Issue No. 25 (8 March 2019) - South Island School

8 Mar 2019

South Island School Leadership Structure – August 2019 update

TagsIssue No. 25 (8 March 2019)

Dear Parents,

As we examine our future vision for South Island School, we have been reflecting on our best leadership structure for the future – and after careful analysis, we have decided to make a number of changes from August 2019. This will also coincide with the moment when our long-serving Vice Principal, Annette Chapman, retires with her husband Chris after 33 years of dedicated service to South Island School. We will all miss Annette and Chris enormously when they finally leave us in July and we wish them a very happy and prosperous retirement.

VICE PRINCIPALS

Teaching and Learning are our core purpose! Therefore, from August, we will be aligning our three Vice Principal roles with oversight of our central curricula.

Carolyn Andrews will move into the role of Vice Principal: Teaching and Learning. As you know, Carolyn has led the tremendously successful implementation of the IB MYP curriculum at South Island School. Carolyn’s role will now involve extending her expertise upwards to oversee our academic programmes as a whole, as we seek to ensure that learning in the classroom is genuinely excellent at all times.

Lucie Purves will join us in the role of Vice Principal: Guidance and Well-Being. Lucie is currently Head of Middle School at Sha Tin College, and we are delighted that someone of Lucie’s experience and calibre will be joining us. Lucie’s role will involve overseeing everything to do with the pastoral side of school life: we believe that happy students and happy teachers are the secret ingredients of exceptional learning, and well-being is at the heart of our central objectives going forward. Congratulations to Lucie on her appointment to South Island School!

Darin Slethaug will take the role of Vice Principal: Values in Action and Learning Systems. Darin will have strategic oversight of the extra-curricular side of school life, and will also continue to oversee the development and usage of learning systems within the school.

Together with Lydia Yu, our Business Manager, our three Vice Principals will aim to ensure that all aspects of school life are fully aligned with our strategic objectives.

SECTION LEADERS

Complementing the work of our three Vice Principals will be our three Section Leaders, each in charge of one phase of the school.

Shaine Bushell will move into the role of Head of Post 11 Learning (MYP Coordinator). Shaine already has the role of MYP Academic Coordinator and has been a key player in the success of the MYP programme to date. We are delighted that Shaine is now taking on the oversight of the IB MYP phase as a whole, as the overall coordinator for the Year 7-9 curricula, a role which will include helping to ensure that new students make a smooth transition to South Island School on arrival. Congratulations to Shaine on his promotion!

Fran Crouch will oversee the GCSE phase, continuing her existing role of Head of Post 14 Learning (GCSE Coordinator), with overall responsibility for the Year 10-11 curricula. Fran will also continue in her role as Making A Difference Coordinator, ensuring that our core philosophy remains absolutely central to school life.

Kelly Diaz will oversee the IB DP/CP phase, continuing her existing role of Head of Post 16 Learning (IB DP Coordinator), involving holistic coordination of the Year 12-13 curricula. Kelly will liaise closely with our Careers and Higher Education Department on university application procedures, and will also continue in her role as Head of TOK.

Together, our three Section Leaders will aim to ensure that our students make smooth journeys from their primary schools, through MYP, GCSE and IBDP or IBCP – and ultimately onwards to their higher education and career goals.

The above changes will take place from August 2019 – it will be business as usual until then! We hope you like the new shape of our Leadership Team, all of whom will work closely with our Heads of Faculty, Heads of Year, Heads of House and all staff, as we continue to ensure outstanding educational provision for all of our students.

8 Mar 2019

Sports Bulletin – 8 March 2019

TagsIssue No. 25 (8 March 2019)

The Hong Kong Equestrian Federation Inter-School Equestrian Challenge 2019 started last Friday. There were over 90 riders from 23 schools participating and in each heat competitors were required to complete a preliminary dressage test (Ingestre Preliminary Test 5) and jump a course of jumps of up to 50cm in height. A total of five Lower Division heats will take place on five consecutive Fridays and SIS completed our Lower Division heats on 1 March 2019.

Our 4 confident riders Yoyo Leung (8C1), Raphael Leung (7B1), Chelsea Chan (7B1) and Ella Legere (7K1) finished with 3^rd place. Congratulations to Chelsea who came in 6^th lace on the jumping test.

Last Sunday, the rowing team took part in the 2^nd series of the Middle Island Rowing Festival. Even though the day started a little wet, the competition got underway and we had Kirra and Charlotte compete in the U14 Singles and Doubles. In the Boys U14, we had Fred, Joshua, James and Samuel also competing in Single and Doubles. The U16 boys won the Quad race; Oliver and Nick also came in with a very comfortable lead in their double race. It was good to see Amos back on the water competing in the U16 Singles. The results of the day will be combined with the Series #1 races from January.

Also last Sunday, the senior boys played the semi-final of the Jing Ying trophy at Po Kong Village and won comprehensively 6-1, setting up a final against Island School, to be played tomorrow at Mong Kok stadium at 2pm.

On Monday, we had the C Grade Boys and Girls HKSSF Badminton match. The boys played against King’s College. Unfortunately, they were a very strong team and SIS lost 0-3. The girls played against Henrietta School, who played very well but Henrietta School took a 3-1 win against SIS. It is the first lost for both C Grade Boys and Girls. Despite this, they are still very likely to make the single knockout finals. Best of luck!

There was a gutsy performance from the C Grade Girls Basketball team who lost to St Stephen’s on Wednesday. Although they kept their defensive formation brilliantly, this was not enough to stop the barrage of 3-point shots being made by multiple opposition players. The girls kept up their fighting spirit throughout. Well done ladies.

Thursday was also the third and final day of the HKSSF Athletics Championships and a chance for our finalists to see if they could win a medal in their events. After 3 days of competition, there were some tired legs, but SIS put in some strong performances to win medals. Notably, they were Naomi Teng, who won 3 medals in the 400, 800, and 4x100m relay; Justin Yung, who was 2nd in the A Grade Boys 200m; and Emma Standing who won the girls B Grade 400m. We also had success in some of the relays, boosting our overall points tally. At the end, the SIS girls team finished in 2^nd place overall with the B Grade Girls in 1^st place and the A Grade girls in 3^rd place, meaning they are promoted to Division 1, and the boys finished in 5th place with the aim of getting promotion next year. The athletics season is not done, however, as we still have the ISSFHK Championships and the ESF Championships to compete in before Easter. Thank you to all the parents who came and supported the athletes over the last three days. It was great to see you supporting the team and cheering them on!

A big weekend ahead with the senior boys playing in the final of the Jing Ying football trophy! We are hoping that as many of our school community as possible will come and watch the game and support the boys in what, for some of them, will be their last ever game of football at South Island School.

This weekend is also the inter-school sailing competition at Middle Island where many SIS students will be competing. Mrs Nicholas is very much hoping that as many members of our school community as possible will be able to go and support the students in this competition, despite the bad weather that is forecast!

Good luck to all our school teams who are representing SIS this weekend.

7 Mar 2019

Congratulations to Chinese debating team!

TagsIssue No. 25 (8 March 2019)

Let’s congratulate the Chinese debating team who won their competition on 25 February. Six members of the team gave outstanding performances. They are Dai Nachuan, Hazel Lee, Timothy So, Samuel Chu, Anson Li, and Zheng Hao Leong. ESF Chinese Debating final, here we come!

7 Mar 2019

Boys Jing Ying Football Finals against Island School

TagsIssue No. 25 (8 March 2019)

The South Island School Under-20 Boys Football Team have reached the final of the prestigious Jing Ying football tournament. This year, the final is being played at the Premier League Stadium in Mong Kok, the home of the Men’s National Football Team. This is the first time South Island have reached the final, where the winners will be the named the best school and college football team in Hong Kong and the New Territories. Please come and cheer the team on, this Saturday at 2pm, against our friendly ESF rival, Island School. Good luck to all our boys who are playing in this game.

7 Mar 2019

Scouts build large engineering projects

TagsIssue No. 25 (8 March 2019)

Scouts worked in teams over the weekend to build swings and bridges, using bamboo and rope.

This is part of a step-by-step programme to teach basic engineering skills. New scouts start by learning basic knots and build small projects, like tables and chairs. By the time they work on the prestigious Chief Scout’s Award in their final year, they have the skills to lead a small team to build large towers or bridges.

Claire Bratton (Y8) led a team to build a swing, while Charles-Gautier Joly and Lionel Troy (Y9) helped tie over 60 knots to build a trestle bridge.

Over 50 Scouts and leaders from 150th Hong Kong and 299th Sai Kung camped at Tai Tam Scout Center. It was a wet weekend – but everyone was prepared, and all the tents held up. Pouring rain was not going to deter anyone from getting a fire going and performing skits and songs, and of course, roasting marshmallows…

By Corinne Vigniel, Scout Leader, 150th Hong Kong Scouts, St Stephen’s, Stanley
150sjgleaders@gmail.com

Scouts making models.

Scouts sitting on the trestle bridge.

Camille and Sonia with Claire’s team work on square lashing.

Brendan with Nicholas’ team having a big smile on swing.

David carries marshmallows.

7 Mar 2019

Auskick 2019

TagsIssue No. 25 (8 March 2019)

5 Mar 2019

STC IB Visual Arts Exhibition 2019

TagsIssue No. 25 (8 March 2019)

Dear Parents and Guardians,

You are cordially invited to attend the opening of the Sha Tin College IB Visual Arts exhibition. The exhibition consists of the work of eighteen students and is the culmination of their two-year Visual Arts course.

The exhibition opening is from 3:30pm to 5:30pm on Thursday 14 March in the STC school hall. The students will be delighted to see as many members as possible of the South Island School and ESF community in attendance.

Refreshments will be served.