Teacher, 1990 – now
Cristy Dratz is a much-loved R1 teacher who has made a big difference not only in her students but also in their parents and the whole HKIS community.
Janet Chen recounted how Cristy enabled her daughter to blossom: “Younger and smaller than her peers, my daughter Reina was shy when she first started R1 in Cristy’s class. By the end of the school year, her transformation from a reserved, rule-abiding child to a social, vocal and respected member of her class was apparent to my family and friends. It is a testament to the wonders of HKIS’ play-based curriculum and Cristy’s ability to coax the best qualities out of children – to instill confidence, pride in the school, respect in communicating and playing with their peers, and Christian values. How wonderful it was to hear my daughter say to me one day, ‘Mommy, I can do this myself. We HKIS kids can do things on our own.’”
Lisa Rizzo recalled that Cristy took the time to learn some key information about her son within weeks of meeting him. “That changed his and our lives. Two years on, she never fails to ask after him, with genuine enthusiasm. She has inspired us to also do what we can to change the lives of others.”
Parent and PFO President Beth McNicholas shared: “Cristy was my daughter’s R1 teacher the first year we moved to Hong Kong, and I found the attention and care she gave to the littlest HKIS students so inspiring and heartwarming. She embodies and teaches the SLRs, always with the utmost patience and kindness. In fact, I have never met anyone who didn’t love her and have a good experience in her R1 class. Cristy’s commitment to HKIS goes beyond the classroom as well. Without fail, she volunteers to sell tickets for several hours at every single PFO event, and she has a smile for everyone.”