GSIS Gazette – Issue #22
28th August 2020
Warm greetings from our Peak and Pok Fu Lam campus! I start this first Gazette of the term with tremendous gratitude to every member of the GSIS community, most especially for your patience and understanding as GSIS has prepared for the coming academic year in the age of Covid-19.
I know how important the early days and weeks of a new term are, so rest assured we are giving it our full attention. It is the start of a new school year like no other with schools around the world beginning their new academic terms, following weeks of enforced closures and online learning.
My impression is that the first days of online learning have been well done and both our students and teachers have shown that even online, learning is a collaborative process. A student’s academic success depends upon having a strong support system in place, as well as a top quality curriculum and these continue to be our guiding principles.
I would like to thank all our teachers who are holding support/feedback sessions, teaching online lessons, and collaborating with peers to develop meaningful learning opportunities for students. Our Online Learning Programme has been informed by a wealth of shared experience and our teachers are working hard to ensure it is successful for all their students. My gratitude also to our students who have adapted to this new way of teaching with agility and commitment to their learning. In all of this, our students, your children, have been remarkable.
- Kindergarten
- Primary
- Secondary
Despite the uncertainty about the end of the pandemic, we are already planning the reopening of our school and our ‘Roadmap to School Resumption’ will be shared with you once we know the Hong Kong government requirements for classroom learning to resume.
Through the course of the 2019-20 academic year, we had to navigate various scenarios and rest assured, we are prepared and ready to do that again, if necessary.
Kind regards and a nice weekend
Ulrich Weghoff
Principal
Email

Welcome back to GSIS and to our first issue of GSIS Gazette for the new academic school year.
I have very exciting news to share. In order to streamline our school’s communication, we will be launching our new and exciting School App which has been designed and created in-house. This means that you’ll be connected to the school via your mobile wherever you are in the world and whichever time zone you’re in. You can be certain that you’ll never miss any crucial information and you’ll always have the Gazette stored within your mobile so you can check details and know what’s happening each week, as well as many other functions. We will let you know download details in issue 24 on Friday, 11th September so do please let everyone know to keep an eye out and read the Gazette.
YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL LIFE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!
We are very much looking forward to welcoming the students back to GSIS once we have been given permission from the EDB to do so. We can’t wait for the school to return back to the vibrant, dynamic and happy environment that we know it to be. Around the world, students and teachers are fully aware that returning back to classroom learning will not be quite what they have been used to and they will have to operate within a range of guidelines. However, rest assured that at GSIS, we are committed to keeping life as normal and familiar as possible whilst ensuring our community’s health and wellbeing.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend.
Clare Chiu
Managing Director
Email
From Head of German International Stream

Dear Parents
A warm welcome to the 2020/21 school year.
I hope that you and your children enjoyed a relaxing summer despite the unprecedented circumstances and that we are ready to tackle the challenges of the new academic year together. A summer that we will certainly not forget anytime soon.
I especially welcome our 58 new students and their families as well as our 13 new colleagues, whom I wish a good start in Hong Kong and in the GSIS community.
What a beginning to the new school year! With the resumption of online classes and Typhoon signal T9 in force, the first day of school once again demanded a lot of patience and flexibility from all of us. In numerous hours of hard work, our colleagues did everything possible to prepare the virtual classrooms, making sure that, even under the exceptional conditions, the first day of school was a very special one for our students. For this a very heartfelt thank-you! After many years in education, conducting student enrolment celebrations and welcome events online via Google Hangout was certainly a novelty for me. Our teachers have shown outstanding efforts and creativity, often going the extra mile, and I thank you and your children for appreciating their commitment as well as for the individual feedback many of us have received.
Together with the Faculty of the German International Stream, I look forward to working with you again this academic year to further develop our stream together and create experiences that we can proudly look back on in June 2021.
Here's to working well together and a successful school year.
Yours
Grit Cichon
Deputy Principal / Head of German International Stream
Email
Kindergarten Corner
Dear Parents
The first week of the new school year has come to an end and we would like to thank you for your support in making this a success. We are aware that online learning is a great challenge, especially for the youngest students, and that a close cooperation with you as parents is essential.
The individual Google Meets and class circle time has proven to help our students to begin to settle in, despite these extraordinary circumstances and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the positive feedback our teachers have received.
Please remember that, as of next week, we will start working in small groups according to the class timetable sent to you by your child's teacher(s). The second phase will endeavour to give your child the opportunity to get to know their classmates and to extend their social interaction.
We greatly appreciate the collaboration with all families in our Kindergarten and as always would like to remind you, not to hesitate to contact us should the need arise.
Kind regards
Primary Corner
Dear Parents
It has been just a little over a week of teaching in this school year and already I had so many beautiful and joyful experiences. The welcome party of DVOR and the school enrolment and welcome celebrations show touching moments that I will cherish as memorable experiences. In the first online meetings I saw the students laughing, they seemed curious and excited and these are the moments that make a teacher's heart beat faster – it is so nice to see everyone back in class.
Child Protection
The importance of child protection has increased over the past years and at GSIS, child protection is one of our key focus areas. With this in mind, we would like to summarise once again the most important points in connection with online learning.
In the Primary Department...
- the teachers use Google applications such as emails, Hangouts and Classroom. Other applications like WhatsApp or Zoom are not used. The teachers were also asked not to give out private telephone numbers.
- if online meetings are recorded with individual students, a parent or guardian must agree to the recording and be present during the meeting. The recordings are stored safely and deleted after one year. The recordings are not shared with third parties.
- we ask that an adult be present during or after online meetings for any questions the children may have. As a first step, please contact your child's class teacher if your child feels uncomfortable.
- online meetings take place in appropriate rooms with appropriate clothing (not in bed or in pyjamas).
The safety of your children is very important to us. If you have any concerns, please contact Inga Riedel-Narayan (iriedel-narayan@gsis.edu.hk).
Parents evenings and KPR (Class Parent Representatives)
In the past few days you have received the invitations to the parents' evening, which will be conducted online; later in the year we are planning for another opportunity where you can meet the teachers in person at school.
During the parents' evening, the new KPRs and their deputies for this school year will be elected. Are you someone who would like to support the class teachers in their parent work? Are you someone who would like to take care of the interests and matters of the parent community? Are you someone who enjoys the exchange with the School? Then you are the perfect person for the KPR role.
Weekly ICT training for parents
As long as we teach online, the use of technology will play a big part in our lessons. Monika Tavernier is regularly available for further training. Please read the information below.
Information for parents about the German Primary Department (GPD)
Below you will find our new parent information leaflet for parents. Here you will find everything important for starting school in GPD, but the information could also be helpful for parents who have been with the school longer.
Communication channels
I kindly ask you to adhere to the communication structure. Your first step is always to contact the respective teacher. If you need further advice, please contact the Head of GPD – Ms Erni. In further steps, Ms Cichon, as Head of the German International Stream, and finally Mr Weghoff as Principal will be involved.
Updates and Announcements
Secondary Corner
Dear Parents
Welcome to the new academic year!
When it was confirmed at the end of July that the school year would start with Online Learning, we admit we were disappointed, but we immediately started with the preparations. This allowed for a successful start of Online Learning, not least because the majority of our students had already gained a lot of experience with it in the past school year and had established a good routine after only a few days of school. Our new students have also done well during their online school start.
Fast Track Programme
In K06, 12 students started the Fast Track Programme. We have extended the German programme for this group during the online learning phase so that these children can build up a solid base of German language skills as quickly as possible. The German-language subject lessons (DFU) will continue as normal and we will provide the Fast Track students with additional material – e. g. vocabulary aids, bilingual worksheets, etc. In addition, in some lessons Ms Zhang will support the subject teachers as a co-teacher.
Parents' evenings
As you are aware, the parents' evenings will take place online. Most class teachers have already sent out invitations with dial-in links or will do so shortly. In addition to discussing important organisational matters, we will provide information about online learning and clarify any questions that may arise. The new teachers will also introduce themselves. Another important part of the parents' evening is the election of the class parent representatives (KPR election). Any interest in this important role would be highly appreciated.
Dates of the GSD parents' evenings:
27 August | 6:00 pm | K05A/B |
27 August | 7:30 pm | K11+K12 |
1 September | 6:00 pm | K06A/B+K07 |
3 September | 6:00 pm | K08+K09 |
9 September | 6:00 pm | K10 |
Exams
K05–K10: Due to school closure, exams for those year groups have not yet been scheduled. It is expected that the first exams will not be written before the end of September.
K11–K12: The preliminary exam schedules for upper Secondary (K11 and K12) have already been created and are available in the GSD Parent Portal.
We look forward to seeing our students again on campus as soon as possible.
- K12 students collecting their materials on the second day of school
- Remote Teaching
From Head of English International Stream

Dear Parents and Students
Welcome back to school 2020! And a particularly warm welcome to the 145 new families who have joined the EIS community. It is not quite the start we were hoping for but we can certainly make the best of this if we all support and listen to each other with kindness and respect.
I do hope that the start of the year has gone well so far and that your children are well engaged with our online learning provision. Towards the end of the last academic year and over the summer, we have fully reviewed feedback from students, staff and parents in order to make improvements to our online programmes. Given the ongoing uncertainties in Europe and North America and an extensive review of what other schools have been doing, I believe that our online provision and operational plans continue to be effective and responsive to feedback although we are keen to improve.
During conversations with numerous stakeholders, it was clear that some of the feedback would have been more useful had it been shared with the school in a more timely manner. If students or parents have an issue or concern or even some helpful feedback about any aspect of the online learning programme, please follow the communications flowchart shown below as previously sent by our Principal and Managing Director. As you will see, the subject or class teacher is the first person to contact. Quite often concerns or complaints appear to have been shared with the wrong people and on the wrong forums, which makes it very hard for us to respond to effectively.
One of the central purposes of our Online Learning Roadmap, published at the start of term, is to ensure a shared understanding of expectations between the school, students and families. The content and application of online learning will differ greatly depending on the age of the children and the nature of each subject but we very much hope we now have a common understanding of what we can offer.
I would like to share a quick but significant thank you to the myriad of staff who have worked so hard to prepare for a very successful start to the year. Their dedication has been first class and we are very fortunate to have such a talented and knowledgeable group of people working with us.
Safeguarding
We have asked students and families to read through the GSIS Online Learning Safeguarding Guidance. This is an important document as it seeks to ensure the online safety of all students and staff. You will notice that we expect there to be a trusted adult at home with students under the age of 12. On occasion, the teacher may request to check-in with that person before or during the online lesson.
If you or your child experience any form of cyberbullying whether through inappropriate comments in chatrooms or messaging, persistent isolation or exclusion from groups, please make the class teacher aware or contact the Child Protection Officer for your child’s school. Every disclosure will be taken seriously and fully investigated.
We are aware that some families can struggle with the challenges of online for a host of reasons ranging from sharing workspaces and technology, both parents working, children who find online learning demotivating and children missing social interaction. If you are experiencing any of these or other challenges, please let us know as we may well be able to help. Our pastoral leaders and school counsellors are available to offer advice about supporting students’ wellbeing as well as enhancing their self-regulatory skills and motivation. We are here to support everyone in our community.
Whilst at home it is necessary to engage children in co-creating the new structures and expectations for learning as well as the time for relaxing or pursuing one’s own interests. The following link takes you to an article from Dr. Anisha Abraham about Parenting Teens in Times of Crisis, it takes you to her website that includes a range of other excellent articles focused on advice for parents during these very different times.
Exam Results
We have had a very busy summer navigating the various adaptations and adjustments to the IB Diploma and I/GCSE examination results but I am very pleased to say that overall our students have performed exceptionally well:
IB Diploma:
41.2 point average score for 59 students
75% of students achieving 40 points or more
CIE IGCSE:
90.8% A*/A grades; 99.8% A*-C Grades
435 entries for 69 students over 11 subjects
Pearson Edexcel:
85.2% 9/8; 94.3% 9 – 7
176 entries for 69 students over 6 subjects
These figures compare very well to the school’s historic results and we are very proud of all our students’ achievements. The 2019.20 academic year was full of uncertainty and we salute these students’ resilient, positive-minded approach that has seen them through. I would also like to acknowledge the sterling efforts of their teachers in adapting to the new demands that the cancellation of examinations brought and ensuring that our students did not suffer. We have once more shown that the GSIS community is very strong when it works together for the best interests of our students.
Academic Societies
As Academic Societies at GSIS enter their second year, a number of our senior secondary students continue to plan and run a series of activities during the closure. Our current Academic Societies are:
- Design & Architecture
- Economics
- Engineering
- Entrepreneurship
- Medical
- Philosophy
Academic Societies provide an opportunity for students to develop their interest in particular subject areas through inviting visiting speakers, offering opportunities for younger students to learn more about these areas, inspiring further commitment and organising an Action Week in school. All Societies have developed their own websites and social media accounts so we hope to launch these very soon.
This is a great opportunity for community members with experience in any of these fields to get in touch so they can support our students’ ambitions and enthusiasm. Should any of our community like to support these groups, please let me know by writing me an email or giving me a call.
University Guidance
We are very pleased to announce the recent appointment of Claire Wilkins as our new University Guidance Counsellor. Depending on the work visa timeline, we anticipate she will be with us by the end of September. Claire is no stranger to Hong Kong as she grew up here. Claire is very experienced in international university admissions, having set up and managed the first enrolment for NYU’s Shanghai Campus before moving on to become Associate Director of Admissions based in London and overseeing admissions for three campuses. Most recently, she was Director of International Admissions at Temple University in Philadelphia. Claire has extensive experience of US admissions procedures and international curriculum evaluation, as well as university systems in the UK, Canada and China, and brings with her a broad network of contacts.
Hope to see you soon
We are hopeful of a return to school before too long and await news from central government and the Education Bureau about the next steps. Until then we will stay learning online and keeping each other positive, connected and informed.
I look forward to seeing you online or in school very soon.
Simon Misso-Veness
Deputy Principal / Head of English International Stream
Email
Kindergarten Corner
Dear Parents
The first week of the new school year has come to an end and we would like to thank you for your support in making this a success. We are aware that online learning is a great challenge, especially for the youngest students, and that a close cooperation with you as parents is essential.
The individual Google Meets and class circle time has proven to help our students to begin to settle in, despite these extraordinary circumstances and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the positive feedback our teachers have received.
Please remember that, as of next week, we will start working in small groups according to the class timetable sent to you by your child's teacher(s). The second phase will endeavour to give your child the opportunity to get to know their classmates and to extend their social interaction.
We greatly appreciate the collaboration with all families in our Kindergarten and as always would like to remind you, not to hesitate to contact us should the need arise.
Kind regards
Primary Corner
Dear Parents,
I hope that each of you took a picture of your child on their first day of the 2020/2021 school year in their first class meeting online in the midst of a typhoon! We are all so excited we were able to welcome every student back to school and that they are manoeuvring through their platforms. They are resilient and have adapted so smoothly.
Child Protection
In recent years, child protection has become an increasingly important topic and we at GSIS also attach great importance to keeping our students safe. With this in mind, we would like to summarize once again the most important points in connection with online learning.
In primary school:
- Teachers only use Google applications such as e-mails, Hangouts, Meet and Classrooms. Other applications like WhatsApp or Zoom are not used. The teachers were also asked not to give out private telephone numbers.
- An adult must be present in the home when your child is on a Meet or Hangout. If your child feels uncomfortable with a situation, as a first step please contact your child’s teacher.
- All individual online Meetings with students will be recorded. A parent or guardian must agree to the recording and be present during the conference. The recordings are safely stored and deleted after one year. The recordings are not shared with third parties.
- Videoconferencing should be done from an appropriate place with appropriate clothing (not in bed or in pyjamas).
The safety of your children is very important to us. If you have any concerns, please contact
GPD: Inga Riedel- Narayan (iriedel-narayan@gsis.edu.hk)
EPD: Paige Marquard (pmarquard@gsis.edu.hk)
KPR Evening
You have recently received an invitation to our KPR Evening, which will occur at the previously scheduled time next week, but online. The purpose of this evening is for the class teachers to give you an overview of their classroom and curriculum. In addition, class KPRs will be elected. If you are interested in acting as the KPR for your child’s class, please email kcunningham@gsis.edu.hk or your class teacher.
Year 1 | 2 September | 4:30-5:30pm |
Year 2-3 | 3 September | 4:30-5:30pm |
Year 5-6 | 3 September | 5:30-6:30pm |
Communication Pathways
Open, transparent communication between home and school leads to success for all students. Please, contact the class teacher or specialist teacher should you have any questions that involve your child. The person who is in the classroom with your child is in the best position to assist you. Please use your email when contacting the teacher and not your child’s school Gmail account. If you need further assistance the Head of Department or Deputy Head of Department can assist - kcunningham@gsis.edu.hk or dmorley@gsis.edu.hk. If we cannot assist you, or it is a GSIS wide concern, the Deputy Principal, Simon Misso-Veness smisso-veness@gsis.edu.hk or Principal, Uli Weghoff uweghoff@gsis.edu.hk will be helpful. Any concerns, questions or issues that involve your child need to be addressed through the communication pathway with the school staff. We are also available by phone at 2180 0505.
Our KPRs are another wonderful communication resource who work with the HoD and Deputy HoD to facilitate the exchange of ideas, assist with the flow of information, and make recommendations for larger school functions. This system promotes an atmosphere of mutual support and trust among members of the school.
Technology
We are striving to promote more dialogue between our students during their Google Meets. This works best when students are in an area of the home with no background noise so they can unmute their microphone without disturbing the overall Meet. We do understand that families with multiple children may find it difficult to provide quiet areas for all. The most important time for students to be able to converse is during their small pod Meets.
When we hold a 1:1 Google Meet with a student we will first verify that an adult is present. We will then inform the adult that we are recording the meeting on Google. This is a secure recording that is stored within our Google Drive and is not shared with any 3rd parties. No other recordings of Google Meets are allowed as it violates our Responsible User Agreement.
We would like to continue to provide parent ICT training. Monika Tavernier is regularly available for further training for parents. Please see the information below.
Weekly Overviews
Weekly overviews are available by Saturday morning for all EPD students. Just as in the classroom, the lessons planned for a specific day may change, based upon the learning occurring the prior days. We also ask that you rely on the teacher provided overview for your information, and not other channels of communication. If we have any changes - such as a typhoon or lack of internet - the school will be as timely as possible to notify parents of changes which may need to be made.
Thank you for helping this school year start smoothly!
(Click thumbnail/s to enlarge image)
Updates and Announcements
Secondary Corner