Newsletter- 03/11/23
Kowloon Junior School’s latest newsletter is available to read now.
Dates for Your Diary
6-9 November School Photo
16 November 3-Way Conferences (3-6pm)
17 November 3-Way Conferences (all day, no school for students)
1 December Winter Fair PTA event
5-8 December Y6 Camp
11 December Holiday after Local Election
15 December Last Day of Term (school ends at 12:00)
8 January First Day of Term 2
Principal’s Message
Dear KJS families,
I hope this newsletter finds you all in good health and that you all had an enjoyable mid term break last week.
Firstly, I would like to extend a huge thank you to all the families who attended our highly anticipated Monster’s Ball last night. It was an incredible event filled with spooky fun, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Your presence truly made the evening a resounding success.
I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to our dedicated staff (and their fantastic dancing skills) and of course the PTA (including all parent volunteers) for their unwavering support in organising the event. The hours of planning and preparation ensured that the event was a roaring success. Thank you for your commitment to our school community.
In other news, our Year 4 students showcased their exceptional talents and hard work during the Exhibition to Parents this morning. The exhibition encompassed a wide range of artistic expressions, including photography, sculpture, painting, drama, and music. It was truly a feast for the senses, and I am incredibly proud of our talented students and of course the Year 4 staff team for putting it all together.
A reminder that we have our class, individual and whole school photos taking place next week between Monday and Thursday. Further information should have also been sent out today. The whole school photo is on Wednesday morning and we would like all students to wear their full school uniform (not PE kit) to ensure the photo looks consistent with previous years.
I wish you all an enjoyable and safe weekend.
Mr Gavin MacGregor
Principal
School Photo (6-9 Nov)
We will be taking our school photos next week. Students will be taking their individual portraits and also a group class photo. There will also be a whole school photo session on Wednesday morning.
A few things to note:
- The whole school photo (all Y1 – 6 students plus all teaching staff) will take place Wednesday morning at 8:30am. Please ensure your child is arriving campus on time to avoid any delay or missing of the session. For absence, please kindly inform the school office and the class teacher as soon as you can via the absence function on ESF app or email at office@kjs.edu.hk.
- All children should wear normal school uniform and NOT PE kit on the day of the photo shoot. Class teachers will be in touch if there is any special arrangement for your class or if you are not sure, please do not hesitate to reach out to the class teacher for clarification.
- For students who are absent on the day, we have several time slots throughout the week for individual portraits. You may send your child in with normal school uniform the following day and the class teacher will help schedule another time for your child. Please be reminded to email class teacher and school office (office@kjs.edu.hk) in advance so we could arrange accordingly.
- If your child happens to be away for the entire period (6 – 9 Nov), please get in touch with Techni Photo directly to schedule another session which will take place at their studio in Lai Chi Kok – Flat C1, 3/F Spinners Industrial Building Phase 5, 760-762 Cheung Sha Wan Road.
- All the photos will be available for purchase before the end of the month. Details are to follow.
Three-way conference meetings (16-17 November)
Three-way conferences enable dialogue between students, parents and teachers. Everyone meets to discuss the student’s learning and targets, with the student taking an equal and active role. A three-way conference is 15 minutes with your child and their class teacher, plus an opportunity to engage with our specialist teachers. The conferences will be held face to face here at KJS, at the dates and times below.
These meetings align with our AAROW’s of success, particularly Agency and Achievement as it gives students an opportunity to share their growth as learners. Through this process the children will develop competency as assessment-capable learners and demonstrate a growing understanding of their development as independent learners.
As a parent or guardian, the hope is you will gain a greater understanding of your child’s progress and next steps. Parents, staff and students collaborate to achieve success for every child.
Three-Way Conferences Overview
The sessions with classroom teachers are 15 minutes in length with appointments available on Thursday 16th November between 3pm and 6pm and on Friday 17th November between 8am-3pm.
School will be closed for all students on Friday 17th November
You can sign up via your Gateway login, looking for Parent Consultation- ‘Three-Way Conferences.’
Bookings open at the following times:
Parents with siblings: Friday 3rd November at 5pm
All other parents: Monday 6th November at 5pm
Bookings will close at 12pm on Monday 13th November
Year 1 parents note:
For our year 1 families there is an option to meet with your child’s Chinese teacher as well as your child’s classroom teacher.
The PE team will run practical sessions for Year 1 and 2 parents on the ground floor playground throughout the day. There is no booking required. You can visit these before or after your meeting with the class teacher. (We will expand these to other Year groups in future conference days). The Drama and Music team will also be offering some drop in sessions.
We look forward to welcoming you on one of the above dates.
News from the PTA
PTA AGM
We are still seeking participants for our AGM which is scheduled to take place next week on Wednesday at 3:00 pm via Zoom. Please register (below) if you intend to participate so that we may gauge our numbers for compliance.
KOWLOON JUNIOR SCHOOL PTA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) 2023
Dear Parents and Teachers,
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Kowloon Junior School Parent Teacher Association Limited will be held on:
Wednesday 8th November 2023 at 3:00 pm
Place: Online via Zoom – Link: https://zoom.us/j/5887075656
Zoom ID：588 707 5656
Agenda:
- Approval of the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 14 October 2022
- Chairman’s Report
- Principal’s Report
- Presentation of the PTA Accounts and Auditors Report for 2021-2022
- Appointment of auditors for 2023-24 financial year
- Election of Committee members for 2023-24 year
To view the Minutes of the 2022 AGM, click HERE. If you have any questions regarding any matter related to the above, please email pta@kjs.edu.hk.
As members of the PTA, all parents and teachers are invited to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting. Please register your attendance in advance HERE
To submit a nomination for the PTA Committee please complete the Nomination Form HERE and email the scan or photocopy with your signature to the PTA email (pta@kjs.edu.hk) or Whatsapp number (62114154) no later than 6.00 p.m. on Wednesday 1 November 2023.
If you would like an item to be included on the Agenda, please email the PTA no later than 6.00 p.m. on Monday 6 November 2023.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the AGM.
BY ORDER OF THE COMMITTEE
March 2024 Raffle Donations
Following our previous communications, we are still asking for donations for this major fund raising event for the school. Thank you to those who have generously pledged already, but we are still in need of more donations.
To indicate your commitment to this important cause, please take a moment to fill out this Google form.
Your support is crucial in ensuring that our school Fair is a memorable and valuable experience for all.
Donations and items must be dropped off at the PTA Office and pass them over to Rekha, the Administrator. We greatly appreciate your contribution.
The deadline for donations has been extended to Wednesday 8 November 2023
Monsters Ball 2 Nov. 2023
We had a wonderful turn out and atmosphere here in school yesterday with a fantastic disco led by our rock star staff, amazing costumes from the attendees and volunteers and a lot of meeting and greeting of old friends and new. It was fun, exciting and well attended. We are sorry that some parents were unable to obtain tickets due to the lateness of applications and limitations of numbers and volunteers. But don’t worry, the next event is just a few weeks away…
Winter Festival Friday 1 Dec. 2023
Another amazing event is being planned for Friday 1 December 2023 here at school.
Tickets will be available soon, but before that, we need your help!
Please sign on this Google Form if you are interested in volunteering.
The viability, size, attendance and success of our events is dependent on our hundreds of parents, assisted so well by our teaching and support staff.
If we want wonderful events, we need your energy and commitment!
Chartwells Lunch Service
From a very smooth start in September, we are now experiencing more issues on a regular basis.
Whilst we work closely with Chartwells, we need parents to be hands on with their timeline of ordering and changing their menu selections. Recently we have had too many children without lunches from home or Chartwells come to the PTA office for meals to be arranged, which so far we have largely managed to do.
But this cuts into their eating time, needs several phone calls to families, disrupts the class schedules and is unsettling to the children.
Please be aware that Chartwells needs 3 working days to process your selections- do not expect that if you order the night before, that your child will get their meals / changes the next day.
Whilst Chartwells has been very accommodating, it is not sustainable on many levels.
As always, we thank you all for your support, cooperation and understanding as we re-build our strong community step by step.
Best wishes,
The KJS PTA Team
Student Success
Thank you for sharing your child’s achievements with us over the past year.
While individual achievements are undoubtedly significant and provide a source of pride for both the student and their family, sharing every student’s accomplishments on our social media channels is no longer feasible. Our intention is to create an inclusive environment where all students, regardless of their individual accomplishments, feel valued and celebrated.
That being said, we encourage you to share your child’s achievements with their teacher and peers, as well as within your personal social media networks. This way, your child’s accomplishments can be recognized and celebrated by those who know them best.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to navigate the post-pandemic educational landscape. Our school community’s strength lies in our collective efforts to celebrate the diverse talents, achievements, and experiences of all our students.
Disclaimer
- Kowloon Junior School, English Schools Foundation and its affiliates shall take no responsibility for any activities, events, and services that are organised by other organisations or individuals and are mentioned in our newsletters.
- Our newsletters may contain direct marketing materials that are related to students’ daily school activities and the KJS community. Parents who choose not to receive such materials should use their own discretion.
- In accordance with our Personal Data Handling Policy, Kowloon Junior School and English Schools Foundation may place your child’s photos, name, school work, activities and accomplishments in our newsletters or other publications (including but not limited to our websites and social media sites). If you would like to opt out, please email the school office at office@kjs.edu.hk.
