Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Yesterday afternoon, we welcomed some of the new teachers who will be joining us for the new academic year. Most teachers joining us are from other international schools or ESF schools in Hong Kong and we have one new recruit from an international school in Thailand. They are a positive, talented and motivated group of teachers and we’re looking forward to welcoming them into the wider Kennedy School community.

It is always sad to say farewell to some of our existing staff and this year, we have a number of staff moving on from Kennedy and Hong Kong. Over the next few newsletters, we will farewell these staff - recognising their amazing talents and contributions to Kennedy School.

School Uniform for August 2023

This is another reminder to all families that in August, the new uniform will be required for all students. This includes the new PE kit also. Please prepare early for this. You can visit this website to order your new items for August 2023 and they will be delivered to your home.

Calendar for 2023/4

Please click this link to view latest draft ESF calendar.

If you would like to contact any members of the leadership team, you will find us in the playground or you can locate our emails on the ESF APP. You can email me at bcook@kennedy.edu.hk.

Kind regards,

Brenda

顧仁達

Principal

Orchestra Survey for 2023-24

The Kennedy School music team would like to do a survey to find out what orchestra instruments the children at Kennedy School play, in advance of the next academic year 2023-24. This will help the team plan the programme for the year. If you are keen for your child to join the Kennedy School Orchestra which meets on Thursdays from 3 to 4 pm, please fill in this quick survey. 

The survey will be closed on 31 May 2023.

Kennedy School Orchestra survey

Swimming Schedule

Please see below for next week's swimming schedule.

Please click on the link below for the complete swimming schedule for Term 3.

Term 3 Swimming Schedule 

Raincoats

Bus users - please remember to pack labelled raincoats into school bags every day, especially in this season of unsettled weather and sudden rainstorms.

Swimming Kit & Bags

ALL items sent to school, especially those in swimming bags, need to be labelled with your child’s name and class. Swimming bags also need to be clearly labelled as many children have been leaving their bags on the school bus.

Year Band Dress Up Day reminder - TOMORROW - Friday 19th May

Year 2 have decided that this Friday 19th May the whole school should come to school wearing clothes with an animal theme…..you could come as a Lion, Dragon, Unicorn or Phoenix OR you could wear your favourite leopard print outfit, cats ears, zebra stripes, elephant print T-shirt, Dinosaur print clothes - have a look what you have at home already and be creative!

If your child has PE or swimming this Friday please make sure whatever they wear is suitable.

We will collect voluntary donations of $20. Students may hand their donation in as they arrive at school that day.

Year 2 are saving up to use the funds raised to organise a VR experience to learn about animals that live in difficult environments! Thank you for your support in advance!

School Uniform Update

We are reaching the end of the transition period from old style to new style of uniform across the school. While our Year 1s have been wearing the new style all year, from the return to school in August 2023, it will be mandatory for all remaining year groups to make the switch.

New Uniform Fitting

Samples of the new style of uniform are available for fitting at the PTA Office.

All uniform sales however, are conducted on this website:

School Uniform Online Shop

Items ordered can be delivered to your home. Please allow 3-4 business days for delivery.

“Old Style” Uniform - send them in!

As an environmentally responsible school, we are in discussions with organisations that specialise in overseas donation and/or who can assist recycling our “old” style uniforms and help us reduce waste as a community.

From now till 31 August, we are accepting donations of all old style uniforms in good condition at the PTA Office. We would appreciate your help to ensure they are clean and folded neatly first.

**If you have links to organisations who may be able to help with our uniform donation and recycling programme, please contact Fiona Bulmer at pta@kennedy.edu.hk. We expect the volume of donations to be relatively large and may need to seek assistance from several organisations.**

Mouthguards and Shin pads

We no longer sell mouthguards or shin pads in the PTA Office. If your child requires these for any in school sports or after school activities, you will need to purchase them from a sports shop. We recommend trying Decathlon and Escapade Sports.

Let’s support Hong Kong’s urgent appeal for blood donations

Hong Kong’s blood supplies are at extremely low levels, in particular, blood types A, B and O-negative. These shortages put lives at risk and I know many of us will want to take action and help those in need by giving blood.

Some good news is that more of us are now eligible to donate blood. This is due to the lifting of restrictions that prevented some former residents of the UK, Ireland and France from giving blood in Hong Kong. The ban, which was due to concerns around the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, ended in December. While donations of blood types A, B and O-negative are the highest priority, donors of all blood types are urgently needed to replenish Hong Kong’s heavily depleted stocks.

Our CEO Belinda Greer is a lifelong blood donor and ESF continues to support the Red Cross appeal with blood drives happening across the organisation. Those wanting to take immediate action in response to the city’s critical shortages can find information on how to donate on the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion website.

1. Order your limited edition Kennedy School Yearbook 2022-23 on Gateway. Only a few copies are still available.

2. Term 3 Swimming Schedule

3. Here are the Inclement Weather Procedures which are also located on the school website.

4. Draft ESF School Calendar 2023-34- Updated 8 March 2023

5. Kennedy School Health Guidelines - When to keep your child at home

6. Chinese learning links this week:

• Year 1 Weekly Learning Notice

• Year 2 Weekly Learning Notice

• Year 3 Weekly Learning Notice

• Year 4 Weekly Learning Notice

• Year 5 Weekly Learning Notice

• Year 6 Weekly Learning Notice