Hi,
I am a member and have read the school and director reviews. However, if anyone has some direct experience with this school or with Dr Page-Smith, I'd be grateful if you could share it with us. One teacher I have spoken says to avoid him like the plague. I'd be interested to know if that is fair advice.
Thanks
Hong Kong Academy (Andy Page-Smith)
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Kuwaitalum
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:26 pm
Andy Page Smith
I worked for Andy Page Smith. You have received 'fair advice.'
REsponse to Hong Kong Academy Query
I currently work at Hong Kong Academy and can tell you that this year has been 100% different than last year. For the better! And Andy deserves a good deal of the creidt for that. The school is a new start up school (only 6 years old). It is growing fast and changes happen fast. I beleive a lot of change will continue.
Just so you know, I was not hired by Andy and am loyal to some of the old administrators. Regardless, credit should go where it is due. We have better health coverage, more transparent management, and soon an educaiton cohort for graduate studies will be starting and people can work towards there graduate degrees here at school.
As for Andy, He is an extorvert. What you see is what you get. IF you can give him good reasons for something and he knows your intentions are good, I'd say he'll listen most of the time. Sometimes, he will really want evidence and grill you a bit. If you know your stuff you should be fine. However, Depending on your own personality, he does take getting used to.
I think coming to Hong Kong Academy is a about good fit. Do you want to do something new and innovative? Are you a young teacher who wants opportunities you just wouldn't get somewhere else at your level of experince? do you want to live in a large vibrant Asian City? If the answer is yes, I think you will like it here. If you are worried about Working directly with Andy, don't. We will have a new primary Principal, and Merris Page- Smith is Middle school Coordinator. She is very easy to work with from what I hear. They will be your supervisors next year. Although, Andy is fine really.
Also, so you know. I'm not his biggest fan and don't mean that in a negatiave sense. I wouldn't just run around singing his praises, but I'm glad he's here to straighten out much of the adminisrtative confusion left after the change over last year. He really is putting things into good order, and I beleive the school is headed in the right direction.
I hope that helps you a bit.
Just so you know, I was not hired by Andy and am loyal to some of the old administrators. Regardless, credit should go where it is due. We have better health coverage, more transparent management, and soon an educaiton cohort for graduate studies will be starting and people can work towards there graduate degrees here at school.
As for Andy, He is an extorvert. What you see is what you get. IF you can give him good reasons for something and he knows your intentions are good, I'd say he'll listen most of the time. Sometimes, he will really want evidence and grill you a bit. If you know your stuff you should be fine. However, Depending on your own personality, he does take getting used to.
I think coming to Hong Kong Academy is a about good fit. Do you want to do something new and innovative? Are you a young teacher who wants opportunities you just wouldn't get somewhere else at your level of experince? do you want to live in a large vibrant Asian City? If the answer is yes, I think you will like it here. If you are worried about Working directly with Andy, don't. We will have a new primary Principal, and Merris Page- Smith is Middle school Coordinator. She is very easy to work with from what I hear. They will be your supervisors next year. Although, Andy is fine really.
Also, so you know. I'm not his biggest fan and don't mean that in a negatiave sense. I wouldn't just run around singing his praises, but I'm glad he's here to straighten out much of the adminisrtative confusion left after the change over last year. He really is putting things into good order, and I beleive the school is headed in the right direction.
I hope that helps you a bit.
Hong Kong Academy
While I haven't worked with Andy Page-Smith, I work with the new primary school principal who will be coming to HKA in the fall of 2007. There has been a collective sigh of relief that she did not get hired for the principalship opening in her present school. The "fair advice" mentioned in the first post would also apply. I would "steer clear".