Renaissance College

Renaissance College (/rɪˌnəɪsənsˈkɒlɪdʒ/ ; Chinese: 啓新書院, abbreviated: RCHK) is a private independent international school run by English Schools Foundation (ESF) in Hong Kong. Located in Ma On Shan near Heng On station, Renaissance College serves primary and secondary students. The school was founded in 2006 to replace the Phoenix International School, another school run by ESF. Since its inception, the school has offered the IB Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme. Renaissance College began to offer the IB Career-Related Programme in 2014.[6]

This article is about the international school in Hong Kong. For the faculty of the University of New Brunswick, see University of New Brunswick.

Renaissance College
啓新書院
Logo of Renaissance College
Logo of the Black Kites, RCHK's school athletics team
Location
5 Hang Ming Street, Ma On Shan

Sha Tin

Hong Kong
Coordinates22.418°N 114.225°E / 22.418; 114.225
Information
Other nameRCHK
TypePrivate Independent School scheme (PIS)
MottoTo seek. To serve. To strive.
Established26 August 2006 (2006-08-26)
OversightEnglish Schools Foundation
PrincipalHarry Brown
Head of SecondaryNatasha Williams
Acting Head of PrimaryJason Doucette
Education systemInternational Baccalaureate (IB)
Colour(s)    Black, orange, white
Websiterchk.edu.hk
[1][2][3][4][5]

The secondary vehicular entrance of the school at Hang Ming Street
Last updated: 29 February 2020

As of September 2018, Renaissance College enrolls 2,094 students.[7] Under the Private Independent School Scheme, at least 70% of the students of Renaissance College must be Hong Kong permanent residents when at full capacity.[8]

History

Plans to establish Renaissance College as ESF's first private school began in 1999.[9] Unlike other schools operated by ESF at the time, Renaissance College would not receive recurrent government subsidy.[9]

In 2001, the Education Department (now the Education Bureau) granted ESF a lot of land in Ma On Shan and in Discovery Bay to build two primary-cum-secondary schools under the Private Independent School Scheme.[8] The Ma On Shan site would eventually become the campus of Renaissance College.

On 29 October 2001, Canadian Overseas International College closed unexpectedly due to financial difficulties. According to the school's chancellor, the September 11 attacks forced the company that funded the school to file for bankruptcy.[10] The Education Department was unaware of the financial difficulties that Canadian Overseas International College was facing, and was only informed by the school one day before its closure.[11] The police investigated possible fraud at the school,[12] after complaints from some parents.[13] Jonathan Goodman, the supervisor of the Canadian school, was arrested in December 2001 for suspected theft but was not charged.[13]

The closure of the Canadian Overseas International College made 380 students unable to attend school.[10] To resume tuition for the affected students, the Education Department established Phoenix International School (PIS) in 2001 as a temporary school operated by ESF. PIS occupied the former campus of Australian International School in Cheung Sha Wan and adopted the Ontario curriculum (OSSD).[14]

The campus in Ma On Shan cost HK$297 million to build,[9] of which HK$191.6 million was funded by the Hong Kong Government.[15] Phoenix International School merged with Renaissance College after the latter began operating in August 2006. The first cohort of Renaissance College had 900 primary and secondary students, of which 340 were transferred from Phoenix International School.[9]

The school was granted the status of IB World School in 2007. It is known as a selective school with an acceptance rate of less than 4%.

Technology

Technology at the college is centered around Apple products. The school provides iMacs, MacBooks, iPads and Apple TVs for students and staff. Wireless internet is available throughout the school. Students in secondary grades must have laptops, either their own or borrowed from the school. Student smart cards are used to access school services and track attendance.

Primary school

The primary section follows the Primary Years Programme for students ages 4 to 11. There are 36 classes of approximately 870 students and 40 teachers. The acting head of primary is Jason Doucette. The school day runs from 8:30 am to 3 pm for 185 days. Lunch is 50 minutes and recess is 20 minutes. There are 8 periods of 40 minutes each day.

Classrooms are located in the primary block, with Years 1 and 2 on the first floor, Years 3 and 4 on the second floor, and Years 5 and 6 on the third floor. There is a rooftop area and field. Each floor has a hub area for each year with computers, reading materials, seating, play equipment and other resources tailored for the different year levels.

Secondary school

The secondary section of RCHK has approximately 1,000 students ages 11 to 18. The middle school offers the Middle Years Programme while the high school offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. School hours are 8:30 am to 3:10 pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30 am to 1:00 pm on Fridays.[16]

In 2014, RCHK began offering the IB Career-related Programme. This allowed RCHK to become the first school in East Asia to offer all four IB programmes (8th in the world).[17]

Curriculum and uniform

Students in Years 1-11 wear polo shirts in black, brown and khaki. Years 12-13 wear casual clothes.

References
  1. RCHK Annual Report: 2018 - 2019 (Report). 2019.
  2. Principal's Message / 2019 (Report). 13 September 2018. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018.
  3. RCHK Annual Report: 2015 - 2016 (PDF) (Report). 2017.
  4. Results for the IB Diploma (IBDP) / Courses Programmes and Career-related Programme (PDF) (Report). 2019.
  5. School University Profile 2019 – 2020 (PDF) (Report). 2019.
  6. Conant, Ariel (18 July 2017). "A creative solution". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  7. Minutes of 1st RCHK Council Meeting 2018 / 2019 (PDF) (Report). 13 September 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2018.
  8. Government subsidies to the English Schools Foundation (PDF) (Report). Hong Kong: Audit Commission. 23 October 2004. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  9. Forestier, Katherine (2 September 2006). "Renaissance College Puts Fresh Face on the ESF". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  10. Wen Wei Po (29 October 2001). 加國際校停辦影響400學子 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  11. "LCQ8: Education Department's monitoring of international schools" (Press release). Hong Kong. 21 November 2001. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  12. Yeung, Linda (3 November 2001). "Yew Chung Negotiates for Failed International College Campus". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  13. Cheung, Gary (18 December 2001). "Supervisor of Closed College Arrested". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  14. Woo, Anthony (1 July 2002). "Rising Phoenix Aims to be Top Ontario Educator". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  15. Jasper Tsang Yok-Sing, President (1 June 2011). "Official Record of Proceedings" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Legislative Council. p. 11192.
  16. Renaissance College Hong Kong. "School Hours". Archived from the original on 16 February 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  17. http://www.ibo.org
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