CONTENTS
- Principal's Column
- Community Committee
- Schoolwide News
- German International Stream
- English International Stream
- Student Achievements & Initiatives
- Wellbeing Corner
- Highlights of the Week
Connect with GSIS
🏀 Led by Coach Tommy Vogel from ALBA BERLIN Basketball Academy, come and join us this Christmas holiday with our 4-day basketball camp where all skill levels are welcome! Improve your dribbling, shooting, decision making, and more. Plus, each participant gets an ALBA BERLIN T-Shirt, official camp certificate, and a chance to win ALBA BERLIN prizes! Register today.
🗓️ Date: 27 - 30 December 2023
📍 Venue: Lower Building Sports Hall (L401), German Swiss International School, 11 Guildford Road, The Peak, Hong Kong
For more information and registration, please visit docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAqhThpHyK6T8s9mlkzoBKdB6THz11yRNzyyBCDOKLySmv4A/viewform
#GSIS #GermanSwissInternationalSchool #InternationalSchool #HongKong #EducationalExcellence #GSISEasterCamp @albaberlinacademy.asia
GSIS Gazette – Issue #69
17th December 2021
Principal's Column
Dear Parents,
Dear Students,
Dear Colleagues,
Dear Friends of GSIS
At the end of July, my wife and I left our home in Dortmund to find a new home after quarantine in Hong Kong. It feels like this change has only just taken place, and yet the end of 2021 is fast approaching.
During this time I have learned a great deal about GSIS. I have found that the current Board of Directors are highly dedicated and very supportive of the school, that the collaboration with parents is constructive and engaging, that the students are endearing and determined, and that all colleagues and staff work with the utmost commitment for the school community.
The past pandemic years have been a tough time for all of us. There have been online classes, separation from families, and many other difficulties. Overall, I am positive about the future and I firmly believe as we continue to gain more understanding about the virus, and if we take responsibility for ourselves and others, we will soon make it possible for the world to grow together again.
We all long for the time when we can resume our Christmas Bazaar and the wonderful school community events, a time when masks will no longer be needed, partitions will disappear, and the first question will not always have to be ‘Did we fully comply with the Corona requirements?’
I am impressed with how the school community has been standing together and the resilience to continue to grow despite difficult situations. We are pleased to be able to continuously provide education at our high level despite the pandemic. The current vacant Administration and Advancement leadership positions are being covered by the teams in each department, and we look forward to reinforcements in the Administration area next year.
I am also pleased to inform you that the holiday calendar for the following academic year is finally available on the GSIS website. After effective re-organisation we were able to extend the summer break by one week so that there is enough time for everyone to keep family contacts even with quarantine regulations. I am aware that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, nevertheless we believe this is a good solution, which also fulfills the requirements of the EDB as well as the ZfA.
What I find particularly impressive about Hong Kong is the unconstrained multiculturalism within its vibrant society; which can be seen in the upcoming Christmas celebration. Although only a small part of the population is culturally Christian, a large part of the population celebrates this festival and its traditions. Likewise, I look forward to experiencing upcoming celebrations from Chinese or other cultural or religious backgrounds. I wish all members of the school community happy holidays, a festive Christmas and a healthy New Year together.
| Dr Dirk Bennhardt Principal |
Community Committee
We have had a fantastic start to the school year, despite COVID restrictions. There have been online cooking classes, beach clean-ups, wreath decorating and a modified German Christmas market! We have been heartened to see our community take part in these events with such excitement, enthusiasm and cooperation.
It is now more important than ever that we continue to find ways to help our community come together - in 2022 we hope to be able to hold more events including a Quiz Night, a Kindness Walk, and Art Talks. If you have ideas for any other events, please do let us know at communitycommittee@gsis.edu.hk. We are always open to suggestions and love hearing from the community.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has helped make all of this possible - a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make this all happen, and we are eternally grateful to those who gave their time, their energy and more. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It has been wonderful to meet so many new volunteers this year, and we hope to meet even more of you next year.
All of us in the Community Committee wish you a very merry Christmas and a joyful and healthy 2022!
https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PHOTO-2021-12-15-11-07-28.jpg, https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PHOTO-2021-12-15-11-07-29.jpg, https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PHOTO-2021-12-15-11-07-33.jpg, https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PHOTO-2021-12-15-11-07-34.jpg, https://www.gsis.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PHOTO-2021-12-15-11-07-30.jpg
(Click thumbnail/s to enlarge image)| Community Committee |
Schoolwide News
GSIS Peak Primary ECA/AA - Term 2 2021/22 - Sign up information
Dear Parents
We would like to inform you that the sign-up for the 2nd term of our Primary after-school program will be after the Christmas Holidays in January 2022.
All parents will receive an email with further information in regards to the enrolment procedure on Wednesday, 5 January 2022.
Term Dates
- Term 1: until Friday, 28 January 2022
- Term 2: Monday, 7 February 2022 – Friday, 17 June 2022
Activities
- K01/K02 and Y02/Y03 students can register for activities in lesson 7 only
- K03/K04 and Y04-Y06 students can register for activities in lesson 9/10, and can attend at least one activity per week.
Lunch
- Please provide a packed lunch for your child/children.
The Term 2 ECA/AA programme will be posted to the Primary Peak Campus ECA/AA page on the GSIS website before the commencement of the booking period. All ECAs not marked in colour are booked per term. All courses marked in yellow are yearly courses and do not have to be booked again for term 2.
https://www.gsis.edu.hk/learning/outside-the-classroom/eca/
Online Booking Term 2
- Thursday, 6 January 2022 at 10:00 am and closes on Tuesday, 11 January 2022 at 10:00 am.
- Allocation of selected AA/ECAs will take place approximately 2 days after booking is closed and are binding (See Terms & Conditions)
- Please note that a payment link for the AA fees will be sent via SchoolsBuddy after enrolment.
Booking System: SchoolsBuddy
Please login with your SchoolsBuddy username and password to gain access to the booking system under following link:
Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.
We wish you and your family a festive season!
With warm regards
|
Angelin, Natasha and Conny Student Service Team |
Peak Campus Lunch - January 2022 (Secondary Students only)
Dear Secondary Students and Parents,
Please find below information to the January 2022 lunch menu:
Alternatively you can also find the January lunch menu on our website under the following link : https://www.gsis.edu.hk/aboutus/campuses-facilities/cafeteria/ .
Secondary students can have their hot lunches served on plates or if students are not eating their lunch within the premises of the cafeteria, their lunch will be provided in a take-away box due to hygienic reasons.
Each day Secondary students can choose between three different hot dishes, including a vegetarian option. The prices per each meal remain at HK$35 and HK$39 respectively and are payable by Octopus card when lunch is collected. No cash payment will be accepted.
In addition to hot lunches students can also choose from a wide range of ciabattas, croissants and other snacks including smoothies at our coffee corner.
Social distancing rules while eating and drinking still apply and need to be obeyed at all times.
We look forward to welcoming all students back to the campus on Tuesday, 4 January 2022.
We wish you and your family a festive season.
With kind regards,
|
Angelin, Natasha and Conny Student Service Team |
German International Stream
From Head of Stream
Christmas is that silent moment when our soul touches our heart. Roswitha Bloch
It is that time of year. This Sunday marks the fourth Advent, and our much-anticipated Christmas break begins. Stollen, mulled wine, Advent wreaths with fragrant candles and Christmas sounds – all this is part of Christmas for us. Thanks to the outstanding commitment of parents, staff and students we are able to enjoy this element of tradition this year. From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank everyone who made this possible .
Lovingly decorated wreaths have brought festive glow and the smell of fir trees into our classrooms and offices during the past school weeks. A wonderful Christmas concert by the Secondary Department put us in the festive mood musically on Tuesday, and just a few hours ago we enjoyed the lovely strains of "Turmblasen" (Tower Music), which is a tradition in many regions of Germany and this year for the first time accompanied everyone on their way out of the classrooms into the Christmas break . Although this year most of us will once again be unable to visit our loved ones back home, we will hopefully experience many quiet and festive moments in which we feel very close to our families and friends anywhere in the world.
I wish you a happy and reflective Christmas, time to relax, health, happiness and many glimmers of hope in the coming year.
| Grit Cichon Deputy Principal / Head of German International Stream |
Kindergarten Corner
Dear Parents
On 6th December, St Nicholas visited the PFL campus and stopped by each class, and read his Golden Book. He praised the children for their progress in learning and interacting with others, but he also reminded them that there is still room for improvement in other areas. Of course, St Nicholas also distributed gifts and as a thank you, each class sang a song to St Nicholas.
This week we had “Christmas Fun and Games”, and each class participated in two Christmas games and a craft activity. This event took place in the hall and not in the classroom, and it was another exceptional experience for the children.
Here are the events for January 2022:
- Road Safety Talk by Hong Kong Police Department: 5th - 7th January
- Chinese New Year Assembly: 26th January
- Chinese New Year Holidays: 31st January - 4th February
As we approach the end of 2021, we would like to thank you for your support and collaboration. With grateful hearts, we want to thank our teachers and TAs for their undivided dedication to the full development and potential of our children.
We look forward to a great year ahead, and here’s wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed 2022.
 Head of Kindergarten |  Deputy Head of Kindergarten and Deputy Child Protection Officer Pok Fu Lam Campus |
Departmental News and Announcements
No updates / announcements this week.
Primary Corner
Dear Parents
It has been another eventful two weeks.
Artist in DVOR Pok Fu Lam
Our German Vorschule received a visit from TK Chan, Blink Gallery. She is a local artist who has exhibited her works in Hong Kong (e.g., Affordable Art Fair), China, Singapore, Seoul, Jakarta, London, Cardiff and Edinburgh. For our Vorschule she shared her book about the Chinese zodiac, which she wrote and illustrated herself. Together with the students they painted tiger pictures for the upcoming year of the tiger, The children enjoyed handling the thick and thin paint brushes while painting a sitting and running tiger.
School newspaper
For some time now, Mrs Tavernier has been producing the school newspaper "Wir Schlaumeier" with the help of pupils who are enthusiastic about writing.
Here you can now find the Christmas edition with an insight into what has been happening in school over the last few weeks, short stories, recipes to bake and riddles.
Many thanks to Mrs Tavernier for all her commitment!
I hope you enjoy reading it.
Schülerzeitung
Christmas workshops
On Wednesday, you were able to welcome home your proud children from the Peak with a bag full of Christmas bazaars. The pupils were allowed to choose which craft station they attended during four lessons and were busy making decorations or a gift or two.
Many thanks to the parents who helped us organise and run this event. It was a wonderful morning!
At the Pok Fu Lam Campus, the children were allowed to go through several Christmas stations. Did you know that you can not only do Christmas crafts but also Christmas sports? The children also prepared a little surprise for the parents, you should find it in your mailbox soon.
We now wish you a happy holiday season.
 Head of German Primary Department |  Deputy Head of German Primary Department |
Departmental News and Announcements
No updates / announcements this week.
Looking for what's been going on in class this month?
Secondary Corner
Dear Parents
Christmas is approaching and with it the time of rest, lights, music and other beautiful things that we all associate with the holidays; as Christmas is also a time for gifts, I would like to share the below quote with you:
The most precious gift for children is time.
Prof. Dr. Guy Bodenmann, Psychologist at the University of Zurich, further states:
Taking time for children is important. Children don't confide important things to you spontaneously, but only when they feel you have time for them and are interested in them.
We live in a special time when the world is changing like it hasn't in a long time. We are all challenged to respond to these changes and do so almost daily with our actions. However, what has become almost routine for us is often new and unfamiliar for our children.
And that is why we all want to give them a gift and take the time for them. Time to listen, to ask about their sensitivities, wishes and fears and then to talk to them.
Our colleagues and we wish you a peaceful and healthy Holiday Season and a happy 2022.
 Head of German Secondary Department |  Deputy Head of German Secondary Department |
Departmental News and Announcements
English International Stream
From Head of Stream
Dear Parents
What a wonderful final two weeks! Whilst observing all the social distancing rules and regulations, we have found numerous ways to celebrate the festive period.
St Nicolaus visited the Kindergarten last week to great excitement and this week pupils have enjoyed Christmas stories as well as a range of arts activities, so you should be set for decorations. We still have various offerings our daughter made many years ago!
The Primary Department have been recording their Christmas Concert thanks to the energy and vision of Jen McLachlan. Unfortunately, there were just too many participants and prospective audience members for an in-person concert so we decided on the digital route and we expect to see a wonderful recording very soon. The EPD have also enjoyed Elf Mail to spread the spirit of community and support that is so palpable in the Upper Building. A big thank you to all the EPD staff who have worked so hard to maintain excellent curriculum progress alongside the recent Sports Carnival and Wellbeing Week.
The Secondary Department have also been getting into the festive mood and were able to enjoy a tremendous Christmas Concert in the Secondary Sports Hall on Tuesday evening, in strict observance to all our social distancing commitments! Huge thanks to Billy Goldring, Elise Kelly, Veronika Fehse and Volker Fehse for overcoming all obstacles to rehearse and put on a spectacular performance. In the first part of the week our lunchtimes were enriched by a small Christmas Market of stalls run by students who have been fund-raising for a range of charities, thanks goes to Julia Surman for . On Wednesday night I watched the Year 11 GCSE Drama students’ dynamic group performances and monologues, with thanks to Chris Hoskins for overseeing these. Yesterday was Wandertag, our annual community-building event, when the whole school went for a walk. Today we enjoyed three Celebration Assemblies focused on students’ achievements throughout the year and a small audience watched the House Basketball finals. We finished the day with another German tradition, Turmblasen, or Tower Music, when live music is played whilst students left for their holidays; thanks again to Veronika and Volker Fehse for this delight.
Whilst the rest of the world creaks over the next few weeks, we might be thankful that we can move around quite freely in Hong Kong with options for beautiful walks, hidden beaches and delicious food. A time to explore or reconnect with the place we call home.
Wishing you and your families near and far a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Kind, Optimistic New Year!
| Simon Misso-Veness Deputy Principal / Head of English International Stream |
Kindergarten Corner
Dear Parents
On 6th December, St Nicholas visited the PFL campus and stopped by each class, and read his Golden Book. He praised the children for their progress in learning and interacting with others, but he also reminded them that there is still room for improvement in other areas. Of course, St Nicholas also distributed gifts and as a thank you, each class sang a song to St Nicholas.
This week we had “Christmas Fun and Games”, and each class participated in two Christmas games and a craft activity. This event took place in the hall and not in the classroom, and it was another exceptional experience for the children.
Here are the events for January 2022:
- Road Safety Talk by Hong Kong Police Department: 5th - 7th January
- Chinese New Year Assembly: 26th January
- Chinese New Year Holidays: 31st January - 4th February
As we approach the end of 2021, we would like to thank you for your support and collaboration. With grateful hearts, we want to thank our teachers and TAs for their undivided dedication to the full development and potential of our children.
We look forward to a great year ahead, and here’s wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed 2022.
Head of Kindergarten | Deputy Head of Kindergarten and Deputy Child Protection Officer Pok Fu Lam Campus |
Departmental News and Announcements
No updates / announcements this week.
Primary Corner
Dear Parents
Our students have enjoyed a week filled with Christmas themed festivities. Our halls were filled with Christmas carols and laughter as the children moved from activity to activity. We appreciate all of the support of the parents as the students participated in their Christmas crafts and activities.
Over the past two weeks Ms McLachlan and Miss Poon, along with our tech team, have been working with the students to produce a Christmas concert. Although we were not able to hold a live concert (312 students and their parents, or even half this number, were not able to fit into any venue safely) the music they produced and recorded was phenomenal. Marlon DeCampo is working diligently to put all the recordings together into a video to be shared with our families. Ms McLachlan will send this out via email next week.
We wish you a joyous Christmas break and hope that you have a wonderful time making memories with your family.
Merry Christmas!
 Head of English Primary Department |  Deputy Head of English Primary Department |
Departmental News and Announcements
No updates / announcements this week.
Looking for what's been going on in class this week?
EPD: Year 1EPD: Year 2EPD: Year 3EPD: Year 4EPD: Year 5EPD: Year 6EPD: MandarinEPD: DaFEPD: PEEPD: MusicEPD: ArtEPD: Library
Secondary Corner
Departmental News and Announcements
Student Achievements & Initiatives
HEAT Raises $130,000 to Tackle Heat Stress
Congratulations to GSIS student led charity, H.E.A.T, for reaching its donation target of HKD $130,000! Founded and steered by Jack (Y13), Veer (Y13), Dorothy (Y13) and Maximilian (Y13), the charity’s aim is to tackle the issue of heat stress in underserved communities around Hong Kong by mitigating its consequences and addressing its root causes. Well done!
Learn more about H.E.A.T here: https://www.heathk.org/
Hong Kong Children’s Art Creation Competition - Outstanding Achievement
Anna Cooke, Y01B Class Teacher, Lead Teacher Y01
Congratulations to Hazel (Y01) for her outstanding achievements in the first "Feng Zikai - Teaching with Love" Hong Kong Children’s Art Creation Competition. Hazel won the "Benevolence Award" in the Kindergarten Group of the Drawing Competition and was voted the Most Liked Award by the public. This year's competition received more than a thousand entries. The creativity and ingenuity displayed by the children through their works all surprised and admired by the judges.
Wellbeing Corner
It's that time of year...
Shopping for presents, sending Christmas mail, juggling all kinds of appointments....
To slow down the Christmas stress, we should focus on the key Christmas thought:
Spend time with family and friends
Even though it's not easy to do in times like these, spending time together is the greatest gift. Be it in person, over the phone or video call.
Protect our planet
Use last year's wrapping paper or grab something that can be reused.
Take care of yourself
Schedule time for yourself. We need to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others.
We wish you a restful Christmas break and a great start to the New Year 2022!
Your School Counsellors
Das Team der Schulsozialpädagoginnen
