Dragon Tales Blog

At HIS, we believe the key to providing an exceptional educational experience for our students lies in our teachers' continuous growth and development. Professional development equips our teachers with the latest pedagogical strategies and techniques. By participating in workshops, seminars, and collaborative learning opportunities, our teachers can refine their skills, ensuring they are well-prepared to inspire and engage our students. 

On the weekend of 18-19 January, Hangzhou International School was proud to host round three of the 2024-2025 Shanghai Swim League. Consisting of more than 20 international schools from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing, the league brings together hundreds of swimmers and parents over six rounds: four regular meets, an annual championship, and a long-course event.

We’re so proud of our Hangzhou International School Class of 2025, as they receive early offers from some of the world’s best universities. These amazing acceptances are a true reflection of the hard work and dedication of Grade 12, the guidance and instruction from our talented teachers, and of course the support and encouragement from their parents.  

It’s no exaggeration to say that the Early Years provide the very foundation of children’s future educational experience. The ages of 2 and 3 are a hugely important time when children develop physically, socially, and emotionally whilst becoming aware of the world around them.

Hangzhou International School has an abundance of life. Trees, mountains, and lakes circle our beautiful school. Insects live around our campus. They are part of our ecosystem. What some of us don’t realize is that living things are crucial to our community. They all deserve to live.

As winter settles in, the cold weather provides opportunity for our students to dive into the cozy world of reading. While the academic learning continues, we should remember that reading for pleasure plays an important role in enhancing overall academic success.

During this splendid autumn season, our Lower School Mandarin Department organized a cultural excursion for all staff members. Our destination for this trip was the historic city of Meicheng, renowned for its millennium-old heritage.

At Hangzhou International School (HIS), our Lower School Robotics team recently achieved a significant milestone by attending their very first robotics competition. This momentous event is a testament to the growth and dedication of our robotics program, which started as a modest initiative in our Design and Technology curriculum.

The first semester was a vibrant hub of creativity that saw students showcase their artistic talents and individual expression across all grade levels in the Upper School. There was also a collaborative drawing project in October that engaged the entire school.

In late November, 16 excited Hangzhou International School (HIS) students headed off to Seoul to take part in the 12th annual Yale Model United Nations Korea, one of the region's foremost Model United Nations (MUN) conferences.

Lucinda Liu is an HIS alumni who joined us in grade 8 in 2013, fitting right in with the HIS community, and walked across the graduation stage in June 2017. Lucinda was a top student during her time at HIS and ultimately achieved an exceptional IB score of 42/45. Beyond her stellar academic achievements, she also took on many leadership roles in varsity sports and student council.

As we get near to long breaks, parents sometimes ask about additional work for their children to do over the holidays. Before you ask your homeroom teachers about this, I can share what I have told teachers for how to answer this request: No.

On Wednesday 4 December, the PAFA Book Club held their 5th meeting since the club was launched this year, and it was a wonderful day for everyone in attendance. They gathered to discuss their third book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

After an eventful weekend, following the stellar two-day Upper School performance of We Will Rock You and a High Performance Swim Clinic for students with world-record swimmer Andrii Govorov, parents gathered on a Monday morning for a PAFA Kitchen session on Algerian cooking.

My name is Yuko. I come from Japan. After having lived in different parts of the world, I came to Hangzhou 15 years ago. I love Hangzhou for its beautiful balance between history and modernity, nature and city. And I have always tried to stay between a local and a tourist; that is, I make myself feel at home, yet I’m curious to discover new things here.