Singapore Education Awards 2024: HIS received two awards | HoneyKids Asia
Schools are often known as homes away from home, and this couldn’t be more true at Holland International School (HIS)! With a kindred community, it’s little wonder that it managed to clinch the ‘Editor’s Choice: School Where Everybody Knows Your Name’ at the Singapore Education Awards 2024. It also bagged the Silver award for Sustainable International School of the Year, thanks to its steadfast commitment to sustainability.
So, what makes HIS stand out?
It has a tight-knit community that has never been closer
Picture a school where every teacher knows every child by name… That’s what it’s like at HIS, where teachers always greet students by name as they walk through the corridors. They ask students about their day, offer encouragement, and actively show interest in students.
Believe it or not, but parents too are part of this great big family. More than just passive observers, parents are welcomed to be active contributors. They’re often seen acting as guest speakers, hosting cultural workshops, volunteering as group parents, as well as running the front office and library.
Students regularly come together during the weekly assemblies, where they take the stage to present their work and share their learnings with the wider community. It’s during these assemblies that the whole community comes together and builds stronger connections. Parents and even grandparents attend, fostering a real sense of support and community.
Indeed, the Vervoort family loves how “the teachers and school community are standouts. It was important for us that the family and children were part of a small community, and not just a class in a bigger school. Everyone at school knows the kids by name, where they fit it, and how their personalities add to the school. We also enjoy being part of the weekly assemblies, important holidays, and school events.”.
It goes all out to make newcomers feel at home
The first days (or weeks!) in a new environment can be scary, and helping to ease the transition is a school-wide effort at HIS. As shared by Lenneke Dijkhuis who chairs the school’s Advisory Council, they “felt incredibly welcomed and supported… they treat each new family with a lot of care and attention, take away your concerns, and provide adequate feedback”.
From taking initiative to strike up conversation, and taking the time to introduce daily schedules, to being a reassuring pillar of support, the HIS community bands together to welcome new students with open arms.
Its doors are always, always open
If anyone needs any help, the teachers go the extra mile to assist. Even if it’s simply to have a chat! The Duineveld family loves how the “teachers and all other staff are very accessible, and people are always willing to help”. Nobody walks alone at HIS, which has proven to be incredibly comforting to both parents and students.
Beyond academics, it does its part for the planet too
Sustainability isn’t just a lofty ideal for HIS, it’s a way of life. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are interwoven into the International Primary Curriculum, giving its students a valuable global perspective.
HIS’ sustainability efforts go beyond the classroom, with students taking on projects like collecting food for the Singapore FoodBank, creating sustainable paper products from recycled materials, and curating water conservation plans.
We especially love the yearly Take Action Weeks that turn classroom learning into real-world solutions, where students do their part by helping with beach cleanups, building sanitation systems, and more.
Community engagement is also a big part of HIS’ sustainability approach, where students partner with local businesses (with the support of their parents too!) to learn about how to make HIS more sustainable. A fun project involved the creation of a vertical garden, the funds for which were raised through a student-organised charity disco. The students are really loving using their green fingers to grow herbs, plants, and vegetables, and using it as a case study for sustainability.
Why we love HIS
As parents, all we want is for our kids to find a school that treats them like family – after all, that makes the kiddos look forward to going to school everyday! We’re impressed how HIS checks all the boxes, giving parents absolute peace of mind that their kids are in good hands.
Congratulations Holland International School, we couldn’t be happier for you. Your awards are very well deserved!
This post is in partnership with Holland International School.
