Primary Principals' Newsletter

For the ‘short’ month of the Gregorian calendar, February had so much packed into it at KIS! From ACER-ISA and Putonghua proficiency tests in upper primary to photo days and sports events, impromptu mini-exhibitions and learning engagements, and weekend PD for teachers, February has been a blur as it has passed! There is much more in store for March! Be on the lookout for invitations to attend our Y6 PYP Exhibition on March 27, 2025!

As part of our commitment to fostering a well-rounded education, I would like to share some insights about the concepts of global citizenship and international-mindedness within the Primary Years Programme (PYP).

Embracing Global Citizenship

In today’s interconnected world, it is essential for our children to develop a sense of global citizenship. This means understanding that they are part of a larger community that transcends borders, cultures, and languages. Through the PYP, we strive to cultivate this awareness by encouraging students to recognize their role in the world and the impact they can have on their communities and beyond.

Fostering International-Mindedness

International-mindedness is at the heart of the PYP curriculum. It encourages students to appreciate and celebrate diversity while recognizing the commonalities that unite us as human beings. Our transdisciplinary themes promote discussions about global issues, cultural perspectives, and the importance of empathy, respect, and collaboration.

How We Implement These Values

In our classrooms, students engage in inquiries that explore real-world issues, allowing them to think critically about topics such as sustainability, equality, and human rights. By participating in collaborative activities with peers, they learn to value diverse perspectives and develop strong communication skills.

Partnering with Parents

We believe that the role of parents is vital in this journey. We encourage you to engage in conversations at home about global issues and cultural differences. Supporting your child’s curiosity about the world can deepen their understanding and reinforce the values we teach at school.

Together, we can nurture a generation of compassionate and informed global citizens who are prepared to make a positive impact in the world.

What is stress?

Stress is a state of worry or mental tension that is usually caused by a difficult situation. Times like during a test, doing homework, or presenting to the class are some times when you might feel stressed or nervous.

How can we manage or deal with our stress?

Taking deep breaths, doodling, listening to music, squeezing your hands into fists, these all are great ways to deal with our stress. My personal favourite is squeezing my fists. A tip is to squeeze, and release. Squeeze, release. I like doing this because feeling the muscles in my hand move really calms me. Sometimes even doing it to a beat might help!

How do you avoid getting stressed?

Breathing or meditation exercises, yoga, swimming, or muscle relaxation can help with avoiding stress. This is because doing these things clears your mind of worries, or upcoming events that you might be worried about.

Thank you to family members who came out to watch our Boys and Girls Football Teams compete against Norwegian International School on February 19!

Both squads played very well! The Boys team drew with NIS, 2-2. Jaime Chu scored both Kingston goals against an excellent NIS goalkeeper.

The Girls played their best game yet this year! They controlled the ball, passed well and got at least 10 or 12 shots at the net. Yasmine scored our only goal with a penalty kick, leaving us 2-1 down for a final score. The score does not reflect the dominance that Kingston showed during the game, and NIS only had a small handful of opportunities for the duration. Even the NIS coach was amazed at the KIS Girls’ transformation!

We are pleased to share that Y6.1 Yoyo’s Dad has been joining the girls’ morning practices to help with technique and drills. We are grateful for his generosity with his time!

Once again, our humble thanks to Melody Mok, Y5.1 Jaime’s Chu’s mom, for documenting the matches with her photography skills and for being kind enough to share them! Please feel free to click through the great action shots!

The boys played an additional game at ASHK this past Monday and Y6.1 Teacher Mr. Michael joined them on their journey. While the game result was not what the boys were hoping for, Mr. Michael reports that he was very proud of them all around!

NIS vs Girls team

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ywzVwALZq3sRLYyh7

NIS vs Boys team

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3kUj9AvHh2HegcKU7

ASHK vs Boys Team

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pj1ptw8j3wj3mPZv9

My Personal Reflection:

First, five fencers, including me, were competing with each other in the pool. I won two games and lost two games which resulted in a positive score. But I was still able to get into the knockout stage. My first match in the knockout stage went well and I won. I was promoted to a table of 64 out of 190 players. In the second match, I was competing against the 14th place player in table of 64. The opening was easy but the middle section was tough. Our scores were close but unfortunately I lost 8-10.

I was upset but I knew I tried my best. It was a great experience. From now on, I will practice more and harder to prepare for the biggest game in April.

This week Kingston will be playing our last regular-season games in the HKPHL Eastern Conference. It will take a few more weeks for regular season play to finish amongst the rest of the schools. There are still the city-wide HKPHL Championships to play for and we will update you as those games unfold.

The undefeated KIS Blue Team has already finished first place in the Eastern Conference Championship. The trophy for the A Division Eastern Conference Championship was awarded yesterday and there will be a medal ceremony in a week or two. After last week’s loss to ASHK, the KIS Yellow Team standings are less certain and we will have to wait for the result of next week’s match between ASHK and Think before B Division Eastern Conference Champions can be declared.

We look forward to adding another victory photo (or two!) to our Hockey Hall of Fame display soon!

If you would like to view more photos of our Competitive Hockey Team in action, Mr. MAN Chi Ho has shared some here: Kingston v ASHK February 20, 2025.

In the new term, the SRC has begun providing morning announcements to all of Upper Primary using our central PA system. The format for the Monday announcements is flexible at the moment, with SRC members trying out riddles whose solutions may be submitted at the office as a means of building audience participation. Beyond the riddles, SRC Announcers have shared weather information, scheduled events for the week, birthdays for the month and have even held brief interviews with teachers. We hope the SRC continues this fine new tradition for years to come!

The PYPX journey begins! 🌟 Our Year 6 inquirers are diving into fascinating research questions - from environmental challenges to cultural heritage and future tech.

These young researchers are exploring their burning questions through interviews, deep dives into resources, and connecting with expert mentors. This is where curiosity meets discovery at Kingston!