CONTENTS
- Principal's Column
- Managing Director's Update
- Community Committee
- Schoolwide News
- German International Stream
- English International Stream
- Wellbeing Corner
- Highlights of the Week
Connect with GSIS
Hip, hip, hooray! Congratulations to our IBDP Class of 2023 🎓! Last Thursday marked a milestone in the lives of 58 students from our English International Stream as they marched down the stage in the IB Hall. Family and friends were gathered to celebrate this memorable moment. We wish all our graduates the very best as they embark on their next adventure!
#GSIS #GermanSwissInternationalSchool #InternationalSchool #HongKong #EducationalExcellence #InternationalBaccalaureate #IBDP #GraduationDay
Congratulations 🎉🎈🎊
Swiss Firm Theories by Gnomes of Zurich Firm, Business Organization, Theories 978-620-5-51614-0 !!! Buy it now!!! www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31374156020
GSIS Gazette – Issue #62
8th October 2021
Dear Parents
I hope you find the Gazette a wonderfully uplifting reminder of the positive activities that have been happening at our school and on behalf of the Advancement team, I’d like to thank you for giving us your valuable feedback.
At GSIS, we have a set of behaviour expectations and school values that we believe help us all to make choices and behave in a way that makes our school a better place. Integrity, one of our core values, means doing the right thing, even when no-one is looking. Our teachers make integrity the norm in their classrooms so that our students can trust one another and know that they can rely on each other to act honestly and to do what they say they will do. We see values as a student’s moral compass for life which is a life skill they can use anywhere. As Warren Buffet, self-made billionaire, once said: “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities, integrity, intelligence and energy. If they don’t have the first one, the other two will kill you”.
I know from my many years leading schools, that trust and integrity are two of the key characteristics of a successful leader. It’s vital that as a leader of a school community, I develop good reputations by being honest, fair and trustworthy so that parents know they can rely on me to act honestly. Personally, I also believe that acting with integrity can reduce a lot of unnecessary stress in our lives, making us happier, healthier and more productive.
Best regards
| Dr Dirk Bennhardt Principal |
Dear Parents
As we shared in our communication this week, the Board and SMT have commissioned 5Rs Partnership, a consultancy specialising in school research and strategy development, to undertake an independent, school wide survey at the end of November. Its purpose is to review parent, staff and secondary students’ opinions to help the school improve how it operates and teaches, as well as to identify enhancements it can provide to its students. I’d like to thank you all in advance for taking the opportunity to be part of this process and for contributing to the future of GSIS. Further information will follow.
On another topic, I’d also like to express my gratitude to both parents and drivers for their collaboration today in this terrible weather. It made the traffic much more manageable. Thank you!
Finally, given the weather today and over the weekend, please take time to familiarise yourself with the weather policy.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend and let’s hope the rain stops!
Best regards
| Clare Chiu Managing Director |
Community Committee
GSIS Christmas Shop!
We are very happy to be able to offer the GSIS community a range of Christmas treats. The selection includes popular Christmas goodies from Germany like stollen, lebkuchen and cinnamon star cookies. In addition we are supporting a couple of charities with a percentage of the mulled wine packet sales going to Box of Hope and HK designed Christmas crackers for the Zubin Foundation. Finally we are lucky to have Lion Rock Press design bespoke GSIS tram ornaments for you to hang on your Christmas tree; as well as Christmas cards specially designed by GSIS students - watch this space for an art competition starting soon.
It has been a great team effort to get these products to you and a big thank you to DB Schenker who are generously arranging the logistics of getting the products from Germany to GSIS. You can order all items through the GSIS online shop from now until Saturday 20th November and the items will be available to pick up from GSIS Peak during the week commencing 22nd November so you will be able to enjoy your items over Advent and the Christmas period. Please note that we have limited numbers of items so make sure you order early to avoid disappointment.
Book Club Review
A book review by Natalie Staack, Community Committee and German Book Club member. If you are interested in joining the German Book Club, please contact Natalie at nstaack@learning.gsis.edu.hk.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Min Jin Lee is a Korean-American author who lives in Manhatten. She became well-known with her bestselling novel “Free Food for Millionaires”.
Pachinko is a very touching family story about four generations of a Korean family living in Japan.
Yeongdo, Korea 1911: in a small fishing village on the banks of the East Sea, a club-footed, cleft-lipped man marries a 15 year old girl. The couple have one child, their beloved daughter Sunja. When Sunja fells pregnant by a married Yakuza, the family face ruin. But then Isak, a Christian minister, offers her a chance of salvation – a new life in Japan as his wife.
Following a man she barely knows to a hostile country in which she has no friends, no home and whose language she cannot speak. Sunja’s salvation is just the beginning of the story.
Through eight decades and four generations, Pachinko is an epic tale of family, identity, love, death and survival.
https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Book-review-German.jpg, https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Book-cover-English.jpg
(Click thumbnail/s to enlarge image)| Community Committee |
Schoolwide News
German International Stream
Kindergarten Corner
Dear Parents
Another week has come to an end, of which the highlight was yesterday's visit to the Theatre.
In the coming week, there are more events for the children to look forward to:
- The School Photographer will be coming to Pok Fu Lam on 11 and 12 October. Kindly find more information under News and Announcements.
- On October 15, the Hong Kong Fire Department will pay us a visit to Pok Fu Lam Campus. The Fire Safety Education talk will primarily focus on proper behaviour during a fire and the fire department's duties. This event will also prepare for our trial fire alarm that we will soon be conducting at Pok Fu Lam Campus.
“Get Redressed Month”
A campaign by the environmental organization “Redress”.
Consumer behaviour and the careless use of clothing have changed significantly in recent years.
In October, our Secondary and Primary Departments will support this environmental campaign.The Kindergarten would also like to reduce environmental pollution and promote awareness of the sustainable use of valuable resources.
If you would like to support this campaign, please send your unwanted clothes (no shoes/household textiles) to the Pok Fu Lam Campus until 22 October and we will forward them to “Redress” for reuse.
Have a nice weekend and enjoy the Chung Yeung Festival on October 14.
 Head of Kindergarten |  Deputy Head of Kindergarten and Deputy Child Protection Officer Pok Fu Lam Campus |
Departmental News and Announcements
Primary Corner
Dear Parents
DVOR events - Pok Fu Lam Campus
Following week the school photographer will be in Pok Fu Lam to take class photos and individual photos of children. Please find detailed information below.
We are pleased that we were able to invite the Hong Kong fire brigade again this year. They show the students how to behave properly in case of fire and what the fire brigade's tasks are. This also serves as a basis for the children for the trial fire alarm at the Pok Fu Lam Campus.
Sports Carnival - Peak Campus for DVOR - K04 classes
It has been great to see our students back in school over the past weeks with restrictions loosening and more opportunities for normal school life to return. The GSIS Primary PE departments are happy to inform you about our upcoming 'Sports Carnival' which will run on Thursday 21st (K03, K04) and Friday 22nd ( DVOR - K02) of October 2021.
There are still some restrictions in place due to Covid-19 which require us to run the events in school. Due to this, we will be running a similar program to the successful carnivals from last year, but with an upscaling in the size and number of events. We are sure the students will love taking part in the fun, inclusive events which will bring both streams together.
On both the Lower Primary and Upper Primary days each year group will take part in 10-12 events which are designed to give all students the opportunity to enjoy events celebrating the importance of health and exercise. Event names include, 'Knock 'Em Down' and 'Kayaks On Wheels' and are designed for mass participation with a focus on student engagement and participation over final results and standings.
Some of the events are aligned with activities covered in the ‘Wellbeing Week’ which is happening the same week and the 'Sports Carnival' will be a great way to celebrate the successful start to the new school year. Unfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions parents will not be able to join us on the day, but keep your eyes on future editions of the Gazette for a full round-up and photo gallery! ( Manuel Deingruber and Andrew Champion)
Wellbeing Week - Peak Campus
Please look at the link for our Wellbeing Week - 18 October!
Get dressed
This month our "Schülerrat / Student Council" is helping to promote 'Get Redressed Month' in the primary department.
Redress is an environmental charity with a mission to reduce textile waste.
Get Redressed Month is their annual campaign that aims to reduce clothing waste and encourage mindful consumption.
We encourage our students and families to be part of the solution by giving your unwanted clothes to Redress. Simply clear out your unwanted clothes at home and send them in to school. We have 2 collection boxes located in the entrance of the primary building. We look forward to working together to support this environmental initiative.
Please note, we can not accept footwear or household textiles, only clothing.
Schülerrat - Student Council
One of the tasks of the school is to support the students in their development into democratically acting persons. The introduction of a student council is one way of learning democracy at school.
The Student Council consists of the class representatives of the school and is responsible for cross-class matters.
At GSIS, class representatives are elected from K03 onwards. Since May 2021, the class representatives of grades 3 and 4 have formed the Student' Council and they meet regularly
Tasks of the members of the Student Council:
- Representing the interests of all pupils
- Contact person for the pupils in their class
- Passing on information to their class about the contents of the Pupils' Council
- Passing on requests and concerns of the pupils to the appropriate body
Objectives:
Students learn to speak freely, organise and lead projects and are thus strengthened in their independence. The main objective is still getting a sense of how democratical decisions will be made.
At the moment, our Student Council is thinking about how to change the design on our roof to make playing more fun. They also went to all primary school classes at the Peak and introduced how to collect paper here at school to recycle it. And just as you read above, they are to bring the "Get Redressed" campaign to the children.
Enjoy the cooler weather, now the wonderful hiking season begins!
 Head of German Primary Department |  Deputy Head of German Primary Department |
Departmental News and Announcements
Looking for what's been going on in class this month?
Secondary Corner
Departmental News and Announcements
English International Stream
Kindergarten Corner
Dear Parents
Another week has come to an end, of which the highlight was yesterday's visit to the Theatre.
In the coming week, there are more events for the children to look forward to:
- The School Photographer will be coming to Pok Fu Lam on 11 and 12 October. Kindly find more information under News and Announcements.
- On October 15, the Hong Kong Fire Department will pay us a visit to Pok Fu Lam Campus. The Fire Safety Education talk will primarily focus on proper behaviour during a fire and the fire department's duties. This event will also prepare for our trial fire alarm that we will soon be conducting at Pok Fu Lam Campus.
“Get Redressed Month”
A campaign by the environmental organization “Redress”.
Consumer behaviour and the careless use of clothing have changed significantly in recent years.
In October, our Secondary and Primary Departments will support this environmental campaign.The Kindergarten would also like to reduce environmental pollution and promote awareness of the sustainable use of valuable resources.
If you would like to support this campaign, please send your unwanted clothes (no shoes/household textiles) to the Pok Fu Lam Campus until 22 October and we will forward them to “Redress” for reuse.
Have a nice weekend and enjoy the Chung Yeung Festival on October 14.
Head of Kindergarten | Deputy Head of Kindergarten and Deputy Child Protection Officer Pok Fu Lam Campus |
Departmental News and Announcements
Primary Corner
Dear Parents
This month our Green team is helping to promote ‘Get Redressed Month’ in the primary department.
Redress is an environmental charity with a mission to reduce textile waste.
Get Redressed Month is their annual campaign that aims to reduce clothing waste and encourage mindful consumption.
We encourage our students and families to be part of the solution by giving your unwanted clothes to Redress. Simply clear out your unwanted clothes at home and send them in to school. We have 2 collection boxes located in the entrance of the primary building. We look forward to working together to support this environmental initiative.
Please note, we can not accept footwear or household textiles, only clothing.
Coffee Morning with the Counsellor
We will be offering a coffee morning with Ms Marquard, our counsellor, next Friday 15 October at 8:00am. Ms Marquard will be sending out an email with the signup and Google Meet link on Monday.
Sports Carnival
It has been great to see our students back in school over the past weeks with restrictions loosening and more opportunities for normal school life to return. The GSIS Primary PE departments are happy to inform you about our upcoming 'Sports Carnival' which will run on Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd of October 2021.
There are still some restrictions in place due to Covid-19 which require us to run the events in school. Due to this, we will be running a similar program to the successful carnivals from last year, but with an upscaling in the size and number of events. We are sure the students will love taking part in the fun, inclusive events which will bring both streams together.
On both the Lower Primary and Upper Primary days each year group will take part in 10-12 events which are designed to give all students the opportunity to enjoy events celebrating the importance of health and exercise. Event names include, 'Knock 'Em Down' and 'Kayaks On Wheels' and are designed for mass participation with a focus on student engagement and participation over final results and standings.
Some of the events are aligned with activities covered in the ‘Wellbeing Week’ which is happening the same week and the 'Sports Carnival' will be a great way to celebrate the successful start to the new school year. Unfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions parents will not be able to join us on the day, but keep your eyes on future editions of the Gazette for a full round-up and photo gallery!
Wellbeing Week
Please look at the link for our Wellbeing Week - 18 October!
 Head of English Primary Department |  Deputy Head of English Primary Department |
Departmental News and Announcements
Looking for what's been going on in class this week?
Secondary Corner
Departmental News and Announcements
Wellbeing Corner
This upcoming Sunday is World Mental Health Day. It’s a reminder for us to prioritise self-care - we all need time to think, relax, and reload. Eat well, talk to loved ones, be kind to yourself, move your body, take a break!
You wouldn’t let this happen to your phone. Don’t let it happen to you either.
Have a great weekend.
Your School Counsellors
| Laura Maddison School Counsellor |
