Glenealy School Newsletter
31st August 2016
Message from Brenda
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Thanks so much for attending the Meet the Teacher evening last night. I’m sure this has helped you become more informed about the school, its philosophy of learning and the routines and organisation in the class and year group. Please note the Parents as Partners section of this newsletter where you will be able to access a copy of the presentation and the related links to specific areas of interest from last night.
For those of you who were able to come to the PTA Annual General Meeting, you would also have noted the incredible support the school has received from our School Council, the PTA and all of our community. A phenomenal donation of $1.5 million was presented to the School last night from the PTA which has raised funds for the redevelopment of the school hall over the last two years. Please read the PTA section for more information of this outstanding contribution and other important information too.
Three-Way Conferences
Just prior to mid-term break there will be an opportunity for you and your child to meet with the classroom teacher to discuss learning and progress to date. We would like all students from Years 3-6 to attend. It is optional for Year 2 students to accompany their parents and Year 1 students will not be required to attend with their parents.
All class teachers will be available on the days/times below and each teacher will also have other timeslots on alternative days which you will be able to see when you log on to the Gateway to book your appointment.
The two set days for all classroom teachers will be:
Thursday 29 September from 3.15 - 6.45
Thursday 6 October from 3.15 - 6.45
How to book an appointment?
The booking system will open on Gateway Friday 2 September 9am and will close Wednesday September 21st at 8pm. This will give you ample time to book a time which is most convenient for your family. We recommend you make your booking as soon as possible as certain timeslots always fill up quickly and allow a 15 minute buffer between sibling appointments so that you can arrive on time.
To log in to Gateway
You may log in to Gateway by typing this URL into any browser: https://gs.tg.esf.edu.hk Once you have logged in click on ‘Parent Consultations’ on the homepage to reserve your timeslot. If you have forgotten your log in information, click the ‘forgot password or log in name’ box which will cause a new password to be emailed to you immediately.
If you subsequently need to amend your appointment, this is possible by going through the same process and double clicking on the time you originally reserved which will allow you to cancel and re-book.
We look forward to seeing you during one of the consultation days.
Kind regards
Brenda
Dates for the Diary
September 1st - 30th
Year 1 Central Application period
Thursday September 1st
Scholastic Book order forms due
Friday September 2nd
- Payment deadline for Vision and Hearing Test
- Parent Consultation Booking opens on Gateway at 9am
September 5th - 16th
Year 6 parents to complete Year 7 transfer on Gateway
Friday September 9th
Year 6 fundraiser, more information to follow
Thursday September 15th
School Photos
Friday September 16th
Public Holiday - school closed
Wednesday September 21st
Parent Consultation Booking closes on Gateway at 8pm
Thursday September 22nd
Parent's Party @ 7pm at Fly - no tickets required
Thursday 29th September
Child/Parent/Teacher Conference (3 way conference) 3.15 - 6.45pm
Thursday 6th October
Child/Parent/Teacher Conference (3 way conference) 3.15 - 6.45pm
October 10th - 14th
Half term break - school closed
Monday October 17th
CPD Day - no school for students
October 24th - 28th
Book Week
Thursday October 27th
Character dress up parade @ 8.30am
Friday October 28th
Year 5 Fundraiser
Friday November 11th
PTA International Bazaar - more information to follow
Friday January 20th 2017
Year 3 Fundraiser
Friday March 24th 2017
Year 2 Fundraiser
Friday May 19th 2017
Year 1 Fundraiser
Friday June 9th 2017
Year 4 Fundraiser
Recruitment at Glenealy School
ICT Technician
Glenealy is currently recruiting an ICT technician. The successful applicant will provide technical support to staff and students on ICT related tasks.
Visit the ESF's online recruitment site at https://recruit.esf.edu.hk/joblist.asp to apply.
Further details are also listed on the schools website https://recruit.esf.edu.hk/joblist.asp
PTA Book keeper
The PTA Committee is recruiting an experienced part-time book keeper to work 10-14 hours per month. Working hours are flexible and restricted to term-time only. For more information or to apply, please view the full advertisement on the school’s website here.
PTA
PTA News
Thank you to all those who joined the ‘Welcome Back to School Coffee Morning’ on Monday. Thanks also to those parents who donated home-made cakes and biscuits, and decorations.
PTA Annual General Meeting
A big thank you to all the parents and teachers who attended the PTA’s Annual General Meeting, after the Meet the Teacher evening last night.
The PTA was delighted to announce a contribution to the Performing Arts Centre/School Hall project of $1.5 million. This represents at least two years’ fundraising efforts by the PTA and the PAC Fundraising Group and an amazing effort by all the parents in our small community. Former PTA Chairs Tarja Joro, Ania Martin-Madsen and Mercedes Parrilli, and Committee member Christine Meaney along with PAC Fundraising team member Nick Philips were delighted to present the cheque to Brenda Cook, School Principal and Judy Vas, School Council Chair (see photo). Liz Moser and Maxine Shaw (PAC team) were unable to be at the evening last night.
2016-17 PTA Committee members
Executive Committee:
Christine Meaney – Chair
Gwen Heath – Vice Chair
Jane Walker – Honorary Treasurer
Fatema Jangbarwala – Honorary Secretary
Parent Representatives:
Wanda Daly
Michelle Germano
Nisha Israni
Melanie Lingard
Ania Martin-Madsen
Aisling Quinn
Trinnie So
Becky Steel
Lisa Wang
Special thanks to last year’s Committee members, Mercedes Parrilli (Co-chair 2015-16), Cindy Gudykunst and Maggie Hon for all their efforts during the past year.
Parents’ Drinks at Fly Bar
Join us for a casual get together on Thursday 22nd September 2016, 7:00-10:00 p.m. Enjoy Happy Hour prices and great company at Fly Bar - G/F, 24-30 Ice House Street, Central - Clubfly.com.hk. Please note this is a parents only event and no tickets are required.
Winter Uniform – Order Forms Available
The PTA would like to advise all parents that we are actively trying to reduce the amount of excess inventory on hand, particularly bulkier items (e.g fleeces). The PTA Shop and storage hut will be refurbished next Summer (2017). Storage in school is limited and we need to reduce the number of uniform items that remain on hand at the end of the school year.
Accordingly, we are introducing a uniform ordering system for Winter Uniform items. Parents are asked to review their children’s uniform requirements, particularly Winter Uniform items (e.g. fleeces, sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts and blouses, sweatpants and long trousers). Winter uniform can be ordered using the Order Form (click here). If you are not sure of the sizing required, please go to the PTA shop at school to check the sample sizes. Our Shop volunteers are happy to help and answer any questions you may have.
Deadline for submission of Order Forms is Thursday, 15th September 2016. If you do not place an order, we cannot guarantee that stock will be available when you need it.
Please hand in your Order Form with full cheque payment to the PTA Uniform Shop by Thursday, 15th September 2016. We cannot accept cash or credit cards and no orders will be processed without full payment. You will be advised when your order is available for collection. If you require further information, please contact our PTA Coordinator, Erika on pta@glenealy.net or drop into the shop and ask our volunteers.
The PTA Uniform shop is open on Mondays from 2.45 – 3.15 p.m. and on Thursdays 8.20 – 8.45 a.m.
Parents as Partners
First of all I would like to thank all those who attended the ‘Meet the Teacher’ evening on Tuesday. I know everyone worked hard to ensure these were informative and provided further insight into life at Glenealy school. These presentations are designed to share practical information for parents whilst also providing insight into our educational philosophy and desire for all students to flourish in their learning; becoming the best they can be.
For those who missed the presentations, or anyone who wants to recap on some of the areas covered, each Year group’s presentation is now accessible in our ‘Parents as Partners’ section of the Glenealy Globe, under ‘Parent Workshops’.
To access these click on the link below and click on the Parent Workshops button
https://gloodle.glenealy.edu.hk/course/view.php?id=544
(username and password can be found in your child’s diary)
This new and improved ‘Parents as Partners’ section of the Glenealy Globe also has a range of other resources and curriculum information for you to explore.
If you have any further questions or queries about the ‘Parents as Partners’ Programme then please feel free to drop me an e-mail at dbuckley@glenealy.edu.hk or come up and have an informal chat on the playground in the morning or after school.
Kind Regards,
David Buckley
We are a small school with a big heart, always passionate about making a difference! Get ready to Run for UNICEF and Run for Glenealy! With an estimated 14,000 runners this year, UNICEF HK aims to raise 11 million HKD for UNICEF’s ‘Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS’ global campaign.
The charity run is set for Sunday, November 27, 2016 at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. http://run.unicef.org.hk/en/Account/PreRegistration
Please enter Group reference code “08GS16” for Glenealy:
- Individual Half Marathon/10km/5km $520/person
- Family Run 3km $2000/family up to 4 participants
- Youth 3km $350/person (11-15 yr old sibling)
Please complete the google form here after you have completed the online application by Friday Sep 23rd. Your runner’s pack and Disney tickets (if applicable) will be sent home with the eldest child. Official receipts will be issued directly by UNICEF HK.
If you cannot join us Sunday morning but would like to cheer on the Glenealy team, you can still support our runners by making a contribution in any amount through our personal fundraising page at https://run.unicef.org.hk/en/home/48238.html
Join Glenealy in making a positive change for our global community! Any questions or concerns, please contact Vivian Pan (Glenealy Parent) (Vivian.pan@unicef.org.hk).
Scholastic Book Orders Due this week
If your child would like to order any books from the Scholastic Book Catalogue, please return the order form by Thursday, this week, September 1st, together with a cheque (made payable to "Scholastic HK Ltd") to the Library.
Year 1 Central Applications - open tomorrow!
The central application period for parents to submit an online application for Year 1 2017/18 is September 1st - 30th only.
http://www.esf.edu.hk/application-form
Please ensure all sibling applications for Year 1 are made during this period to secure ESF priority for an interview.
Year 6 Transfer Application for Year 7
Parents wishing for their child to transfer from Glenealy School to an ESF secondary school must submit a transfer application for Year 7 via Gateway from September 5th - 16th only.
Applications are processed according to 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.
All Year 6 students enroled in an ESF primary school by 1 December 2016 are guaranteed a place in an ESF secondary school on completion of Year 6, with the following provisos:
- A student joining before the end of Year 5 is guaranteed a place at the secondary school of zone according to residential address at the time of application;
- A student joining Year 6 on or after 15 August 2016 is guaranteed an ESF secondary school place but not necessarily at the school of zone (conditions for period of commitment will apply).
- A student residing in Discovery Bay is zoned to Island School unless requesting to follow a sibling currently attending another ESF secondary school.
A student joining Year 6 after 1 December 2016 cannot be guaranteed a secondary school place but will be given high priority on any waiting list.
Important note:
ESF reserves the right to change the present zones to reflect the distribution of transfer applications. Secondary school zones will be confirmed in November 2016. Any changes to existing zones will be posted on ESF and school websites on or before 25 November 2016.
*Deposit payment deadline to secure your child's Y7 place will be 13 December 2016.
Junior Chess Star Invitational Competition 2016
We are pleased to announce that Quarry Bay School PTA LTD will be hosting the 5th Junior Chess Star Invitational Competition 2016, sponsored by Quarry Bay School, on Sunday, 25th September 2016.
We invite all students studying in ESF & PIS primary schools, for the academic year 2016-17, to join the event.
Please click here for online registration and here for the information poster.
ESF 2016/17 Calendar
Please click here to view the calendar online. We do ask when planning your family holidays that you refer to the holiday periods as indicated on the calendar and try to take your holiday during these times.
After School Activities at Glenealy - Term 1
ESF Sports
29th August - 13 December 2016
Our enthusiastic approach combined with expert coaches with a passion for sport, enables every student to develop a broad spectrum of acquisition skills to increase their self-confidence in a range of activities, both individual and within a group or team dynamic. This year, we are introducing our new Multi Sports programme, which is a development programme for ages 2-5 in building skills and abilities to better position themselves in entering a specialist sport(s). We are also introducing many new locations for Football and Gymnastics. Enrol online www.esf.org.hk
ESF Language & Learning
6th September - 12th November 2016
ESF Language & Learning is the premier provider of extracurricular English language and enrichment education in Hong Kong. Our nurturing, friendly approach enables students to flourish as they develop their skills and interests. Suitable for all pre-school and school age students, our small group courses are run by our friendly, qualified, English speaking teachers. Enrol online www.esf.org.hk.