Hong Kong Academy

Frequently asked questions about working at Hong Kong Academy and living in Hong Kong

Is it safe?
Extremely. The incidence of personal injury crime is extremely low, as is theft. It is not unusual to see females walking or exercising alone in the evening. Taxis are very reliable and safe.

What about Hong Kong for recreation?
The efficient and relatively cheap public transport and cheap recreational opportunities provide many low, or no cost recreational opportunities. Beaches, public parks, hiking trails, and national parks are very close to where people live making Hong Kong unique. Hong Kong also has fabulous arts opportunities, including world-renowned Arts and Literary Festivals, and some of the best eating in the world. For those interested in sports Hong Kong has virtually everything on offer. A number of teachers at the school are runners and take full advantage of the country parks and coastal walkways, and we also sponsor a teacher Dragonboat team. Hong Kong Disneyland and other excellent theme parks as well as fantastic movie theaters add to the huge variety of recreational opportunities that Hong Kong offers.

What travel opportunities are there from Hong Kong?
Hong Kong boasts a very modern airport that is a well-connected hub, making air travel relatively inexpensive and efficient. The airport is directly connected by high-speed train to the city. Train, jet foil and ferry access make excursions into Mainland China very easy and reasonably priced.

What is the average age of the staff?
We have a generally young staff with an average age in their mid-30s.

Does HKA recruit families?
Yes it does. HKA is very much a community school and we encourage families to join our school.

How does the housing allowance work?
Teachers are given a supplement to enable them to find their own apartment to suit them in terms of size, location and budget. The housing supplement is a monthly cash payment, which is only marginally taxed. Teachers are not obliged to spend all the supplement on housing although most would, if not more. Teachers live in a range of neighborhoods and how much they spend on housing varies. The housing supplement for the 2011/12 year is set at 10,000HK$ per month for a single teacher.

What is housing like?
In Hong Kong, generally housing is expensive and small. Bargains can be found; and size, cost and quality vary greatly depending upon location. The school is currently located on Hong Kong Island in Kennedy Town, between Sheung Wan and Pok Fu Lam.

What would happen when you first arrive in Hong Kong?
In reference to housing
Unless you have pre-arranged to move into an apartment you would be placed in short-term self-contained housing close to the school. From this base you can then discover Hong Kong and explore where you may wish to live. Teachers may take advantage of this housing for one month to find their own accommodation. Upon request, the school can organize a relocation company to assist teachers in locating properties and to defray any initial rental deposits to ensure a smooth housing transition.

General orientation
HKA places considerable importance on its new teachers feeling supported and well orientated to their new school and location in general. Orientation will start shortly after being hired with the sharing of professional documentation and work on initiatives. An appointed New Hire Orientation Coordinator will communicate with new-hires together with school administrators and other teachers. On arriving in Hong Kong new-hires will work through a detailed orientation program to ensure they become familiar with the school and Hong Kong and have the critical support necessary to make sure their transition is smooth and successful.

Does the school provide furniture for apartments?
No. Some apartments come furnished and many teachers will ship household items and some furniture. Furniture is very reasonably priced and furniture buying is a favorite pastime for many. The school offers an electronic bulletin board service where you can often find furniture for sale, and there are several online classified services (asiaexpat.com, geoexpat.com) where you can also find an abundance of second-hand furniture and equipment for sale.

Can teachers save anything from their salaries?
While Hong Kong is often described as an expensive city how much you can save is highly dependent upon the lifestyle you choose to live. An unscientific poll of teachers suggests that with a reasonable mix of some travel and eating out it is possible for a single teacher to comfortably save anywhere from 8,000-12,000 US$ per year not including the 10% +10% of base salary matching retirement plan.

Can teachers tutor to supplement their income?
Yes, many teachers tutor students outside of school hours following school guidelines. You can expect to earn between $300-$500 per hour from tutoring.

Can you have pets in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong has a high proportion of pet owners, however, small apartments and limited open spaces do not make it ideal for large animals. Good veterinarian services are readily available. Please be aware there are very strict quarantine laws in reference to the importation of animals into Hong Kong.

Do you have to pay Personal Income tax?
Yes, you are liable for personal income tax that is graduated based on income levels. Teachers budget between 10-15% of their salary.

Does the school support professional development?
The school prides itself on basing its programs and teaching on best practice and current research. Its founding principles firmly encourage these precepts and support innovation. The school also has an extremely supportive parent community who recognize the value of teachers and their professional development. To maintain this, HKA makes a proportionally high allocation for professional development for individual teachers and co-teachers. HKA also encourages ongoing in–house PD, regular attendance at conferences and the active recruitment of consultants and specialists to help develop the school professional development goals. There is an early dismissal every Wednesday afternoon throughout the school year, allowing for professional and curriculum development to take place as well as team planning and teacher sharing sessions.

What is technology like in the school?
HKA believes IT needs to be integrated into its learning program and as such the aim is to make it as flexible and adaptable as possible. The school is Mac-based. There are ceiling-mounted LCD projectors and desktop computers and electronic whiteboards in all classrooms. The school has a one to one laptop program for grades 5 and up. The school is in the process of developing a data management system (DMS). Teachers are provided with the same type of computer as the students they work with. The school utilizes an intranet system called “First Class” on which parents, teachers and students have accounts. This system supports a high level of internal communication as well as home/school communication through electronic newsletters, weekly bulletins, etc.

Do you need a car in Hong Kong?
No. Very few teachers own cars. Excellent public transport, parking difficulties and high taxation of car registration and fuel make owning cars often frustrating and expensive even through car prices are very reasonable.

What is public transport like?
Excellent. It is also varied. You can catch buses, trams, trains, underground trains and ferries. Most public transport is cheap, clean and all connected to an electronic “Octopus” card payment system, which is simple and very efficient. The frequency and availability of public transportation is very good. There are generally no safety issues in using public transport even late at night. Taxis are also very reliable, safe and reasonably priced.

What is the average stay of teachers at HKA?
Hong Kong Academy is a relatively young school, only starting in 2000, therefore longevity of tenure is difficult to judge at this stage as the school has been changing and developing every year. Currently on staff there are teachers who have almost been with the school since inception although the average tenure at present would be close to four years. Over the last few years teacher turnover has averaged 11%.

Is it difficult to obtain a visa?
For qualified teachers it is not difficult to obtain a visa although there is a good degree of paperwork involved which the school will assist with and pay all relevant costs.

How diverse is the staff?
One of the school’s founding principles is diversity and therefore HKA works hard at attracting a diverse staff. This includes age, gender and race and nationality. Like all schools this is not always possible but it is a strong consideration when recruiting.

Who are the students?
Students who attend the school are predominantly from expatriate families around the world. Most have chosen the school based on its low student-teacher ratio, the intimate atmosphere of the school, and the sense of community that the school engenders. The school values diversity and strongly practices this. Admission guidelines ensure that individual nationality groups do not dominate the school and that those parents who do not fully subscribe to the key educational values of the school are discouraged from applying. The school’s diversity approach also means we foster an open admissions policy in terms of nationalities, ethnicity and abilities. While we encourage admissions from students at both ends of the learning spectrum we carefully analyze whether the school can meet an individual students’ needs successfully, before admitting them. As a result students with diverse learning needs can be found in most classrooms. We believe this practice, when supported effectively, enhances all student’s learning experiences.

What support is there for students with diverse needs?
There is a heavy emphasis on differentiation through professional development and teamwork. The school has a strong learner support team headed by a director and including a full-time Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist and other support teachers.