Owen Hall, an experienced international educator based in China throughout his career, currently serves as Head of Kindergarten at DSAS, bringing over a decade of leadership in bilingual and international early years settings. With a proven track record as Founding Head of Kindergarten, Head of Technology Integration, and Lower Primary Homeroom Teacher, he fosters nurturing, high-impact environments where children and staff thrive.

Deeply committed to child-centered pedagogy, academic excellence, and inclusive education, Owen drives curriculum innovation, EAL support, and evidence-based teacher development. He holds a Master of Arts in International Education, is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching (FCCT), and is actively pursuing the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). His strategic, data-informed leadership continues to shape strong outcomes for learners.

With over 20 years of management experience in international and bilingual schools, she has been deeply involved in the implementation of the IB curriculum framework. She has held key leadership positions—including middle leadership roles, IB School Principal, and Vice Principal—at several top-tier international and bilingual schools in Beijing. Her professional expertise centers on three critical domains: curriculum integration and innovation, high-performance team building, and parent-school partnership development.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions, she has been honored with the Forbes Outstanding Education Contributor Award and the Jing Outstanding Educator Award, demonstrating exceptional cross-cultural communication skills and a proven ability to drive curriculum reform initiatives.

She holds dual bachelor’s degrees from Beijing Foreign Studies University and a Master of Education from Flinders University, Australia. As an active participant in global education forums, she continually advances her professional practice in inquiry-based learning, PBL pedagogy, metacognitive development, and critical thinking cultivation.

Having first taught in China in 2001, Richard Nunns joins us from Dulwich International High School Suzhou, where he has served since it's opening in 2012, playing in key role in the growth and development of all aspects of the school, with a particular focus on teaching quality and student success.  Richard believes in an innovative, holistic approach to education, where skilled teachers know, understand, and support each student's personal growth, and each member of the community is valued.  

Recognised by Kinglead as a '2022 Global Top 10 Principal', Richard's professional training includes foci on school development, instructional supervision, and assessment.  

Mr Nunns says: "I'm thrilled to be joining NKCS at such an exciting time in its development, and am looking forward to continue the journey of excellence in all aspects of school life.  I'm very much looking forward to getting to know you and your children, and working with the entire faculty to support each and every child on their journey from Wuxi to success at top-class, best-fit universities worldwide." 

Yuemei has been an educator and teacher for more than 30 years, after working in one of the best Middle schools in the Jiangsu province for 5 years, she then joined Guangdong Country Garden School where she was responsible for develop primary Science curriculum. Then she worked as the head of IB MYP school of Jurong Country Garden School , the head of IB PYP school of Overseas Chinese Academy Suzhou , academic principal of Shanghai Fushan Zhengda Foreign School , Chinese Principal of Nordanglia Nantong School. She has a rich experience in Bilingual education and the IB programme. This rich experience has equipped her with excellent team-working skills, as well as the ability to communicate at all levels, to solve problems creatively.

Simon S graduated with a degree in Music, with a major in Music Technology, from the University of Port Elizabeth in 2003.  After graduating Simon S started his working career with the Eastern Cape Philharmonic orchestra as a stage manager and two years later decided to move into teaching.  Having worked at some of the top schools across South Africa as Music teacher and Band Conductor.  While Simon S has specialized in music, he has a real passion for musical theatre, having both performed in stage productions from the age of 7.  Simon S also really enjoys the technical side of the productions, having at some stage in his career been involved in every job from backstage, set building, to lighting and sound.  In recent years Simon S has embraced the role as a director, having directed productions like ‘The King and I’, ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘By Jeeves’, ‘Seussical’ and most recently a production of ‘My Fair Lady’.

In his role as Director of Music and Performing Arts at Maritzburg College in South Africa he has brought about a cultural awakening in the school.  The music department and ensembles have taken part in the World Choir Games, ATKV Applous National Choir competition (where they placed first in their section) and the National Youth Jazz Festival, where they performed as a part of the festival in 2023.  In the last 8 years, the school's performing arts program also produced 9 productions and took part on the National Arts Festival online platform.

Simon S believes that enthusiasm and excellence allows all students to prosper.  He believes all students should be involved in expressive art as it is vital to developing empathy and excellence.

Dr. Yuhao W graduated from Nanjing Normal University in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in Applied Psychology and a Ph.D. in Chinese Classical Literature. He loved literature and history since he was a child. During his studies, he studied "Historical Records" and "Hanshu" and other pre-Qin and Han documents. After graduating with a Ph.D., he devoted himself to international education. For more than ten years, he has taught in Nanjing Foreign Language School, United World College (China) and other famous schools in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. He has experienced professional roles like subject teacher, homeroom teacher, HoD, moral education supervisor, assistant principal, director of the group curriculum center, etc. He is good at subject teaching, curriculum design, textbook writing, teacher training, teaching quality supervision, etc., and has accumulated rich experience in bilingual international school education. He specializes in the teaching of Chinese language and literature in the K-12 area. And he devote himself to introducing Chinese classical literature and culture into the international education. He has taught a variety of traditional Chinese culture courses and lectures, and wrote two related textbooks. He looks forward to working hard at Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Sciences to build a first-class G1-12 Chinese curriculum and culture system.

Elvia integrates cutting-edge scholarship with 20 years of bilingual education practice, specialising in IB/Cambridge curriculum development. Her academic credentials span an MA in TESOL, an MA in Educational Leadership in Practice , and UK iSENCO certification. As a triple-accredited examiner (Global IBDP English Examiner, Cambridge Oral Assessor, NCC Global English Examiner), she has driven pedagogical innovation through award-winning programs. At K12 international schools, she directed whole-school English curriculum coherence, managed expatriate faculty, and pioneered an international high school branch. Currently as Head of Student Support Center at DSAS, she merges pragmatic leadership with theoretical rigor to champion student agency.

Annie S is an international educator with over a decade of extensive experience, currently serving as the Deputy Principal of our kindergarten. She specializes in English education for children from kindergarten to lower primary levels, with expertise spanning frontline teaching, homeroom responsibilities, and school management. As a founding staff member who joined the institution in 2018, she has played an integral role in innovating the kindergarten’s curriculum system, planning and executing large-scale events, and coordinating cross-departmental management, consistently dedicated to fostering a learning ecosystem that combines academic rigor with humanistic care.

Annie S adheres to a child-centered educational philosophy, emphasizing inclusive growth through personalized instruction and holistic development. She actively promotes the creation and localization of inquiry-based bilingual curricula, establishes collaborative teacher growth mechanisms, and enhances the quality of home-school partnerships through meticulous process design. With years of experience as a homeroom teacher and in instructional leadership, she excels in building dynamic connections to support children’s social-emotional development, cross-cultural adaptability, and cultivation of learning interests, driving continuous improvement in educational quality.

Sophia M went to Leeds University, UK in 1996 to read Music Technology from which she graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree. Sophia M is an experienced performer and holds grade 8 singing and advanced level voice qualifications from the Royal School of Music. She also has drama qualifications from the London Academy of Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) and was a junior opera performer for the English National Opera where she was employed in various operas at the London Coliseum Opera House and The Palace Theatre, including a tour to Germany.After working for eight years in TV and Radio management roles in central London, including the BBC, Sophia M moved to Dubai with her family and began a new career in Education. At that time, Sophia M had a particular interest in early childhood education and qualified to become an Early Years Educator. Studies included understanding the comprehensive knowledge of the role and responsibilities of working with children, understanding of the care required to work with young children and knowledge that children’s well-being is paramount at all times.Sophia M and her family moved to France where she accepted a teaching post at an International Bilingual School in Montpellier. During this time, Sophia M studied her Masters level Post Graduate Certificate in Education with Buckingham University. Her studies enabled her to frequently visit the UK during her practice to collaborate and work with teachers and lecturers from top UK independent day and boarding schools where discussions covered the latest practices and research in teaching and learning, pastoral care and special educational needs. Sophia M worked as curriculum coordinator for English, Music and Science across the primary school in addition to teaching English subjects to French students. Sophia M was also involved in planning overseas school visits to the UK where she was responsible for the onsite education, care and welfare of students.

Sophia M joined DSAS in August 2018 as a Homeroom Teacher and was responsible for planning and delivering the online English curriculum to Grade 1 students during the covid pandemic. In 2019, Sophia M was promoted to English Coordinator of the Bilingual Primary school where she is responsible for managing the routine operation of both staff and curriculum within the Bilingual Primary English section.

In August 2021, in addition to leading the English curriculum, Sophia M is thrilled to be appointed Assistant Head, Pastoral for the Bilingual Primary School where she will also be responsible for developing and implementing the pastoral care program.

“As educators, it is our duty to ensure the physical, social and emotional welfare of pupils. It is the essential foundation upon which learning can take place. At DSAS, we are a world class community aspiring to excellence which includes promoting a high standard of pastoral care, further than a basic commitment to welfare. Our pastoral care extends to every aspect of school life in order to foster pupils’ personal development as much as their academic progress. Our core values – respect (敬), compassion (仁), honesty (诚), collaboration (合作) and personal responsibility (责任) all contribute to a positive school culture that puts the wellbeing of students and staff at the forefront of everything we do.”

Sophia M will continue her studies in September where she will embark on a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management with Buckingham University.

Sophia M still enjoys performing and is a key member of the school musical CCA in addition to embracing Chinese culture by learning to play the Erhu and read Chinese music.

Jason Z is a forward-thinker and international-minded leader who is passionate about education. He has taught and managed in private schools throughout Canada, Korea, and China. Jason is a Chinese-Canadian with over 18 years of international teaching and management experience, he has a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Winnipeg and finishing his master’s degree in education from the Queen’s University of Canada. Jason first came to China over 13 years ago. He started his education career in Zhengzhou, Henan developing international curriculum and courses for over 16 public and private schools benefiting over 8000 students. In his free time, Jason also volunteers as a guest lecturer for educational organizations throughout China such as Wuhan Hua Zhong Normal University.   

“I am a strong believer that education is the key to changing the world. I hope my understanding of the Chinese students’ learning abilities combined with my experience in international education will benefit the students at DSAS.”

Leo L graduated with a masters degree in education from Columbia University in United States. Before coming to Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science, he worked as an instructional designer and Chinese teacher in the United Nations Headquarters, the New York Department of Social Service and public schools in China. Years of overseas study and work experience has enabled him to explore the unique pedagogy of Chinese teaching in international schools.

Leo L believes that students should have a global vision while fully understanding their own culture; only when they understand their own language can they truly understand the world. He also expects his students could know how to think critically through reading and eventually becoming the talents needed in the 21st century.

Ms. Zhu has been dedicated to international education for 15 years. She is a member of the International Association for College Admission Counseling (International ACAC) and holds a College Counseling Certificate from UCLA. Since joining NKCS in 2021, she has earned recognition from both students and parents for her contributions. Passionate about supporting students’ growth and well-being, Lulu aims to create an environment where each student feels valued. She enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and has a love for animals. Her educational philosophy centers on fostering a caring community that promotes both academic success and personal development.

Christina F graduated in 2007 with a degree in Biochemistry and worked in the field of pharmaceutics and R&D. With her immense experience of education in the UK and her in-depth industrial viewpoint, she started her career in international education and assisted students not only in their studies of sciences but also to enrich their learning experience with more career- planning and real-life perspectives. She instructs her students to learn through practice and explore their interests in science through daily life, encouraging students to practice the knowledge outside textbooks and classrooms. In her past experience, she was in charge of academics and college-counselling and with her support in both subject learning and career planning, almost all student she helped possessed offer from G5 universities when they graduated. She believes in education for life, which is why her students benefits from her instruction and advice beyond the admission to their dream schools. Christina F looks forward to helping more extraordinary future Oxbridge candidates in Wuxi and building NKCS into the hub of high-quality and innovative education.

Lei W graduated in 2015 with a PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering. Then he joined in Neuroscience and Intelligent Media Institute (NIMI), Communication University of China, worked as an assistant researcher, his research area is biological neural networks, focusing on understanding how the biological neural systems work through mathematical modellings. And until now, he has published more than 20 academic papers. From 2017 to now, he worked as AI algorithm expert and group leader in JD group and data science expert in Alibaba group, his works are focusing on applying mathematical approaches especially statistical methods to solve problems in real-world scenarios. Lei W will join DSAS in August 2021, works as a math competition tutor. He expects to help students improve their math competition scores, but most importantly, he would like to help students form their own learning methods and feel the beauty of mathematics during their studies.

Roy H graduated in 2014 from University of Rochester with double bachelor degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Maths. Right after, he received the master degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics in 2016 from the Ivy school University of Pennsylvania. During undergraduate, he participated in the Maths Competition which invited over 1000 students from over 70 universities in the US and ranked in the top 20 among all the participants. After graduating from UPenn, Roy H came back to China and has been working in International teaching for over 5 years. Except the Maths teaching, like AP, ALevel, he is also good at tutoring all kinds of Math Competitions. In after-school activities, he likes water sports including swimming and kayaking. Roy H insisted the student-oriented teaching philosophy and in the past few years, he helped students receive offers from great universities, like Harvard. Roy H looks forward to helping students engage in Maths learning and receive the sense of achievements.

Bongiwe S received her Bachelor of Science with majors in Biological Sciences, and her Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa.

She brings to her role years of teaching experience, including 8 years teaching IGCSE Sciences, A-level and AP Physics in international schools in China and in the Middle East.

She has prior experience as Head of Science, and Instructional Support Specialist. Her expertise in these roles enabled her to support and train educators in South Africa and the U.A.E.

Bongiwe S aims to bring an open mind, a positive attitude, and high expectations to her classroom everyday. She believes that the ability to learn is not fixed, that it can change with one's effort. She tries to inspire and encourage her students to understand that even if they have challenges with certain skills/knowledge, their abilities aren't set in stone, if they work on them, they can improve over time. She is confident that cultivating a growth mindset is the best method to develop grit in her students, because she believes grit is the ultimate predictor of success.

Kurt S believes the role of the educator is to teach students the value of persistence, dedication, and hard work to shape talent into skill and potential into reality. For eight years, Kurt S has taught English, public speaking, and competitive debate in China with Dipont Education. Prior to joining Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science (DSAS), he taught for three years at RDFZ Kings College in Hangzhou, following four years at Hangzhou Foreign Language School. Before coming to China, Kurt S was Youth Activities Supervisor for the Newark Public Schools and coached the Rutgers Newark Debate Team. He has over thirty years of experience coaching successful debate and public speaking programs. His students have won the NDT and CEDA National Debate Championships four times, including two collegiate Top Speaker Awards. He was awarded the 1997 Lexington Coaches Award of Excellence in Public Speaking, the 2005 Sandra Deleon Award of Service, and the 2010 Jersey Urban Debate League “Coach of the Year”.  His students were the 2011 National Association of Urban Debate League High School National Champions. His students have earned national recognition and been invited to meet with President Obama in the Oval office. Additional awards include the 2010 Jackie Robinson Scholarship, the 2011 Bank of America Student Leadership Summit Award, and the 2010 NAACP student of the year by the Newark chapter.

Crystal S has worked in international schools in Suzhou and Singapore, teaching students from primary up to Junior High.  She joined Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science in 2018 as a G5 homeroom teacher. What’s more, she also helped to develop the Chinese Curriculum as the Primary Chinese Coordinator for 2 years and now is the Grade  Coordinator for G5 .

Crystal S believes that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially. It is her passion as an educator to help students meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking and invites a sharing of ideas.

With over 15 years of experience in teaching Chinese at international schools and more than a decade of experience in class management and administration, Ms. Liu Jingjing is a highly accomplished educator. She holds both domestic teaching qualifications and international certifications for teaching Chinese as a second language.

Throughout her career, Ms. Liu has taught students ranging from elementary to junior high school. She firmly believes in the philosophy that "teaching is fundamental, but nurturing character comes first." She prioritizes moral integrity over academic achievement, respecting and caring for each student. By building a bridge of trust through heartfelt communication, she fosters the growth of both students' abilities and character. Always prioritizing the needs of students and parents, she has led her classes and grades to outstanding performance. She emphasizes that every child deserves to be seen and respected. As a result, she has been honored with numerous accolades, including municipal and school-level awards for excellence in teaching and class management. She has also received the "May Day Women's Role Model" award, the "Wuxi Most Beautiful Teacher" award, and the top prize in the Class Management Skills Competition.

John Dewey once said, "The ultimate purpose of all education is the formation of character." Ms. Liu firmly believes that good education is not only about cultivating skilled professionals but also about nurturing individuals with golden character. The driving force behind children's growth in this direction is love—love that comes from the teachers' meticulous and heartfelt care.