HKIS, FIS, CDNIS

Cayenne

My kid graduated from HKIS High School a few years back, so I think I can say a thing or two about the much hyped 'Drug Problem ' there.

I believe drugs/sex experimentations occur in a varying proportions  of students in most schools, local or otherwise. To most outsiders , international schools are the hotbeds of such activities for no  reason other than the misguided belief that foreigners and rich kids must be more hedonistically inclined.
These outsiders probably don't even read the daily newspaper.

Upon my kid's registration, we were informed that the school ran an anti-drug program in which tiny bits of our kid's hair may be collected for random drug sampling. Students with drug problems would be offered professional help . We had to sign an agreement form signifying our consent to all these.

Now that's something which scares many parents off. Does that mean drug problem is rampant in HKIS ?

Lucky for us, we have an old friend whose kid got in before us. That kid had absolute integrity and amazing credentials , including a SCMP Student of the Year award. So we had some insider information we could trust, and which we later verified as true.

Yes, there are a very small percentage of students which are into these tihings. To think that they don't exist in any given school is simply naive and self-delusional. What HKIS is doing is to tackle the problem head-on, rather than to sweep it under the carpet pretending that it doesn't exist, as most other schools have done.

It fact, one of the things which swayed our decision to enroll in HKIS is this frank, pragmatic and pro-active approach. We are convinced that they  are there to help, not to stigmatize students.

Our years in HKIS have been most rewarding .True, may be there were a few classmates which were suspected of having a drug problem. But most students were just nice fine kids who went on to study in nice fine universities overseas. There was one amazing student who spent nearly every evening in  LanKwaiFong bars (I'm sure this will shock many local parents) , probably because schoolwork was too easy and boring for him, he ended up in Princeton.   :

YOSASHTO

Thank you Cayenne for your great testament!  

My husband and I had the same feeling as you when we enrolled our son at HKIS, that they are very open about issues, and are really there to help.

tingtingting

Dear Christf,

You can choose to disbelieve my source.  It is entirely up to you. But don't get me wrong - I do agree that GSIS is one of the very good schools.  Good for you and your son that he is there.  Yet, it is wholly unncessary for you to treat other schools as sons of the lesser god.  

Cayenne

First of all, let us not turn this discussion  into a beauty contest between the  various schools.

Substance abuse is an epidemic which no school can safely claim immune to. Local schools have their own problems. Often  we hear them in the news.

International schools are peculiar in the sense that they have a steady influx of foreign students from a diversity of countries and backgrounds. When they come to HK with their parents, sometimes they bring their drug habits with them.

I read from another site the following :

" . . .The quality of the tuition at these schools was always very good but the exposures to some of the excesses of expat brats wasn't good. Drugs was the big issue, I know of more than a dozen people from my year at Island School that attended rehab and there are more than 2 or 3 from my year that have since passed away due to drug related problems. . "  ==>from geoexpat.com:

Horrific isn't it ?

I believe  a caring and supportive family offers the best protection for our children against drugs. Other than that, a frank, proactive attitude like that adopted by HKIS is the only way to cut down the drug problem.

KathyChing

Hi Ruby1219,

Please check pm.

nanshanlu

我一九九五年開始私人教授HKIS, CIS, GSIS的學生, 有本地家庭的富豪第三/四代, 也有外國來港工作兩三年的外籍家庭, 當時已知道hkis有抽樣剪髮驗毒的事, 每三個月一次, 是CIS學生的母親告訴我的, 當時她女兒的好友在HKIS讀書.

老實說, 大家在娱樂名人版常見的好些名媛闊太, 很多已是出身很好, 外國回來, 思想很潮, 又認識娛樂圈的人......她們也抽大麻,不太當一回事, 他們的孩子不是不知道, 以上三所學校有大麻問題, 依我看會不會只流轉在"富裕"皆層, 因為這是"身份".

有錯請"點撥", 交流.

cari

I think taking drug may happen in some schools but it does not mean that all the students in that school take drug.  Different school and parents may use different method to handle things.  I also prefer to handle it positively instead of hiding it under the carpet.

Anyway, will anyone give me some comments on FIS as I know no one from that school.  

KathyChing,
It seems that you are the only mom with kid studying there.  Please share your opinion on that school.  Thanks.  I will pm you as well.

courtbas

cari,

Please share with us your decision and the rationale behind your decision.  It will definitely be a reference for all of us who, if fortunate enough, have so many choices Thank you.

courtbas

cari

courtbas,

I still have not made up my mind yet.  Many moms have shared the opionion on HKIS.  But it seems that not much people have info on FIS.
I am happy and grateful with the choices given.  The pressure is to choose the right one for the kid.  I think all the moms here can understand my feeling.

courtbas 寫道:
cari,

Please share with us your decision and the rationale behind your decision.  It will definitely be a reference for all of us who, if fortunate enough, have so many choices Thank you.

courtbas

yuenszewing

Just want to seek comments from those HKIS parents as many of the students in HKIS are children of popular artists, govt. officials and billionnaires.

I am just afraid my kid will feel inferior among the classmates as I am just a slightly above middle class family.

Also, I heard from some mothers saying that most of the students talk about designer brands, expensive cars etc which may influence children to be very materialistic.

Please share your view.

wskwok

Hi yuenszewing,

I'm really worry too.  I also come from lower middle class family.  I thought when the kids are young, they couldn't see the difference.  However, when they grow up, they will know what is really rich and poor and they will feel inferior among the classmates.  I'm afraid I'll also feel frustrated when this happens.  How to solve this problem?  Can anyone help?

This is also one of the most important reason that I hesitate of whether to send the kids to IS or not.

Welcome for your sharing.

YOSASHTO

You are correct that wealthy families send their children to HKIS, but like I mentioned in another posting, so far (in Primary level), that has not been a problem for us.  Actually, if you think about it, children / grandchildren of these famous artists, government officials, billionnaires are in all the good schools in HK, not just HKIS.  So it is not possible to avoid them.  I have met quite a few of them at parent functions, and they are very nice and down to earth.  Several of my son's best friends are from these families, and there have not been any problems so far.

The good thing about HKIS, in this respect, is that there are much more expat families who are also upper middle class than the extremely wealthy ones you are referring to.  Although their companies provide them with nice big houses, they are very frugal, in fact they probably spend less money on materialistic things than most Hong Kong families.  Their children do not wear expensive brand names (except if you count Nike and Adidias shoes, etc.), they have similar toys as my son, and they watch similar TV shows.  We even have an agreement that birthday party presents should not exceed USD $20.  They are actully better bargain hunters than me, so they give me tips on where to go buy stuff.

However, I feel the most important thing is to instill your values in your child's mind when they are young.  No one can do this for you, and you have to start early, before they face these "social" differences at school.

yuenszewing 寫道:
Just want to seek comments from those HKIS parents as many of the students in HKIS are children of popular artists, govt. officials and billionnaires.

I am just afraid my kid will feel inferior among the classmates as I am just a slightly above middle class family.

Also, I heard from some mothers saying that most of the students talk about designer brands, expensive cars etc which may influence children to be very materialistic.

Please share your view.

Cayenne

Cayenne

Many parents, while longing for the kind of education that ISs offer for their children, nevertheless shudder at the thought of their beloved little ones being belittled by the princes and princesses of Hong Kong's mega-rich families, who arrive at school in designer jeans and  chauffeured Rolls Royces .

I think this worry is unwarranted, for 3 reasons.

1. Wealth flaunting and snobbery are some of the more common but less pious side of our human nature . Almost in every school you will find some stupid brat who thinks he/she stands taller  than you  just because his/her dad drives a (second-hand) Mercedes and their home has a 'club' and swimming pool ( to be shared with 3 thousand people at a hefty club management fee ). No matter where you go, there's no escape from these sickening people. So why not ignore them or give them a kick in their asses every now and then ?  :

2. It may surprise you that HKIS, which is regularly patroned by HK's super-rich families, is actually one of the places where snobbery is frowned and looked down upon, for two reasons :

The first reason concerns the relatively high percentage of foreign students in HKIS, and which has already explained in detail by  YOSASHTO.

The second reason is funny and somewhat  unexpected. Snobbery is out of fashion in HKIS simply because there are so many  mega-rich people around.
If the son of the property tycoon who built your house arrives at school in plain jeans and  a white Toyota Alphard, who are you to flaunt your hundred thousand dollar  Prada handbag and Mercedes , if not a hillbilly ?
So, everyone ( well, almost ) get really low-key about their family fortunes and divert their competitive spirits to more constructive channels.

3. Knowing his own  place in the world while unfazed by the immense wealth and power of the people he meets, is what a place like HKIS may make out of  your child.

cari

Who are studying at HKIS?  I did not think of this thing before?  But I think Cayenne is right that this will not be a big problem to our kids.

yuenszewing

Thanks very much for all of your advice and information. Now I feel confident in choosing IS for my kid as my major worry has been cracked.

YOSASHTO

I don't think we should discuss who send their kids where.  Afterall, movie stars and other wealthy families have their privacy as well.

What I can say is, at HKIS, as well as other top tier schools, there are many children of senior executives from major international firms, as well as the rich and famous.  But they are all just like us commoners, they just want the best for their kids.

cari 寫道:
Who are studying at HKIS?  I did not think of this thing before?  But I think Cayenne is right that this will not be a big problem to our kids.

cari

We have finally decided to choose CDNIS as we want our kid to further her study in Canada.  Thank you for sharing your opinion towards the schoold and giving me all the valuable comments.  Thank you so much.