Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

Dear Family Bauhinia Parents, Welcome back from the mid-term break! It has been a very busy term and it is wonderful to see the students all back looking ready for the remainder of the term. It was great to hear the stories from our Year 8 students and how they really enjoyed and learned from their MaD week experiences. It was a great week for our Year 7 students as well as it provided everyone a chance to get to know each other better outside the traditional classroom setting. We have an exceptional group of student in Family Bauhinia and we are looking forward to continuing to support their learning journey. It has been such a positive month, we have collected some highlights with student’s achievements and have shared them below. Also in this Newsletter, you will find what is coming up for the month of November and a collection of these dates at the end of the Newsletter for your convenience. If you have any questions or suggestions, as always, please do not hesitate to contact me.

WELCOME NEW STUDENTS TO FAMILY BAUHINIA I want to take this opportunity to welcome our new students and families to Family Bauhinia. Wing Yan NG Mike MAK

8M2 8C2



STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Charlotte Lee and Charlotte Blyth to hit the stage Family Bauhinia is proud to announce that Charlotte Lee (7S1) and Charlotte Blyth (7N1) have successfully auditioned and gained a role in the Hong Kong Players Christmas Panto – Aladdin. We are very proud of both girls and wish them the best of luck in the performances!



Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017 Adam Chan – Hong Kong Open Ball Boy



Our very own Adam Chan (7B2), was not just a spectator in the Hong Kong Tennis Open recently held at Victoria Park – he was a ball boy! What a great experience for him and we are sure he did an amazing job. Way to go Adam!











Aidan Leung – Taekwondo Competitor Congratulations to Aidan Leung (7M2) who participated in the 2017 Hong Kong Boys’ Taekwondo Competition organised by HK Taekwondo Association and Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Aidan won 2nd runner up in the 11-12 age group of below 28kg

MUSICFEST – WHOLE SCHOOL INTER-HOUSE EVENT (THURSDAY 26TH OCTOBER) MusicFest is an annual Inter-House celebration of musical performance. A day-long event, MusicFest is organized into three age group categories with students competing for trophies for best: • Solo piano • Vocal solo • Instrumental solo • Ensemble performance Competing students gather house points for participation, as well as for achieving runner up or winning positions. At the end of the day, one House takes the overall Inter-House trophy for MusicFest. This year, MusicFest was held on Thursday 26th October with Year 7 and 8 as the first year groups to compete. It was a fantastic day filled with music and excitement – we are very proud of all our competitors and NAMAS for winning the overall trophy! To view the photos from the event, please click here

Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

The results: Piano Solo: Curtis The (Namas) Instrumental Solo: Kiki Ko (Namas) Vocal Solo: Kristy Poon (Namas) Ensemble: Charlotte Lee, Seira Serizawa (Shtepi) Overall Placement: 1st Place: Namas Joint 2nd: Casa and Shtepi Joint 4th: Bahay and Kuca 6th Place: Maison

Bahay's team spirit for Best Ensemble



FAMILY BAUHINIA READ-A-THON All Year 7 and 8 students are invited to participate in the Read-a-thon program during the period 17th October to 23rd November as an initiative to 'Make a Difference'. They are guided by their English teachers and the school librarians to explore the gems in reading by making an attempt to read books in a wide range of genres. The students also have an opportunity to share their reading joy with the rest of school through writing book recommendations or creating book trailers. The money raised will go the charity ORBIS - the Flying Eye Hospital whose motto is 'Saving Sight Worldwide'. The students are having fun in making a difference to themselves, to their peers and to a wider community across the world with the activities provided. The full details of the program can be found in the Library VLE page https://goo.gl/Y7F9u2. Ms. Ow (School Librarian)

LAPTOP INDUCTION FOR YEAR 7 (18TH & 19TH OCTOBER) On October 18th and 19th we held a laptop induction and distribution evening for our Year 7 parents. It was a great opportunity to work together to support our students on their technology journey. This evening is only the beginning. We will hold laptop sessions for our students and follow up sessions for our parents. Working together, we can provide the best care and support for our students.

Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017





Parent and Student Laptop Induction Sessions

ACADEMIC PROGRESS CHECKS UPDATES As mentioned in the previous Newsletter, you can expect to receive regular updates on how your child is progressing in school. One of these forms of communication is the Progress Check Card (PCC). In Year 7 and 8, students will receive 3 PCCs. Another form of communication is Academic Monitoring Day (AMD) and Student Led Consultations. (SLC). In Year 7, PCC1 is an early report to indicate how well your child has settled into the new academic year. Your child’s teachers will give a rating to express how engaged they have been with their learning in each subject. Another detailed report will be sent early in term 2 with a grading in each criterion for each subject group (click here to read) as well as next steps to support student progress. In Year 8, PCC1 will contain a grading for academic attainment and engagement Please see table below explaining the 1-4 grading scale. Parents who were with us last academic year, please note the grading scale is reversed from last year to ensure consistency throughout the school.



Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

The PCC1 for Year 7 and 8 are now live on iSAMS. All PCCs will be accessed through iSAMS through the parent portal on a desktop computer or on your phone if you have the iSAMS app. Please contact us if you do not have your iSAMS log in details.

ATTENDANCE RECORDS – SWIPING IN

Please note that all students must swipe in every morning with their Octopus card. If a student fails to swipe in, this may be counted as an unauthorised absence on their Progress Check Card (PCC). The attendance report on the PCC is based on the Tutor Time record which is recorded at the beginning of the school day. If students swipe in after Tutor Time, they are considered late for the school.

INTER-HOUSE ATHLETICS

Athletics Heats On Monday the 16th of October, Year 7 had their athletics heats. Everyone was supporting each other, even though they were in different Houses. In the races, people were trying their very best and pushing themselves. The event was very sociable and people made new friends and really enjoyed themselves. It was really great to see all the different colored house shirts in the stands. The PE staff organized it and were really encouraging and made it really fun for all of us.

James Stanton (7B2)









Inter-House Athletics Day (Friday 17th November) Inter-House Athletics is an annual SIS event where students compete in athletic events in their Houses. The entire school body will be at this event and it is one of few where we get to participate as a whole school. This will be a new experience for many of our students and parents but one that will create wonderful memories.



Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

During PE lessons, all students have competed in many of the events. During the Inter-House Athletics event, students will have the opportunity to compete for their Houses against students in the other Houses. They will also compete in a game of tug-of-war, which is always a lot of fun. THE DETAILS ARE AS FOLLOWS: WHEN : Friday, November 17th 2017 WHERE : Stanley Ho Stadium, 10 Sha Wan Drive, Sandy Bay, Hong Kong WHAT TIME : 8:00 am to 1:00 pm HOW TO GET THERE: Students will take their usual school bus, which will take them directly to the sports field. At the end of the event, students will take their regular bus home from the stadium. If students come by car or local transport, they must arrive at the field no later than 8am. There will also be an additional bus leaving from the school for students and teachers, which will leave at 7.15 am SHARP! WHAT TO WEAR: House T-shirt, PE shorts and anything in your house colour to accessorize! This year’s theme is ‘SPACE’. Students must have their House T-shirts in order to compete in the events but are encouraged to show their creativity with accessories and costumes related to the theme ‘SPACE’ WHAT TO BRING: Water, food for the morning, sunscreen/hat, jacket/sweater in case of cooler weather, small amount of money for snacks/water. NO LAP TOPS or VALUABLES please. Finally, in the event of bad weather, please check the school website. If the Athletics Finals Day is cancelled, it will be announced on the school website and the buses will bring the students to school and a normal day will resume

SOUTH ISLAND SCHOOL 40TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION – ARCHIVE EXHIBITION TOUR To celebrate 40 fantastic years of South Island School, our very talented team created a 40 Years Archive Exhibition. The Exhibition was open to our Alumni on Friday October 27 and guided tours through the exhibition and the school were arranged in part of the celebration. The Exhibition is a wonderful reflection of our great school and students will also get the chance to view the exhibition on Monday October 30th

Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

Archive Exhibition











Archive Exhibition Team



ACADEMIC MONITORING DAY (AMD) – YEAR 7 AND 8 (TUESDAY 31ST OCTOBER) As mentioned above, in addition to PCCs, a day in the school calendar has been set aside for the student, parent and Tutor to review the students’ reports, available data and their growth as a student throughout the year. The aim of the day is to provide an opportunity for students to set learning targets for the year in a conversation with the parent and Tutor. The purpose is combined efforts to support the child in areas they feel need to improve/progress to support their learning at SIS. It is also an opportunity to address any issues or concerns that they might have. The interviews are 15 minutes in length to allow time for in-depth conversations. There will be no normal school buses and activities buses on this day. AMD for Year 7 and 8 will take place on Tuesday October 31st. Students must wear their school uniform and only attend school during their appointment time. Please contact us if you have not received the log in details for this event.

MIDYIS TESTING (FRIDAY 10TH NOVEMBER) In the last Newsletter, we explained what the MidYIS test is and the purpose it serves. Please note that we have changed the date of this assessment. The MidYIS assessment will be held on Friday November 10th. Please ensure that your child comes to school with a fully charged laptop. There is no preparation for this assessment – just a fully charged computer! If you have any questions about this assessment, please do not hesitate to ask. You can contact your child’s Tutor, Dr Bushell or myself with your queries.

Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

INFLUENZA VACCINATION PROGRAM 2017 – 2018 (TUESDAY 21ST NOVEMBER) South Island School is pleased to inform you that the Influenza Vaccination Program 2017 – 2018 is scheduled on Tuesday, 21st November 2017. Kinetics Medical Staff will be in school to administer the FLUQUADRI FROM SANOFI PASTEUR (Made in USA) recommended by WHO. SANOFI PASTEUR (QIV, 4 - STRAINS) is available to those who wish to take part. This vaccine is suitable for individuals aged 6 months of age and older. It is not suitable to those who are allergic to egg or chicken protein, including Neomycin/Gentamycin. • The cost per vaccine will be HK$170.00. •

Payment will be made on that day (cash only).

•

Registration is now open. Please email the School Nurse, Ms. Hui, at [email protected] to register or for further information

Please click here (under Letters to Parents) to download the consent form or obtain it at the medical room. In order to increase flexibility of the service to the students, staff and their relatives who cannot attend the onsite vaccination, you can purchase the vaccine voucher and receive the injection at their local clinic.

Ms. Hui (School Nurse)



BOX OF HOPE – CASA MAKE A DIFFERENCE WEEK

As part of Casa’s Make a Difference week, they will be running the ‘Box of Hope’ campaign again this year which was very successful last year. Our South Island School families are very generous and many children have benefited from this generosity. We will be collecting boxes from Monday October 30th until Friday November 10th. Stickers for the boxes have been distributed to the students and if you would like to donate, the students may bring the boxes in any day during the collection period.

Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

SOUTH ISLAND SCHOOL PRODUCTION – LORD OF THE FLIES (20TH – 22ND NOVEMBER) The Drama department together with other school teams and students from Year 7 to 12 are currently rehearsing for the SIS Whole School Production. This year it is a theatrical adaptation of William Golding’s classic novel Lord Of The Flies and will be performed on the 20th, 21st and 22nd November at 7:30 pm in the school Hall. This is a piece that resonates with young people as the play explores the survival of a group of school children who have been marooned on a tropical island. Some of the themes include peer pressure, bullying, civilization and savagery. It is a set text which is studied in Year 7and 8 as part of the English Curriculum and the cast would be delighted to have your support at one of the performances. Look out for the posters and tweets about this event.

Ms. Cannon (Head of Drama)





NIGHTFEST (FRIDAY 24TH NOVEMBER) To mark the 40th Anniversary of South Island School, the theme of this year’s NIGHTFEST will be “40th FEST”. This annual fund-raising event is open to our community, their friends and family. This will be the 6th consecutive year we have held the fair. More information can be found in the SIS e-bulletin. Date – Friday 24th November 2017 Time – 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm Where – South Island School What – Loads of fun and entertainment for all ages!





Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

FAMILY BAUHINIA MAD WEEK (4TH – 8TH DECEMBER) Family Bauhinia will be involved in a MaD (Make a Difference) week during the week of December 4th – 8th. This week we will focus on Making a Difference within the three rings of sustainability at SIS: 1. Making a Difference to myself: Students will focus on reading and literature this week. We will be looking at literacy (through text) and the importance of literacy in our daily lives. Students will be engaged in individual, small group and large group activities, all focusing on reading! 2. Making a Difference to my community: The students and teachers in Family Bauhinia will organise a number of in-school activities that will involve all SIS students to understand the importance of eye health and what we can do to help others in need of eye care 3. Making a Difference globally: As part of our MaD week, students have the opportunity to participate in a Read-a-Thon. The money that students raise will go to the organization ORBIS International — Saving Sight Worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, 245 million people worldwide are visually impaired— yet 80 per cent suffer needlessly. Their blindness could have been prevented or treated. ORBIS is a non-profit organization fighting blindness in developing countries, where 90 per cent of the blind reside During this time, students will also have the opportunity to share their reading gems with the rest of the school through book recommendations and book trailers (much like movie trailers) More information will be provided in the next edition of the Family Bauhinia Newsletter

SOUTH ISLAND SCHOOL CHRISTMAS CONCERT (TUESDAY 12TH DECEMBER) It is that time of year when we host our annual Christmas Concert. It is a wonderful evening when all our singers and musicians come together to lift our spirits and get us in the holiday mood! Event details: Date : Tuesday 12th December Time : 7.00 pm Tickets : $100 adults / $50 students with proceeds going to ImpactHK Venue : South Island School (Hall)

Family Bauhinia Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 3

October 2017

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY NOVEMBER • Nov 4 – Terry Fox Run (more details found here) • Nov 10 – Year 7 MidYIS assessment • Nov 10 – Year 7 Inter-House Football • Nov 10 – Diwali Night • Nov 17 – SIS Inter-House Athletics Day • Nov 20 to 22 – School Production (Lord of the Flies) • Nov 21 – Influenza Vaccination • Nov 24 – SIS 40FEST (NightFest) DECEMBER • Dec 1 – Year 7 Inter-House Waterpolo • Dec 1 – Term 1 Activities end (Activity buses will not run after school Mon to Thurs from this date) • Dec 4 to 8 – Family Bauhinia MaD Week • Dec 5 – Year 7 and 8 Read-A-Thon Prize Giving Assembly with representatives from ORBIS • Dec 8 – Year 8 Inter-House Basketball • Dec 12 – SIS Christmas Concert • Dec 15 – Whole School Assembly (last day of Term 1) • Dec 18 to Jan 5 – Christmas Holidays All dates and information can be found on our school calendar. To view the calendar, please go to our website and click on the link School Calendar Sincerely, Carolyn Andrews Vice Principal/MYP Coordinator Learning Director, Family Bauhinia South Island School