Contact Us

+86 029 88693780

hanova's school newsletter

Hawks Basketball & Volleyball teams score wins

Dear Parents and friends

Hawks Sport Update - written by Mr Julian Barnsley, Head of Athletics.  Over the last two weeks the Hawks have been busy with U14 boys and girls basketball against both Dehong Chinese International School and Liangjiatan International school. The girls have continued their winning run and the boys have continued to become more competitive.

All of the U8 and U11 Footballers have also played games with a mixed bag of results. That said, all teams are competitive and are on the pitch challenging for the ball, making runs and taking shots.

Finally, U14 Coed volleyball played two fixture. They hosted XIS and travelled to play at Dehong. Players are continuing to develop their skills and were delighted to record wins in both games.

Well done to all of the Hanova Athletes.

GO HAWKS!

Y11 Extra English - written by Mr Ferdinand Els, MYP Drama.  At Hanova, we take pride in our students' ability to interweave their learning across different subjects, showcasing the organic horizontal articulation our curriculum offers. Our Y11 Extra English class's current project is a great example of this.

Drawing inspiration from their English Language and Literature class, our Y11 students have embarked on an ambitious journey: creating their very own dystopian film. But this isn't just about being in front of the camera. This project immerses them in the holistic world of filmmaking.

Every day, students rotate roles, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of the filmmaking process. One day, they might be framing the perfect shot as the cinematographer; the next, they could be calling the shots as the director. From script supervision to tracking the storyboard, each student experiences the thrill and challenge of various roles that bring a film from concept to screen.

This initiative is a testament to the adaptability and versatility of Hanova students. Not only are they applying their literary insights to craft compelling narratives, but they're also gaining hands-on experience in teamwork, leadership, and the intricate facets of film production. Well done, Y11!

“A variety of sign and symbols facilitate local and global Communication” - written by Mr Bruce Mac Gregor, Year 5 Teacher.   On Monday, October 23, Year 5 embarked on an Educational treasure hunt to Xi’an Banpo museum. Like Laura Croft or Indiana Jones, each team of students had a map to guide them, missions to accomplish and deadlines to meet as they searched for ancient relics in a settlement which was over 6 000 years old! Students found symbols, Chinese writing, head sculptures, pottery and even skeletons.

Each student creatively answered questions about what the clues these mysterious objects give us about Yang-Shao culture and the origin of Chinese writing.

Question: Why were some of the dead buried carelessly?

Some student Answers: I think he was a prisoner! Maybe he was too old.

Question: Can you see how the drawing on the bone became a Chinese character?
Some student answers: This symbol looks like rice in Chinese! That symbol looks like grass. Maybe that one looks like a house!

Question: What does ‘one knows his mother, not knowing his father mean?
Some student answers: When the child is born, the father goes away and never comes back. The mother does not tell the child about the father.

Students became better communicators, more daring risk-takers and more knowledgeable inquirers because of their educational treasure hunt adventure. They also started a journey to understanding how knowledge is constructed from the creative interpretation of primary sources.

A running, jumping, dancing start in Reception B - written by Ms Bridget Kuster.  Reception B students are off to a running, jumping, dancing start!  We are beginning to build strong friendships as we explore how to play safely and respectfully with others.  We are getting better at cleaning up their space when they are finished with an activity: an important part of playing!

Their English vocabulary is growing and we are learning proper sentence structure.  Some phrases and sentences we have been practicing are “Help me, please.”, “Can I play too?”, and “I don’t like it when you do that.”  Repeating songs and books with pictures are also helping us build vocabulary.

As we are learning about play, Reception B students are also continuing their learning of shapes, colors, letter names/sounds, and numbers.  We are practicing identifying emotions and managing small problems independently.  We sure are learning a lot!

Until next time, play on!

Bridget


More News & Events



About our School Principal


Dr Lucas J. Roberts

School Principal

Dr Lucas J. Roberts is the current School Principal at Hanova. He thoroughly enjoys being part of the Hanova Hawks community! Having served in international school education in China for over 15 years in Wuxi, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Beijing, being in Xi’an with his family to lead Hanova is indeed a joy and a privilege. “Mr. Luke,” as students call him, has served in numerous leadership capacities over the years, including Head of Primary, Head of Secondary, and School Principal/Head of School. Since 2014, he has served on nearly 20 WASC accreditation visiting committees around Asia to support other schools’ ongoing school improvement efforts, giving him substantial perspective on the international school world. Earning a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies helped spark Dr. Roberts’ belief that learning, rather than being isolated, should help students see patterns and connections across subjects with an emphasis on life skills and application. In other words, what we DO with knowledge is just as important as having knowledge, much in line with the IB Learner Profile and Hanova’s mission to develop responsible, wise, lifelong learners. Dr. Roberts earned an M.Ed. in Educational Administration and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, and he is a researcher, author, and conference speaker on a range of topics in education.