Newsletter- 29/08/18
Kowloon Junior School’s latest newsletter is available to read now.
Dates for Your Diary
Thursday 30 August Evening Session ‘Wellbeing’ Dr Helen Street sign up gateway
Friday 31 August Staff Continuous Professional Development Day – No school
Monday 3 September Welcome Meetings No school for children, sign up gateway
Friday 14 September KJS Lantern Festival & PTA AGM
Tuesday 18 September ESF Secondary Music Festival
Monday 24 September Staff Continuous Professional Development Day – No school
Tuesday 25 September Mid Autumn Festival – No school
Monday 1 October National Day – No school
15 to 19 October Mid Term Break – No school
Sunday 28 October ESF Hong Kong Run 2018
29 October to 1 November Photo Days
Monday 5 November Staff Continuous Professional Development Day – No school
Friday 9 November Quiz Night / Bingo Night
15 and 16 November School Musical
19 to 21 November Y4 Camp
Friday 23 November ESF Orchestra Day
27 to 30 November Y5 Camp
3 to 7 December Y6 Camp
Friday 14 December Last day of term – half day
17 December to 4 January Term Break – No school
Monday 7 January First day of Term 2
Dear Parents,
We have just completed our school wide two week focus on wellbeing to start the year and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Comments from teachers include:
“I have had more time to get to know my children as people, before starting to test them!”
“Our children are so much more settled than usual because of the time we have set aside to focus on wellbeing”
“This two week focus has returned us to what we know is best practice in terms of building relationships with children rather than just assessing them from day 1!”
“We have started to build wellbeing and mindfulness strategies just like we would normally build reading and maths strategies, we are setting them up so well for the year ahead”
“The children have really enjoyed the week of inspirational maths”
“Children have got to know each other better and quicker than usual”
There has been an overwhelming sense that we have started the year much more effectively and respectfully with this focus on wellbeing. We are continuing to gather evidence and data and look for ways to refine the process for the future, the good news for you is that your children have started the year well at KJS and are on the road to Success at KJS in 2018/19.
We are very excited about our Friday and Saturday professional learning for all staff with Dr Helen Street. Her conference will allow us to continue to build understanding of how we can make KJS a school of success underpinned by student wellbeing. As I have sat in on planning sessions with teams over the last week it has been wonderful hearing the ideas teams have to continue to build wellbeing and to engage and motivate your children in their next Unit of Inquiry. A highlight was hearing of the Year 6 students who participated in the planning session with the Year 6 teachers as they planned their next unit of inquiry. How wonderful to see students involved in planning their own learning! Some of their feedback:
“It felt good because I got to go with the teachers, by sharing our opinions I think the unit will be more fun because the teachers will use our ideas” Anushri Gupta 6P and from Rosie Sun in 6A
“It was not as scary as I thought it would be! I think that sometimes the teachers just don’t know what the students think so it is important we are there”
We are really enjoying our wellbeing start to the year. Please chat with your child/ children about how the start of the year has been for them and what they are learning about wellbeing, successful and respectful learning in their class.
The Year 6 team supported in planning by their students!
Kind regards
亲切的问候,
सधन्यवाद
Neill O’Reilly
Principal
IMPORTANT: Y6 to Y7 Transfer Application
This is an important notice to all Y6 parents. If you wish your child to transfer to an ESF secondary school, you are required to submit a transfer application for Year 7 (available only on Gateway) during the period Monday 3 September- Friday 14 September 2018.
Applications are processed according to current residential address at the time of application; change of residential address following submission of application and prior to entry to Year 7 will not be considered.
For further details, please refer to the information available on the ESF website at http://www.esf.edu.hk/year6-to-year7-key-dates/ for key dates and http://www.esf.edu.hk/esf-zones for school zones.
Y1 Central Application for Siblings
Year 1 Central Application for children born in 2014 will begin from 1 to 30 September. If you have a child who is a sibling of a current KJS student and wishes to apply, please do so through the ESF online application system during the Central Application period.
Residential Address Update on Gateway
This is a reminder to all parents if you have not already done so or if you have changed residential address, please update accordingly on Gateway, along with two new document proof: a stamped copy of tenancy agreement or a current government demand for rates bill plus a utility bill or bank statement.
70th Hong Kong Schools Speech Festival (2018)
Entry forms for the 70th Hong Kong Schools Speech Festival (2018) are now available here . Parents who wish their children to participate in the Festival must return the completed forms together with the entry fee in cash, to the school office by Tuesday 11 September. Late applications cannot be processed.
Please also write your child’s name and class on the top right hand corner of the entry form. For further details on Rules & Regulations and Syllabus, please visit the official website http://www.hksmsa.org.hk
Junior Baking Class
Term 1 Baking Class at KJS starts September 13th, for children ages 5-11. Ms. Lan Hee Hong is a fully qualified teacher and also a cake designer. For more information, please see the attached (Brochure and Enrolment form). For any inquiries, please contact Ms. Hong at flourhk@hotmail.com
Watch the Junior Bakers in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOW88jsc8A0
PTA Update
The Committee
We are still looking for parent representatives for our committee. If you are interested in becoming part of the PTA, please let us know by approaching the PTA office in person or by emailing us at pta@kjs.edu.hk with your name, contact details, child’s name and class name .
Lantern Festival and Annual General Meeting
To celebrate the Chinese Festival of Mid-Autumn, we will be having our Lantern Festival on Friday 14 September 2018. Our AGM will also take place on the same evening. We look forward to seeing you and your families at both events.
Student Success
Atharva (4F) and Aarohi (4D) used their summer holidays for working on their drama and dance skills. They performed in a Bollywood Musical on 18 August, where they acted and danced in an hour long show. Good job and Aarohi!
Muji (2S) has been awarded “Outstanding” of Western Painting in The 10th Hong Kong Art Competition. The winning entries will be exhibited on 24 November 2018 in Futai Street Mansion, Taipei (臺北市政府文化局委外館所). Congratulations Muji!
Eugenie (5T) and Teho (2S) participated in a swimming gala last week and finished as the second runner-up in 25m freestyle and 25m backstroke respectively. Congratulations Eugenie and Teho!
Adam (2S) passed his Cheung Do Kwan Takwondo green belt test this Sunday. Congratulations Adam!
Divina (6L) and Prisha (5P) competed in the Pacific Club swim gala on Sunday. Divina came 2nd in 50m breaststroke and 3rd in 50m freestyle. Prisha came 3rd in 100m breaststroke. Congratulations Divina and Prisha!
Tashi (3I) participated in Hong Kong Music Talent Competition 2018 and won 4th prize for her piano performance in level one category. Congratulations Tashi!
Liv (5S) and Eugenie (5T) passed Freestyle 1 test by Ice Skating Institute Asia. They have been training hard together and will continue to do so. Congratulations Liv and Eugenie!
ESF and Other Notices
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..