Glenealy School Newsletter
16th August 2017
Message from Brenda
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students
It was great to have the students arrive at school yesterday, excited about seeing their friends, starting their new school year and getting to know their new teachers. A big warm welcome to our new families who have joined the school. We look forward to getting to know you all and seeing you integrate into the Glenealy School family.
Save the Date - meet your child’s teacher
There will be an opportunity for you to meet your child’s teacher on Thursday 24th August from 6 - 6.45pm. This is an adult only evening where you come to your child’s classroom and the teacher will share information with you that will enable you to understand the way the classroom will work, partnerships between home and school and school wide philosophies that embed the learning and teaching at Glenealy School.
Please read the newsletter and download the Glenealy School App to make it easier to retrieve each week!
A school newsletter like this is emailed to you every Wednesday. It will have all the information you need and will also give you the ‘heads-up’ for any dates coming up that are important for you to add to your diary. We regularly receive calls or hear of Whatsapp groups questioning dates, times, events etc that have all been communicated in the newsletter. I urge you to make a point of reading this newsletter each week to ensure you are fully up to date with everything that is happening in the school. There is a lot going on!
Welcome to new staff
We have 2 new full time teachers starting with us this year. Margaret has joined us from an IB PYP School in Amsterdam and is teaching Year 1 and Belle has returned to Glenealy School from another international School in HK to teach Chinese in Years 2-4.
We also welcome other part time teachers and Educational Assistants to the School this year. Jessica Scott (a part time teacher for 3 days per week) will enable teachers with leadership roles to ensure ongoing development in all areas of learning and teaching. Michelle Zhang will be an additional part time teacher in the Mandarin department, assisting staff and working alongside classes and Kirsty Campion joins the Individual Needs department as a part time EA.
We are in the process of recruiting EAs for other vacant positions and have some temporary staff filling these positions at the moment.
Great news about Island School!
I’m sure you are aware from the communications sent in the holidays that it is now official that in December 2017 the Island School community will decant to two sites to enable the much awaited redevelopment of the Borrett Road site. This has been a collaborative project between the Education Bureau, the Sha Tin District Council, the Island School community and the ESF Board.
The Island School community will move to the temporary campuses in January 2018. The plans are well developed and Stephen Loggie, Island School Principal will share them with parents at a special meeting held in Island School’s hall at 6pm on 22 August and here at Glenealy School on 6 September. If you have not already done so please click here to RSVP and let us know if you will be attending the Glenealy meeting. There is no need to attend both.
Open Door Policy
All staff at Glenealy pride ourselves on our open, transparent communication. If you have a concern, worry or a question please contact your child’s teacher and they will be happy to help you. The senior management team is always in the playground before and after school so you can have a chat to us too. Email contacts are available in the school diary which your child will have received and on the Glenealy School App.
Kindest regards
Brenda
Dates for the Diary
Tuesday 22nd August
Island School parent meeting @ 6.30pm Island School
Thursday 24th August
Meet the teacher evening @ 6pm
Friday 25th August
Year 6 camp parent meeting @ 8.15am in the Centre
Tuesday 29th August
PTA coffee morning @ 8.30am in the playground
1st - 30th September
Year 1 ESF Central Application period
4th - 15th September
Year 7 ESF transfer application opens on Gateway for Year 6 students
Wednesday 6th September
Island School parents meeting @ 5.30pm at Glenealy School
Friday 8th September
Year 6 fundraiser @ 3pm
Thursday 14th September
- School Photos
- Family bingo evening @ 5pm
18th - 19th September
Year 6 camp
Friday 29th September
CPD day - no school for students
October 2nd - 6th
Half term break - school closed
Music News
Instrumental Lessons 2017-18
If your child was enrolled in instrumental lessons last academic year then you should be hearing from your teacher later this week to confirm the 2017-18 lesson times.
For new enrolments the procedure is as follows:
Tomorrow, August 17th you will receive an e-notice on Gateway with access to an online enrolment form. This form will go live at 7:30pm on Thursday the 17th.
Allocation of teachers and lesson times is on a first come first served basis.
Existing students need not reapply but students who were on a waiting list last year will need to do so. Waiting lists from last academic year do not roll over.
Cost of lessons will vary from $250 - $350 a half hour session depending on the teacher, the instrument and sometimes the level of the student. More detail about lesson costs will be added to the e-notice you will receive tomorrow.
Instrumental lessons currently offered are: Violin, Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Drums.
Senior Choir
Senior choir is open to all students in Years 4 - 6. Rehearsals start next week and take place in the music room every Thursday Lunchtime 1pm - 1:30pm. Students can eat lunch at the regular times with their class from 12:45pm.
The Senior Choir will perform at various events this year including the school fair, Glenealy School Christmas Carols Concert, assemblies and the St. John's lunchtime concert.
Junior Choir
Ms Ede will be sending out information about Junior Choir in the coming weeks.
Senior Orchestra
Senior Orchestra is open to all students in Years 5 and 6 who have at least 2 years experience learning an instrument. The orchestra rehearses on Fridays 1:30pm- 2pm. Students interested in joining should speak with Mr. Benzie.
This term the Senior Orchestra will play at the School Fair, Glenealy School Christmas Carols Concert and assemblies when appropriate.
Year 2 Recorders and Year 3 Violins
Please note that I will be sending home information about these programs next week. I realise that the students are very excited but I ask you wait until I pass on all the relevant information before starting to source instruments and books.
*Year 3 students will be learning violin in class music lessons so they do not need to be enrolled in the instrumental music lessons unless you want your child to receive extra tuition on a one to one basis.
Thanks,
Mr. Benzie
PTA News
Welcome Back to School Coffee Morning
On Tuesday morning, 29th August, new and returning parents are warmly encouraged to join us in the playground to celebrate the new school year. Join us for tea, coffee and a chat straight after drop off at 8.30am.
Year 6 Fundraiser
Year 6 will hold a Bake Sale on Friday, 8th September at 3:00 p.m. in the playground. Be sure to join us for Friday fun and sweet treats!
Family Bingo Night
Family Bingo night is coming! The PTA will host a family Bingo Night in the Centre on Thursday, 14th September from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Ticket information will be in next week’s Newsletter – watch this space for details.
Uniform Shop News
Shop opening times for the new school year will remain as follows:
Mondays: 2:45 - 3:15 p.m.
Thursdays: 8:20 - 8:45 a.m.
We are recruiting for new shop volunteers. If you can commit 45 minutes, once every two weeks and are interested in making a positive contribution to the school community, please contact Erika at pta@glenealy.net.
PTA Subscriptions
Thank you to all families who have paid their PTA Subscriptions for the 2017-18 school year. If you have not yet done so, please forward your payment as soon as possible. Your family will have received an invoice from ESF Centre for PTA Subscriptions. Payments can be left in the PTA Tray in the office or posted directly to ESF Centre (details on the invoice). The PTA thanks you for your support.
ESF Year 1 and Year 7 Admissions
Year 1 Central Application period for children born in 2013 commences 1-30 September 2017. Please click here for Year 1 key dates.
For Year 6 students, the submission of the Year 7 secondary transfer application on Gateway commences Monday 4 September - Friday 15 September 2017.
Allocation for secondary schools will be determined by residential zone at the start of Year 6.
For further details, parents should 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.
All newly joined Year 6 students are guaranteed a Year 7 place but not necessarily for the school of zone.
Please note, ESF reserves the right to redirect students based on majority of transferring cohorts in primary school should there be overcapacity at any of the secondary schools.
Year 7 offer letters will be sent to parents from the respective secondary schools in early December and the Year 7 deposit payment deadline to secure their secondary school place is Friday 15 December 2017.
Useful School Forms
Medical Authorisation Form - required should your child need to take medication whilst at school, on a school trip or camp
Extra Curricular Activities, Term 1
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