Canadian International School of Hong Kong is an international school in Aberdeen, Hong Kong. Founded in 1991, the school provides an education for over 1,800 students representing more than 40 nationalities from Pre Reception to Grade 12. CDNIS is one of six International Baccalaureate World Schools in Hong Kong authorised to deliver three IB programmes – the Diploma Programme, Middle Years Programme and Primary Years Programme. In addition to the IB Diploma Programme, students are also eligible to receive the Ontario Secondary School Diploma upon graduation. The language of instruction is English, with Mandarin, French, and Spanish taught as second languages. The Head of School is Dr. Jane Camblin. The school celebrated its 25th anniversary during the 2016–2017 school year. The school received its full IB re-authorization in 2018 and full CIS/WASC accreditation in 2018. Over the summer of 2019, the school installed 349 solar panels on two of the school's roofs - making CDNIS’ photovoltaic farm the largest solar farm of any school on Hong Kong Island.
Lower School
The Principal of the Lower School is Dr. Helen Kelly and the Vice Principals are Zoe Heggie, and DJ MacPherson. Students from Pre Reception to Grade 6 are part of the Lower School and makeup just over 60% of the student body. Students in Pre Reception and Reception attend school for either the morning or afternoon session, while Prep to Grade 6 students attend school all-day. Students as young as three and four-years-old attend the half-day Pre Reception and Reception, programmes, designed to provide an introduction to school life. While the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Programme is officially used from Pre Reception, students also take part in regular Mandarin, performing arts and physical education classes, which are taught by specialist teachers. In August 2019, the school unveiled its Early Years Environment, a purpose-built environment for the school's youngest learners.
The Upper School consists of students from Grades 7 to 12, with a current enrolment of 746 students, making up almost 40% of the student body. Students in Grades 6–9 take part in the Middle Years Programme, while students in Grade 10–12 take part in the Diploma Programme. The Principal of the Upper School is Dr. Timothy Kaiser and the Vice Principals of the Upper School are Barbara Dacho, David Butler and Nathalie Millette. Starting in August 2020, CDNIS will begin the Middle Years Programme in Grade 6. CDNIS has one of the largest DP cohorts in Hong Kong. 99% of the 114 students in the Class of 2019, the 9th cohort of IB graduates, were awarded the IB Diploma. Three students were awarded a maximum of 45 points out of 45, while 27 students achieved a score of 40 or above. The Class of 2019 IB score average was 36.5 points.
History
Canadian International School of Hong Kong was founded in 1991 by a group of Canadians living in Hong Kong who volunteered their time to establish an international school offering the Canadian curriculum. When the school first opened its doors to the first 81 students, the school campus was located in a small rented facility in Causeway Bay. The school continued to grow, and by 1999 has reached the "through-train" objective, providing education from Reception to Grade 12. The school produced its first graduates at the end of the 1998/1999 school year. During the 1999 school year, Canadian International School moved to its present location Aberdeen, being architecturally designed with a uniquely Canadian style and spirit. CDNIS was and remains to this day a non-profit organization.
Construction of Aberdeen Campus
The school campus, designed by Canadian architect Norman Grey-Noble, was built in three main phases over a period of several years. The first phase, often referred to as the main building and used mainly by the Upper School, includes floors one to nine completed in 1999. Along with numerous classrooms on every level except the first floor. A swimming pool is located on the first floor, two gymnasiums and an outdoor playground are on the third floor, a design studio, the main school cafeteria and another outdoor playing surface, which is covered in artificial turf, is on the sixth floor and the main school office is on the ninth floor. The second phase, which was finished in 2002, is used mainly by the Lower School and includes floors nine to 14. Besides numerous classrooms, this area also includes the school library, a science and innovation lab, a covered playground on the 11th floor, and another cafeteria on the 12th floor. The third phase, the Leo Lee Arts Centre, was completed in the spring of 2008. The LLAC is a HK$100 million facility with a 604-seat auditorium and teaching facilities for music, drama, dance and visual arts. The fourth phase includes the Green Roof Garden and Chinese Cultural Centre, which were completed in August 2015 The fifth and most recent changes to the campus included the creation of the Early Year Environment and Photovoltaic Farm, both of which were completed in August 2019.
