always try new things and discover your passion. Eventually, it will be your turn to go off into the world on your own and explore the possibilities, which is exactly what our seniors are getting ready to do. We sat down with Gabriel L., a senior that has been at HIS since Grade 9, to ask him what the future holds.

No matter how long you spend at Hangzhou International School, you can always try new things and discover your passion. Eventually, it will be your turn to go off into the world on your own and explore the possibilities, which is exactly what our seniors are getting ready to do. We sat down with Candy Z, an senior that has been at HIS since Grade 5, to ask her what the future holds.

As defined by ACAMIS, social innovation at the conference is “about making a meaningful difference in the world by designing and taking action on ideas that improve lives and strengthen communities” – not through profit-driven business models, but through innovative service aimed at real-world environmental, social, and community challenges. For student leaders from Hangzhou International School (HIS), that challenge took them 200 kilometers north to UWC Changshu

Alum Haru Sukegawa joined Hangzhou International School (HIS) in 2016 for 9^th grade, remaining until she graduated with the Class of 2020. While at HIS, Haru participated greatly in the arts, focusing on creativity and improving her skills. Her time herealso taught her how to be more open as a person, and how meaningful the connections you forge with teachers and classmates can be.

Alum Alessandro Livio attended Hangzhou International School (HIS) from 2007 until graduation in 2020. During his 13 years at HIS, Alessandro had many fun experiences, remembering China Trips fondly, as well as the sports teams and business club. HIS taught Alessandro the importance of teamwork and building strong relationships.