Accessing the School

Busing

Bus Supervisors

All buses are assigned a Bus Supervisor who supports the safe transportation of students to and from HKIS. Bus Supervisors assist students while boarding and exiting the bus and help maintain appropriate student behavior in accordance with established bus rules.

In the case of behavioral violations, Bus Supervisors will document the incident and submit a written report to the HKIS Bus Coordinator (RB), who will liaise with the school administration as appropriate.

To support Bus Supervisors in fulfilling their responsibilities, annual training sessions are provided. These sessions include a review of the bus company's policy and procedures, as well as training in effective strategies for managing student behavior and ensuring student safety on the bus.

Changing Buses

Enforcement of Bus Rules

1. The bus supervisor is responsible for upholding discipline and seeing that bus rules are followed.
2. Students not following appropriate bus behaviors will be given a warning by the bus mother.
3. Continued student misbehavior will be reported to the bus coordinator and division administration for further disciplinary action.

Mandatory Busing Policy

Safety Rules for All Bus Riders

• Students are to board their buses immediately after school and remain on board.
• Students must remain seated at all times.
• LP students are required to sit in the front seats to ensure closer supervision.
• Students are required to wear seat belts at all times while on the bus.
• Students are not permitted to throw any objects while on the bus.
• Students are to be courteous to drivers, bus supervisors and fellow students and should not interfere with the bus driver, bus equipment or the bus supervisor.
• No food or drinks are allowed on the bus.
• When getting off the bus, students are to remain seated until the bus comes to a complete stop.
• Students must wait for the bus to leave before crossing the street to allow a full view of oncoming traffic.
• Fighting is not permitted.
• Obscene language is not permitted.
• Parents should meet your child at the bus stop in the afternoon and take them to the bus stop in the morning or make suitable alternative arrangements.
• Children are not allowed to sit on laps or on the floor.
• No electronics (e.g. phones, laptops, smartwatches, iPads etc.) may be used on the bus.
• Laser pointers are prohibited on the bus.
• Real or toy weapons of any kind are not permitted on the bus.
• Adults may ride the bus if space is available, subject to a fee, except for the months of August, September, and June.

Transportation to School

Walker

HKIS agrees to allow Lower Primary students to walk to campus if they live within any of the following areas:

• All of South Bay Close
• All of South Bay Road including 74-80 and 82-86 Repulse Bay Road which are accessed from South Bay Road
• All complexes on Repulse Bay Road between Repulse Bay Garden (24 Belleview Drive) to the Lily (129 Repulse Bay Road) including the following addresses on Repulse Bay Road: 94, 96, 98, 101, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117,119A, 121, 123, 125,127, 129.

Rainy Days

Walkers may register at the beginning of the school year to be a "Rainy Day Bus Rider." This is an ad hoc service and dependent on seats being available on the bus. Each ride costs $60 and only registered students are permitted to use it. Please complete the "Rainy Day Bus Rider" registration information in PowerSchool.

HKIS ID Cards

All HKIS employees, students, and parents to the school are required to use an HKIS ID card at the main entrance to gain access to the Repulse Bay and Tai Tam campuses, when boarding buses, and to borrow books from the libraries. An HKIS ID card is your evidence of being an HKIS community member. You should carry or display your card at all times when on HKIS property and present it at the entrance to school and upon the request of an HKIS employee.

HKIS ID Cards for New Families

• All HKIS students are issued with ID cards once accepted into HKIS.
• It is recommended that all new parents submit an application for a HKIS Parent ID. The HKIS Parent ID card means you do not need to register as a visitor each time you enter campus.
• Log in to PowerSchool and complete the “HKIS ID CardApplication/Replacement/ Renewal” form to apply for a card.
• New families may request HKIS ID cards for themselves or guardians by submitting the card application form through PowerSchool.
• Divisional offices will distribute new student and parent HKIS ID cards in August, usually during the New Family Orientation or Back to School Night, prior to the start of school.

Returning Students

• To ensure a student’s ID photo is up-to-date, returning HKIS Student ID cards are re-issued when a student enters into a new division (Reception 1, Grade 3,Grade 6 and Grade 9).
• Divisional offices distribute the HKIS ID cards to R1, G3, G6 and G9 students in August.
• If a student loses their HKIS ID Card, a replacement card will be issued at the cost of $100.

Returning Parents

• All HKIS parents are required to have an HKIS ID card to access campus, both during school hours and for events that take place after school or on weekends.
• If you have a card already, it will remain active as long as your children are enrolled in the school, so please hold onto it and use it when accessing campus.

Replacement Cards

• To replace lost, stolen, or damaged cards, please log in to PowerSchool and complete the “HKIS ID Card Application/Replacement/Renewal” Form.
• There is a $100 charge for replacement cards, so please keep your cards in a safe place.

HKIS-Sponsored Cards

• You may also apply to have an HKIS ID card issued for other family or household members, such as grandparents or helpers.
• These cards are considered “sponsored cards” and there is a fee for issuance plus an annual renewal fee.
• Sponsored cards can only be used to enter and leave school premises, they cannot be used to borrow library books or board buses.

Visitors Accessing Campus

Guests invited by HKIS may access campus with an appointment registered through our Visitor Management System (VMS). They will be issued a VMS barcode letter which they should bring to expedite registration at the gate. HKIS will issue a pass to visitors, which they are required to wear while on campus.

NOTE: If you forget your HKIS ID card, you will be required to sign in as a visitor.

Using your HKIS Card at Divisional Libraries

Each student’s card is printed with a library membership number. Library membership is available to students, parents, and employees.

Help with HKIS ID Cards

If you have any questions or problems with your card, please email idcard@hkis.edu.hk.

Parent Volunteers and Visitors in Lower Primary

In order to ensure a safe environment within our school, we require all visitors to check in at the guard’s station before entering the building, as well as with the LP office. You will be given a school visitor’s badge to wear around your neck while you are in the building. Parents and helpers may also apply for an HKIS ID card, through the school office. Please see the HKIS ID Cards section for more information.

Each year we receive requests to have former students or visiting friends spend time in Lower Primary classrooms. Requests for such visits should be made in advance to the Lower Primary Principal and Associate Principals. Providing they do not disrupt the class routines or distract students, and with the consent and input of homeroom teachers, such visits may be authorized for a couple of hours during the school day. Visits will not be permitted during days that include special events, field trips or other times when the teacher or administrators feel visitors might distract from the school program.

Phoning HKIS

When the need arises to contact your child during the school day, please call the office on 2812 5130 for assistance.

Picking Up Students During the Day for Special Circumstances

If it becomes necessary to pick your child up during the school day for special circumstances (illness, doctor appointments), please sign your child out at the Lower Primary office. Students must be picked up by 1:00 p.m. for R1 and R2 students and by 1:30 p.m. for G1 and G2students at the latest, unless there is specific approval from the administrator. Only those adults who are listed on the system as parents or emergency contacts will be allowed to pick up a child.

If your child is ill or needs to leave early and you want your driver or helper to pick them up, you will have to fill in the private transportation release disclaimer in PowerSchool. This will give your driver or helper permission to pick up your child. If this disclaimer has not been filled in or your child is significantly ill or injured only parents will be allowed to pick students up.

Weather Warnings Procedures

The safety of our students and staff is our priority, so in the event of extreme weather it may be necessary to modify our school schedules.

Parents are advised to use their best judgment in determining whether to send their children to school in the case of bad weather or dangerous road conditions.

In the event of special weather arrangements, the Education Bureau will make a decision at or before 6 a.m. and this information will be distributed to the media. For current information please refer to their guidelines at www.edb.gov.hk/.

Under normal circumstances, HKIS will follow the government’s recommendation. HKIS will not call parents directly. Alerts will be posted on HKIS Central and DragonNet. Parents are responsible for checking for any announcements.

Please note there are times when localized weather conditions on the South side of the island are very different from territory-wide predictions. In circumstances where HKIS needs to take action different from the government’s recommendation, parents will be alerted and notices will be posted online.

Generally speaking, HKIS will wait for an official announcement from Hong Kong’s Education Bureau before notifying the community about school closures (due to bad weather or health considerations such as flu outbreaks). On occasion, these announcements take time to come out, and, in that time, some news outlets and community members try to anticipate whether the Education Bureau will close schools or not. Please rest assured that HKIS will contact parents with news of any closure once official word has been received.

If the signal is raised before school starts:

When the signal is raised during school hours:

At times a typhoon increases in intensity or a rainstorm signal is raised while the children are at school. If this happens, we will use the following procedures:

*This means students will not be released until the warning has been removed and buses are authorized for safe travel, which could be after 3 p.m.Please note that the HK government strongly advises everyone to stay indoors during a Black Rainstorm warning. Driving yourself or sending someone to pick up your child during a Black Rainstorm signal is extremely dangerous and not advisable.

Note: In the case of a Typhoon 8 signal when we must dismiss the children prior to the end of the regular school day, parents will be informed with the approximate new dismissal time. It is critical that you discuss with your family and your helper the new arrival time and determine who will be waiting at the bus stop for your child. If your child is a walker, please be prepared to come immediately to school to pick your child up at the normal meeting place.

Buses will run and complete their routes if school is in session or when students are onboard. Any variation to the regular schedule will be the decision of the bus company in consultation with the school administration.

For information regarding weather conditions, we recommend the following sources:

Hong Kong Observatory website: www.weather.gov.hk
Hong Kong Observatory telephone: 187-8200
(Press 1 for Cantonese, 2 for Mandarin, 3 for English)

RTHK – Radio 3: FM 97.9 (Central and environs) or
FM 106.8 (Southern Hong Kong Island)

In emergency weather situations, do not come to the school to pick up your child.