Dear Parents and Guardians,
This week, we would like to focus on our exceptional students. This term has been incredibly busy, and it is remarkable to see how our students continue to demonstrate our values and make a positive impact on our community and beyond. Throughout this newsletter, I would like to give you a task: Identify all the examples of our students demonstrating our values just this week!
See how many times you can spot our students being:
To help you succeed in this task, I would like to share a few examples.
The first is our Year 10 class, led by Ms Cook, who noticed that tables in the foyer needed a better look and took the initiative to refurbish them. Another is the students who organised a Mental Health Awareness Week, recognising the importance of supporting their peers' well-being and giving helpful ideas and strategies. And then, our students who worked with our artist in residence took creative risks and produced incredible works of art. And finally, despite facing challenging losses, our sporting teams continued to work together, showing unwavering commitment and teamwork.
As mentioned, these are only a few examples just from this week! As you read this newsletter, I invite you to find even more examples of our incredible students putting our values into action. How many can you find?
Have a lovely weekend, and I look forward to sharing even more stories next week.
Carolyn Andrews
Interim Principal
(1) MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK
This week was Mental Health Awareness Week at South Island School! Our student-led Well-Being Council, along with our School Well-Being team (Lucie Purves, Kamy Yeung, Kate Tse, Lorna Wong and Stephanie Wan) prepared various activities throughout the week, including:
School-wide Kindness Message Initiative, where over 500 kindness messages were delivered to students and staff
Well-being stickers to affirm and help remind students to be kind to themselves.
A 5-day, 5 minute Self Care Challenge prepared by our counsellor, Ms Kate Tse. Feel free to try it out for yourself!
Mental Health Awareness Week culminated on Thursday lunchtime with the Mental Health Fair. Students designed various well-being activities ranging from mindful colouring, freeform Lego building, crocheting, jewellery beading and more kindness messages. Musical performances by our talented students kept the vibes light and happy. This was a really lovely event to bring our community together.
Throughout the week, the students learnt about the importance of self-care and the resources available to them both in and outside of school. These are important topics for our students to learn and understand, especially as the school year enters into exam and assessment periods. Our school Well-Being team and FLT (Family Leadership Team) will continue to support our students as they navigate their way through any challenges.
Additionally, this past Monday, we had the privilege of hosting over 40 parents to a talk from our friends at St James Settlement. Mr Chris Kwok from the 6 PM Cyberyouth Team of St. James’ Settlement conducted a seminar on Helping Teens Navigate the Online World! A topic that is at the forefront of our school and many of our parents. Parents in attendance gained valuable insight into general trends our students are currently experiencing in the online world. For those unable to join this time, our school Social Worker, Ms Kamy Yeung, has gathered additional relevant information on the topic and uploaded it to this Google Drive for all parents to access. The presentation from our guest speaker will also be uploaded into this folder once it has been made available to us.
As our school has learned this week, prioritising self-care allows us to be the best version of ourselves, enabling us to better support and guide our students through life's challenges.
(2) ARTIST IN RESIDENCE - IAN MURPHY
Ian Murphy, an internationally renowned artist from the UK, spent four days working with our Year 10-13 Visual Arts students in a series of workshops to support and develop their experimental drawing skills. Our students got to spend a full day under Ian’s tutelage as he shared and guided our students to expand their creative thinking and approach. This was a great opportunity for our students to explore new techniques and creative processes to add to their repertoire, especially those with upcoming mock exams.
Ian shared a bit of his work and process with our students before having them dive into their pieces. The students were challenged to work with different materials, undertaking a variety of processes and techniques to push the boundaries of their contemporary drawing skills. Ian shared technical knowledge with them and challenged our students to expand their creative process and approach.
“I found our time with Ian Murphy really exciting and interesting. We had to work at a faster pace than usual so we did not have to focus on making things perfect, which made the art we created more free or expressive.” - Isaac Theodosis (10K1)
“I really enjoyed learning from Ian Murphy and how he creates and experiments with different methods. It was particularly mind opening how he effectively manipulated the materials in a creative approach to visualise his surroundings. It was also a great experience to better understand different styles of art and how experienced artists carry out their work” - Nicole Tsoi (12B2)
(3) BOX OF HOPE
Box of Hope collection wrapped up this week. Our South Island School Community came together and produced over 100 boxes for underprivileged families in Hong Kong for the coming holiday season. The annual Family Bauhinia-led event gives our lower year students a chance to lead our school to make a difference.
“Making a difference is crucial because by promoting organisations like Box of Hope, we get to help the world around us, especially those who are not as fortunate as us. By spending a small amount of your time, you can put a smile on a child's face. We feel delighted to be able to represent our school in Box of Hope. Thank you to everyone who has contributed.”
Stirling Chung (08M2) & AJ Lai (08M2)
(4) YEAR 10 DESIGN - TABLE REFURBISHMENT
Earlier this week, our Y10 Design class did a bit of site refurbishment. Seeing the foyer tables in need of a little love and care, our Year 10 Design class spent their class time beautifying the tables, replacing the wooden surface and giving the legs a new coat of paint. While it would have been easy just to order new tables, our students took their time to come up with a more ecological solution, improving our site environment for our school community without significantly adding to the waste problem in Hong Kong.
(1) DIWALI NIGHT 2023 - Dil se Diwali: Relive the Magic
Diwali Night is BACK!
Join us for an enchanting evening as we celebrate Diwali like never before! Our theme this year is “Dil se Diwali: Relive the Magic,” where we invite you to experience India's vibrant colours and rich traditions. An unforgettable evening of entertainment, music, performances, activities, AND the return of FOOD and CATERING for the first time in 3 years!! Get ready for the full Diwali experience and to RELIVE THE MAGIC!!! Limited tickets are available, so get your tickets now!
Food + Show Tickets will be available through Sunday 12 November. Purchase your tickets HERE.
(2) JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOUR DREAMCOAT
Get ready to be dazzled and amazed as South Island School proudly presents the beloved Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"!
Mark your calendars! The show will run from Tuesday 21 through Thursday 23 November.
Whether you're a fan of musicals or simply looking for a night of pure entertainment, South Island School’s fall production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" will be a magical journey of music and storytelling. Our talented students have been tirelessly working to bring this timeless classic to life. Experience the enchanting tale of Joseph and his colourful coat like never before in our very own hall!
To purchase tickets, please visit HERE!
Get ready to embark on a musical adventure that will captivate your heart and leave you singing along. We can't wait to share this magical experience with you!
(3) INFLUENZA VACCINATION PROGRAMME 2023-2024
The government-sponsored Influenza Vaccination Programme 2023-2024 is this coming Tuesday 14 November. Confirmed registrants should have received an email last week with details, schedule, and instructions for the day. Should you have any questions, please contact the School’s Health Professional, Ms Jeanette Hui (jhui@sis.edu.hk).
(4) PHOTO DAY
The School Photo Day will take place from Monday 13 November, to Wednesday 15 November. Please find the School Photo Schedule HERE. Please ensure students in Years 7-11 wear their school uniform (button-up shirt/blouse and shorts), not PE uniform, for their individual and tutor group photo. Students in Years 7-9 shall wear their House Shirt on for their Family Bauhinia Photo (Tuesday Lunch Time). Students in Years 10-11 shall wear their school uniform for their House Photos
(5) ESF COCO
We are thrilled to invite you to ESF CoCo 2023, the most anticipated computer conference of the year! Taking place from November 25th to 26th at King George V School, this event promises an unforgettable experience for students passionate about technology, innovation, and collaboration.
ESF CoCo 2023 offers an exceptional opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the cutting-edge world of computer science. With a lineup of captivating presentations delivered by industry leaders from tech companies, attendees will gain valuable insights into the latest trends, breakthroughs, and advancements shaping the future of technology. Students will also get a chance to test their computer science knowledge during the Hackathon!
Whether you're a budding tech enthusiast, a seasoned programmer, or simply curious about the fascinating world of computers, ESF CoCo 2023 is the event for you. Connect with like-minded individuals, expand your network, and engage in thought-provoking discussions to inspire and elevate your passion for technology.
Sign up today through the links below:
General Sign-Up: https://forms.gle/tDw44jYYEnhrxcWb6
Hackathon Sign-Up: https://forms.gle/VX9xwGb48PwFYD316
To learn more about ESF CoCo, check out their website or follow their Instagram for the latest updates. If you have any questions, clarifications or concerns, feel free to email Anna (labha1@kgv.hk). We look forward to seeing you at ESF CoCo 2023!
(6) ESF EXPLORE - WINTER CAMPS
Join us for fun and adventure this December with ESF Explore! Our Winter Camps run from 18th December - 5th January. Offering Language, Sports, Playgroup, STEM, Christmas workshops and even online programmes, we cater to children between 6 months and 17 years old. Discover our Winter Camp programmes here!
Check out our schedule for South Island School here. Click here to see our full range of term one programmes, feel free to click into the individual categories to view their available classes.
(7) ESF HOLIDAY & LUNAR NEW YEAR CARD COMPETITION
ESF has launched their annual Holiday and Lunar New Year Card competition! Students who would like to share their artistic and creative skills with the wider ESF Community can enter into either or both of these competitions. Here are some general details:
What is required:
For both competitions, ESF requires only the artwork. No text is required as the ESF team will add the Holiday or Lunar New Year Message onto the top of the artwork.
Please submit your entries by the following deadlines:
Please submit the artwork to the Community Development Officer, Mr Donald Ma, at dma@sis.edu.hk. Make sure you indicate the competition you are submitting the artwork for. You may also contact Mr Ma if you have any questions regarding the competition.
(1) ANTHONY BERTAGNOLI (08B1) - 2023 INTERNATIONAL KUNG FU CHAMPIONSHIPS
Anthony Bertagnoli (08B1) finished 1st Runner Up overall in the Black Belt Division last Sunday's 2023 International Kung Fu Championship competition. Anthony, who is currently a 2nd Dan Black Belt and has been training in Kung Fu since he was 6 years old, took home 2 gold medals and 2 silver medals in the individual events.
Great job Anthony!
(2) MICHELLE WONG (12N2) - THAILAND JUNIOR WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 2023
Over the mid-term break, Michelle Wong (12N2) won her second championship at the Thailand Junior World Golf Championship 2023 at the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course in Thailand.
Michelle competed against 139 youth golfers from 17 countries, including Cambodia, South Korea, China, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, the United States, Vietnam, and the host country, Thailand.
Tied for first at 4-over-par after 72 holes, Michelle had to win a playoff round before taking home the championship.
Michelle shares, “It was my first time playing in Hua Hin, and there were many strong golfers in the field. Under the hot and humid weather, I managed to keep calm and focused to win the playoffs for first place. I am quite pleased with my performance this time around, and I hope there will be more improvement to come.”
Way to go Michelle! Marvellous job!
(3) AVIRAH GEORGE (13N2) & ENOCH CHU (13C1) - INTERVIEW IN YOUTH MAGAZINE
Year 13 Students Avirah George (13N2) and Enoch Chu (13C1) were recently interviewed in the latest issue of Youth Magazine. As aspiring medical professionals, Avirah and Enoch share their thoughts on the future of healthcare. You can read more of Avirah and Enoch’s interview HERE
(4) SASHA LANNING (08K2) - HONG KONG RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sasha Lanning (08K2) finished as the Freehand runner-up at the Hong Kong Rhythmic Gymnastics Open Championships. Competing against 50 other girls in her event, Sasha took home the silver medal.
Amazing efforts Sasha! WooHoo!
(1) BADMINTON
Our Grade A Girls Badminton wrapped up their season right after the mid-term break with two matches in Sai Wan Ho. Their first match was against Ying Wa Girls’ School. Our girls started the match well with wins in the first singles match by Nicole Yulo and the doubles match by Katrina Wong and Anusha Oak. Our girls, however, could not keep up the momentum, losing three straight games, including an agonising 19-21 doubles loss in the fourth game and the match.
Two days later, our Grade A girls took on Pui Kiu Middle School. Our girls started hot right out of the gate again, with a dominant 21-8 singles win from Nicole Yulo, and a nailbiter doubles 21-18 doubles win from Gladys Tsang and Anusha Oak. The Pui Kiu girls showed remarkable resilience, coming back to win the next two games. However, in the final game of the season's final match, Gladys Tsang scored the final points in another nail-biting 23-21 win to wrap up the A Grade girl's season with a W.
Great job A Grade Girls. What a great show of resilience and resolve! Smashing season A Grade Girls!
Last Tuesday, our Grade A & B Boys Badminton team held matches against St. Paul’s College. Our Grade A boys lost the first 2 games of the match before Hong Liang Ee kept South Island alive with a 21-17 win in the third game. However, the doubles team of Michael Cha and Jay Ooi could not keep the momentum and pick up the win needed to keep the match going, falling 15-21 and a 1-3 match win to St. Paul.
On the next court over, the Grade B Boys took on the St. Paul Grade B Boys. Bosco Fung kept things close in the first game but ultimately could not secure the point, falling 19-21. From there, St Paul took over with commanding victories in the second and third game, sweeping the match with a score of 0-3.
Both boys' teams took tough losses, but our boys gained valuable experience in their defeat. Great effort Boys Badminton Team!
Hong Kong Jing Ying Tournament
Wrapping up the week, Cordelia Lee & Evelyn Zhu, two of our B-grade girls, qualified for and played in the All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Tournament. Cordelia started her day with a well played 21-12 victory, consistently forcing her opponent to the back line and then capping off rallies with powerful smashes. In her second match, Cordelia made great efforts against one of the top B Grade girls players in Hong Kong but was unable to carry over the momentum from her first match, falling 9-21 and was knocked out of the tournament.
Evelyn’s day did not start well, with multiple errors leading to an early deficit in her match. However, Evelyn fought back and caught up to her opponent after 4 straight points to even the score at 20. However, she was unable to complete her comeback and get the W, giving up two straight points and handing the match to her opponent, 20-22, and losing the final point by centimetres.
As disappointed as the losses were, the girls enjoyed the support from our cheerleaders, Ms Andrews and Mr Slethaug!
(4) GRADE A BOYS FOOTBALL
The Grade A boys took to the pitch again this past week with a match against a disciplined and confident St Joseph’s College. St Joseph took the early lead minutes into kickoff, however South Island equalised after a quick counterattack, with James Wright slotting home the goal. The remainder of the half was even, with both goalkeepers making good saves. The luck however was with the opposition, as towards the end of the half, SIS gave up two goals off of rebounds.
South Island continued to create chances coming out of intermission but could not capitalise. St. Joseph’s however, were tactical and clinical. As the match continued, with each goal, the fatigue increased for our boys. Limited options on the bench resulted in the boys pushing themselves to the maximum. They kept on trying to the very end and, despite the scoreline, performed exceptionally well.
They’ve learnt a lot about themselves and their teammates over the last few games.
(5) U20 GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
The U20 Girls Volleyball team wrapped their ISSFHK season against Delia School Canada last week. The South Island Girls fought hard in the first set, keeping the set competitive early but eventually succumbing to a 17-25 defeat. Phoebe Lin started South Island off well with great serve receives, while Dana Mak and Elizabeth Fung showed fierce determination, diving all over the court and keeping balls in play. Other players caught a groove as well, with Rachel Kok setting the tone with her service receives and Emmie’s service improvement. But unfortunately, the SIS girls were no match for the DSC girls, falling in the second set 7-25 and ending the match and the girl’s season. Our girls enjoyed playing together, and each match was a chance to learn more about the team dynamics. Great job for a wonderful season.
VISIT FROM THE CHAPMAN’S
This morning, we were delighted to host our former Vice Principal and the first female Principal at South Island School, Ms Annette Chapman and former Head of Maths, Mr Chris Chapman. Ms Chapman served as Vice Principal from 2006 to 2019 and was interim principal from 2017 to 2018. From teachers to support staff members, many were delighted to see our former Vice Principal and Head of Maths again on our campus. Welcome back Mr and Mrs Chapman!
NOVEMBER
6 - 10: SIS Mental Health Awareness Week
9 - 10: ISSFHK Swimming Championships 8:00 - 16:00
10: Family Bauhinia Assembly
10 - 11: HKAYP Bronze 1a & Silver Introduction Camp
13 - 15: School Photo Day
16: Making Links (Y11 & Y12)
16: Diwali Night
17 - 18: HKAYP Bronze 1b Camp
21: Guiding Day
21 - 23: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
24: Namas, Casa, Shtepi Assembly
25 - 26: ESF Computer Conference @ KGV
Please access the latest school calendar HERE
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If your child has a particular highlight or achievement you would like to share with the community, please email a short description and photo to ebulletin@sis.edu.hk