12 Oct 2018

Newsletter #9

Beacon Hill School latest newsletter available to read now. Find out the latest news around the school and upcoming events.

Beacon Hill Baby News!

Many congratulations to Mrs Farago and her husband Tomi, who welcomed a new baby girl into their family this week. Both Mum and baby are doing well, and we all wish them well.

Today we farewell Ms Cecilia who has been working in 2D this year. Cecilia joined us in 2013 as a supply EA and then full time from 2016 and has been a wonderful support to the students and teachers she has worked with. We wish Cecilia and her family all the very best as they relocate to Australia.

Wellbeing Focus

This week, Shafay, one of our Happiness House Captains shared how ‘Keep Learning’ is an important aspect of Wellbeing. Shafay told the students how he likes to read everyday and develop his curiosity through asking questions. Shafay encouraged all students to ‘Stay Curious and Keep Learning’.

The holidays are a time for rest, relaxation and family time but learning doesn’t have to stop when the school doors close…

You can help foster a love of learning in your children over the holidays. And they won’t even know it!

Here are some simple activities that get children engaged, curious and excited about learning, which will help them to embrace their education once they are back at school, and the value of learning for the rest of their lives.

Go to museums.

Children love the interactive, tactile and three-dimensional experience of learning at museums. Through interactive exhibits and hands-on play, children are able to take ownership of their own learning and develop and explore their own wonderings.

Get them outdoors.

Take the children outdoors where they can investigate the natural environment. Encourage imaginative play, which helps children to express their creativity.

Encourage them to go for walks, sit in the park, and experience the world through their own eyes — even for a few minutes a day!

Prompt the children with questions like ‘where did the flowers come from?’ This can encourage dialogue and provoke curiosity and inquisition from the children.

Discuss current events.

Speaking, listening and discussing are powerful opportunities for teaching and learning. Discuss relevant events from the media (or otherwise) with your children. Of course, your discussions should be age appropriate!

There are many appropriate news-worthy topics to discuss with young children and by encouraging them to be aware of issues in the world, to analyse and engage with them, and to consider events from various perspectives, they are developing their understanding of the world.

So let your child enjoy the holidays — but show them that learning can be one of the most fun holiday activities, too.

Parent Consultations

We appreciate all those who attended Parent Consultation appointments this week to discuss your child’s progress, achievement and targets. Thank you for all the positive comments about how well your child has settled into their new classes this year.

Mandarin Mondays

Mandarin club will be back on Monday, 22nd October. Please come join us after the term break. We had lots of fun last time with the story about the “Seven Gourd Brothers”. This time, we will share a story about another legendary superhero in Chinese literature. Do you know who is Monkey King? Do you know about his amazing powers and his heroic actions on the Journey to the West? The story we will share is about one of Monkey King’s most famous fights against a female monster who is made of skeletons and a master of deception. Come and find out how our hero looks through the tricky disguise of the monster, fights against her and saves his master and fellowship.

Community Choir

Our BHS Community Choir will resume after the October half term break. This is open to all parents of BHS students and to BHS Staff. The choir will be rehearsing on Thursday evenings from 7pm. We would hope to perform at the BHS Christmas Concert. No auditions or previous singing experience – just lots of enthusiasm needed!

If you are interested in joining, please click HERE.

Student Achievement

Fae Chui (4A) participated in AKA Judo Invitational Tournament on 30th September 2018, and she got a bronze in Girls -23KG session. That’s incredible Fae!

Back in February 2018, Clara Stemp (2F) and Kimberly Lee (2F) had participated in the production for an educational song with the Asia pop singer Khalil Fong. The recording was scheduled to be finished in 2 hours, but they had finished in 45 minutes with accurate pitch and rhythm. You may watch the video HERE or check out the SCMP article HERE. Great job girls!

At BHS we value the importance of developing the ‘whole’ child and this means valuing their achievement and interests outside of school. If your child has achieved something special, we would be happy to share that with the BHS community through this newsletter. Please email details and a photograph to kannis.tsui@bhs.edu.hk

Important Dates

Enjoy the half term holidays and we look forward to seeing all the students on Monday 22nd October.

Kind regards,

Susan Chung

Acting Principal

School Photographs 5th-6th November, 2018

Our school photographer will be in Beacon Hill on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th November. All children should come to school in their school uniform on these days. If your child has PE on Monday or Tuesday then please make sure that they bring their PE kit to school and they will be able to change at school.

Siblings Photographs

For those of you who have more than one child at Beacon Hill the siblings photographs will be taken on Friday 9th November. If you would like a sibling photograph then please click on the link below and fill in the online form to book a space.

https://goo.gl/forms/bdCfnkhWNvy46ank2

If you have any questions then please email me: chad.pheasant@bhs.edu.hk

Chad Pheasant

Vice Principal

BHS Art Project

We will be working with the students on an Art project to create a collage to represent the different Houses. We would like to collect small items of each house colour (Red, Green, Blue & Yellow) to add to our Art Collage. Items brought in must be clean and small for example:

Plastic bottle caps, buttons, old items and advertising material/magazine images.

There will be collection boxes in the foyer.

Xiaobing Yu

Visual Arts Coordinator

Social Thinking Workshop at ESFC

Using Social Thinking to Understand Social Communication Challenges

Jean McPherson and Belinda McLaughlin (ESF SEN Advisory team) will be offering a parent workshop this term ‘Using Social Thinking to Understand Social Communication Challenges’

This 60-minute session aims to increase parent understanding of the ways in which children with social communication differences experience the social world. Parents will be guided through the Social Thinking framework around ‘The Four Steps of Communication’ with opportunities to reflect on their own child’s level of social communication and how best to support them.

Dates for sessions are – Kowloon November 20th at KJS and HK island November 28th at ESFC. Both sessions will run from 5.00 – 6.00pm.

Parents should sign up using the link : https://goo.gl/forms/nbjMdp1Aspaect7q1

Colette Davis

Head of SEN

Boys Football Club Training Schedule

Tuesday 9th October – no training – parent consultations

Tuesday 16th October – mid-term break – no training

Tuesday 23rd October – King’s Park – 4.30pm up from King’s Park

Tuesday 30th October – King’s Park – 4.30pm up from King’s Park

Girls Football Club Training Schedule

All sessions will be held at Kowloon Tsai Park.

4.45pm pick up at school.

PTA AGM 2018

A reminder our AGM will take place on 24 October at 5:15 in 7/F Conference Room.

If you’re interested in joining the PTA we welcome you with open arms. Please fill in the nomination form which was sent out through eNotice last week by logging into Gateway at bhs.tg.esf.hk.

To find out more about what we do, how to get involved or support us, please visit : http://www.beaconhill.edu.hk/pta-2.

Hot Lunches

The November lunch order form will be issued on Monday 8th October. Please make sure this is returned by Monday 22nd October. We repeat again that DCK will not accept any orders beyond this date. Please note that each form is customised and has your child’s name and any credits which have been accrued from Aug / Sep. For Y3-6, camp dates have already been struck off. For Year 1 there is a Pizza Lunch on Tuesday 13th November. Irrespective of whether or not you order pizza, your lunch order will be taken for this day. If we receive your pizza order by the 22nd October deadline we shall automatically cancel the DCK lunch order for that day and your credit will be rolled over to subsequent months. There is a sample lunch order placed on the BHS website however the form in your child’s diary must be the one you use to order. If you do not receive the order form please contact DCK directly on 2464-1838.

Reminder again

Order deadline is Monday 22nd October

PTA Volunteer and Donation Forms

Please return the PTA Volunteer & Donation Forms. The various events run by the PTA rely on your support, generosity and valuable time. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Sponsorship form.pdf

Uniforms

A reminder that uniforms shall no longer be purchased directly from PTA. Orders are to be made online and once cheque payment is received the items will be sent direct to classroom. The form can be downloaded from BHS website as per the following link: https://goo.gl/forms/YGtQJSc1XwbrFUoO2

Winter uniforms will be available for sale after the mid term break. However we are experiencing delivery problems with jackets and fleeces which we have been advised may not be available until November.

Upcoming Events :

24 October PTA AGM

30 October Y6 Bake Sale

Have a great weekend.

Regards

BHS PTA

URSTRONG – Quarry Bay School

Dear Parents/Carers,

Quarry Bay School is pleased to announce that they will be hosting URSTRONG, an internationally recognized Social Emotional Wellbeing program, on Thursday 25th October.

The aim of URSTRONG is to empower children with the skills, language and self-confidence to be better friends and develop healthier relationships. To learn more about URSTRONG and their programmes please watch this short video which describes the impact of URSTRONG on children and parents around the globe.

URSTRONG will be holding two Language of Friendship workshops on Thursday, 25th October at Quarry Bay School. The workshops have been designed for parents/carers to attend with their children.

Parents can register via this link https://urstrong.com/Events/

-Language of Friendship Jr. (Years 1 and 2 plus parents) from 4.30pm to 6.00pm

-Language of Friendship (Years 3 to 6 plus parents) from 6.30pm to 8.00pm

If you have any questions or queries regarding this event then could you please contact URSTRONG directly using the following email address: megan@urstrong.com

We look forward to welcoming you at one of the workshops.

Kind Regards,

Ms Mina Dunstan

Principal

Quarry Bay School

HEALTH

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health reminds schools and institutions to be vigilant against Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and Acute Gastro-enteritis (AGE).

HFMD is a viral infection with symptoms of fever, sore throat and skin rash over the hands and feet.

AGE is usually caused by norovirus or rotavirus infection and they are highly infectious. Symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and malaise.

Please seek prompt medical advice, if in need.

Always Keep Hands Clean.

Thank you.

Rosalind Chen

School Nurse

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.