Dear HKIS Community,

It has been a pleasure capturing memories from the 2024-25 school year and celebrating the Class of 2025. On the cover of this issue, we celebrate a group of individuals who have allowed our community to shine for over 30 years. These men and women have supported our school making our campuses beautiful and keeping us safe. Please join me in thanking our 28 retirees from the Facilities Management team; they have been with HKIS for between 23 and 35 years!

This year was full of anticipation as we eagerly awaited the completion of the Dragon Center for Activities & Athletics. The wait was tumultuous as we navigated an unforeseen situation with our construction provider during the first half of the year. It’s never easy to change construction providers during the final months of a billion-dollar project. Nevertheless, we appointed Shui On Construction in January and are finally seeing the roof and windows form the structure of this long-awaited facility.

In celebration of Athletics, we held our very first Athletics Team Photo Day when 450 student athletes gathered in the gym in brand-new Li-Ning uniforms. It was a sight to see! Check out the team photos and the grand finale where we rocked the gym together with Torch. This cohort of athletes will usher us into the new facility in Fall 2025.

In this issue, get to know our new Lower Primary Principal Elizabeth Elizardi and our new Chief Operations Officer Derek Kalinauskas. As we welcome our new leaders, we say a heartfelt goodbye to Geoff Heney and Joy Okazaki.

This year, we also say goodbye to faculty, staff, and administrators who have served faithfully at HKIS. Read and listen to excerpts from those who have served at HKIS for over 20 years, including Dee Mulligan, Maritess Evans, Ingrid Lupa, Dean McLachlan, Steve Tse, Anita Wong, and Karin Mackenzie. Thank you to all those leaving HKIS this year for touching the lives of students, teachers, parents, and community members. You have made a difference and shone your light into our lives.

We remember with fondness Philippa Cheung who passed away in the Fall. As a member of our security team, she linked many of us together in ways that are missed.

Finally, congratulations to the Class of 2025! Here is the link to the congratulatory advertisement in the SCMP to celebrate their graduation on May 30, 2025. We are so proud of you.

Wishing you all a restful and rejuvenating summer.

Warm regards,

Carrie Chen
HKIS Director of Marketing

The Marketing Team poses alongside the high school Marketing interns after a well-executed Athletics Team Photo Day.