History

Hoi An International School (HAIS) is a community focused international school which was established in 2018 by Ms. Tran Hanh An. Today, HAIS has 260 students from 40+ countries and 60+ teaching faculty. HAIS offers an integrated bilingual curriculum which combines both Cambridge and Vietnamese National Curricula.   

Background

I first learned about HAIS, a for-profit international school, while my family was visiting Hoi An. My wife and I fell in love with Hoi An, known for its UNESCO old town, rice fields, and delicious food, on a previous visit to Vietnam. The majority of my experience is with “Type A” international schools, which are not-for-profit schools established to serve expat families. For-profit schools like HAIS typically fit into the “Type C” category of international schools which were created to serve local families looking for alternative school options. I decided to visit HAIS to learn about how newer for-profit schools establish their brand and community. 

I reached out to HAIS and received a prompt reply from Operations and Administration Coordinator, LaVasjah Williams. Quick aside, nothing says “high quality school” like a lightning fast reply from the administration. LaVasjah is a community-focused leader with rich startup and business experience in both the USA and Vietnam. 

Highlights

Here are a few highlights from my visit. One of the things that drew me to HAIS was its branding. In 2026 a nice logo and website are essential for attracting international teachers and families. HAIS understands this and then some. The school has nice branding and a color scheme which help the website to shine nearly as much as the campus. 

At their core, schools are places designed for meaningful teaching and learning. One of the keys to meaningful teaching and learning is literacy. Literacy comes in many forms including science, technology, culture, and reading. HAIS focuses on literacy through programs like their “Extreme Reading Challenge” where the whole school shares what they have been reading through displays on the walls outside of their classrooms. Another way HAIS fosters literacy is through its beautiful library. I love a good school library, seemingly infinite potential wrapped up in hundreds of picture books and comfortable seating. 

HAIS serves the surrounding community through initiatives like its Language Center and fundraising projects. Its Language Center gives the local community an opportunity to receive international school standard language learning at a low cost. International schools that seek to bridge the gap between their school and the local community create a variety of opportunities for mutually beneficial connection, service, and revenue generation. Recently, the HAIS community rallied together to fundraise to support relief efforts for the severe flooding throughout Vietnam. They see it as leading by example, an example both their community and other international schools can follow. 

One of my favorite spaces at HAIS is the Sustainable Garden! Home to a variety of plants, flowers, gardens, and even chickens. This evergreen space provides expansive learning opportunities about botany, exploration, and farming. 

3 Key Takeaways

• Empower Exploration: Empower students to explore the arts, academics, athletics, social skills, problem solving, service, and more. What programs does your school use to empower your students to become world changers?
• Rooted in Reading: Carve out space and time to develop your students reading skills and allow learning to take root. What initiative can your school engage in to encourage your students and families to read more often? 
• Care Consistently: The best international schools aren’t just for their families and faculty, they’re FOR their community. What humanitarian or ministry cause can your school contribute to in your surrounding community? 

Build culture, unlock potential. Visit my Connect Page or send a message on LinkedIn. 

Stay tuned for more international school visits – up next DSC International School!

Peace & Blessings, 

– Josiah