ESF News (May)

Latest development on conversation with EDB regarding subvention

The Subvention Steering group set up by the Board met in the past two months since it was established. Several areas have been discussed, including the role positioning of ESF within Hong Kong. We will update the ESF community once there is clear progress with the EDB.

New ESF Therapy Centre

As part of the new ESF Therapy initiative the ESF Educational Psychology service is now in operation. Two Psychologists, Nicki Holmes, and Tim Conroy-Stocker started work on 14 April and from the start of May have been offering educational psychology services to all ESF schools.
Nicki and Tim have specialisms in:

• Attachment difficulties
• Personal construct psychology
• Emotional Literacy
• Children’s Mental Health and wellbeing
• Autistic spectrum disorders
• Critical incidents
• Early Years

Educational Psychology is one of the aspects of an integrated service provision based on the ESF Therapy Centre which will provide educational psychology, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy for all schools in ESF. These additional services are planned to go live from August 2011.

Kowloon Junior update

Refurbishment has been completed at the temporary school campus in Hung Hom. Perth Street was packed up for relocation just before the Easter break with the bulk of the move taking place during the two-week holiday. After unpacking the many boxes and setting up the furniture, IT systems and classrooms, students started classes at the Hung Hom campus on 5 May 2011.

Click here to see more photos of the Hung Hom campus.

The demolition works at Perth Street will start in May 2011, with the demolition contractor now appointed after approval from the Government Architectural Services Department. These critical first phase works have been started in advance of the main building works to secure completion of the new campus in time for opening in August 2013.

ESF Applied Learning information

Our secondary schools have adopted a second pathway in the post-16 curriculum: the Applied Learning pathway. We will be hosting two parent information evenings, where we will have teachers and students share the type of learning in the programme, qualifications given and prospects for further study. Parents with children who are interested in subjects like Art, Engineering, Product Design, Business, Travel and Tourism, Theatre Arts and Music have been invited to attend and learn more about the courses offered in our schools.

Island side:  Bradbury School:  19 May, 7 – 8.30pm
Kowloon side: Beacon Hill School:  26 May, 7 – 8.30pm

For enquiries, please email to news@esfcentre.edu.hk.

ESF Primary Choral Conert - Raise the Roof

The fourth ESF Primary Choral Concert "Raise the Roof" was successfully held on 7 April. The arena of the Queen Elizabeth Stadium was filled with parents and friends. As in previous years our mass choir was made up of students from the eleven ESF primary schools. The students learned the songs with their music teachers at school and then experienced the excitement and satisfaction of coming together to make the joyous sound that only a choir of hundreds of young voices could create.

The concert started with A La Cart, the opening number, followed by Et In Terra Pax and Jazz Cantate in Liturgical Latin and many more classics. It ended with a grand finale as the choir led the audience in a legendary Tribute to Queen as We Will Rock You resounded throughout the stadium along with much hand clapping and foot stomping!

We wish to thank all our talented music teachers, who worked so hard in putting this concert together, for giving us such a delightful evening of music. Please go to our website to see some photos from the night (www.esf.edu.hk/choir)

 KGV won championship in Chinese debating competition

The finals of the Fourth Hong Kong International Schools Chinese Debate concluded on 14 April 2011. Organised by ESF Centre, the event attracted all seven ESF secondary schools and Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong. King George V School won the Championship. The team will debate Taipei European School as a friendship match in early June.

The Chinese Debate was an ESF initiative  four years ago. It has grown rapidly and reflected the overwhelming interest of our school communities in the Chinese language. For the first time this year, ESF Centre has provided experienced Putonghua debate coaches for all internal participants. While competing, over 100 debaters found this extracurricular activity an excellent platform to enhance their language and thinking skills. The level of Chinese exhibited in each round had nearly reached native standard and indicated local employability. 

Hong Kong Schools Film Award

Date: 26 May 2011 (Thursday)
Time: 4.30pm – 8.00pm
Venue: John Wray Atrium, South Island School

The event will showcase the talent of students from ESF and other Hong Kong schools through film-making, with three separate ceremonies to be carried out for primary, lower secondary and upper secondary.

This year there are eleven ESF schools with close to 100 films submitted across different categories competing for 23 trophies including Best Collaborative Film, Best Animation, Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Script-Writer and many more.

Adopt-a-book update

The Adopt-a-book campaign is a fundraising project that aims to help update the book collection of the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School library. With a donation of $150, one can help purchase a book and become its “adopter”.  As of 5 May 2011, we have raised more than $200,000, which helped stock the newly refurbished library with over 1300 new books. Each adopted book has a bookplate with the adopter’s name or organisation printed.

Jockey Club Sarah Roe School will celebrate the opening of the new library at 6pm on 24 May (Tuesday); donors are invited to have a tour around the library they contributed to.

On this special day, students’ artwork will also be on display for guests and donors to purchase.

We will still need all the help we can get in order to reach our goal - $300,000.

Japan earthquake relief update

Up till now at least HK$550,000 have been raised by ESF schools.  To name a few, Clearwater Bay School has raised HK$152,000 just on 18 March with a Red and White day.  Students brought donations to school and sold items in an effort to raise funds.  South Island School raised HK$120,000 through dance performances, charity weeks and the non-uniform day.  A student published the new magazine “50NFR” which he sold and donated all the profits. All fundraising events at South Island School were initiated and organised by the Japanese students. They wished to lead by example and energised the whole school into action. Peak School students and parents made 1000 paper cranes and hung them at the foyer. The display serves as a place where everyone can make their own wish for Japan and its community.

ESF Educational Services update

After School Sports

Enrolment is now open for the term 3 ESL sports programme. With the weather warming up, it’s time for your child to get back into the pool and brush up on their swimming skills. Our Learn to Swim and Squad programmes offer children of all ages and abilities structured and progressive swimming tuition.  Don’t miss out!  Other sports include football, basketball, tennis, netball, martial arts and gymnastics; there are special classes for younger children, including a new Gym Tots course as well as Sports and Soccer Cubs. 

For information, visit the ESL website, www.esf.org.hk, to find out more about the wide range of sports activities for children.   Click here for details of the schedule.

Summer Sports Camps

ESL’s ever-popular multi-sports camps and sport-specific clinics will be offered again at school locations during the summer holidays.  What better way to give your child something fun and rewarding to do over the long holidays.  There are activities for young children with multi-sports camp, Gym Tots and Fun Football Camp, and multi-sports camps for primary aged children.  Sports clinics are available in swimming, gymnastics, trampolining and football.  To find out more, visit the ESL website www.esf.org.hk or click here for details of the schedule.

Language Camps

Is your child interested in learning Spanish?  Try an introduction with ESL’s Summer School programme Summer School - ESF Educational Services

ESL will also be offering English Summer School, including preparation for the Cambridge Young Learners of English exams.  To find out more about ESL’s English classes and ESL’s Cambridge in Summer programme, click here.

Key dates of the month