Contact Us

+86 029 88693780

hanova's school newsletter

Hanova: A place for ALL families

Dear Parents and friends

Hanova: A Place for ALL Families - written by Mr Luke Roberts, School Principal.  The Hanova community is often likened to a family, and indeed we are a growing family: our student numbers are over 300, and over 20 nationalities are represented amongst our staff, students, and parents. We are spread across different parts of Xi’an, but I consider the Hanova campus as an oasis, even a refuge, where families should be able to socialize, learn, have fun, and participate in the life of the school.

In an effort to (re)kindle the importance of the school-family partnership at Hanova, last week we held a series of Hanova Parent-Teacher Association (HPTA) information sessions to introduce the purpose, beliefs, roles, and activities of the HPTA. I’m happy to say that we have received many expressions of interest and applications from parents for the roles of President, Vice President, and Parent Liaisons. We are still receiving HPTA applications, and I invite you to scan the QR code with your feedback and/or expressions of interest in serving on the HPTA!

Finally, last week we had a great time hosting the inaugural Hanovian Luncheon. Geared toward spouses and other family members of our teachers and staff, this was a special way to spend time with our “extended school family” while continuing to create more connection and belonging within our school community—not to mention just have some fun! After lunch, we strolled over to our school coffee shop, then ended our time together playing a friendly game of darts, coached by MYP & DP science teacher, Mr. Muhittin Gurbuz.

Hanova Winter Concert & Christmas Market coming soon!

Dear Hanova Community,

We are fast approaching the annual Hanova Winter Concert and Christmas Market, which is in a couple of weeks!

The date for both events is Saturday, December 9, from 10:00 to 14:00 as follows:

  • 10:00-11:30—Winter Concert in the Auditorium (Secondary building 4th floor)
  • 11:30-14:00—Christmas Market (Secondary building 1st floor & canteen)

Many of you have been in China for a while and have come across or built relationships with local businesses that could probably use some great exposure to the community. If you know any local business that would want to participate in this year’s Christmas Market, feel free to send Jane Lei (email below) the information and she will contact them with details. We are also open to students and parents within our community. If you have any handcrafts, food, or anything you would like to showcase at the booth, you can also book a table as well.

The cost is 200 RMB for tables requiring electricity and 100 RMB per table/station not requiring electricity. We are open to local businesses, students, and parents in our community. This is also a fundraising activity and all proceeds from table fees go to the Chunshan Education organization to build up a local library for the rural area in Shaanxi Province. (Vendors keep their own proceeds.)

Please contact Jane Lei (jane.lei@his-xian.com) if you are interested in supporting the Christmas Market, or you may directly fill out the attached Christmas Market Vendor Form and return it to her by email.

With gratitude and excitement!

The Winter Concert & Christmas Market Committees

Year 3 adventure to the school basement -written by Ms Dominique Wilinska-Essa.  In our latest Year 3 adventure, we delved into the depths of our school basement, a journey that illuminated the fascinating realm of sustainable technology. Our school is proud to have incorporated a ground source heat pump system for our heating and cooling needs. The day kicked off with an enlightening talk by our in-house mechanical engineer, who unraveled the complexities of this green technology.

As we descended into the basement, the students' interest was sparked, leading to a flurry of insightful questions. This expedition was a key component of our Unit of Inquiry, and it certainly paved the way for numerous revelations and fresh insights. The potential of sustainable technology to effect positive change left a profound impact on the students. They emerged from the basement with a heightened awareness of their role in preserving our environment.

Hawks Season 1 Acknowledgements and Recognition - written by Mr Julian Barnsley, Head of Athletics.  Season 1 will come to a close next weekend. I am delighted with the way the student body has support the program. My heartfelt thanks and congratulations go out to all the people that made it a success.

Our student coaches:

Y12 Akemi, Neil, Noah and Steven

Y10 Riley

Our scorers:

Y12 Yulia, Will, Steven and Samantha, Y10 Emily

Our Most Improved Player (MIP) and Most Valuable Player (MVP) from each sport.

SPORT Most Improved Player

(MIP)

Most Valuable Player

(MVP)

U8 Soccer Hawks Red – Max Gu

Hawks Green – Claire Zhang

Hawks Red – Tilo Angulo-White Chiu

Hawks Green – Justin Fan

U11 Girls Soccer Jully Im Zoe Kim
U11 Boys Soccer Red – Bailey Miller

Green – Vlad Nemytov

Yellow – Max Zhou

Red – Jasper Zhang

Green – Chris Kim

Yellow – Lucas Song

U8/U11 Cross-country Felicia Deng Jasper Zhang
U14/19 Cross-country Ellin Yoon Jake Yoon / Riley Washko
U14 Girls Basketball Imogen Miller Alice Zhang
U14 Boys Basketball James Song Gaowin Dong
U14 Coed Volleyball Martin Song Jaqueline Zhang
U19 Coed Volleyball Akemi Saifull Xenne Gerrits

 

To all of the volunteer coaches, we would not be able to participate without your contribution.

U8 & U11 Soccer - Mr Sam, Mr Graeme and Mr Daniel

U8/11 Cross-country - Ms Tomi

U14/19 Cross-country - Mr Sam

U14 Basketball - Mr Jason, Coach Lindsey

U14/U19 Volleyball - Mr Julian

 

And finally to all of our supporters and volunteers that stepped up to help when we hosted visiting teams and the Chanba Trophy.

GO HAWKS!


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.