Dear Parents,
Once again, it has been an exceptional week at South Island School. As the principal of our school, I have the privilege of visiting classrooms throughout the day and witnessing learning in action. But what truly excites me is seeing our students engage in learning beyond the classroom walls. It is in these moments that our students can truly demonstrate our values in action. Our dedicated teachers plan lessons that incorporate hands-on learning experiences. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting a Year 9 science class where students used quadrants to study plants in our local environment. Their enthusiasm and curiosity were truly inspiring. Throughout the week, there have been countless examples of experiential learning at SIS, and you can read about them in detail throughout this newsletter.
I would also like to express my appreciation to all the parents who completed the ESF stakeholder survey. Your feedback is invaluable as it helps us focus on the needs of our community. We are currently analysing the survey results and will share more information once the analysis is complete. Your input is important to us, and we are committed to using it to enhance the educational experience we provide for your children.
Additionally, I am pleased to inform you that the new building project, approved by ESF, is progressing well. We will soon have our first workshop meeting to review the plans. The new building will be constructed in the space currently occupied by the upper playground.
This exciting addition will offer our community new and improved learning spaces. Rest assured, we will keep you updated throughout the process, ensuring transparency and open communication.
In conclusion, I want to thank our entire community. Together, we are creating a vibrant learning environment where our students thrive. I feel privileged to be part of such a remarkable community.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead, filled with growth and endless possibilities.
Carolyn Andrews
Interim Principal
(1) SISMUN
This past weekend, South Island School hosted our second annual in-person Model United Nations (MUN) conference. Over the two days, 70 students from 9 different schools around Hong Kong participated in engaging debates and worked together to pass effective resolutions. The conference included four United Nations committees: the General Assembly, US Senate, Security Council and Historical Security Council. Students explored and role-played various roles to work together and solve global issues and politics, empowering students to become future leaders of our community to shape a better world. At the event, we were pleased to welcome the esteemed Consul General of the United States, Mr Gregory May, who opened our event with his keynote speech on the complexity of relationships between nations and the importance of diplomacy in handling cultural differences within these relationships.
A big thank you to the SISMUN Head Team, who organised this fantastic event:
We would also like to thank our staff coordinator, Ms Dawn Halliday, who oversaw the planning and supported the head team in making this year's event a success.
Thank you to the delegates from our visiting schools: HKBUAS, ESF Discovery College, Holy Trinity College, ESF KGV, Stamford American School, Chinese International School, Harrow International School, and Good Hope School, along with our very own SIS delegates.
(2) HONG KONG INTER-SCHOOL TEAM CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
This past weekend, four members of the SIS Chess Club represented South Island School at the 2024 Hong Kong Inter-School Team Chess Championships at ESF King George V School. Over the two days, the SIS team, featuring Isaac Kwong (10K2), Chloe Lau (07N2), Adrian Pun (09N2), and Han Choi (07C2), played through 7 high-pressure rounds of chess against teams from various schools from Hong Kong. With four wins, two losses and one draw, our 4-person team finished a respectable 13th out of 50 teams.
For several of our students, this was their first time competing in a serious chess tournament. Great job to Isaac, Adrian, Han, and Chloe. Thank you to Mr Hin-Hey Lam for guiding the team and supporters who came out to cheer on our students.
In May, SIS Students will compete at the 2024 HKSAR Junior Rapid and Inter-School Championships. If interested, please contact Mr Lam or SIS Chess Club for more details!
(3) HKAYP - by Ms Christina Watton
The last weeks of Term 2 were a busy time for our HKAYP groups and all the fabulous teachers who supported them. 80 Year 10 Bronze participants and 13 Year 12 Silver participants completed their final assessments to complete the expedition section of the HKAYP Award.
HKAYP Bronze
In early March, our first Bronze cohort explored Lantau Island as they walked from Ngong Ping to Mui Wo, covering approximately 20km over two days of walking. Students faced the coldest weekend of the year with determination and good humour, hiking from Ngong Ping to their campsite in Nam Shan, with one group even summiting the treacherous Sunset Peak.
The trek tested the students’ navigation skills across the two days, and they also responded to a few first-aid scenarios to check their understanding of hiking safety. In the evening, they produced home-cooked meals, many cooked from scratch, to warm themselves up after a long day of walking. The following day was a shorter and slightly less chilly hike to Mui Wo before heading home to their warm beds!
The following weekend, our second Bronze contingent headed out to do the same trek in slightly warmer weather while also successfully completing the challenges of navigation, camping and cooking.
All our participants were very successful and have completed their Bronze Award's expedition section. They are currently completing the assessment's skills, activity, and service portion and aim to complete the full award by the end of Year 11. The range of experiences the students have come up with is impressive, including First Aid certification, language learning and outstanding sporting achievements.
For Year 9s interested in signing up for the Bronze Award in Year 10, an assembly will be delivered in June explaining more about HKAYP and how to apply.
HKAYP Silver
On the last weekend before the end of Term 2, our Silver participants also completed their final assessment expedition. This time, the expedition took place in the New Territories, involving three days of hiking. Students planned their trips to cover a 30km circuit from Tai Mei Tuk to a Li Chi Wo Heritage Village camping site. Silver participants were tested on their navigational and camping skills, with some first-aid scenarios thrown in!
Year 11 interested in participating in the HKAYP Silver Award in Year 12 may sign up NOW through April 26th via the VLE. Both previous Bronze participants and students new to the award are welcome. Space is limited, so sign up soon!
(4) STAFF TEACHING AND LEARNING SESSION - Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom
This week’s staff meeting was dedicated to sharing a new AI platform with our staff to enhance learning in the classroom.
Led by Education Technology Coordinator Mr Iain Williamson and supported by Mr Andrew Choy and Mr Ian Brown, SIS staff was introduced to MagicSchool AI. This AI platform contains over 60 artificial intelligence tools for staff and student use. After an extensive review process, ESF has given its approval for using MagicSchool AI by teachers and students, and it is currently being rolled out for use at schools across the ESF Network.
Mr Williamson emphasised the degree of control it gives to teachers as a distinct advantage MagicSchool has over other AI platforms, saying, "What makes MagicSchool different from Poe (for instance) is that teachers select the specific AI tools we need for specific lessons and then invite students to use those tools within an online classroom environment. We can then see every prompt students use, and hopefully, we can advise on how students can become better prompt engineers."
For teachers, such technology would greatly benefit their lesson preparation and teaching, as MagicSchool enables them to cognitively offload previously time-consuming tasks so they can concentrate more of their time on teaching. The platform also contains an app for creating AI-resistant assessments and subject-specific tools such as 'Science Labs' or 'Vocabulary Based texts.'
Likewise, the student version of MagicSchool contains many helpful classroom tools and acts as a study buddy for students, all under the oversight of the teacher. This latter point is essential regarding the ethical benefits of adopting the platform and was a key reason why MagicSchool was chosen by the ESF. Teachers designed the tool for teachers.
SIS staff were keen to use the platform, but Mr Williamson feels this is only the start. "I can see an increasingly bespoke use of AI tools going forward in the classroom, where we can get better data and focused results that can further improve our student’s learning. That is already starting to happen with some of our early adopters."
(5) ESF ART SHOW
Congrats to our ESF Art Exhibitors! 9 pieces from 9 SIS Artists were selected by the Art Department to represent South Island School at the upcoming ESF Art Exhibit. To celebrate the upcoming Paris Olympics, students were asked to share works on the theme of Higher, Faster, Stronger. Take a look!
Max Stilgenbaur (13S1)
Celine Huang (13S2)
Athena Kwan (09S2)
Naomi Fok (13C1)
Jovanna Ing (08K1)
Crystal Ling (11N2)
Kelly Ngai (13S1)
Ellie Jeong (11S2)
Ciel Noma (11S2)
(6) MAISON MaD WEEK
Maison MaD Week took place this week and raised awareness of the work Save the Children is involved in. Beginning with a tutor time presentation of Save the Children, students learned about Save the Children’s numerous projects around the world, including humanitarian aid in conflict zones and areas hit with natural disasters, educational programmes in rural areas, medical and food aid in different countries, child safeguarding programmes locally here in Hong Kong and much more. On Tuesday and Wednesday, students had the opportunity to join in on a few fun events around the school while also making a small contribution to Save the Children HK. On Thursday, we were honoured to have Ms Carol Szteo, the CEO of Save the Children, share the initiatives they are working on with us. This information was relevant for our Year 12 students seeking various opportunities to make a difference and complete their CAS requirements.
“We chose to Save the Children to help raise awareness for the growth and development of underprivileged children around the world. We want our community to help make a difference and support the growth and development of children in Hong Kong and beyond,” shares Head of Captain, Viera Yip (12M1)
(7) BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
We are nearing the official Battle of Books (BoB) inter-school literary tournament, and our students are tirelessly preparing for it!
Over the weekend, our school team took on Singapore International School in a BoB friendly. In their first inter-school competition, our team was well prepared and ready for the competition setting. Our students did well and scored a victory in the matchup. The students appreciated the opportunity to practice their skills and get a taste of a battle atmosphere. This friendly was a delightful experience for them.
With their confidence high, our team held a second friendly yesterday, this time against their fellow ESF secondary schools over Zoom. Our team performed well over the two rounds, missing only five questions out of 24 in a very competitive and complicated structure. However, Sha Tin College, Renaissance, and Island School were on top of their game, finishing in a 3-way tie for first place. With a better idea of the varying readiness levels of other schools, our BoB teams will continue preparing hard for the Battle of the Books semi-finals, scheduled on Friday, 3 May.
A big thank you to Ms Betty Ow, Mr Terrence Li, and Ms Allison Taylor for their guidance and support so far and to our Year 12 student helpers Zoe Lim (12S2), Sam Rana (12C2) and Nathan Leung (12M1) for their additional support.
Team: Hana Arisawa (7C1), Sophie Chan (7B1), Michael Lee (7C2), Alastair Lew (7S2), Zeno Cheung (8C1), Tina Hu (8B1), Selwyn Hui (8C1), Jennifer Kim (8S1), Joshua Lam (8S1), Tin Ki Wong – (8M2), Lechen Li (9S1), Dana Cheung (9S1)
(1) INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES
As we enter the rainy season here in Hong Kong, we would like to remind our Community of the school’s Inclement Weather Procedures. Please download the SIS Inclement Weather Arrangement Info Sheet
(2) BE SUN SMART FOR PE!
With the increase in temperature, the PE Department would like to remind parents to make sure their children are SUN SMART during outdoor PE classes.
Students should:
PE staff will ensure that, in the event of extreme heat, activities will be modified accordingly, and students will be offered regular water breaks and adequate rest periods in shaded areas.
Additionally, we have recently had several students who have sustained minor injuries and damage to corrective glasses during PE classes. As contact and ball sports are integral in PE, students may inadvertently get struck by a ball or others. We encourage students who require corrective glasses to consider purchasing sports goggles as they may benefit from an added layer of protection.
(3) BUSINESS DAY & CAREERS DAY SUPPORT
We have two exciting events that provide our students with valuable experiential learning opportunities. We would like to invite our parents and alumni the opportunity to offer their professional expertise to our students, which will make a positive difference in their learning experience.
Business Day
Date: Friday, 10 May 2024
Time: 8:15 – 15:00
Our Year 12 Business Econ & BTEC Business Day is back! We are looking for folks in our community who have run their own business or worked at a senior level in a business environment and enjoy interacting with young adults. Your role would be to act as mentor/advisor/motivator to students throughout the day as they undertake a specific business strategy challenge, which will be presented to them on the day. You will also act as a judge for various portions of the day.
No preparation on your part is needed. Skills in all areas of business are welcome. If you can join us for the full day or only part of it, please drop us a line. It is a very enjoyable event for all involved, and we can throw in a good lunch as a sweetener.
For more information or to share your interest, please contact the Head of Economics and Business, Mr David Stevens (dstevens@sis.edu.hk )
SIS Careers Day
Date: Friday, 7 June 2024
Time: 13:15 – 14:30
The Higher Education and Careers team will host their annual South Island School Careers Day on Friday 7 June 2024. Various SIS Community members, ranging from Parents, Alumni and other friends of SIS, visit the school and engage with our students to share a bit about their career experience and expertise. We always enjoy seeing our parents at this event as they are given a platform to share their career journey and knowledge with interested students.
We invite you to join us for a fruitful afternoon with our students. To express your interest, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM, and our Higher Education team will contact you.
(3) SUMMER CONCERT
The SIS Summer Concert will take place on Tuesday, 23 April, from 18:00-19:00. The students have been working hard at rehearsals and look forward to performing for you all! If you would like to attend, please complete this Google Form.
Due to the large audience at our Christmas Concert, we will continue with a limit of 3 tickets per family.
(3) HKSSF INDOOR ROWING CUP 2023-2024
The HKSSF Indoor Rowing Cup is at Good Hope School on 25 - 26 May. Registration for the event is now open! If you are an experienced rower and are interested in representing South Island School at the event, please contact Mrs Syrita Nicholas to register your interest. Deadline for entries is 26 April 2024
You may find full participation details HERE
(4) SIS-PTA MEDITATION YOGA CLASS
The SIS-PTA is delighted to invite YOU to join us for a Meditation Yoga Class on 26 April 2024, from 14:00 to 15:00 at South Island School.
Meditation yoga offers numerous benefits, including stress relief, improved mindfulness, and a sense of inner calm. Whether you are a beginner or have previous experience, this class welcomes participants of all levels. Our skilled instructor will guide you through gentle movements and meditation techniques to help you find serenity and restore balance. After the class, please feel free to stay and have a quick chat with other fellow parents.
To secure your spot in the class, please sign up using this Google link. The deadline for the sign-up is 25 April 2024. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Come dressed comfortably and arrive around 10 to 15 minutes early.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact the SIS-PTA at pta@sis.edu.hk
(1) HAYDEN CHEUNG (07B2) - HK PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPETITION 2024
A big round of applause for Hayden Cheung (07B2), who was awarded the Silver Award in the Street Dance category at the Hong Kong Professional Dance Competition 2024. Fresh off of his runner-up finish at the Family Bauhinia Talent Show in term 2, Hayden performed his first solo dance in an open competition. Hayden choreographed his own dance to Jung Kook by Seven in preparation for the competition.
His performance was well received, as the judges found Hayden to be an “incredible performance with groovy dance moves, communicating a great vibe and his distinct character.”
Great job Hayden!
(2) ELIZABETH DALTON (07K1) - WIDA 2024 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND INTERNATIONAL FEIS
A big shoutout to Elizabeth Dalton (07K1) for her participation at the World Irish Dance Association 2024 World Championships and International Feis held in Belgium over the term break. Representing the Hong Kong delegation, Elizabeth had a strong competition, finishing 5th in the U12 Premiership competition and 2nd in the U14 2-hands team competition. Elizabeth’s performances were instrumental in her dance school’s second-place finish in the team show competition.
Elizabeth has been dancing since she was 4 years old. Along with her dance troupe, Elizabeth proudly shares her Irish culture with performances all over Hong Kong, including at SIS where she performed a solo dance at the Family Bauhinia Dancefest.
Great job, Elizabeth!
(3) LYNNE LEE (08B2) - LUNCHTIME FILM MUSIC CONCERT
A round of applause for Lynne Lee (08B2), who perform with the J.A.M. Orchestra at the Lunch Time Film Music concert this past Sunday. Playing classic scores from films such as Star Wars, Titanic, Mission Impossible, Pirates of the Caribbean and more, Lynne and the rest of the J.A.M orchestra entertained the crowd with a fun and energetic performance.
Great job Lynne!
(1) BOWLING
Bowling season is in full force, as SIS competed in the Inter-School Boys Challenge Cup held at SCAA. South Island School team of Jimmy Lee (11C2), Declan Chan (12M1) & Sean Leung (09S1) finished in 10th place, with the bowlers on the team gaining valuable competition experience. It was a tough match for the boys, as the lane condition and environment were challenging to adjust to. Overall, it was an excellent experience for our bowlers to play against other schools from Hong Kong and get some competition experience before the HKSSF Secondary School Competition in May.
(2) U20 GIRLS FOOTBALL
The U20 Girls Football team took on Chinese International School this week, with a spot in the semi-finals on the line. For Year 13 striker Jessie May, bragging rights at home were also on the line as CIS is coached by her father and SIS parent, Mr Steve May.
South Island took an early lead 5 minutes in, as Rachel Li started the scoring with a 20-yard effort flying into the top corner; the keeper could only watch in disbelief at the quality of the strike.
Rachel soon turned provider, playing a delightful through ball to Ava Jakeway, who finished with a powerful shot into the far corner, a superb team goal.
Shortly before halftime, it was 3-0 as, once again, Ava slotted home another magnificent through ball by Rachel.
On the defensive end, Liora Turner and Vedika Sreejesh were superb in denying CIS any consistent offensive pressure. Gia Brewster, subbing in for graduating senior Joy Tan, played valiantly in goal with two excellent saves. Overall, it was a great first half as the girls stayed disciplined and perfectly executed Coach Cornes’ gameplan.
With a three-goal lead, the second half was a scrappier affair, with legs tiring and some wayward finishing, preventing the South from extending its lead further. In the closing minutes, Ava finished off her hat trick, netting her third goal, with Rachel again setting up Ava with a great through ball into the box.
Girls of the Match goes to Liora and Vedika for the fantastic defence.
Team: Jessie May, Ava Jakeway , Liora Turner, Rachel Li (C), Ashley Bertagnoli, Emma Harries, Gia Brewster, Vedika Sreejesh
The girls are currently taking on Discovery College in the ISSFHK Semi-finals. Rooting for you girls!
(3) C GRADE FOOTBALL
The C-grade boys footballers played their final league game of the season against HKIS and dominated possession from the outset. Needing a win to have any chance of making the semi-finals, SIS created several early chances. Jay and Leon's incisive passing kept the pressure on HKIS, which barely made it out of its half. The chances came quick and fast, but the boys couldn’t find the net as the half ended with the score 0-0.
In the second half, HKIS finally picked up some offensive momentum as they moved into the SIS’s half of the pitch. However, the back four of Warren, Isaac, Arley and Avery denied all HKIS attacks with solid defence and prevented any attempts on the SIS goal. SIS continued to create chances but was unable to finish, with the closest effort from Ambrose, who hit the post after getting past the HKIS keeper.
With the score still at 0-0, both teams put the pressure on trying to find a late winner. A series of SIS corners ended with a chaotic scramble by the HKIS goal. The ball almost found the back of the HKIS goal, but the HKIS defence eventually cleared the rebound out, which led to an immediate opportunity for HKIS on the other end. Keeper Owen Chow did just enough to keep out HKIS' first shot of the game. The final seconds eventually winded down, and the final whistle blew, ending the match in a 0 - 0 draw and potentially the C Grade boys’ season. Man of the Match goes to Jay Park for his excellent passing from midfield.
Team: Jay Park, Isaac Wong, Leon Lane, Finn Penman, Owen Chow, Ambrose Wong, Koyo Kaetsu, Daniel Lee, Warren Wong, Jamie Chan, Avery Yueh
APRIL
Please access the latest school calendar HERE and the DRAFT of the 2024-2025 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