08-18-2026
Reconnecting with Reading and One Another: A New School Year Begins at Huitong
In an age of rapidly evolving artificial intelligence and technology, screens occupy an ever-greater share of our time. This makes us increasingly aware that deep reading, focused exploration, genuine eye contact and warm greetings remain central to the campus culture Huitong has always valued.
Early August: Faculty and Staff Training Begins
During the summer holiday, Huitong gave every teacher a special assignment: to read at least one book. Through quiet reading, teachers gathered new ideas, reflected deeply and prepared for the new academic year.
Huitong’s faculty and staff training began in early August. Principal Jim Hawkins introduced our new teachers from around the world, including graduates of Columbia University, Imperial College London, University College London, the University of Melbourne and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. At the same time, several long-serving Huitong teachers, recognised for their excellent work in the classroom, received new promotions and appointments.
As part of the Scholarly Reading initiative launching this academic year, teachers shared their summer reading and reconsidered the purpose of reading. They also explored how reading could be translated into practical classroom strategies.
For older students, teachers examined how questions from different perspectives could guide a deeper understanding of a text. For younger students, they explored ways to combine reading with engaging games, creating enjoyable learning experiences that help children develop a genuine love of books.
On the morning of 15 August, new students arrived at Huitong in formal dress, accompanied by their parents, ready to begin a new learning journey.
Principal Jim Hawkins warmly welcomed them to the school. Teachers introduced Huitong’s diverse Studios and challenging competition support programmes, which will provide students with rich opportunities and a broad platform for personalised growth.
During the House allocation ceremony, Taishan, Pearl River, Panda and Ginkgo welcomed their newest members. House leaders and student representatives presented each new student with a Huitong Tree and a seed of hope, symbolising the beginning of their growth within the Huitong community.
Students and parents then visited their classrooms, met their tutors and became familiar with their new learning environment. Every new student also received a Huitong welcome backpack containing a letter from the Principal, a bespoke desktop reading stand and a Huitong Tree bookmark to accompany the beginning of a new reading journey.
On 17 August, sunlight fell across Huitong’s campus, designed by Renzo Piano. Students returned full of anticipation, and their voices and laughter brought the school back to life.
At the opening assembly, the school launched a Reading Marathon for all students. Before their return, teachers had already completed their own journey of reading and reflection. This academic year, the strategies developed through their collective work will be incorporated into morning meetings, tutor periods, class meetings and library activities.
The assembly also celebrated students who received awards in major international competitions during the summer. Throughout the new term, students from different year groups will take part in a range of House activities, earning points for their Houses and working towards the House Cup at the end of the term.
During faculty and staff training and the first Parent Committee meeting of the new academic year, Huitong invited Ishan Dirks and Principal Jim Hawkins to take part in two in-depth conversations about reading and education.
Ishan Dirks holds a BA from Columbia University and a master’s degree in Public Policy from King’s College London. He currently teaches at The Lawrenceville School in the United States and previously worked at Radley College in the United Kingdom. Principal Jim Hawkins studied Mathematics at the University of Oxford and has served as a school leader in both China and the United Kingdom.
In the session for teachers, the two speakers drew on their own reading experiences and educational insights to explore the meaning of genuine scholarly reading and how it can be translated into thoughtful lesson design.
During the Reading Like a Scholar workshop for parents, they considered three further questions: how to nurture genuine thinkers in the age of AI, what scholarly reading truly means, and how parents can help a child’s reading abilities take root and grow at home.
When families and schools move forward together, children gain a clearer and more secure direction for their growth.
