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hanova's school newsletter

Learning With and From Our Students

Dear Parents and friends

Learning With and From Our Students. We’re full-swing into Semester 2 at Hanova, with student learning and wellbeing—the heart of education—fully on our minds. Weeks into our new semester, Hanova has arranged several ways to continue partnering with families to focus on supporting our students. One of these is our PYP’s 3-way conferences running from February 12-26. These are incredibly important experiences, fostering meaningful connections between students, parents, and teachers. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for students to take ownership of their learning—articulating their strengths, identifying areas for growth, and sharing their achievements and challenges in a supportive environment with parents and teachers. Ms. Sandy Venter explains 3-way conferences in the following way:

“As both Head of Primary and a proud parent, I already had the privilege of attending my own child's conference. It was truly special to hear her confidently express what she loves to learn about, reflect on her progress, and set goals for the future, such as improving her math recall speed. I was taken aback when my daughter started explaining how certain crops can grow in reflected light from the moon, a concept I myself would never have thought to consider! Moments like these highlight the power of student voice and curiosity, and the importance of developing thinking, research, and communication skills—essential foundations for success in learning and in life. And of course, all made possible under the guidance of our enthusiastic teachers. A big thank you to our principled teachers, risk-taking students, and caring parents for making these two weeks of conferences so impactful!”

DP Year 13 students—at critical stages in their schooling as they’ve started getting university offers and are preparing for DP exams—also need the caring support of their teachers and parents right now. Next Monday, February 17, DP Y13 PTCs will be held to do just that—support and care for our highly motivated and BUSY graduating class of 2025.

Finally, not long from now on March 7, our Year 11 MYP students will showcase important aspects of their learning via their Personal Project Exhibitions. The Personal Project is a benchmark experience for MYP students and an important way for students to show their learning to the Hanova school community. Be on the lookout for a formal invitation to this significant day soon!

ACAMIS Chinese New Year Card Challenge. We are delighted to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the exceptional students who have been recognized as outstanding participants in the ACAMIS 2025 Chinese New Year Card Challenge. Congratulations to Jesse Yao (Y1), Susie Zhang (Y3), Nicole Yang (Y5), Heila Maloney (Y10), and Victoria Park (Y11)! Their beautiful cards are prominently displayed on the ACAMIS website: https://www.acamis.org/student-activities/ace-events/chinese-new-year-cards-challenge

Furthermore, the creations of Victoria and Susie also feature in the ACAMIS 2025 Chinese New Year greeting letter, which was distributed to all ACAMIS member schools on January 28th. Please join us in celebrating their exceptional talents and achievements.

Upcoming Events:

- February 12-26: PYP 3-Way Conferences

- February 17: DP Y13 PTC (Parent Teacher Conference)

- February 24 - March 7: DP (Y13) Mock Exams

- February 28: Staff Professional Development (no school for students)

- March 7: MYP Personal Project Exhibition

- March 7: Y12 DP Interim Reports Issued

- March 8: SAT test


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.