Hong Kong International School Environmental Stewardship Program
As an educational institution, HKIS wants to take a leadership role in protecting the environment. In response, the Facilities Management Department has undertaken a new program initiative to enhance the school’s environmental friendliness and accountability. We hope that all in the HKIS community will join us as we endeavor to make our school a model of environmental stewardship.
Our directive to our Master Facility Plan design team is to incorporate as many sustainable-design practices into our new buildings as possible. We have already made several decisions on our phase I project that take into account these design principles, and will continue to seek materials, systems and building designs that create the most sustainable environment.
Mid week stress relief, good conversations, and exercise to boot.
Wednesday evenings a bunch of HKIS teachers hike at night. We usually leave from Tai Tam Middle school campus and then we head up over the hill ending up somewhere fun... such as Quarry Bay, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, The Peak, Sheko, Stanley... If you would like to be added to this casual e-mail list let me know and I will keep you posted on future night hikes. If interested in this Wednesday we are meeting at 7:15 in front of Tai Tam Gardens and then aiming for Mt Butler and beyond. Bring water and a torch if interested. Some money for some refreshment and sharing a taxi back home.
-from Bill Jordan ()
Public minibus in the am
From around Sept. 4th the HK schools resume and getting on the #40 and #52 can be really difficult between 7:00 and 7:30am.
Coming through From Stanley they are usually full with students. You might pick up the odd seat here and there. You can usually get a seat just before 7 or around 7:00am.
This is going from Stanley towards Repulse Bay. It can be bad from Causeway Bay to Repulse Bay/Stanley for the same reason, as well as heading to TT from Chai Wan. You might be better off taking a big bus like the 260 or 6A
-thanks to Lynette for the tip!
Typhoons and Severe Weather
Those who've living in HK a while will have a handle on Typhoons, but for new people it can be very confusing.
When a Typhoon is headed in the general direction of HK, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issues a series of warnings.
In laymen's terms:
T1 - Be aware a typhoon is headed in our general direction. The weather probably won't look any different
T3 - A Typhoon is headed more in our general direction, make sure you've secured stuff. The weather might look a bit rainy or windy but it might not. Little kids don't go to school. Don't plan any hikes.
T8 - A Typhoon is hitting HK. Kids go home from school. People can leave work (if it's safe and subject to some other things). Buses switch to absolute minimum and then stop. Ferries don't run. Winds can be very high and weather very stormy.
Here's a piece of advice on finding your way around HKIS:
I was new 5 years ago. Near the end of the third long day of learning so much new stuff, a fellow teacher saw me so seriously probing the comupter screen. He leaned in to see for what I was searching and then smiled and said something like this:
"Hey, don't sweat what you don't know. Ask anybody around you. That person may not have the answer you need...but, keep asking people. A lot around HKIS is what people know in their heads...and people here are friendly. Get up and ask someone...you are not bothering them. This is how this place works."
Saffron Stays!
For those worried at the end of the school year when it looked like the bakery in Redhill Plaza was going to close, breathe a sigh of relief - they've renewed their lease!
