3 children, 3 paths of growth, and 9 years of partnership with Wellspring Hanoi

“Dad, why is our house so close to school?”

This simple question from first-grader WISer Phuong Thao prompted Mr. Nguyen Gia Phong to reflect on his family’s journey over nearly a decade, during which all three of his children have attended Wellspring Hanoi: WISer Duc Tri, currently in Grade 9; WISer Nguyen Minh, in Grade 5; and WISer Phuong Thao, the youngest, who has just begun Grade 1.

Mr. Phong shared his story at the 2026-2027 Opening Ceremony at Wellspring Hanoi International Bilingual School, marking 9 years of his family’s journey with Wellspring Hanoi. When his sons first began attending Wellspring, the family made a distinctive decision: moving to a home closer to the school.

The reason was simple. They wanted to shorten the daily journey to school so that their children would not have to begin each morning in a rush, giving them more comfortable time and arrive at school feeling good and ready to learn.

The geographical distance became shorter. Yet after nine years, the meaning of being “close to school” has evolved beyond the physical distance between home and school. It is the closeness between a student and a teacher who understands them, between school and family, and between each individual and a community in which they feel a genuine sense of belonging.

Having three children at the same school has given Mr. Phong the opportunity to observe Wellspring Hanoi’s international bilingual educational environment through three distinctly different journeys of growth. He shared:

“I have seen children with very different strengths being embraced naturally - some excel in logic, others are deeply connected to the arts, while others are passionate about physical activities. I have also seen the school patiently accompany each student without comparison or pressure, while respecting each individual’s own pace of development.”

Behind this observation lies a question increasingly considered by parents when choosing an international bilingual school: How much space can an educational environment create for students to build capacities, interests, and individual identities, rather than guiding every student toward a single role model?

For Mr. Nguyen’s family, the answer was not formed through a single school visit or one academic year. It emerged through the experiences of three children learning and growing over time. What the family has come to value, therefore, is not simply what their children have learned, but also how they are seen and supported throughout the learning process.

From a Happy School to a Child’s Experience of Happiness

In 2022, Wellspring Saigon became a member of UNESCO’s Happy Schools Community in Vietnam. In 2023, this educational direction was implemented across the entire Wellspring system. For a family that has spent 9 years with Wellspring, however, the concept of a “Happy School” is experienced through much more tangible dimensions: the relationship between teachers and students, the connection between school and family, the sense of being respected, and the opportunity for every student to develop at their own pace.

Reflecting on his three children’s journey, Mr. Nguyen summarized what he had come to understand:

“A child who grows up with love and understanding will always have inner strength - that is what I have learned through my own children’s journey.”

This perspective resonates with Wellspring’s approach to the Happy School framework. According to UNESCO’s Happy Schools Framework, happiness in education is shaped around four pillars: People - Process - Place - Principles. At Wellspring Hanoi, happiness is therefore not separate from learning, it is embedded in how students learn, connect, are respected, and grow each day.

School - Family - Students “Togetherness Makes Happiness”

From the 2026-2027 academic year, this spirit has been articulated more explicitly through Wellspring’s theme: “Togetherness Makes Happiness”. At Wellspring, “Togetherness” extends beyond the relationship between teachers and students. It encompasses the multidimensional partnership among school - family - students and reaches further into the wider community, with all parties contributing to each student’s holistic journey of growth.

For Mr. Nguyen, this spirit of partnership has become evident over nearly a decade:

“What I believe in and entrust to Wellspring today is: Wellspring Hanoi understands that the essence of education does not lie in textbooks or blackboards, but in people and in the way we stay close to one another as one large family.”

At the 2026-2027 Opening Ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Gia Phong once again walked through the gates of Wellspring Hanoi, holding the hand of Phuong Thao, his youngest daughter as she began her Grade 1 journey. After 9 years as a Wellspring Hanoi parent, his hopes for his daughter are not defined by a particular grade or achievement. He hopes that she will not only learn well, but also find joy in learning, feel free to ask questions, discover who she is, and experience a childhood shaped by colours uniquely her own. Perhaps the most complete answer to the question, “Dad, why is our house so close to school?”, lies in that very moment.

A family once moved home to be physically closer to Wellspring Hanoi. Today, what they continue to value is another kind of closeness: the connection between teachers and students, the trust between school and family, and a community close enough to give every child the confidence to follow their own path. Education is not only about preparing a child to go as far as possible. It is also about ensuring that, throughout that journey, they know they are understood, trusted, and surrounded by people who are ready to walk alongside them.

For Wellspring Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Gia Phong’s remarks at the 2026-2027 Opening Ceremony are more than the story of one family. They represent the perspective of a parent who has accompanied the School for 9 years, witnessing 3 children with 3 different strengths and 3 different rhythms of development. His reflections offer an important reminder that the value of an educational environment is best understood over time - through the experiences of individual students and the perspectives of their families.

In the 2026-2027 academic year, as “Togetherness Makes Happiness” becomes a defining theme of the Wellspring educational journey, stories such as this one reaffirm the importance of bringing that spirit into everyday school life: Listening to students, maintaining meaningful connections with parents, and respecting the individuality of every learner. Wellspring Hanoi extends its sincere appreciation to Mr. Nguyen Gia Phong and his family for their trust over the past nine years, and wishes Phuong Thao and her siblings a fulfilling academic year filled with meaningful experiences and joyful moments.

Full Speech by Mr. Nguyen Gia Phong

“Dear teachers, parents, and students,

My name is Nguyen Gia Phong, father of Nguyen Phuong Thao, a student in Class 1A4. Standing here today at my youngest daughter’s Opening Ceremony is a deeply moving moment for me. I would like to begin with a very small and very genuine story from my daughter herself.

A few days ago, Thao asked me, ‘Dad, why is our house so close to school?’

Her question stayed with me. And I suddenly realized that the word ‘close’ has become a deliberate choice for my family throughout these years.

Several years ago, when my older sons first began attending Wellspring, I decided to move our home closer to the School simply because I wanted them to have relaxed mornings and not begin each school day in a rush. But over time, I came to realize that the kind of closeness I truly value goes far beyond the short journey between home and school.

What has kept me connected to this School over the years is another form of closeness: the way the School, its teachers, and the parent community care for each child. I have seen children with very different strengths being embraced naturally - some with strong logical abilities, some with a deep sensitivity to the arts, and others with a passion for physical activities. I have seen the School patiently accompany each student without comparison or pressure, while respecting each individual’s own pace.

That sense of closeness can also be found in the relationship between teachers and students, between families and the School, and among the students themselves - connections that may seem small, yet form the foundation for everything greater.

I believe that building such an environment does not depend primarily on facilities or academic programs. What matters most is trust and patience, with people at the heart of education. A child who grows up with love and understanding will develop inner strength. That is what I have learned through my own children’s journey.

Today, together with all the parents here, I have one wish for my child: not simply knowledge or grades, but a happy educational environment where she can discover herself, ask innocent questions, and receive answers with sincerity and care. A place where she can paint the picture of her childhood in colours uniquely her own.

What I believe in and entrust to Wellspring today is this: Wellspring understands that the essence of education does not lie in textbooks or blackboards, but in people - and in the way we stay close to one another as one large family.

Finally, on behalf of the Grade 1 parents, I would like to thank all the teachers and parents for listening. I wish all the students a meaningful academic year filled with joy and laughter!”