From Head of Stream

Spirit Week & Social Distancing

Dear Parents

It is just great to have (almost) all the students back in school. We are looking forward to full resumption from 26th April when all the primary students can return.

Spirit Week

Our Year 13 students are currently finishing off their Spirit Week as today is their last day of formal school before they begin their IB Diploma examinations. Early this morning I saw a very large inflatable shark and a series of Star Wars characters roaming the stairways and corridors . . . we wish all these students every success in their finals.

Remaining Vigilant

Whilst more and more of us are completing the double vaccine, it is imperative that our whole community observes safe practice over the next few weeks to avoid importing any cases to school. We do not want to be closed down as this would have a major impact on our students taking public examinations, so let us all urge caution and care in order to protect ourselves and our wider community.

Safeguarding

We will be launching new Safeguarding posters throughout the school over the next two weeks. Staff trained in safeguarding & disclosure will be discussing with children how to share concerns about others. Parents are also encouraged to make disclosures if they are concerned about another child in our school community. Please contact any of the Child Protection Officers if you wish to share a concern:

Online Safety

I recently shared some advice to support with parents of students in Year 5, 6, 7 & 8 regarding online safety and use of social media with the intent of highlighting strategies through which to protect students in the digital world. If there is a demand from other year groups, please let me know and I can make the information available. Students will continue to receive lessons in digital citizenship as part of Information Literacy (EPD) and the Personal & Social Education (ESD) programmes. We are planning some focused panel discussions for parents on this matter in late May, further details to follow.

Online Summer Programme

I would like to let families know that the HKUST Online Summer Enrichment Program for Gifted Learners is now open and accepting applications for the following courses in July and August:

• Astronomy
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Design Thinking
• Engineering
• Humanities & Arts
• Life Science
• Mathematics
• Physics

Primary and secondary students will have the chance to explore the area they are interested in under the guidance of professional instructors and have a taste of the learning and teaching style of a university. Please follow this link for further information (Deadline: 6^th May).

Have a great week ahead

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Kindergarten Corner

Dear Parents

The Easter Holidays have come and gone, and all our Kindergarten students are happy to return to school at our Pok Fu Lam Campus.

It is hard to believe that we are already in the last term of the current school year, and besides, we are delighted that all Kindergarten students can attend school every day.

We would like to update you on our upcoming PFL Literature Festival, held from

Monday 19 till Friday 30 of April. You will find all relevant information about the planned activities under “Updates and Announcements” in our Gazette.

Furthermore, we would like to draw your attention to the following events coming up in May.

09 May  - Mother’s Day

Due to COVID-19 restrictions still in place, we regret to inform you that we will not be able to host our traditional Mother’s Day breakfast as announced in the calendar. Undoubtedly, your child and their class teachers will prepare a surprise for our mothers.

13 & 14 May - Parents’ Information Days

Thursday, May 13 from 01:30 pm - 04:30 pm

Friday, May 14 from 08:00 am - 01:00 pm

Please mark this date down in your diary. Parents’ Information Days will be conducted online, and there will be no school for Kindergarten students on Friday, May 14. More detailed information will follow in due course.

We sadly need to bid farewell to Ms Angela Flint, class teacher of KG1B, at the end of this academic year. Ms Flint has been with Kindergarten English Kindergarten Stream for the past 11 years. She will be returning to England to spend time with her family.

Please join us in wishing Ms Flint well in their new endeavours.

She will be very much missed by all at GSIS!

Sophie Burdel Head of Kindergarten Email

Eileen Mah Deputy Head of Kindergarten and Deputy Child Protection Officer Pok Fu Lam Campus Email

Primary Corner

Dear Parents

Welcome back! We hope that you and your children enjoyed your holidays and the chance to get out and enjoy Hong Kong before the weather becomes too warm. We are excited to have more students in the building and are anxiously awaiting 26 April when all of our students are back full-time. While we still can’t offer ECAs/AA we are able to deliver all of our lessons. Please note that at the Peak all Primary children will be in school from 7:35am - 1:15pm. 

We are working on our spring events and celebrations under the current regulations and will update you as soon as we have further information about Book Week, Sports Day, and possible Day Camps. 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Kim Cunningham Head of English Primary Email

Donna Morley Email

Secondary Corner

The Week Past

The on-campus classes have gone well and I would like to thank the students and parents for their forbearance and patience in dealing with the restrictions that are necessarily in place.

The Week(s) to come

For Y07-9 classes continue on-campus every day from lesson 1 to lesson 7. Next week sees a rotation of the timetable, so that lessons 9 & 10 take place in lessons 1 & 2 and vice-versa. There are a few exceptions (e.g. Y07 on a Monday; all Years on a Friday) and these, together with weekly timetables, will be sent via email to students.

The Y10 & Y12 Exams continue next week. As results are relayed to students over subsequent weeks, it is important to bear in mind that the exams are diagnostic, not summative. Of course, we hope that all students perform well, and most (in general) do, but the real purpose of these exams is to prepare students for the real public exams later in the course. With this in mind, please do not put too much emphasis on the results for the exams; it is the process and the learning that matters as well as the gaps and targets that students must address in the coming months.

For Y11 & Y13, Study Leave begins, leading to the public exams for the IGCSE and IBDP, which begin in the week of 26 April. Please ensure that your children prepare properly, revising in a structured manner, and not overdoing things. Teachers will be usually available for consultation by students during normal lesson times, but please email first to check.

During study leave, please encourage your children to observe suitable social distancing and to avoid large gatherings. Aside from anything else, we do not want to jeopardize the exams.

Ken Stevenson Head of English Secondary Email