Newsletter 12/2016-17

Quarry Bay School’s latest newsletter is available to read now. Find out the latest news around the school and upcoming events.

 Principal’s Comments

 InCAS Assessment Information – November 2016

 Fifth Disease

 QBS Hour of Code

 Student Voice News

 French Mother Tongue Programme from ESF

 PTA News

Principal’s Comments

Looking ahead at QBS

• Monday the 21st of November to Wednesday the 23rd of November – Year 5 Camp
• Thursday the 24th of November – Year 4 Mandarin Parent Teacher Consultations (Gateway appointments required)

QBS Annual Report

The school’s annual report is now available to parents in the Gateway. Please click here to read the 2015/2016 QBS Annual Report. This report is required by the ESF Board each year and is ratified by the QBS School Council.

QBS PTA Positive Education Workshop and AGM

Thank you to all parents for supporting the PTA’s workshop this week about positive education. We look forward to hosting more of these types of events in the future. I would like to extend thanks to the QBS PTA for their ongoing support and contribution to our school community. I look forward to working with the new committee and thank the outgoing committee members for their involvement.

Hau Yuen Path

On Saturday Hau Yuen Path will be closed to traffic due to the CIS Fair. No vehicles will be able to access the street between 8am and 6pm on Saturday the 19th of November.

In general, the daily traffic problem in Hau Yuen Path and surrounding streets seems to be worsening. This is certainly shared anecdotally with me. Aside from the inconvenience, there is a more significant concern about the restricted access of emergency vehicles in the event of an accident or serious incident in our school. Considering ways to improve the traffic problem so emergency vehicles can access the street at all times of the day is necessary.

Regards,

InCAS Assessment Information – November 2016

Dear Parents,

Assessment is an important part of our teaching and learning cycle here at QBS. We assess where children are in their learning so we know where they need to go next and how we, as a school community, can support and extend them. Some significant aspects of assessment are teacher judgement and knowledge and both standardised and non-standardised assessments.

One of the standardised assessments we use at schools is the InCAS assessment. As you will know, students in Y2 – Y6 sat these assessments earlier this term. This is a computer based adaptive assessment which assesses children in these areas:

• Reading (word recognition, word decoding, comprehension and spelling)
• Spelling
• General Mathematics (number, measures, shape and space and handling data)
• Mental Arithmetic
• Developed ability (picture vocabulary and non-verbal ability)
• Attitudes (attitudes to Mathematics, reading and school are assessed)

We have now received the results of these assessments, and the data for reading , spelling, general mathematics and mental arithmetic will be available for you to view on the Gateway by clicking the Assessments link from next Monday the 21st of November, 2016.

The data is displayed in 6 month bands based on chronological age using the following bands:

• Above chronological age: 0-6 months, 7-12 months, 13-18 months, 19-24 months, 25-30 months, 31-36 months, 37-42 months, 43-48 months, 49-54 months, 55-60 months, 61-66 months, 67-72 months, >72 months.
• Below chronological age: 1-6 months, 7-12 months, 13-18 months, 19-24 months, 25-30 months, 31-36 months, 37-42 months, 43-48 months, 49-54 months, 55-60 months, 61-66 months, 67-72 months, >72 months

If you require any clarification after accessing the data please do contact your child’s class teacher or myself at michael.dewey@qbs.edu.hk

If you need assistance in logging into the Gateway please contact Mr Ken Lee on ken.lee@qbs.edu.hk

Regards,

Michael Dewey
Vice Principal

Fifth Disease

We have recently had cases of Erythema Infectiosum (Fifth Disease, Slapped Cheek, Parvovirus B 19) reported in different year groups.

Fifth Disease is a mild viral illness. It usually occurs primarily in children. The most distinctive symptom of the disease is a red rash on both cheeks.

The incubation period is 4 to 20 days after which the following symptoms appear:

• The child is infectious for 7 days prior to the rash appearing
• Rash appears on the face and other body parts such as limbs and trunk. The rash is blotchy or lace-like.
• Low grade fever, tiredness, joint pain and itchiness are other symptoms

Please take your child immediately to your family doctor if you notice any of these symptoms. Do not send your child to school. If the doctor confirms that your child has the illness, please inform the school. Once the child is allowed back to school we require a doctors certificate stating the child is fit for school.

Pregnant women and high risk person (Auto Immune Deficient) we recommend you seek advice from a medical practitioner.

For more information on Fifth Disease please see the link from the Centre of Health Protection.

http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/9/24/22.html

Regards,
Delia Guastella Monti
School Nurse
delia.guastellamonti@qbs.edu.hk

QBS Hour of Code

“Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.”
— STEVE JOBS, THE LOST INTERVIEW

It is now widely recognised that learning to code helps students develop important problem solving and thinking skills which can be applied to other aspects of their lives. In the past, coding or programming involved entering vast amounts of code and was quite laborious for students. Nowadays, several free apps and flash based web sites have been developed which make coding visual and fun allowing almost all students to participate creatively and become an inventor themselves.

We would like to invite all students to take part in a world wide event the “Hour of Code” during the week beginning 28.11.16. All year groups will be given an orientation to coding activities during their 45 minute ICT lesson and assigned a particular course. Links to the activities will be placed on the front page of Qoodle and a sticker with log in details stuck in student diaries. We would encourage students to continue these activities at home.

Further information about the world wide event “Hour of Code” can be found at https://hourofcode.com/us

Student Voice News

The charity group section of the Student Voice wish to let people know about the upcoming West Morninghope Christmas Charity.

Each year, Quarry Bay School donate different presents to children who are less fortunate than us. This has been going for a very long time and we wish to continue this tradition.

The year 5 and year 6 student voice children will be going to visit the school and take all the presents that our community bring in. The day that they will be going will be Wednesday 7th December. So we need all families to donate a gift before Monday 5th December. When your child brings the present into school, they can put it under the Christmas tree in the school hall or give it to their class teacher.

The types of gifts that you may wish to donate could be soft toys, action figures, small easy Lego/Duplo sets, top trump cards, stationary, children’s picture books and puzzles. But any gift will be much appreciated. The gift needs to be new, not expensive, wrapped and labelled with whether it is for a boy or girl and what age it will be suitable for.

Thank you for kind support and generous offers.

Year 5 and 6 Charity Action Group

French Mother Tongue Programme from ESF

Please click here for a brief presentation of the support model to be offered, along with a questionnaire (in French).

PTA News

Upcoming PTA Events:

• Friday, 2 December 2016: Christmas Fayre
• Sunday, 22 January 2017: Junior Chess Star Competition 2016

Christmas Winter Fayre 2016

Save the date…

Friday, 2nd December 2016

Mark this date on your calendar! Our biggest festive and fun event of the year is coming up. Preparations are underway. Come along with your family and friends to enjoy the festivities.

Last year’s Christmas Fayre was a huge success and the funds raised were given to school towards the school renovation project – which is now complete!

Wanted: Lucky Draw/Tombola Prize Sponsors:

We are looking for donations for the lucky draw/tombola prizes. Examples of prizes donated last year were: Gift hampers, I.T gift vouchers, headphones, wine bottles, brand-new board games, brand-new toys, brand-new stationery, chocolates, brand-new housewares, dining vouchers, and a lot more. Cash donations are also welcome. This will allow the PTA to purchase additional prizes for the stall.

If you would like to sponsor/donate a prize please email your contribution to mona.diwan@qbs.edu.hk, specifying your name, your child’s name, class number and contact number. Please ensure all prizes are NEW and in good condition and all vouchers should be valid till 30 June 2017 or after. All donations sent in must be labelled: “LUCKY DRAW PRIZE”, and sent into the PTA Office to the attention of Mona Diwan – not later than 10th November 2016.

Wanted: Parent Volunteers – for International Food Stalls & Other Areas:

We are pleased to invite parents to run the International Food Stalls and Other Stalls at the event. As in the past, we encourage parents to group together and run their food stalls, selling food specialities from their countries.

Please click here to register as a Parent Volunteer for the event.

(Our events team will liaise with you and assist you closely to make all the arrangements of supplies for the event.)

Invitation: Commercial Vendors

We are pleased to invite Commercial Vendors for the event.

Please click here for the vendor applications form.

As there are limited spaces available, please send the original form and fee to the PTA office as soon as possible. All vendor spaces are available on first come first serve basis. For further queries please do not hesitate to contact Mona Diwan (PTA Coordinator) on mona.diwan@qbs.edu.hk.

Christmas Fayre Invitations for the event have been distributed to all students in school to bring back home. The invitation features the highlights of the event, a parent volunteer form, the courtesy shuttle bus schedule for the event, and a donation form.

View 2016 QBS Christmas Fayre poster from here.

Countdown begins now: 14 days to go!

[Proceeds raised at this event will go towards the upgrading of the Learning Platforms for the benefit of all QBS students.]

With the festive season coming up soon, preparations are in full swing for our biggest event of the year and have started. We welcome you all to join us in organising (as a parent volunteer), or participating, or contributing in any of the below:

Bake Stall:

Are you a good baker? If yes, register to bake for our bake stall now at: mona.diwan@qbs.edu.hk.

2ND HAND BOOKS (in usable condition):

Please drop off items in drop boxes outside the PTA Office NOW!

WHITE ELEPHANT STALL (items donated are to be in useable conditions):
Please drop off items in drop boxes outside the PTA Office NOW!
If you would like to help to run the stall – please contact us at mona.diwan@qbs.edu.hk.

CLASS HAMPER – GIFT HAMPER WRAPPING
(will be done on 30th Nov at 9:45am – outside the PTA Office):
We request help from parent volunteers who would like to help in wrapping the
Class Hampers. Please email us at mona.diwan@qbs.edu.hk as soon as possible if you are interested.

5th Junior Chess Star Competition 2016

Rescheduled Date is Sunday, 22 January 2017

The closing date for registrations has been extended till 5 December 2016.

So if you have not yet registered please do so now!
See here for more information on the Poster.
Please click here for online registration.

Parent Volunteers – Chess Competition
We welcome parent volunteers who would like to help with the event. Please contact us as soon as possible at mona.diwan@qbs.edu.hk.

PTA SHOP

Winter Uniforms: available for purchase now. All pre-orders are ready and can be collected now!

Feedback or Suggestions

If you have any feedback, or suggestions you would like to make for our events or services provided, please email them directly to: ptasuggestions@qbs.edu.hk. Your email will be received directly by our Chairman, who will reply to you at the earliest available moment.

HELP US – IN OUR DRIVE FOR A GREENER ENVIRONMENT

We request all parents to support a greener environment by BYOB “bring your own bag” when you come to purchase items from the shop.

[With immediate effect the PTA Shop will no longer provide any shopping bags].

Please contact us on 2566 4242 (ask to transfer to PTA), or 2887 1004 for further queries, or by email to pta@qbs.edu.hk, during operation hours.

“Click here for PTA Office and Shop Operation”