School Council

School Council

The Council is the group that represents all areas of our community. It oversees and guides the development of Island School, reviewing budgets, the curriculum and site development. The members of the Council are drawn from the following constituencies.

• • • The Council Chair appointed by the ESF Board.
    • Two parents are elected directly by the parent body and one parent nominated by the PTA.
    • Three Teachers and one Support Staff are elected by the staff.
    • Three Community members are nominated by the Chair.
    • The Head Students
    • The Principal.
    • A representative of the ESF Chief Executive Officer.

A second Parent from the PTA attends when the member it nominates cannot. Other senior staff attend when needed.

The Council meets approximately five times a year. The agenda varies from monitoring ongoing issues and discussions of new projects that are brought forward by members. Major changes in the school need to be agreed by the Council.

The Council has various committees that also include other members of the community. These committees include:

• • • Curriculum, Exams and Higher Education
    • Finance
    • Human Resources
    • Wellbeing, Risk Management & Facilities

Email: schoolcouncil@online.island.edu.hk

School Council Members

	Alec Tong, Council Chairman Alec is a Chartered Accountant qualified with KPMG in London and had held various senior finance roles within the Jardine Matheson Group. He graduated with a BSc(Hons) degree from the University of Manchester; a MSc degree from the University of Leeds; and completed the Advanced Management Program from the Harvard Business School. He is an Adjunct Professor at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, and currently teaches both the Master and Bachelor degree programs on a part-time basis. He was a Council Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and currently serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Qualification and Examinations Board at the Institute. Alec was an Independent Board Member at ESF and the Chairman of its Audit Committee for the past five years, as well as a former parent at Island School.
	Stephen Loggie, Principal Stephen has been a principal in Australian primary and secondary schools for over 24 years. This has included being the foundation principal at two schools including the Queensland Academy of Science Maths and Technology which is Australia’s most accomplished IB World School. He teaches Maths, Science and Theory of Knowledge and devotes his leisure time to sport. He is most passionate about ensuring the talent of each student is nurtured to enable them to achieve their potential.
	Fatema Jangbarwala, PTA Representative Fatema is an educator with working and research experience in Early Childhood Education and Special needs. She received her M.Ed from the University of Hong Kong. Fatema currently serves on the ESF Board of Governors and is Chair of the ESF Committee of Parents and Island School PTA.
	Ali Ebrahim, Parent Representative Ali studied at Island School before graduating from the University of Chicago and completing a Mandarin programme at the Beijing Language & Culture University. Ali is a director at his family’s trading business where he supervises supply chain and project management. Ali also manages digital marketing and PR for nonprofits.
	Dr Tarja Joro, Parent Representative Tarja received her MSc and PhD from Aalto University, Finland. She worked as a graduate researcher funded by Science Academy of Finland, and as a faculty member at University of Alberta, Canada. She has published in the area of productivity economics.
	Yasmin Ebrahim, Community Representative Yasmin studied Social Psychology at Kent University in the UK after graduating from secondary school in Kobe, Japan. She taught ESL at the Hong Kong Japanese School Secondary Section and now continues to teach students privately. She is a member of the Mentorship Steering Committee of the Asian University for Women (Bangladesh) based in HK. Both her husband and son are Island School alumni.
	Karen Lai, Community Representative Dr Karen Lai is an alumni of Island School class 2006, Da Vinci. After leaving Island School she went on to study at the University of Waterloo in Canada before coming back to the University of Hong Kong to study Dentistry. She then went on for her specialist training in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery under The University of Hong Kong at both Prince Philip Dental Hospital and Queen Mary Hospital. She obtained her membership in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2016 and subsequently received her fellowship in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery in 2019. She is currently splitting her time as an Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon in private practice and clinical teaching at the University of Hong Kong as an Honorary Clinical Assistant Professor.
	Ross Burrough, Teaching Staff Representative Ross joined Island School in 2014 as a History and Humanities teacher and now Co-Heads the middle school Explorations program. He has worked as the Environmental Coordinator for the ESF and now looks to drive environmental change with his students at Island School. Ross comes with a background that goes beyond the educational having worked in international events and for logistics companies around the world.
	Cameron Otto, Teaching Staff Representative Cameron is enthusiastic and experienced in the areas of MYP/DP, Interdisciplinary teaching and learning, Service and Action, Approaches to Learning and Global competency skill development. He is also part of both an International forum of Interdisciplinary Learning and Project Based Learning. He has led and facilitated school and foundation wide professional development workshops on the MYP and am currently a Building Quality Curriculum Arts reviewer for the IBO.
	Cynthia Li, Teaching Staff Representative Cynthia is a Chinese teacher enjoying her sixth year in Island School. She is passionate about getting into the community to contribute her effort.
	Natalie Tsang, Secretary to School Council, Support Staff Representative Natalie is the Personal Assistant to the Principal, now serving as the Support Staff Representative in the School Council. This is her fourth year in Island School.
	Belinda Greer, Chief Executive Officer, ESF Center Representative Since 2013, Belinda has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the English Schools Foundation (ESF) in Hong Kong. She is a life-long educator, with a commitment to promoting opportunities for every child so that as individuals, and as members of their communities, they may thrive and excel. Belinda’s career in education spans 40 years, including more than 30 years in leadership positions. Before taking on her role in ESF, she served as Chief Education Officer (Director) in two Scottish regions; as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education (HMI), and as a school principal in 3 schools. Belinda has worked in the UK, the Middle East, and in the Hong Kong SAR. She holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in education. Belinda is a member of the Hong Kong UGC Quality Assurance Council and a member of the Personalized Vehicle Registration Marks Vetting Committee. She sits on the Executive Committee of Hong Kong’s Summerbridge, is a member of the Bodhi Love Advisory Board, and is a Trustee of the IndoChina Starfish Foundation.
	Airi Tachino, Student Representative Airi joined Island School in 2018 and is a proud member of Da Vinci House. With her devotion to helping others, she co-leads the Student Advisors committee and enjoys volunteering in her free time. As Head Student, she aspires to become a role model who demonstrates commitment, integrity, and compassion.
	Hannah Wu, Student Representative Hannah Wu is a proud Islander and Da Vinci student, passionate about driving change through student leadership. Currently, she co-leads the Debate and Public Speaking Club and chairs the ESF Sustainability Alliance. As head student, she is excited and eager to form connections, represent the student body and build up the Island School spirit and community throughout the coming year.
	Hannah Lee, Student Representative Hannah Lee has been a proud Islander since 2017, leading students through her roles in the Rutherford house and as the Co-Leader of Culture. She vows to use her position as Head Student to create a better environment for all students and bring ambitious ideas to life.
	Ray Yao, Student Representative Ray Yao joined Island School in 2020 and is a member of Fleming. He is passionate about local social issues, frequently volunteering outside of school, and is keen on instilling a greater sense of responsibility within students for the Hong Kong community as well as encouraging academic excellence.