Glenealy School Newsletter
16th January 2019
Message from Brenda
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students
The students are now in full swing back into classroom programmes with new units of inquiries and lots of exciting learning opportunities and excursions taking place over the next few weeks.
Chinese New Year (CNY) Lion Dance and Performances (Save the Date).
When: Thursday 31st January
What: We will have a Lion Dance Display in the playground for the school community at 8:45-9:00 am.
This will be followed by a short CNY performance in The Centre by our Year 1 and 2 students. Year 1 and 2 parents, please join us to watch your child in The Centre immediately after the Lion Dance Display. The performance will finish around 9:20 am.
On the same day we will have two other CNY assemblies. Many children will be performing from the different year groups.
The Chinese department will send an invite to Year 3-6 parents if your child is performing in either the 12:00 - 12:45 pm assembly or the 2:15 - 3:00 pm assembly.
If you do not receive an invitation, it means that your child will not be participating in the show. We are sorry that in this case we do not have enough space in The Centre to accommodate all parents to attend.
Later Opening of School Gates
As part of our increased security measures, the school premises will be locked until 2:45 pm each day. Please inform the person who collects your child at the end of the day so they are not left waiting outside of the school.
These measures will start from Monday 21st January, thank you.
Mid-Term Reports
Mid-Term reports will go ‘live’ on Gateway on Monday 28th January. Year 4-6 results of the International School Assessments (ISA) will be issued in hard copy at this time also.
Most of you will be very familiar with accessing reports online. As a reminder, to locate your child’s report on Gateway once you have logged in, click on ARR Report (the button is located under your child's photo) and choose Mid Year Report 2018 - 2019
Student Led Conference Details:
When: Thursday 21st February (3:30 pm-7:00 pm) or Friday 22nd February (during the school day - 8:30 am - 3:00 pm).
School will not be open for lessons on this day, however all after school activities will continue as normal.
Book your appointment for your child’s Student Led Conferences. Gateway is open now!
As a reminder, all children will attend these sessions with you. Please read on for more details as these conferences are a different format to the ones held earlier in the year.
The booking system for these sessions opens today.
Please secure the most suitable time for your family as soon as you can. You need to book a 15 minute consultation time for your child and yourself to meet with the teacher but this is not all.
Please allow yourself at least 40 minutes per child on the day so you can interact with your child independently in other learning areas too. There will be a number of activities set up for you to engage in with your child including seeing their specialist subjects e.g. Chinese, PE and Music.
To book your consultation on the Gateway please follow these steps.
Log into Gateway
Click on Parent Consultation
More about Student Led Conferences
The Student Led Conferences have become a highlight of our reporting processes for students and parents. This is an opportunity to be led, by your child, through their learning journey across all subjects and it allows you to see learning through their eyes. You will wish you were back at school again!
For Student Led Conferences (SLC) to work effectively it is important that all participants in the process know and clearly understand their role.
Students: SLC require children to think carefully about their learning. They will lead their parents and teacher through a discussion about what they have achieved, what has worked well for them and they will identify areas of challenge and next steps in their learning.
Teachers: The teacher’s role is to support the child through this process but not to take over the conversation. The teacher will respond to student's questions or interact where appropriate. It is important, however, to remember that the child is leading the conference. Clearly, student confidence and competence will vary from child to child and the teachers will ensure that the conference ‘flows’.
Parents: During SLC it is beneficial if parents support and encourage their child, praising both the samples of learning and the child’s efforts and attitude to learning. Throughout the process parents should feel free to ask questions that prompt their child to reflect and look realistically on their learning. Most importantly, the parents should enjoy observing their child confidently and enthusiastically discussing learning.
If you have any concerns or aspects you would rather not discuss with your child present - it is important to make contact with the teacher at another time before these sessions. As all parents will receive your child’s mid-year report at the end of this month, this is your reference to academic achievement coupled with any of the ISA test results you have received for Year 4-6.
Mobile Phones and Smart Watches
If it is essential for your child to bring a mobile to school, please ensure they bring their device to the office each morning and we will store it safely for them during the day. No students should be wearing smart watches that have connectivity or that are able to make calls.
Flu Season
Please help us keep the school ‘germ-free’ by being vigilant about monitoring your child’s health and keeping them at home if they have flu symptoms or if they have a temperature. Please refer to the Medical Room section of the Newsletter that gives more detail about this.
Regards
Brenda
Dates for your Diary
Friday 25th January
School Photographs
Year 5 Fundraiser - 3:00 pm
Saturday 26th January
ESF Fun Run - Hong Kong Science Park
Thursday 31st January
Chinese New Year Lion Dance 8:45 am - 9:00 am
Monday 4th - Friday 8th February
School closed for Chinese New Year Mid-Term break
Monday 11th February
Glenealy CPD Day- no school for students
Wednesday 13th February
Parents Circles 8:15 am - 10:00 am
Thursday 14th February
PTA Lunchtime Disco Years 1-3
Friday 15th February
PTA Lunchtime Disco Years 4-6
Tuesday 19th February
School Council Meeting 12:45 pm - 2:00 pm
Thursday 21st February
Student-Led Conferences (afternoon)
Friday 22nd February
Student-Led Conferences (all day, no lessons for students)
Tuesday 26th March
School Council Meeting 12:45 pm - 2:00 pm
Friday 5th April
Ching Ming Festival-school closed
Friday 12th April
End of Term 2
PTA News
Lunchtime Student Discos – Tickets Available Now!
Get ready to dress up, eat pizza and dance!
The Disco for Years 1-3 will take place on Thursday 14th February and Years 4-6 will take place on Friday 15th February. Please click here to book your tickets.
Ticketing payment deadline is 9:00 am on Monday 28th January.
Year 5 Fundraiser
The Year 5 Fundraiser will take place on Friday 25th January at 3:00 pm in the playground.
Bring $5 - $20 and join us for Chinese New Year themed games and sweet treats!
School Fair Success
The School Fair held in November was a huge success. We are delighted to announce that over $140,000 was raised. This is a great result and will contribute significantly to the playground renovations that are already underway.
Our thanks goes to everyone that attended and assisted to make the Fair the great event it was.
News from the Medical Room
Parents we need your help and support:
If your child is sharing that they are not feeling well, please check your child's temperature before coming to school.
Should your child have a temperature please do not return them to school until 24 hours after the fever has subsided without the use of medication.
Would you please inform us if your child is diagnosed with influenza (A or B) so we can monitor the situation across the school.
Please also remind your children about the importance of regular hand washing with soapy water. We will also speak to the children regarding personal hygiene.
Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sue
School Nurse
Micro:bit and useful creativity.
Year 5 have just started a unit which will explore how people respond to emergency situations. One of the lines of inquiry is ‘Innovative thinking and design which can make a positive difference when dealing with emergency situations’.
Through this line of inquiry, the Year 5's will be using Micro:bit computers to create things which may help in emergency situations, for example an alarmed box or a light sensing robot.
The pictures below are from the first two sessions where they explored their Micro:bits and created a communication device which could be left in an emergency hiking shelter.
Annual Library Book Donation
Located in Batangas City, Philippines, the children were delighted with the books.
You can see from the students' faces, they are thrilled and grateful for Glenealy's donation of books and are enjoying their library time so much more!
ESF Websites- Parent feedback is important.
ESF are now conducting a survey to try to find out how their websites could be improved to help parents in their information searches and decision making.
It would be great if you could help by filling out a simple questionnaire at this link: https://goo.gl/forms/qjDRSqRvXDqKp7jW2 (The deadline is Thursday 17th January 2019).
Thank you for taking the time to give us your valuable feedback.
ESF Fun Run
More details can be found here
Important Reminder
Has your child's visa status changed?
As a reminder, all children attending an ESF school need the appropriate and valid visa status to do so. Please inform the school if your child's visa status changes. For more information refer to the Immigration section on the ESF website.
Useful School Forms
Medical Authorisation Form - required should your child need to take medication whilst at school, on a school trip or camp
ESF/Glenealy Calendar for 2018/19
Please refer closely to this calendar for any important events, (e.g . booking your holidays) for the next academic year.
Extra Curricular Activities Term 2 2018-19
Disclaimer Notice: Glenealy School does not endorse or represent the accuracy, truthfulness or reliability of these advertisements placed by outside agencies.
- ESF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - Soccer
2711 1280
- BANANA ART CLUB (Art)
Michelle - 6020 5476
- FOUNDATION ACADEMY (Film Makers)
Namrata Bindra -3107 8810
namrata.bindra@foundationge.com
- Creative Dance
TUESDAY
- ESF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - Sports Clubs & Tennis
2711 1280
Website: http://www.esf.org.hk/index.asp
- Brownies
Penny Donowho - 9181 7318
- CHESS CLUB
Yin Ping Ho 2884 1420 / 9215 2682
- CENTER STAGE STUDIOS (Musical Theatre)
Imogen Taylor - 5236 7960
admin@centrestagestudioshk.com
WEDNESDAY
- ESF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - Basketball
2711 1280
website: http://www.esf.org.hk/index.asp
- CENTER STAGE STUDIOS (Drama)
Imogen Taylor - 5236 7960
admin@centrestagestudioshk.com
- THE CLASSROOM BY MG (Litteracy)
Mary Godridge - 9103 4378
THURSDAY
- ESF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - Tennis
2711 1280
Website: http://www.esf.org.hk/index.asp
- APPDEV-X (Coding)
- ACTIVE KIDS (Stormy Chefs)
Elsie - 3480 4199
FRIDAY
- ESF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - Tennis & Gymnastics
2711 1280
Website: http://www.esf.org.hk/index.asp
- MOK'S TAEKWONDO SELF-DEFENCE (Tae Kwon Do)
Charles Mok - 9494 7636
- ACTIVE KIDS (Science Adventures)
Elsie - 3480 4199
- BRILLIANT LEARNING (Sanskrit)
Geetnajali Dhar - 9830 0612
geetanjali@sanskritiglobal.org
SATURDAY
- ESF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - Tennis & Gymnastics
2711 1280
Website: http://www.esf.org.hk/index.asp
- READ FOR MEANING (Reading)
Mary Barker - 2523 0062 / 9401 4559