Thank you to the students, teachers and staff who contributed their memories to this tribute. Read tributes posted to this site, or to leave your own message.

A Memorial fund has been established in honour of Mr. Dick. Click here for further information on the Alan Dick Memorial Fund and here for Memorial DVD order.

For many of our students and their parents, Alan Dick personified the Canadian International School. Alan joined us in 1994, when the school was just three years old. A passionate and dynamic educator, and a proud Canadian, Alan created an incredible legacy through his contribution to the development of our school and our community.

He did so not from behind closed doors, but with tremendous personal warmth and charisma. Each and every day, he greeted students at the school entrance, addressing every child by name. Every afternoon, he sent them home the same way. It was all part of creating the "Smile Factor", which was his personal measure of the success of our school. At assemblies that Smile Factor was infectious, as Alan led the children in singing songs ranging from O Canada to the Hokey Pokey. He taught children what it is to be a global citizen, and what it was to be a Canadian.

He also imbued his students with a love of school, a love of learning and a love of education (even if they didn't realize it) by making the school a loving place. Every Valentine's Day he gave out cinnamon hearts brought back especially from Canada. He was a great hugger, and loved to visit the children in class, where he disrupted many an individual lesson, to teach a far larger lesson. In some respects, Alan was a perpetual kids, with his Funny Bunny, Winnie the Pooh staff badge, silly ties, and extraordinary Hallowe'en costumes, but always underpinned with a very adult approach to education. His playful approach won the children's hearts and so, their minds.

Justifiably, Alan was hugely proud of CDNIS, and loved to share that on his weekly tours of the school for the parents of potential students. He was particularly proud of the Leo Lee Arts Centre (LLAC) which he helped design. Although pink was Alan's favourite colour, he chose yellow, his favourite decorative colour, for the lobby. The art on the walls of the LLAC and throughout the school is another of Alan's celebrations of our students, and reflected his own interest in art.

Personally, Alan enjoyed sharing the finer things in life, appreciating wine, martinis, music and art. He traveled extensively but was happiest here, in Hong Kong, and at his cottage in Ontario. As a global citizen, Alan himself bridged two cultures, Canadian and Chinese.

Alan, 55, joined CDNIS from the Canadian Overseas Secondary School in Hong Kong, arriving here in 1990 from Canada where he served as Principal of the Mittimatalik School of Pond Inlet in Nunavut, in the far north. He earned his Bachelor Degree in Education, an Honours Degree in Science and a Masters Degree in Theology, all from the University of Toronto. A dedicated life-long learner himself - the book "The Learning Leader" remains on his desk, now a testimony to the way he sought to live.

Alan is survived by a sister, a brother and his parents.

He was an extraordinary character, larger than life and living life large, and he will be sorely missed as an educator and a friend.

We would be pleased if you would share your memories, thoughts and wishes on this Tribute site, click to share your message here at below, or in the LLAC where we have created a special space as a tribute to Alan. Details will be forthcoming with regard to the memorial service and commemorative tribute.

A tribute from the Board

The Board, like all of the CDNIS community, is shocked by the sudden death of our much loved Lower School Principal, Alan Dick. To say that he will be sorely missed is an understatement. Frankly a personality like Alan is hard to replace.

There will be no one to do the Hokey Pokey at school assemblies. No one to hand out cinnamon hearts on Valentine's Day. These are activities that were special to Alan, and special to our community because of the way Alan did them.

Alan Dick embodied all that is important to the CDNIS community - open mindedness, a commitment to learning, and energy, positively directed. While he was standing at our front door the Board could be confident that the values of CDNIS were safe.

Both the Board and the greater CDNIS community were lucky to have had Alan for 15 years. In this transient international, expatriate life, it is a privilege to have been the beneficiary of so many years committed service.

- CDNIS Board of Governors

A tribute from CISPA

For many parents, Alan Dick was their first impression of CDNIS. And what an impression he made! His passion for the school, for children, and for their education was so readily apparent that you could not help but share his enthusiasm and want more than anything for your child to be able to attend �his� school.

Every assembly we watched was a treat - and an honour. Who could forget him doing the Hokey Pokey or leading our children in singing "O Canada"?

Alan was a permanent fixture at the Staff BBQ at CISPA's Family Fun Fair. You could not drag him from his station, as it gave him the opportunity to interact with parents and children, who he could greet by name, no matter how long it had been since they'd been in the Lower School.

As parents, we could feel comfortable and confident in approaching him and, more importantly, entrusting our children to him each day. We are deeply saddened by the loss of the man who was the face, the soul and the heart of CDNIS.

- CDNIS Parents' Association

A tribute from Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong

There are many types of ambassadors to represent a country. Many of them will showcase their country of origin through their day-to-day life. They do not have to do it on purpose, nor even know that they are doing it. Their presence and role in their communities speak for themselves. Compassion, kindness of heart and dedication at what one is doing, are the best bridges between people and nations.

Alan Dick was an exceptional ambassador for Canada. His thoughtful and caring nature, his generosity of spirit, and his unfailingly cheerful demeanour were an inspiration to all who had the privilege of living and working by his side. He represented the values that we, Canadians, hold dear. Alan was an important link for young Canadians who came to Hong Kong, helping them stay connected to their homeland while being integrated into a new society. He was a cement, bringing us all together, within the Canadian community and beyond. He was one of a kind.

We at the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong join with our colleagues at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing and in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in expressing our profound sorrow at his passing. We have lost a gracious colleague and, most importantly, a dear friend. His loss is keenly felt, and we join his family, his friends and the school in saying that he will truly be missed.

Let us honour his memory. Let us make sure to continue his work, keep the flame of his passion alive, and serve the goals that were so dear to him.

- Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong

A tribute from a former prinicpal of CDNIS

When I first encountered Mr. Alan Dick, in the year 2000, he met me at the airport in Hong Kong for a week of interviews. At that time, he had big smile and was incredibly friendly and was extremely passionate about CDNIS. As my team mate and perhaps even soul mate, Alan never changed during my three years at the school.

Alan was the "GREETER EXTRA-ORDINAIRE". He greeted all the students by name(and their parents) every morning with his animated, kind, wonderful manner and observing Alan conduct his weekly assemblies was a pure delight. Every assembly started with Alan directing the cherub voices of his students as they sang "O Canada". As I looked over the balcony and watched the assemblies, it made my very proud to be a Canadian working at CDNIS in Hong Kong.

No one could conduct a tour of CDNIS like Alan. He was passionate during his weekly tours of the school and was simply the finest promoter of the Canadian International School of Hong Kong. He could talk anyone into sending their child to the "Best Canadian School in the World".

It sure was fun to be an administrator of CDNIS at Halloween. We all loved the world of make believe. Alan came back from Canada in August every year with a new magnificent costume that his mother had made for him. Fortunately my first year at the school Alan had also brought several other costumes with him and I wore a lovely medieval princess gown. Alan was a Peacock with impressive tail feathers on his spectacular costume.

Alan was the epitome of social in all his work, his play and his home life. I loved the few lunches that we had together at his favourite Japanese restaurant and his birthday party at Tango Martinis was a night to remember. It was elegant, tasteful and fabulous - just like Alan. He had an appreciation for the finer things in life. He loved the GALA BALLS. His shirts (made with Egyptian cotton), his cufflinks, his watches, his clothes, his furniture and his stone sculptures were all part of this charming man.

Our proud ambassador of CDNIS will always be remembered. Headored his family, his students, his teachers and his school.

Farewell Alan and thank you so much for helping to makethree years at CDNIS the most memorable, fantastic years in my career and mylife. Mr. Congeniality - Mr. Alan Dick - will be missed.

- Sharon Carew, Principal of the High School of CDNIS(2000-2003)