From Head of Stream

Dear Parents

Once again, we are about to complete another phase of our school year, as we look back on seven weeks that have been quite an emotional challenge for us all. In addition to the developments in the COVID-19 figures in Hong Kong and the additional restrictions that came with them, school life also held considerable challenges in store for us, including continuous online classes, written Realschule and Abitur exams, and exams for the German Language Diploma (DSD).

Yet there were some compensations last week with our Secondary students enjoying a week full of mindfulness and wellbeing. For our traditional Wellbeing Week, our Health and Wellbeing Group once again put together an extremely inviting programme with a wide variety of ideas and offerings, which was enthusiastically embraced by the students, even in its online format. In class as well as during breaks, colleagues addressed topics and offered activities that promote children's mental health and wellbeing. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the entire GSD staff who supported Wellbeing Week with great commitment and thoughtfulness. I would like to express a very special thanks to the Health and Wellbeing Group for the intensive and extremely successful organisation, as well as to Ms Neumann-Hillebrand and Ms Grab for actively supporting all classes during the week.

Over the past two weeks, all departments held their second semester Parent Information Days in the now familiar online format. I hope that you had the opportunity to have many good and trustful conversations with your children's teachers and receive positive feedback. I would like to thank all the colleagues of the German International Stream who always prepare the Parent Information Days with great care and go about them in such a sensitive and appreciative manner.

Almost two years ago to the day, our then-Principal, Mr Weghoff, and I sent a letter to parents of the German International Stream announcing what we saw as an existential change for the 2020/21 school year - the introduction of the Fasttrack Programme (FTP) in the German Secondary Department. By introducing this lateral entry opportunity, we aimed at making our GIS programme more attractive to non-German speaking target groups and to secure a more diverse student body for a sustainable future. Presumably, this change was viewed sceptically by some at the time, and even we could not guarantee the success of the FTP. Two years later, I can announce exceedingly good news and proudly say that it has become a successful model in a very short period of time. Yesterday, the enrolment of the third FT generation for the 2022/23 school year was completed and all available spots were filled. Since its inception, 30 students have enrolled in German Secondary through the Fasttrack Programme, adding to the diversity of our department. However, this extraordinary success is only possible due to the united commitment of all teachers, who for the past two years have worked tirelessly and put in a great deal of additional effort to make the programme a success.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to them for this. However, the fact that this project was initiated at all is primarily thanks to Dr Leitner. He has led the entire process from the very beginning and has developed, introduced, evaluated and further advanced the Fasttrack Programme with the utmost commitment, great resilience and certainly some sleepless nights. I would like to sincerely thank him for his outstanding work and look forward to celebrating the Abitur graduation of our first FT generation in just a few years.

Have a great weekend

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Primary Corner

Dear Parents

We are very happy about the latest news as reported in the SCMP and are now eagerly waiting to see what requirements we have to comply with in order to welcome the children back to the primary school building as soon as possible.

You have already contributed greatly to this by completing the Vaccination Status Survey - thank you all very much.

School newspaper

We are pleased to present the next issue of "Wir Schlaumeier".

In this issue you will again find suggestions for activities at home, puzzles, comics, but also a survey on Online Learning, which the children have filled in.

Many thanks to all the students who wrote a report. 

We hope you enjoy reading this issue.

Priska Erni Head of German Primary Department Email

Beate Weihnardt Deputy Head of German Primary Department Email

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Departmental News and Announcements

From Head of Stream

Dear Parents

School Opening?

We may have some reasons to be cheerful on the horizon in light of the Chief Executive’s announcements earlier this week, which suggested that there are plans to reopen schools after the Easter break. This is likely to depend on the number of students and staff who are vaccinated so we are very thankful to everyone who has responded to the survey from Kindergarten to Year 7 to confirm their status. Students in Years 8 to 13 had previously declared their vaccinations and we will ask this group one more time before the break to gauge where we stand as a community (we promise it will require a very quick response!). Thank you to everyone for their swift responses.

Public Examinations

As our Year 11 and Year 13 students will be starting their public examinations from the week beginning 25^th April the Lower Ground floor of the Lower Building, including the Exam Room will be cordoned off for the sole use of examinees and invigilating staff. We have adjusted the seating to ensure effective distancing and will subject all areas to regular cleaning and disinfection. A huge thank you to the academic and facilities staff who will collaborate to ensure that these examinations can take place without incident.

#StandWithUkraine

Thank you to all the parents, students and staff who shared photographs for our #StandWithUkraine collage. It is now available to view on our website. Particular thanks to Vincent Capol, Emma de Jong and Hayley Yeung for initiating the project and for sharing the collage with other German school communities across the world.

Many of our students will be aware that a large number of the refugees displaced by the war in Ukraine are children. We have seen heart-breaking images of children affected by the conflict and the increased incidence of indiscriminate bombardment in urban areas. This will inevitably resonate amongst our own children. I share the following advice from the UK to help parents and teachers support their children in talking about the conflict:

• Establish the facts by pointing pupils towards “trusted, reputable sources that explain the what, where, when, why and who”. It encourages us to challenge incorrect information when we see it and to present evidence for facts
• Explore a range of diverse perspectives by considering different voices or views . . . seek to model understanding of potentially marginalised views
• Be comfortable without an answer for everything – and help your children feel comfortable with that too – in many circumstances, there is no one ‘right’ answer

In my Years 12 and 13 Theory of Knowledge classes over the past three weeks, we have been looking at the distinction between misinformation and disinformation as these tools have become strategies in presenting key events that seek to capture the hearts and minds of different groups but by their very nature they are not reliable:

• How to identify mis- and disinformation (e.g. conspiracy theories, clickbait, manipulated media);
• Exploring fact versus opinion, including how sensational content can be used to drive user engagement;
• The benefits and pitfalls of a ‘personalised web’, including algorithms and filter bubbles;
• Understanding unconscious bias and how it influences our worldview;
• Analysing ‘us vs them’ narratives, and how online echo chambers may widen social divides;
• Responding effectively to hate speech and forging more inclusive digital communities;
• Creating inspiring digital content to champion causes, promote positive messages and support peers.

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/

Date accessed: 23^rd March 2022

Engaging students with a range of news stories is a useful way to get a perspective on the development of the conflict and allows you to address underlying concerns that may otherwise go unspoken.

We will give the older students an opportunity to discuss some of these perspectives with staff in some specially arrange forums from next week.

The past few months have been a particularly challenging time for all of us with more stringent restrictions, online learning and an international conflict. Please do reach out to your child’s class teacher or one of our counsellors if you or your child would benefit from further support.

Kind regards

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Primary Corner

Dear Parents

We are very happy about the latest information reported in the SCMP and are now waiting eagerly to see what requirements we have to comply with in order to welcome the children back to the primary school building as soon as possible.

You have already contributed greatly to this by completing the Vaccination Status Survey - thank you all very much.

School newspaper

We are pleased to present the next issue of "Wir Schlaumeier". In this issue, you will find again suggestions for activities at home, puzzles, comics, and also a survey on Online Learning, which the children have filled in.

Many thanks to all the students who wrote a report. 

I hope you enjoy reading this issue.

Kim Cunningham Head of English Primary Department Email

Donna Morley Deputy Head of English Primary Department Email

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Departmental News and Announcements