Newsletter #5
Beacon Hill School latest newsletter available to read now. Find out the latest news around the school and upcoming events.
Principal’s Words
Important Dates
Around BHS
ESF News
Other News
Dear Parents,
Giving Back to our Community – Colours Day – Friday 29th September
As part of our 50th celebrations we are aiming to give back to our community by holding an Action Day on the 8th December in partnership with Bethune House, Sunshine Action, Sai Kung Stray Dogs and Soap Cycling. On the 8th December each year group will have the opportunity to help make food parcels to help those who are in need of the parcels in Hong Kong. More details will follow about that day as we get closer to it. We are aiming high and the amount of money we need to raise equates to $250 per child.
To kick-start our fundraising, we are going to have 4 days of lunchtime activities where children can make a minimum donation of HK$20 to join in fun events such as karaoke. This will build up to a very special day on Friday 29th September we are calling ‘Colours Day’ where all children will take part in one of two sponsored events – either a sponsored walk/run or a sponsored readathon depending on their interest. Each year group will have half an hour for the events. Sponsor forms can be downloaded and printed off from HERE or below. We encourage all our students and their families to support this day of action to help in our drive to support those in our community who are in need. And of course, on Friday 29th all students should come dressed in their house colours.
Beacon Hill School Sponsor Form.pdf
IMPORTANT DATES
Parent Information Evenings Offered This Term
Please look out for emails asking you to sign up for these.
BHS / ESF 50th Anniversary
A reminder of the ESF ‘Charity Run’ – which is actually a series of different length races – on Sunday October 22nd. For primary age children and their families there is a 1km race. Some of you may be keen, advanced runners and would like to participate in the 10k challenge (I’ve signed up, although I am definitely not a runner!). You can find out all the details and register for the races at this website: https://marathon.esf.edu.hk/en/form/apply-now
If you have signed up please let me know via email – it would be great to have a BHS ‘Participants and Supporters Club’ at the event!
ESF is also organising a 50th Anniversary Golf Day on 4th November 2017 at Nansha Golf Club (China). The event is open to all teachers, support staff, parents, alumni and friends. For more information please contact Mr Steven Szeto – steven.szeto@esfcentre.edu.hk
Community Choir
Our BHS Community Choir will begin again on Thursday 12th October (that’s the first Thursday after the mid-term holiday) at 7pm. Please sign up if you would like to come along. The evenings are fun and casual and no prior singing or performing experience is necessary.
https://goo.gl/forms/INxcht0TaEQXvyFR2
Student Achievement Beyond School
On Friday 8th and Saturday 9th August, Amanda Hokerberg (6H) performed as Tinker Bell and Kaylee Fish (4L) performed an American Indian named Two Moons as part of the main cast in the musical Peter Pan which was shown at the Shouson Theatre at the Hong Kong Arts Centre. They have rehearsed for four hours after school every day since school started and also on Saturdays. They also had several rehearsals before school started. The performances, organised by Harmony Tree, were brilliant with so many skilled children taking part and the show also included a live orchestra. The director, Angie Lee Graham, was brought to Hong Kong from Broadway, NYC, so everything turned out to be very professional.
The Year Group Weekly Updates and Single Subject Monthly Updates are available on the school website – so please remember to refer to the website or our app (https://www.beaconhill.edu.hk/mobile-app/ ) each week to learn about what is happening in your child’s class.
I look forward to seeing some of you at this evening’s PTA Bowling social.
Best wishes,
_
James Harrison
Principal
News from the English Team
50th Anniversary Story Writing Competition
As part of our school celebrations we will be running a writing competition. Open to all age groups the children are asked to write a story in only 50 words. Their story can be about anything and written in any genre. We know that many of our Year One children are not writing independently yet so they are welcome to have their story written down for them by an adult, but it must be their idea.
All entries to the competition should be handed to me in the library, either electronically or on paper, by the start of December. jevese2@beaconhill.edu.hk There will be prizes for winners in each year group and the writing will be shared with the whole Beacon Hill community.
The English team look forward to seeing how creative the students can be.
Is your child ready for the library?
You can help your child prepare for library borrowing by reminding them about their library day and checking that they have a red book bag in school to carry their books in. The red book bag must be labelled and we suggest your child attaches a key ring or piece of ribbon to the top zip to help them find it easily.
On the subject of finding things easily: is your child’s name clearly labelled inside their shoes? The children take off their shoes before coming in to the library, so that they can relax in the cubby holes and on the cushions. I can’t tell you how many children I have heard cry “I can’t find my shoes” as they leave after their lesson or lunchtime. Imagine 60 shoes that look the same and you can see the problem for those children who don’t have name labels. Please check that your child’s school shoes and PE trainers are clearly labelled.
Mother tongue book donations
At BHS we recognise the huge value that children’s home languages have on their lives and ability to learn. In the library we are always looking for good quality literature written in languages that represent the children’s mother tongues. If you have any gently used children’s books written in languages other than English that you would like to donate to the library we would be very grateful. The books do not need to be bilingual simply something that you know the children would enjoy to read. Also, if rather than donating the book, you have book titles that you believe would be enjoyed by the children, please let us know.
Family borrowing
A reminder for those parents who have already applied for a library card that these will be kept in the library. If you have sent in your registration form just come along at the opening times to get started. The form can be downloaded from https://www.beaconhill.edu.hk/letterspage/ We look forward to welcoming back our family borrowers from last year.
Our family borrowing times are as follows:
| Before school | After school | |
| Monday | 8.30-9.00am | 2.45-3.30pm |
| Tuesday | 8.30-9.00am | |
| Wednesday | 8.30-9.00am | 2.45-3.30pm |
| Thursday | 8.30-9.00am | |
| Friday | 8.30-9.00am |
As always if you have any questions and queries about English at school or the library contact me Emily Jeves at jevese2@beaconhill.edu.hk.
Emily Jeves
Teacher Librarian
ISA Assessments for Years 4, 5 and 6
Dear Parents,
I am writing to notify you that students in Year 4, 5 and 6 will sit the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) in the next two weeks. The ISA assessment has been specially developed to measure skills in mathematical literacy, reading and writing of students in international schools. The ISA has been developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research.
ESF students will complete the writing, reading and mathematical literacy components of the assessment. (Students in Year 6 will also take the INCAS assessment at the end of Year 6.) We will receive the results of the assessment early Term 2 and individual reports will be accessible via the Gateway. This will give you a detailed record of your child’s performance in mathematical literacy, reading literacy and writing.
Your child will complete a reading literacy test, a mathematical literacy test and two writing tests, each of which takes between 45 minutes and one hour to administer. The tests include both multiple-choice and open-ended tasks. The children will take part in the assessments during their class lessons and do not need to do any preparation for the tests as the process will be similar to tasks they experience as part of their normal day to day work.
Please contact me at susan.chung@bhs.edu.hk if you have any questions.
Susan Chung
Vice Principal
Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrations at BHS
BHS Action in the Community
Mother Tongue Story Telling and Mother Tongue Book Donations
Last year a group of parents read stories in their mother tongue to our students on a Tuesday and Thursday lunchtime. The students and parents had a wonderful time sharing stories in their language. If you are interested and have the time please click here to sign up. Any time that you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
We would also like to increase the range of books we have in the range of languages we have spoken within a community at school. If you have a book that you would like to donate, gently used or new, please ask your child to hand in to the school office.
If you have any questions or some ideas on how to promote your Mother Tongue please get in contact with me via email, andy.thompson@bhs.edu.hk
Andy Thompson
Vice Principal
KGV Year 6 Parent Information Evening
Prospective parents are invited to attend the KGV Year 6 Parent Information Evening, 5.30-6.30pm in the school hall on Tuesday 19th September. Please note there is no visitor parking on the school site. No RSVP is necessary. For any enquiries, please contact sarah.jones@kgv.edu.hk
Chad Pheasant
Vice Principal
IBO Evaluation
Welcome back to a new school year, it has been great seeing our students settle back into class. As part of our continued drive to be the best school for our school community we are evaluated by the IBO every five years. This is a chance for us to celebrate, reflect and to grow. As parents you are an important part of this process. Please take 10 minutes to complete the survey, click here. All responses are anonymous. We only ask for you to mark which year group your child/ren is/are in.
If you have any questions please contact me at andy.thompson@bhs.edu.hk
Andy Thompson
Vice Principal
Gateway Updating Information
As many of you will know Gateway is an important element of our home/school communication. It is very important that we have up-to-date contact details and medical information in order to help us ensure that the children’s needs are being met. At the start of the year you are asked to go onto Gateway and check the information that we have and to verify that it is correct. If you need to make any changes, the please do so as soon as possible.
Gateway eNotice
In order to reduce the amount of paper letters that get sent home from Beacon Hill we will be using the Gateway eNotice system to send letters about trips, camps etc. You will receive an email informing you of a new eNotice being on Gateway. You will then need to login to Gateway and, after reading the information, fill in the appropriate sections giving permission and any other information needed in order to complete the process. Please click HERE for the parents guide for using eNotice.
Chad Pheasant
Vice Principal
Health
Immunization (Part One) for Primary One and Primary Six Students only
- For Primary One Students: Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
- For Primary Six Students: Hepatitis B vaccine and / or Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Reminder:
- If you have not replied to this subject, please could you do so as soon as possible.
Please refer to BHS Newsletter #2 dated 25 August 2017.
Always Keep Hands Clean.
Ms Chen
Disclaimer: Beacon Hill School and the English School Foundation do not recommend or endorse any external events in this newsletter. There is no contractual arrangement between BHS/ESF and the event organisers.
