Christian Alliance International School is quick off the blocks preparing its staff, parents and students for another year nurturing lifelong learners.
Richard Vanderpyl, the Head of School of Christian Alliance International School (CAIS), is encouraging the whole CAIS community to continue to grow together this year. To this end, CAIS staff are focusing on the Kaizen concept, which means change for better or continuous improvement.
Vanderpyl says, “This is such an important part of our school culture, not only for teachers, the Board and support staff, but also for students. It is critical that everyone has a growth mindset; a desire to improve their skills, abilities and talents.”
With Kaizen in mind, the Faculty’s 2021-2022 school year started even before the first day of school, and aside from preparing their classrooms, they shared best teaching practices to help each other become better teachers and facilitators.
This year, Vanderpyl is introducing dedicated time for the faculty to meet each week for professional development. Just as teachers guide their students in growth, he challenges his staff to keep that growth mindset for themselves.
He says even parents are in on Kaizen. They went back to the classroom themselves on Back to School Night, learning more about and experiencing their children’s school life at CAIS. “This will help our teachers and parents provide seamless nurturing between the home and school – communicating and collaborating with each other for benefit of the students.”
CAIS is also broadening its course offerings to their secondary students this year. Vanderpyl thinks the new Leadership course will further empower the students for the future, while the added French and Spanish courses will diversify CAIS’s language offerings. Not only that, secondary students will have a house system to foster healthy competition and teamwork across the secondary grades.
Another CAIS first is welcoming the first cohort of the CAIS International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The IBDP provides another pathway in addition to the existing Alberta (Canada) Curriculum for Grade 11 students.
“It’s not all about the classroom and textbooks at CAIS,” says Vanderpyl. “Learning and growth comes in various forms.” Later this school year will see the Music Department being able to take advantage of the state-of-the-arts facilities in the new Amenities Building – such as the performing arts auditorium, practice rooms, and a recording studio.
It seems CAIS facilities is part of the CAIS Kaizen too, with the Amenities Building opening later this school year, alongside constant improvements to the current Academic Building.
Vanderpyl declares that CAIS aims not only to be the best in Hong Kong, but to be “the best for Hong Kong”.
The 2021-2022 school theme is: Called by Love, Called to Love.
Christian Alliance International School
Locations: 33 King Lam Street, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon
Email: admissions@caisbv.edu.hk
Website: www.caisbv.edu.hk
Tel: (852) 3699 3862 / 3699 3863 / 3699 3866
Facebook: @cais.hk
Instagram: @caisbv
