Originally written for the American International School 2025-26 Yearbook, Head of School Ms. Anita Simpson shares her annual reflection on a year defined by leadership, community, and our Core Value of Love.
It is hard to believe that another incredible year is coming to a close. As always, we continue to achieve so much together. One of this year’s highlights includes winning the Public Choice and Judge’s Choice Awards for Student Leadership in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) 21C Awards in March. As Head of School, I am deeply proud of our students and faculty and grateful for the recognition, as it confirms the strength of the direction we are taking, the impact of our programs and practices, and, above all, the leadership opportunities students have at AIS. The Public Choice Award for Student Leadership is also powerful evidence of how engaged and inspired our learning community really is.
It was equally wonderful to be able to host a variety of events this year, including our annual Winter Fair, Visual and Performing Arts shows, Divisional Awards and Lunar New Year Assemblies, High School graduation, and so much more. This year, we came together to support the tragic fire in Tai Po through special fundraising days and our Winter Fair. Our efforts were truly notable, with faculty and students raising an impressive HK$33,500.00 and our PTA donating an additional HK$50,000.00 to support those in need. Our Core Value of Love was on full display, as our learning community rallied around those impacted by this devastating event.
Above all, we are so proud of our students’ accomplishments. This year, we opened Hong Kong’s first international school Swift Coding Club, we hosted the city’s first VEX IQ in the 852 Robotics Competition, and helped hundreds of students travel the world as part of our Outdoor Education and Leadership Program (OELP). In sports, our U14 and U20 Boys basketball teams earned Silver Medals, as did our U14 Girls badminton team. Our U16 Girls Track and Field brought home 2 Bronze Medals and 1 Silver. The U20 Girls Track and Field earned another Silver Medal in discus & the 100m, the U12 Boys earned Silver in the 4 x 400 relay, the U16 Girls earned bronze in the 100m and discus, and the U14 Girls earned 2 Gold medals in long and high jump with more medals possible!
If that wasn’t enough, we prepared for the final stage of growth in the fall of 2026 which includes the introduction of drama, and new visual art and STEAM spaces in Elementary, an expansion of our school-wide counseling suite, and the launch of four new homerooms in Middle and Elementary School.
We refined our key teaching and learning strategies used by all faculty through updates to our Essential Practices, completed a WASC self-study, in anticipation of our school accreditation visit in the fall of 2026, launched a new school website, and piloted a bespoke set of AIS Belonging Cards, a resource created by AIS faculty that is designed to foster inclusion, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging for all students and staff.
Our Key Mindset of Confidence continues to drive our students’ and faculty’s collective accomplishments, and it shows up in daily practice in countless ways. It is inspiring to witness our teachers, teaching assistants, counselors, and coaches consistently put students first while inspiring learning and supporting their students beyond the curriculum. Our Leadership Team’s commitment to excellence is equally impressive and significantly contributes to making our school the special learning community it is. I will always be grateful to all faculty and staff for their genuine passion for our students and families and for our collective efforts to inspire and empower our students and families.
One group that plays a huge role in engaging our parent community is our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) who works tirelessly on behalf of everyone in our school community. Their sponsorship and careful planning made for so many fun activities throughout the year. This year’s Winter Fair, Halloween, Lunar New Year, Literacy Weeks, Movie Night, Ice Cream Day, and countless other school fundraising events were so special. My final thanks goes out to our kind and generous parent community, who always step up to volunteer and who never fail to make sure that our Winter Fair Grand Prize Raffle Draw remains remarkable.
Finally, to our graduates – always trust that you have everything you need to take on whatever life brings. You are strong, capable, and confident. May you take comfort in the memories of your time here, knowing that you are well-prepared for the journey ahead. Here’s to the limitless possibilities I know will come your way.
To everyone in the AIS community, please accept my sincere thanks once again for your partnership and trust. Together, we make a difference.
My very best,
Anita Simpson
Head of School
