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GSIS Gazette – Issue #55

20th August 2021

Dear Parents

I am delighted to be able to write my first Gazette letter as the new Principal at GSIS.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone as my transition into this position was guided and supported so thoroughly and thoughtfully that I feel truly welcomed into this community.  

Germany is a wonderful place to live and work.  Nevertheless, I have always been interested in getting to know foreign countries, different cultures and people with different ways of living. I consider myself lucky that my studies in Physics and Mathematics have already exposed me to many international exchange opportunities. For example, my wife, my two daughters and I, took the opportunity to live in Greece for 5 years, where I taught at the German School of Athens which was a fantastic adventure.  I then chose to pursue my teaching career at the “Helmholtz-Gymnasium” in Dortmund because there was such a strong and diverse mix of many cultures at this school. For the last seven years, I have had the privilege of being Principal at this school.   

In Germany, I have worked in different educational roles. I was involved in teacher training for many years, did subject advisory work for the Ministry and the district government, and finally was Principal at a school with more than one hundred years of history. However, the most important part of my job has always been working with the students and supporting them to make the most of their future by contributing all they can to the ever-changing world in which they live.

As you know, I am coming to the end of my first week and I have had informative interactions with staff and students.  I am taking the journey of getting to know the school and the community, and I have already set three goals for the school and its staff:

  1. Teamwork
  2. Willingness to Change
  3. Language Sensitive Education

One thing that I noticed straight away was that our team of outstanding teachers in both Streams aim to inspire, challenge and nurture our students to unlock their real potential and achieve not only academic excellence, but the skills needed to be the best they can be.  Our core values of Excellence, Integrity, Compassion, Resilience and Leadership underpin all aspects of our school.  As a truly diverse and inclusive international school, we cater for the needs of all our students, allowing us to bring out the best in everyone.  I strongly believe in providing our students with exciting, creative and meaningful learning experiences which develop their love of learning and help them to grow positively in a variety of ways.  

I am also keen on building a whole school community which thrives on mutual respect and values positive relationships.  I know how important working in partnership with parents is and as key educators in your children’s lives, it is important that as a school, we are approachable to listen to your concerns, worries or thoughts about the school.   I am therefore pleased to invite you for an informal, virtual coffee morning on Thursday, 30th September.  This will be an opportunity to meet and chat to me and Clare virtually over a cup of coffee, and we will listen to parents’ views about what they expect from the school as we continue on our journey towards improvement.  I know that many of you have a long association with GSIS and have supported us loyally over many years.  Further details will be shared in the Gazette over the next few weeks.

I am looking forward to sharing weekly updates with you here and I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend.

Best regards

Dr Dirk Bennhardt
Principal
Email


Dear GSIS Community

Welcome back! I hope you all had a restful summer and it’s great to have our corridors filled with excited students again.

This school year, safety and our community’s well being remains our priority. As has been the case throughout this pandemic, our planning is shaped by current Hong Kong government and EDB regulations which continue to shift. Our school operations are also affected by the property development near our campus. Please spend a few minutes to read through the important information below.

SYNERGY (NEW BUS COMPANY, PEAK CAMPUS)

Our first day drop-off and traffic at the Peak Campus were very smooth, but the dismissal was delayed for about 30 minutes despite our rehearsals.  This was, however, quickly corrected on Day 2 and in the end, we were even ahead of schedule.  Accommodating large amounts of late registrations, as well as fluid schedules in the first two weeks, is not an easy task.  This is particularly challenging for a new company and we will continue doing our best to support Synergy to settle in.  We ask for your patience and support.  

We changed the bus company for a reason.  Many unsatisfied voices have been heard over the years, yet neither GSIS nor other schools in Hong Kong seemed to be able to choose a bus company that can provide quality service at a reasonable cost.  We formed the Parent Bus Company Selection Committees to tender our bus services, two years in a row, and finally a new company was chosen in May by the Committee.  Not many bus companies were willing to tender because it is a tough business to run and we are not willing to compromise our students and parents’ experience due to the monopolised market and lack of willing contenders. This is why we changed to a new bus company in our determination to enhance the overall experience. Given the bus company is now chosen, I urge all of us to build a positive partnership with Synergy.  They are keen and motivated to learn and continue to improve to provide the best for our students and parents.  The school will monitor and support their performance.  

Bus Card

Please have your children bring their bus card everyday to leave the campus.

Pick Up Card

Parents/designated adults please remember to show your Pick Up card to pick up young students. 

Temperature Log

All students will need the updated temperature Log to board the bus.

If you need any help with bus transportation, please contact Synergy and copy the school’s Bus Co-Ordinator in:

Mansfield Road Redevelopment Works (Peak Campus only)

As you may know, the ex-government staff quarters on Mansfield Road have recently been sold to Wheelock Properties, one of the largest private property owners on the Peak and highly experienced in property development. Over the summer holidays, they have started the preparation work by setting up scaffolding/hoarding and they have confirmed that the actual demolition will be from 21st October 2021 to 22nd February, 2022.

As the safety of our students is paramount, the school and Buildings Committee have met with Wheelock Properties a number of times. We have discussed their redevelopment plans and asked for their assurances that the site will be fully enclosed and demolition/building work scheduled to lessen the impact on the learning of our students, especially in the run up to examinations. In particular, we discussed specific measures including no access into Mansfield and Guildford roads during school peak traffic times and limiting the number of vehicles per hour, manpower from Wheelock to support traffic control, devices to be installed to monitor dust and noise levels. As well as the developer, we are also working closely with the Peak Police, District Council and relevant government departments to ensure that there is minimum impact to our students and staff.

Furthermore, on our explicit request, the developer has confirmed that elements of the facade facing Mansfield Road, away from the school, have asbestos content. According to the demolition plan submitted to the Environment Protection Department (EPD), the asbestos element is classified as low risk. The school is monitoring the situation closely and requesting additional information on top of the government’s stringent requirements.

A bilingual hotline with an on-site contractor has been set-up for general enquiries:

Ms Carlo Ting - 6879 2203

Traffic Arrangements (Peak Campus only)

I would like to emphasise below, especially to our new parents.  

At the beginning of this new school year and once again, we ask for your full co-operation and compliance to ensure the safety of our students and staff.  The information below is important and should be passed on to your driver, should you have one.

At a recent meeting with the Peak Police, the following was re-confirmed and agreed.  Please note that those drivers not complying will be identified and challenged so we strongly urge you or your driver to follow these instructions.

  1. Police will issue tickets to vehicles found to be parked or waiting illegally or dangerously.
  2. Police cones will be installed along Guildford Road, possibly all the way to Peak Road to prevent illegal parking.
  3. Increased manpower from the school, police and developer to direct the traffic until all it is flowing smoothly.
  4. Students driven to school must be dropped off at Mansfield Road between 7.00-7.30am  (ideally from 7.00-7.20 am).  
  5. Private cars will not be allowed to enter Guildford Road before 7.30am for drop-offs, and before 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm during dismissal.

Given the traffic challenges we continue to experience at the Peak campus and the Mansfield Road development which will take five years to complete, we are working closely with the police, bus company and government departments to investigate alternatives. Once we are ready to implement these changes, we will communicate this to you but our plan is to:

  1. Introduce a Mandatory Bus Policy when the new bus company settles in or 
  2. Explore safe areas near to the Peak campus for students to be dropped off by private car and then picked up by the school bus to transport them to school

Best regards

Clare Chiu
Managing Director
Email


News from the Board

Welcome to Dr Dirk Bennhardt

Dear GSIS Community

We are very pleased to have this opportunity to warmly welcome Dr Dirk Bennhardt to GSIS as our Principal. As well as strong leadership, he brings exceptional academic experience and intellectual depth to our school. He is feeling very enthusiastic about joining us and has the highest aspirations for every student, knowing the impact that a first class education can have on the future of each individual.

Dr Bennhardt is a scientist and brings with him a wealth of experience, both in Germany and overseas. As is customary for a new Principal, he will get to know GSIS’s culture and customs, people and practices, whilst actively guiding our school’s ongoing growth and development. We hope that our parents will give Dr Bennhardt a warm welcome when meeting him, albeit virtually, at the Coffee Morning on Thursday, 30th September (more information to follow in the Gazette).

We wish him a successful and happy career with us as we move forward together for our students.

Best regards

The Board of GSIS Association Limited
Email



Community Committee

Dear GSIS Community

We hope that everyone had an enjoyable summer and is excited about the start of the new school year. The Community Committee would like to welcome everyone back to school and extend a warm welcome to all the new members of staff and students. We look forward to getting to know you and your families.

A group of volunteers for the GSIS Community, who are all very passionate about the Christmas Bazaar, have been meeting since April to discuss how we can best serve the community within the current Covid regulations.

Over the summer holidays, these volunteers started contacting vendors and arranging logistics and items from abroad as well as sorting through items in storage for the Christmas Bazaar. Last week, following the latest EDB rules for schools, we met with members of the senior management and facilities teams to discuss the next steps. However, as enthusiastic as we all are, the latest EDB rules specifically recommend that schools should not be organising mass events and there does not appear to be any significant relaxing of these rules before the end of the year. At this time, our primary focus is to keep the school open and the children in classrooms.

With a heavy heart we, together with the Senior Management Team, have come to the decision that we will not be able to host the GSIS Christmas Bazaar in 2021 in its intended format. This is a huge disappointment to us and the team who have been working hard behind the scenes and we understand that many of you, like us, were excitedly looking forward to its revival this year.

However, whilst we are unable to host a big physical event we are looking at ways that we can still bring the Christmas spirit to GSIS and will concentrate on arranging smaller scale or online events where possible.

We are looking to offer:

  • wreath decorating in smaller groups
  • online ordering of Christmas goodies from Germany, Switzerland and Austria
  • online Christmas carols with the choir, staff band and any enthusiastic musical group

We truly hope that the GSIS Christmas Bazaar will be back to its full glory next year and it goes without saying that if things open up, we will look at hosting smaller celebrations in-person.

In the meantime, we welcome ideas from the community on anything else that you would like to see; please contact us at CommunityCommittee@gsis.edu.hk.

Warm Regards

The GSIS Community Committee
Email


Schoolwide News

Share your children’s achievements with the GSIS Community
August Lunch Orders (GSD and ESD only)
University Guidance: Upcoming Events (External)
GSIS Week at Kukri

German International Stream

From Head of Stream

Dear Parents

I am delighted to welcome your children and you to the 2021/22 school year. This year's summer holidays were also dominated by COVID-19 and I am sure many of you stayed in Hong Kong even though you would have loved to join your families or friends. I hope you had a wonderful time with many local experiences and a relaxing summer.

I would especially like to welcome our 61 new students and their families, as well as our 12 new colleagues. I wish them all a good start in Hong Kong and in the GSIS community.

We are pleased that, unlike last school year, we were able to welcome our students on Wednesdays for actual face-to-face classes, despite the continuing restrictions in various aspects of our school life. Our colleagues once again did everything they could to make the first day of school a special day for our students. Classrooms were lovingly prepared and arrangements were made to hold our traditional welcome ceremonies within the regulations of the EDB. Even with significantly reduced attendance and partitions to ensure social distancing, your children will remember these events with pleasure. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all staff members who have contributed to this through their special commitment.

The staff of the German International Stream and I are looking forward to working with you again this school year to further develop our stream together, to implement new concepts and to create moments that we can look back on with pride in the coming year.

Here is to good cooperation and a successful school year.

Grit Cichon
Deputy Principal / Head of German International Stream
Email


Kindergarten Corner

WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL YEAR 2021/2022

Dear Parents

On behalf of all our Kindergarten staff members, we are pleased to welcome you to a new and exciting School year at our Pok Fu Lam Campus.

The first two days of school have been successful, and even the bus arrivals and dismissals at Pok Fu Lam went smoothly. We appreciate and are delighted for the vibrant and lively atmosphere our youngest students bring to our Campus.

The Early Years play an essential role, as they lay the foundation in your child’s education. We all hope for an undisturbed typical school year to provide the excellent education your child/children deserves.

Our outstanding Team of Teachers and assistants will do their utmost to support your children in their personal development and provide exciting and fun-filled learning experiences for your children.

Together as a Team, Ms Mah and I are here for you, and if you have any questions and suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the email address below.

Kindly find the Calendar of Events for Kindergarten under Updates and Announcements. Due to the Pandemic, please note that some of the events are to be confirmed.

Enjoy the warm summer weekend.

With kind regards

Sophie Burdel
Head of Kindergarten
Email
Eileen Mah
Deputy Head of Kindergarten and Deputy Child Protection Officer Pok Fu Lam Campus
Email
https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Backtoschool.png
(Click thumbnail/s to enlarge image)Attachments
https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Veranstaltungen-deutsch-20212022new.pdf,https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Veranstaltungen-english-20212022new.pdf

Departmental News and Announcements

No updates / announcements this week.

Primary Corner

Dear Parents,

This week we had the pleasure of welcoming all the children back to school - first our little ones at the Pok Fu Lam Campus during the school welcome ceremony. At the Peak Campus, it was especially nice to see our K02 - K04 students again, who had grown quite a bit over the summer. And finally, today was the special day for class 1 - we celebrated their first day - die Einschulung.

In short, everyone was happy that school was starting again.

New Parents

On Tuesday afternoon we held a welcome event for new primary parents at GSIS for the first time. The families had a chance to get to know each other and to make the first contact with current parents. Many thanks to the members of the Community Committee and KPRs - Antjie Petermann, Ni Summer and Natalie Staack for their support during this welcome event.

A warm welcome again to the new parents - we look forward to getting to know you better and to have you in our community.

New email address

As part of a digital adjustment, I would like to inform you that I and my deputy head are using a new email address. You are welcome to contact me at this address in the future.

Student dental service and student health service

Please find below more information and the registration forms from our school nurse for the voluntary dental and health service offered by the Department of Health.

Parents' Evenings

We are pleased to invite you to our parents evening in the next coming weeks. All parents' evenings will be held online again this year. You will receive a special invitation with the necessary links for the Google Meet. In K01/2 and in K03/K04 there will be an information session about the foreign languages taught in each class prior to the main event.

  • DVOR: 26 August 2021, 6pm
  • K01/K02: 7 September 2021, 5.15pm and 6pm
  • K03/K04: 6 September 2021, 5.15pm and 6pm

I wish you a nice weekend!

Priska Erni
Head of German Primary Department
Email
Inga Riedel-Narayan
Deputy Head of German Primary Department
Email

Departmental News and Announcements

GPD / EPD Peak Campus – Student Health Service / Student Dental Service 2021-22

Secondary Corner

Welcome back to our GSD parents, staff and students!  It’s been a busy first week and I’ve been made to feel very welcome so thank you.  I think we’ve got a great community here and there is a great dynamic.  I am passionate about the very best of teaching and learning. What sets this school apart is not just the excellence of teaching and the enthusiasm for learning felt by our students, but the fact that students in both streams come from a wonderful variety of backgrounds and it’s quite a skill to get them to mix in a really cohesive and supportive way, so that’s a clear strength of the school already.

I’m looking forward to working in partnership with you as the Head of German Secondary Department and to bringing something different, with a fresh set of eyes, to build on the achievements of Frau Langer and my predecessors.

I hope to meet you in-person soon and in the meantime, please feel free to email me at fweinhardt@gsis.edu.hk.

Frank Weinhardt
Head of German Secondary Department
Email
Arnold Leitner
Deputy Head of German Secondary Department
Email

Departmental News and Announcements

No updates / announcements this week.

English International Stream

From Head of Stream

Dear Parents

Welcome back to a new school year. Although we find ourselves in a similar situation to the end of the last one, we are back in class and optimistic about further relaxation on our current restrictions. For the Secondary Department, the vaccination of students is a priority as the EDB has set us very clear thresholds for this so please heed the requests from the Principal and Clare in this matter.

The story so far . . .

The week before last we ran a three-day induction programme for our new staff in which they learned about the inner workings of the school, professional expectations, safeguarding and general orientation around the virtual and physical environment. We are very pleased for them to join our staff and I hope you will get to meet them in their discrete roles over the coming weeks.

On Monday of this week, we met with the whole staff to review our strategic objectives for the year followed by welcome events for new parents and induction days for ESD students in Years 7, 10 and 12.

On Tuesday morning I spoke with all new ESD students and their parents about the magic of beginnings, full of anticipation, hopes, dreams and aspiration. I shared our ongoing commitment to building a robust and trusting relationship between home and school, urging parents to contact us directly with any concerns or issues. I also requested that parents think twice about taking to social media to complain about issues that have not been addressed with the school or to share opinions that are unfounded or ill-informed. We are very approachable and want to provide the community with relevant information so please do get in touch.

EIS Strategic Development Goals

Curriculum Continuity & Mapping

We regard the English International Stream as one connected school, not three, so we need to ensure the continuity of learning and a coherent philosophy from Kindergarten to the IB Diploma with particular focus on transitions. Some good work in this regard was carried out by Primary Curriculum Leaders and Secondary Subject Leaders last term and we will build on this dialogue to ensure the best learning pathway for our students.

We will also conduct a mapping exercise that will allow us to track knowledge, skills and understandings through timely assessments alongside the development of age-appropriate cognitive and affective skills to support powerful learning.

Holistic Development

We will continue to focus on how we provide students with the skills and aptitudes for learning alongside a language that allows them to express and acknowledge their well-being. We acknowledge that we are in the world of high-stakes education and many of you as parents have high expectations of the school that are well-founded given our excellent academic record, but we also know that some students struggle with these demands.

Over recent years we have strengthened our pastoral provision significantly as well as our student support and intervention programmes in recognition of the fact that some of our students will occasionally struggle to meet the expectations. In fact, we all need support at different times for different things, learning is not always about unmitigated success, we often learn more from failure as long as we have the appropriate and timely support to reflect constructively on the lessons.

Professional Learning

At the heart of our school are a group of highly talented and committed teachers and teaching assistants. In order to maintain their expertise, we will continue to support their professional learning, guided by regular appraisals, to ensure that their practice remains relevant and aligned with current research and that GSIS remains a positive and rewarding place to work.

We look forward to seeing you very soon either in person or online but in the meantime, please do make contact to give us any feedback on the start of the year, to discuss any concerns, or simply to reconnect.

Best wishes for a positive start to the year

Simon Misso-Veness
Deputy Principal / Head of English International Stream
Email


Kindergarten Corner

WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL YEAR 2021/2022

Dear Parents

On behalf of all our Kindergarten staff members, we are pleased to welcome you to a new and exciting School year at our Pok Fu Lam Campus.

The first two days of school have been successful, and even the bus arrivals and dismissals at Pok Fu Lam went smoothly. We appreciate and are delighted for the vibrant and lively atmosphere our youngest students bring to our Campus.

The Early Years play an essential role, as they lay the foundation in your child’s education. We all hope for an undisturbed typical school year to provide the excellent education your child/children deserves.

Our outstanding Team of Teachers and assistants will do their utmost to support your children in their personal development and provide exciting and fun-filled learning experiences for your children.

Together as a Team, Ms Mah and I are here for you, and if you have any questions and suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the email address below.

Kindly find the Calendar of Events for Kindergarten under Updates and Announcements. Due to the Pandemic, please note that some of the events are to be confirmed.

Enjoy the warm summer weekend.

With kind regards

Sophie Burdel
Head of Kindergarten
Email
Eileen Mah
Deputy Head of Kindergarten and Deputy Child Protection Officer Pok Fu Lam Campus
Email
https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Backtoschool.png
(Click thumbnail/s to enlarge image)Attachments
https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Veranstaltungen-deutsch-20212022new.pdf,https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Veranstaltungen-english-20212022new.pdf

Departmental News and Announcements

No updates / announcements this week.

Primary Corner

Dear Parents

This week we had the pleasure of welcoming all the children back to school in the same format which we ended the year. Beginning the new school year in person, without typhoons or red rainstorms, was quite a calm start to the year! The students and teachers have jumped right in - learning about each other and their new classroom routines. A reminder that you can find specific class information in the teacher's respective Google Sites. This week the teachers will email you a link to their Google Site. We hope to have live links published in the Gazette next week. You will need your child’s email account to sign in, so that access to the class photos is password protected.  The teachers will share quite a bit more information about their classrooms during the Parent Information Evenings to be held in two weeks.

Student dental service and student health service

Please find below more information and the registration forms from our school nurse for the voluntary dental and health service offered by the Department of Health.

Parents' Information Evenings

We are pleased to invite you to our Parent Information Evenings in the coming weeks. All parents' evenings will be held online again this year. You will receive a special invitation with the necessary links for the Google Meet.

  • Year 1: Wednesday, 1 September 4:30-5:30
  • Years 2-4: Thursday, 2 September at 4:30-5:30
  • Years 5-6: Thursday, 2 September 5:30-6:30

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kim Cunningham
Head of English Primary Department
Email
Donna Morley
Deputy Head of English Primary Department
Email

Departmental News and Announcements

GPD / EPD Peak Campus – Student Health Service / Student Dental Service 2021-22

Secondary Corner

ESD Weekly Notices w/b 23 August May

Welcome back. I hope that you have had a refreshing and relaxing summer break and that your children are ready for the new school year.

I do hope that the start of the school year goes as smoothly as possible for all our students but, should there be problems or uncertainties, please do not hesitate to contact me or the relevant teacher or administrator. Problems can usually be resolved very quickly.

Exam Results

Our graduating class of 2021 achieved outstanding IB Diploma results, and our Y11 (plus some Y10 and Y09 students) performed equally as impressively on their I/GCSE (and IAS) exams. We are very proud of these achievements, representing, as they do, two years of hard work by the students in very difficult circumstances.

If you wish to appeal your child’s IGCSE results, please contact Ms Crouch for Cambridge IGCSEs and Mr Stevenson for Pearson Edexcel queries.

Daily Routine

At present, we are unable to offer ECAs, due to EDB restrictions, although we do hope to roll-out an ECA programme in late September.

For the time being, school finishes at 3.20pm on Monday to Thursday for all students (except Y07) and at 1.15pm on Friday

Y07 finish at 3.20pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, and at 1.15pm on Tuesdays and Fridays. On Thursdays, Y07 students who were with GSIS in Y06 finish at 1.15pm and those new to GSIS finish at 3.20pm.

From Mon 23 Aug until further notice, we will be operating a staggered lunch arrangement for students on Mon-Thurs in order to accommodate all students and comply with the EDB regulations in force. For that reason, there will be some changes to the timetable from Monday to allow students to have their lunch in either lesson 6, lesson 7 or the usual slot of lesson 8. New timetables will be issued to students electronically on Friday 20 Aug and in hard copy on the morning of Mon 23 Aug. The finish times for each day will be unaffected.

A summary of the lunch times may be found below. If you have ordered lunch from our cafeteria, please do not worry. The lunch will be provided during the correct lunch slot.

M Tu W Th
Y07 Lesson 8 No lunch (1.15 finish) Lesson 8 Lesson 8 (for students staying until 3.20
Y08 Lesson 6 Lesson 8 Lesson 6 Lesson 7
Y09 Lesson 8 Lesson 8 Lesson 8 Lesson 7
Y10 Lesson 8 Lesson 6 Lesson 8 Lesson 8
Y11 Lesson 8 Lesson 8 Lesson 6 Lesson 6
Y12 Lesson 7 Lesson 8 Lesson 8 Lesson 6
Y13 Lesson 8 Lesson 8 Lesson 8 Lesson 8

 

Important Dates - Term 1

  • 31 Aug & 1 Sept - KPR Meetings (Online)
  • 6 Sept - 10 Sept Photoweek
  • 20 Oct - 23 Oct: Discovery Week
  • 25 Oct - 29 Oct: Half-term
  • 18 Nov - Sportsday
  • 25 Nov & 26 Nov - PID (7-11)
  • 8 Dec - Y12/13 PID
  • 14 Dec - Christmas Concert
  • 16 Dec - Outing Day
  • 17 Dec - last day of term

 

Ken Stevenson
Head of English Secondary Department
Email


Departmental News and Announcements

No updates / announcements this week.

Student Achievements

GSIS debate achievements

THIS WEEK IN IMAGES

[sgdg path="Gazette/This Weeks Happenings/Gazette 55"]

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