bo , ▁then ▁Hu ama o ▁Mult icult ural ▁Education ▁Academy ▁( ME A ) ▁and ▁now , ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁government ▁license ▁change , ▁allowing ▁N B H IS ▁to ▁accept ▁Chinese ▁national s ▁alongside ▁foreign ▁national s , ▁it ▁is ▁N ing bo ▁Hu ama o ▁International ▁School . ▁ ▁It ▁initially ▁held ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 4 0 ▁students ▁but ▁dw ind led ▁to ▁eight ▁pay ing ▁students ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁During ▁that ▁year ▁H ua ▁Ma o ▁searched ▁for ▁a ▁‘ western ▁partner ’ ▁to ▁help ▁manage ▁ME A . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁the ▁school ▁signed ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁agreement ▁with ▁M ow b ray ▁International ▁to ▁joint ly ▁manage ▁it . ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Paul ▁Steph ens ▁arrived ▁as ▁inter im ▁principal ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁and ▁two ▁children . ▁Steph ens ▁stayed ▁at ▁H ua ▁Ma o ▁until ▁the ▁agreement ▁was ▁signed ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Ivan ▁Moore ▁arrived ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁was ▁considered ▁the ▁found ing ▁principal . ▁ ▁The ▁school ▁has ▁under g one ▁consistent ▁renov ations ▁vast ly ▁changing ▁the ▁facilities . ▁The ▁school ▁has ▁built ▁two ▁new ▁reception ▁areas , ▁dance ▁drama ▁studio , ▁music ▁suite ▁and ▁Music ▁aud itor ium , ▁staff ▁room , ▁a ▁library ▁and ▁a ▁reading ▁room , ▁home ▁econom ics ▁room , ▁soft ▁play ▁areas , ▁and ▁ind oor ▁and ▁out door ▁play ▁areas , ▁and