Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome back, everyone!

We were so happy to see all our students back at school this week, fully engaged in their learning and having a great time at play. The transition for our Year 1s and new students has been really smooth. It's been amazing to see all of the students’ excitement and eagerness to learn and make new friends.

Check out this video taken on our first day:

First Day of School Video

New Staff

Last week, we welcomed new staff members who have seamlessly become part of our team. In the upcoming newsletters, we will introduce you to each of them, so you can get to know them too. This week we will introduce our new/returning teachers for 2024/5.

Meet the Year Group Session

We would like to invite you to meet the teachers via Zoom. These sessions will be held on Thursday, August 29, according to the following schedule:

• Years 1, 2 and 5 parent/caregiver session: 5:00 to 5:45 pm

• Years 3, 4, and 6 parent/caregiver session: 5:45 to 6:30 pm

During these sessions, all teachers in your child’s year group will jointly host a "Meet the Year Group" session. This will provide you with an opportunity to virtually meet the teachers, and learn about daily routines, organisational matters, curriculum details, and any special events specific to the year group.

Please mark the date on your calendar, and we will share a Zoom invitation with you early next week.

Parents will also have the opportunity to spend time (usually 1-2 hours) in school on Wednesday, 2 October 2024. More details will be shared closer to the time. This day will include a 3-way conference (student/ classroom teacher/parent) and an opportunity to visit all other areas of the school and meet all of your child’s teachers.

Staff-Run Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)

Please read the note below to find out more about Staff-Run ECAs/After School Activities.

We appreciate your ongoing support and cooperation. We look forward to connecting with you soon, whether it is online or in person.

Kind regards,

Brenda

顧仁達
 

Term 1 Staff-Run ECAs

When you review the schedule below, you will notice that there have been some changes to our after-school sports clubs moving forward. Due to limited pitch availability at HKU, we have had to move several popular clubs to BEFORE-school hours.

The affected clubs are:

• Y5/6 Boys and Girls Football Club

• Y3/4 Boys and Girls Football Club

• Y5/6 AFL Club

These clubs will now run from 7 to 8 am at HKU’s Pitch 2. Students attending these morning clubs will need to be dropped off directly at HKU Pitch 2 at 7 am. Our staff will then escort the students back to school in time for the start of the school day. See the link below for the full list of clubs for Term 1.

We know these are very popular clubs, and we want to ensure they can continue even with the pitch constraints. Thank you for your understanding.

Term 1 Staff-Run Extra Curricular Activities (ECAs)

Registration

Registration for staff-run ECAs for this term will open on Thursday 22 August at 8.00 pm and close on Monday 2 September at 12 noon.

All registration will take place on Gateway. Please see the following important notes before registering:

Registration for a club is complete when payment is made on the epayment system.

● Please note that activities and fees are for one term only (Except for Rock Band and Lion Dragon Dance). You must register every term for an activity. Some activities are offered in both Term 1 & Term 2 (e.g. Choir and Orchestra) and you must register your child for activities each term, unless it is specified otherwise.

● Please note we are unable to accommodate any late registrations or extend club sizes. Please be sure to register promptly for any clubs for your child(ren).

● Some clubs are “by audition” or “by trial”. To participate, sign up via the Google Form link provided in the activity description. If you are interested in those activities or if you have any questions about registration, please contact the teacher in charge.

● Some clubs are “by Invitation”. If you are interested in those activities or if you have any questions about registration for those activities, please contact the teacher in charge.

● Please note the start and end dates of the activity and the equipment needed. No reminders will be sent about these.

● There is no school bus service for after school activities.

For guidance on how to register for activities using Gateway, please review this document, or click on the Help button on Gateway.

Guidance for Parent Sign Up of Activities
 

Swimming

Here are some important details about our swimming programme:

• The Autumn Term swimming programme will start the week beginning August 26.

• Swimming lessons in Term 1 are for children in Years 2 to 6. Year 1 students will have swimming lessons in Term 3.

• Year 2 students will receive 6 lessons this term.

• All new students will need to sign up for the swimming programme. Please read this letter which outlines the programme and sign the enotice on Gateway.

• In case of inclement weather, younger students will learn water safety, while older students will learn practical water safety techniques.

• We recommend that your child brings his/her swimming kit on every swimming day, regardless of the weather.

The swimming schedule for the week of 26 August is as follows:

The full swimming schedule for Term 1 can be found here:

Term 1 Swimming Schedule

To be prepared for swimming, each child will need:

On swimming days, students may wear their PE kit to school to save time changing.

Students not taking part in the swimming lessons will be given tasks assigned by their class teacher.

Active Summer Photo Submission

Welcome back to the new school year! We would love to hear about the sporting achievements of our students over the summer break. To celebrate our students’ active pursuits, we would like to display a photograph of your child engaged in a summer activity on our PE Wall of Fame in the gymnasium. If you would like to submit a photo, please add it to this folder here.

Welcome Kai Cho Tse

We are pleased to welcome student teacher Kai Cho Tse, who is currently pursuing his PGCE in Primary Physical Education at the University of Sunderland. Kai Cho will be joining us in the PE Department until the October break, providing valuable additional support.

Health-Related Fitness Unit

As we kick off the new term, our focus in PE will be on Health-Related Fitness. In this unit, students will develop a deeper understanding of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the body's response to exercise, the interaction of body systems, and the development of physical fitness. We will work closely with both students and teachers to promote active living throughout the school community.

中秋节家庭环保灯笼设计比赛

We're excited to announce the Mid-Autumn Family Recycled Lantern Design Competition! This is a great way to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival while caring for the environment.

The theme is "Harmony in Moonlight: Celebrating Mid-Autumn Togetherness." We encourage you and your child to work together on a lantern design that reflects family, unity, and cultural heritage.

Here are the guidelines:

1. Symbolism: Incorporate designs that represent family and togetherness.

2. Cultural Heritage: Draw inspiration from Mid-Autumn Festival stories and folklore.

3. Vibrant Colours: Use warm, festive colours like red, yellow, and gold.

4. Environmental Awareness: Use recycled materials and energy-efficient lighting.

5. Family Involvement: Collaborate as a family on the lantern design.

6. Innovation and Creativity: Come up with unique and visually appealing designs.

Submission Deadline: Monday, September 9th (Submit to your Class teachers)

Let's celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by creating lanterns that reflect harmony and togetherness while also being eco-friendly.

Coffee Mornings

What a wonderful start we have had to the new year with 2 Year 1 and New Starters Coffee meetings. We welcomed new parents to the school and shared a lot of information about the various activities run by the PTA. Mark your calendars for our next coffee morning on Friday 6 September 2024. And don’t forget to sign up and volunteer for the next few exciting events. (e-mail gadams@kennedy.edu.hk).

Year 5 Dress Up Day - Theme: Olympics

For our first dress-up day of the year, Year 5 would like the school to come dressed for the Olympics! Please be inspired by these historic games and wear sports-related clothing and/or accessories. Please support the Year 5s by bringing a donation of $20 which will go towards supporting extra activities for them at school.

Hot Lunches with Zebratasty

You can order lunch for your child with our hot lunch provider, ZEBRATASTY. Orders take place the month before - from the 10th to the 24th every month - so the order period for September is currently open till 24 August.

Register/edit your hot lunch service on the school website HERE.

Please remember to keep the system updated with your child’s new class and use the same name used in school.

Class Parents

We are still looking for volunteers to act as class parents for this academic year. The role of class parent is one for someone who loves to connect with other classes and the smooth running of school activities. The role is greatly appreciated by children, staff and other parents. If you are interested in volunteering for this rewarding role please volunteer here. Don’t worry if you’re not sure how this role works as we will guide you through it with zooms calls, support and information.

We’ve had some great responses BUT we are STILL looking for Class Parents for the following classes:

1F, 1K

2D,2M,2R

3T

4C,4K

5F

6S,6W

Pre-Loved Uniforms

Thank you so much for all your preloved uniforms. We look forward to receiving more, so please drop them into “The Space by the PTA”.

PTA Opening Hours

Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 8:15 am-12:15 pm or by appointment. Contact us on PTA@kennedy.edu.hk for enquiries or to appointments.

1. Term 1 Swimming Schedule

2. School Calendar 2024/25

3. Inclement Weather Procedures

4. Hot Lunch Service

5. Start of school Medical reminders letter

6. School Uniform Guide

7. School Uniform Shop

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