Primary Principals' Newsletter
English Version March 2025
Is it the end of March already? It must have been a fun month since it seemed to fly by! March was filled with competition and teamwork, as the features below will highlight. As we approach the Easter Break and the final stretch of 2024-2025, we hope each and every one of us gets a chance to stop and smell the roses, and appreciate how fortunate we are to have each other to help us along!
Celebrating Our Year 6 PYP Exhibition Success!
The PYP Exhibition is a cornerstone of the Primary Years Programme, serving as a culminating experience that encapsulates the essence of inquiry-based learning. It is not just an event; it is a transformative experience that embodies the principles of the PYP. It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding and application of the key concepts, skills, and attitudes they have developed throughout their PYP journey. It is a celebration of inquiry, creativity and community.
We are thrilled to congratulate our Year 6 students for their outstanding performance in the PYP Exhibition! You navigated this important milestone with flying colors, showcasing not only your knowledge but also your creativity, collaboration, and dedication to inquiry.
Not only did our Y6s undertake in depth inquiry on their topics, they did it in Chinese and English. Every year we are in awe of what the Y6s are capable of and this year was no exception.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to our dedicated teachers and mentors whose guidance and support were instrumental in helping our students succeed. Your commitment to fostering a love of learning is truly inspiring!
We also want to extend our gratitude to the families who attended the exhibition. Your presence made the day even more special and encouraged our young learners to shine.
It was wonderful to see other Kingston students engaging with our Year 6 exhibitors, learning from their insights and experiences. The connections made during this event are invaluable and contribute to a vibrant school community.
Congratulations once again to our Year 6 students for a job well done! Your hard work and enthusiasm have made us all proud.
A Brief Overview of IBPYP Mathematics
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) emphasizes a holistic approach to education, with mathematics being a crucial area of inquiry. In the IBPYP framework, mathematics is not taught in isolation but is integrated into the broader context of transdisciplinary learning. This approach encourages students to make connections between mathematical concepts and real-life situations, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the subject. By engaging with mathematics in meaningful ways, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a sense of inquiry that fuels their desire to learn.
Inquiry-Based Learning
At the heart of the IBPYP approach is inquiry-based learning, which encourages students to explore mathematical concepts through questions, investigations, and hands-on activities. Rather than merely memorizing formulas and algorithms, students are prompted to discover mathematical principles through exploration and experimentation. This process allows them to construct their own understanding and develop a rich conceptual framework. Teachers facilitate this learning by providing opportunities for students to engage in discussions, collaborate on projects, and reflect on their mathematical thinking, thereby enhancing their learning experience.
Conceptual Understanding and Skills Development
In the IBPYP, the focus is not only on acquiring computational skills but also on developing a strong conceptual understanding of mathematical ideas. Students engage with various mathematical strands, including number sense, geometry, measurement, and data handling, which are interwoven throughout the curriculum. This interconnectedness helps students see mathematics as a cohesive whole rather than a series of disconnected topics. Additionally, the curriculum emphasizes the importance of applying mathematical concepts to solve real-world problems, equipping students with the skills they need to navigate everyday challenges.
Assessment for Learning
Assessment in the IBPYP is viewed as an integral part of the learning process rather than merely a means of evaluating student performance. The assessment strategy is designed to be formative, providing ongoing feedback that informs both teaching and learning. Teachers use a variety of assessment methods, including observations, student reflections, and project-based evaluations, to gauge student understanding and progress. This approach allows educators to tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs of learners, ensuring that each student has the opportunity to succeed in their mathematical journey.
The Role of Reflection and Action
Reflection is a key component of the IBPYP mathematics approach, enabling students to think critically about their learning experiences. Students are encouraged to reflect on their problem-solving processes, consider alternative strategies, and evaluate their outcomes. This self-assessment fosters a growth mindset, where students view challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement. Furthermore, the IBPYP encourages students to take action based on their reflections, whether through applying their mathematical understanding to community projects or engaging in discussions about mathematical concepts beyond the classroom. This emphasis on action reinforces the relevance of mathematics in the world around them and cultivates lifelong learners.
Football
On March 17th, our Girls and Boys Football teams travelled to ICHK-HLY to take on our friends in Hong Lok Yuen. Both teams played very well but came up a little bit short in the end. The Girls, showing sheer determination, have begun practicing every morning before school instead of twice a week. They are determined to come out on top for their next match! On behalf of the girls and our community, we would like to thank Y6.1 YoYo Lau’s dad for joining the practices and leading the girls on skills drills!
Many thanks to Melody Mok for the photos! Please take a moment to see the Kingston student grit here: Girls and Boys Football vs ICHK-HLY
Competitive Floor Hockey Medal Ceremony
On Thursday, March 27th, our Competitive Hockey Teams were treated to a medal ceremony and pizza party! Kingston’s Blue and Yellow Team celebrated winning the Eastern Conference HKPHL Championships with a ceremony in which each player collected their medals, followed by a delicious pizza meal provided by Y5.2 Isaac Wong’s mom. After our champions had their fill of pizza, we proceeded to the hockey court, where players offered mini lessons to their moms and dads, culminating in an impromptu Parents vs. Students match! Coach Harper, Coach Fourie, and the players are extremely grateful to all the parents who attended, especially those who played! Our heartfelt gratitude, as always, is extended to Y5.1 Jaime Chu’s mom, Melody, and Y5.2 Elizabeth Man’s dad, Chi Ho, for taking wonderful photos of the event! They are both essential contributors to our community’s enjoyment of our children’s experiences as members of the KIS Hockey Team!
Please click on these links to enjoy the fun!
CAIS Floor Hockey Tournament
We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who joined our hockey teams for the tournament at CAIS on March 22! Your support for our players made the day truly special. It was a joy to connect with so many family members and to welcome younger siblings and grandparents into the fun.
Kingston’s Yellow Team won first place after emerging victorious from an exciting and impressive final showdown against CAIS in the B Division! Congratulations are also in order for our Blue and Green Teams, who showcased grit and determination in every game.
Our House League (Green Team) players’ potential, dedication and enthusiasm shone brightly, and we look forward to welcoming each House League player to our Competitive Team next year!
A special thank you to Mr. Man and Kingston alumni/hockey veteran Ethan Man for successfully coaching the Yellow Team to their first-place finish. We also appreciate KIS alumni and hockey veterans Aegis, Marcus, and Ronny for guiding our Blue Team through a series of exciting matches.
We are fortunate to have had Elizabeth Man’s dad and Jaime Chu’s mom capturing beautiful moments throughout the day. Additionally, Javan’s mom has generously shared a video of the Blue Team games. DO NOT miss a chance to scan through these photos and video, they are fantastic!
Melody Mok’s Yellow and Green Team Photos
Kingston Wins the 2025 Chinese BoB Championship!
On 4th March, 2025, our Chinese BOB team (Y4.1 Agnes Wu and Horace Lin, Y5.1 Charlette Lee and Lambo Lam, Y5.2 Olivia Chan, Y6.1 Javan Tang and Jason Huang, and Y6.2 Frank Fei) represented Kingston to compete in the 5th Annual Hong Kong International School Chinese BOB Final. This year’s competition featured a total of 16 international schools, all competing against each other in three rounds of quiz battles at the same time across four different divisions. These 16 schools include Harrow International School, Shatin Junior School, Nord Anglia International School, Australian International School Hong Kong, Clearwater Bay School, Canadian International School of Hong Kong, Singapore International School, Glenealy School, Christian Alliance International School of Hong Kong, Anfield International School, Stamford American School Hong Kong, Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong, Victoria Shanghai Academy, Quarry Bay School, Invictus International School and Kingston.
Congratulations to our team on winning the 2025 Chinese BoB Final with the highest score of 370. We appreciate their efforts to achieve such a great result! Let’s keep it up and do it again next year!
SRC Announcements Update
SRC Monday announcements at Upper Primary continue to be a great source of information, celebration and fun for our students! On March 24, two SRC students from Year 3 crossed over to Upper Primary to deliver the week’s announcements. Under Y5.2 Elizabeth Man’s guiding wing, Y3.1 Chan Yi Shin and Y3.2 Hayden Tang did a wonderful job of sharing the news of the week! These two young risk-takers reflected afterward that they were nervous about speaking to ‘all of the big kids’ before commencing the announcements but were proud that they spoke clearly when the time came. Upper Primary students and teachers were pleased to have them participate! On March 31, Y3.1 Anton Lee and Y3.2 Hailey Wong took their turn under Y6.1 Yasmine Poon’s wing and also did a wonderful job of this week’s announcements!
KIS Student Newspapers For Sale!
The Easter edition of the Kingston Student Newspaper will be on sale next week will be selling the Easter edition of the newspaper on Monday 7th, Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th April during morning arrival time, between 8:10 and 8:30am at both Lower and Upper Primary
- be sure to pick up your copy and one for the grandparents as well! The full-colour newspaper is available for 50$ and proceeds will be donated to Feeding Hong Kong!
Lower KEG
Our Lower Primary Kingston Environmental Group (KEG) is thrilled to share the progress of our garden! We've embarked on an exciting journey of planting a variety of vegetables, including carrots, tomatoes, spring onions, cucumbers, and eggplants. It’s been an educational and rewarding experience so far.
Researching and Planning Our Garden
We began our gardening adventure by researching which plants would be ideal to grow during this season. This step was important in helping us choose vegetables that would thrive in our garden planters in the small playground.
Next, we created a garden map to organise our planting layout. This map allowed us to visualise where each vegetable would go, ensuring that they have enough space to grow while considering their sunlight and water needs. We then carefully planted our seeds in neat rows, making sure to follow the layout we had designed on the map.
Labeling and Sign Making
To keep our garden organised, we labeled the different vegetables using rocks to make it easy for everyone to identify what we planted. We also made colourful garden signs that gave friendly reminders to respect our garden.
Enjoying the Growth
We are now enjoying watching our garden grow! Each day brings new excitement as we care for our plants, ensuring they get enough water and sunlight. We look forward to adding to our garden.
Daniel Yu - Piano
Congratulations to Y6.2 Daniel Yu Man Tai for winning First Place in the Grade Four Graded Piano Solo at the recent 77th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival! Daniel was awarded 87 marks for his performance of Sonatina in G Op. 36 No. 2, 1st Movement: Allegretto by Clementi.
Daniel won the Grade 3 category last year as well, proof that continuing hard work and dedication may benefit each of us even after we are recognised for our talents!
Y2 “We Are All Unique” Picture Book Published
Our Y2 learners have successfully created a picture book entitled "We Are All Unique" . This picture book revolves around the theme Every student is unique and talented. Students embarked on a journey of self-discovery, learning to appreciate their own talents and how they contributed to the group. They created poems and hand-drawn artwork to illustrate the book. In order for us to share this achievement we have decided to make the book available for sale! Please contact Y2 Ms.TIAN and Ms. Wu for ordering the book.
KIS Mathematics Parent Information Sessions
On March 20 and March 25, Kingston Maths Coordinators Mr. John and Ms. Alet hosted parent information sessions for Upper and Lower Primary Parents. Each of the sessions was structured to provide as detailed an overview of Kingston’s Maths Program as possible with emphasis on:
Maths Curriculum and Approach: How are IBPYP Maths planned, taught and learned? Why do we use the Alberta Curriculum? What are Standalone Mathematics and Integrated Mathematics? How do teachers map Mathematics learning throughout the year and what does the PYP require from an effective program?
The Kingston Difference: Maths without tears or dining room table meltdowns, but exceeding standards and means.
Benchmarking and Assessments: A historical and current look at how Kingston students are measuring up to international standards and benchmarks.
Using Data to Target Learning: How we are using digital tools for skills targeting individual student learning
Homework: Why we assign homework the way we do.
Communication: How Kingston updates families on mathematics progress.
Coming Soon: What’s next for the Kingston Maths Programme?
Ms. Alet and Mr. John very much enjoyed the discussions that followed the presentations and look forward to the next Maths Parent Session for Lower Primary Parents, expected to be scheduled in May. Stay tuned for your invitation!
'I Love You Even Though You’re Lazy and Stupid'
Recently, an interesting article on how we speak to children, especially our own, may have an effect on their development. Here is a quote that we found alarming and wished to share:
‘Only 30 percent of respondents knew that persistently calling children “lazy” and “stupid”, shaming them for their physical characteristics, or emotional detachment could constitute psychological abuse.’ - SCMP
The whole article is worth reading and we hope you will take a minute to do so: SCMP Article on Verbal Abuse
Anson Ip
The famously most successful KIS Student Newspaper seller of all time dropped by Upper Primary to say hello recently! Anson is currently studying at ICHK and offered the following updates on his first year of secondary school:
He has joined the ICHK Ultimate Frisbee Team! PE and Art continue to be his favorite classes and when he was asked about the differences between the schools, he noted that there are a lot of stairs on campus and that the uniforms are more comfortable than the ones he wore at KIS!
