Newsletter- 06/09/17

Kowloon Junior School’s latest newsletter is available to read now.

 

 

Dear Parents,

My commitment to the school community is to ‘Look, listen, and learn,’ as I work with the staff to take KJS from ‘Good to Great.’ This video clip (Please Click) is a good reminder of the challenge we can face when trying to collect data and information if we fail to ask the right questions! The challenge the SLT has is to make sure we are looking at all the factors that might influence our performance as a school and our ability to achieve our desired goals. Since I won the position as principal of KJS I have been looking, listening, and learning, and I will continue to do so on an ongoing basis. To assist with this process I have engaged in the following strategies:

• Meeting with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) three times per week formally and many more times informally to analyse programmes, policies, data, feedback from staff, children, and parents and to discuss ongoing initiatives
• Conducting surveys, having informal conversation, and in due course one to one interviews with staff
• Obtaining student feedback with a sample of 75 children via one to one interviews
• Conducting a survey with you, the parents, with 200 hundred responses
• Reviewing previous interventions and professional development actions
• Reviewing annual development plans

From these and anecdotal observations and conversations, both myself and the SLT are developing a picture of the work undertaken in recent years, the impact of the work, and the benefit or otherwise for our children. There is still more information we need to gather including feedback from the PTA, the Class Parent Reps, and also the School Council. Once we have all of the information we will be in a position to write a well informed annual development plan for 2017/18 and a longer term strategic plan for 2020.

What is evident to date is that all stakeholders want ‘Success for Every Child;’ what is less evident is what this actually means and how we go about achieving at. Once we have a clearer picture of what ‘Success for Every Child’ means then we can develop specific plans to ensure we achieve this very worthy vision. Our achievement data suggests we have work to do, and fortunately we have a team with the capability and determination to achieve our goals.

What we do know is KJS has a passionate and committed staff who are working very hard to ensure quality learning takes place each day. We also know that with our PYP (click here) approach we have an authentic and child-centred approach to teaching and learning that will benefit your child and is foundational for us to go from good to great. I expect to have our plans in place by mid September and to be able to share these with you so that together we can achieve ‘Success for Every Child!’

Neill O’Reilly

Principal

 

 

Transition to Y7 Reminder

This is a reminder for Y6 parents to submit your request for Y7 applications on Gateway from Monday 4 September- Friday 15 September 2017. Please click here to download the “Gateway Y7 Transfer Form – Parent User Guide”.

 

 

Parents Workshop

Wonderful and Terrifying: Helping our students stay safe online – Thursday 28 September

Our students do not have an option whether or not to participate in the online world. Increasingly, our day-to-day lives including socialising and learning are dependent on being able to confidently navigate web-based services and devices. But how do we go about trying to keep them safe? This parent workshop will help identify the risks of your children being online as well as providing practical strategies for managing them and resources that you can access in the future as technology undoubtedly further transforms!

Introduction to the Primary Years Programme (PYP) – Friday 13 October

This workshop is designed for parents who are new to the PYP.

 

 

Student Achievement

Devansh (6A) played the Bruguera Tennis Open this past weekend at The Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy and was 2nd runner up in the Green ball competition (under 10). Congratulations Devansh!

 

Marcus (2S) completed in a piano competition last Saturday organised by MF music and art promotion association. There were about 30 competitors and Marcus was the second runner up for the competition. Congratulations Marcus!

  

 

 

Well-Being Notices from PE Department

We know that exercise and physical activity can greatly support our health and well-being. With this in mind our PE Department would like to draw your attention to some fantastic opportunities for students and their families to get active over the coming months.

 

SPARTANS Race

We already have a number of KJS staff signed up for this event. Spartan Race is not your everyday running race – expect to run, climb, push, pull, throw and crawl through walls, hills, trees, mud and other challenging but fun obstacles. It is designed to be challenging yet accessible for all. AROOOOO! Please click here for detail.

 

Ladies, Lads and Lassies Race

The Hong Kong Ladies Road Runners Club has organised this event for more than 30 years. It’s main purpose is to welcome the start of the racing season. All female students, female staff, and their male family members aged twelve and under are welcome to join the race. Please click here for detail.

 

 

ESF and Other Notices

 

ESF 50th Anniversary Marathon

Please click here for more information and to register for the ESF 50th Anniversary Marathon.

 

ESF Related Articles

Please click here to see ESF related articles.

 

 

Date for your Diary

 

Thursday 28th September                  Parents Workshop

Friday 22nd September                      PTA Lantern Festival/AGM for all the family

2nd – 6th October                              School closed – Half term holiday

Thursday 12th October                      Dress casual day

Friday 13th October                            Parents Workshop

Thursday 19th October 9am              Diwali Assembly

24th – 27th October                           School photographer in

Friday 27th October                           Quiz Night for all the family

Monday 6th November                       Teacher training (no school for students)

14th & 15th November                       KJS Musical

20th – 22nd November                       Y4 Camp

28th November – 1st December        Y5 Camp

4th – 8th December                            Y6 Camp

Wednesday 6th December                 Y3 & Y4 Sports Day

Wednesday 13th December              Y5 & Y6 Sports Day

Friday 15th December                        Term ends at midday

 

 

 

Disclaimer

Kowloon Junior School, English Schools Foundation and its affiliates shall take no responsibility for any activities, events and services that are organised by other organisations or individuals and are mentioned in our newsletters.

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