Newsletter 11/2016-17
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
Message from the PTA Chairman
Junior Netball Clinics
School Photos
Fifth Disease
PTA News
Principal’s Comments
Looking ahead at QBS
- Tuesday the 15th of November – School Photos for Performance, Sporting Groups, Student Voice only (see roster below)
- Thursday the 17th of November – PTA Positive Education Workshop for Parents and AGM, 6.00pm school Hall (sign up below)
- Friday the 18th of November – QBS Academic Clubs end
Wet Weather Safety Message
Recently many students have been using umbrellas and we would ask this practice to stop due to some very serious safety concerns. Raincoats should be worn by students rather than umbrellas in wet weather when leaving and arriving at school. Please do not send your child to school with an umbrella. They are potentially very dangerous when used around other students. The PTA Shop sells QBS raincoats which are appropriate for school use.
Positive Education Workshop for Parents
I encourage parents to attend the PTA’s Positive Education workshop next Thursday the 17th of November from 6.00 – 6.40pm. This workshop will be about how to support their child’s emotional and social well-being. This aspect of development is very important for children and at QBS staff are increasing the use of strategies to promote awareness of personal character strengths and why they are important. Positive Education strategies equip students with good skills to assist them to develop into happy, confident and resilient young people. It is a skill set which is becoming more and more important in a rapidly changing world. The PTA and school intend to work together to promote Positive Education at QBS. Please attend this workshop and sign up by clicking here.
Student behaviour when travelling to and from school
Staff work hard to develop intrinsic motivation within students so that they successfully and independently regulate their personal behaviour when at school. Proper personal behaviour is expected from students when travelling to and from school also. Please click here to view the expected and unexpected behaviours which Mr Dewey and Mrs Yee have discussed with all students. We expect students to show they can do the right thing beyond the school and represent QBS well in the wider community. The QBS PTA Bus Behaviour Policy is also detailed below. Thank you for supporting us to foster your child’s self-regulation of behaviour.
Another Busy Week of Learning
I have been pleased to see many great lessons around school again this week. It is heartening to see the students showing good progress in their learning as we approach the end of Term 1. This week I have also been part of discussions with year level teams about student outcomes and distance travelled in learning in the core areas of the curriculum.
Bloomberg Square Mile Relay
Congratulations to Mr Cousins (3T class teacher) on another win in the annual Bloomberg Square Mile Relay. Mr Cousin’s was a member of ESF’s winning team.
Regards,
Message from the PTA Chairman
Dear Parents/Carers,
The PTA are very grateful for the continued support of parents in utilising the school bus service.
As always our primary concern when operating the bus is the safety and well-being of the children while they are on the bus, unfortunately this term has seen a number of issues arising on several buses. It has also been brought to our attention that there has not been consistent implementation of policies on the bus and this is something we are moving to address. In collaboration with the school we have reviewed the Bus Behaviour Policy to bring it in line with the expectations and terminologies the children are familiar with from the classroom and also for unacceptable behaviour to be followed up in a consistent manner to that which would be applied by school. Please click here for the updated Bus Behaviour Policy, and review this with your child(ren).
I would be very happy to discuss this, or any matter relating to bus operations, with any parent that has any concerns or questions. The PTA thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Nicola Lewis
Chairman
Email: ptasuggestions@qbs.edu.hk
Junior Netball Clinics
The QBS Girls Teams travelled to Hong Lok Yuen this week to participate in an inter-school tournament.
It was a great experience for the girls and both teams were a credit to themselves and QBS in the way that they played and represented the team.
The A team were unlucky to lose to the overall winners HKIS in a semi-final penalty shootout, after winning their first 3 matches. The B team won two matches to reach the bowl final where they finished as runners up.
Mr. Leone and I were very proud of all the players and we look forward to the next tournaments.
School Photos
The school photographer will be in school next Tuesday 15th November to take photos for the following teams:
Organising teachers will inform the students to be involved.
Fifth Disease
We have recently had a few cases of Erythema Infectiosum (Fifth Disease, Slapped Cheek) reported in different year groups.
Fifth Disease is a mildly contagious viral illness. It usually occurs in small outbreaks in children over the age of two. The most distinctive symptom of the disease is red rash on both cheeks.
Typical incubation is 4 to 14 days after which the following symptoms appear:
- Bright red cheeks, contrasting with a pale area around the mouth.
- Fever.
- A rash develops 1 to 4 days after the cheeks become red. The rash appears on the arms and legs and occasionally on the trunk. It is a blotchy or lace-like rash and can last 7 to 10 days.
- Joint pain.
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.
Please note that pregnant women should minimise contact with this illness during the first trimester. If this impacts on a family member, we recommend advice from a medical practitioner.
Regards,
Delia Guastella Monti
School Nurse
delia.guastellamonti@qbs.edu.hk
PTA News
Upcoming PTA Events:
- Thursday, 17 November 2016: PTA Workshop and Annual General Meeting
- Friday, 2 December 2016: Christmas Fayre
- Sunday, 22 January 2017: Junior Chess Star Competition 2016
Workshop and AGM
Deadline for Registration: 14 November 2016
The Quarry Bay School PTA Limited plays an important part in supporting QBS and the QBS Community. Our Annual General Meeting is a forum for information for all parents and teachers. At the meeting, Our PTA Chairman will give updates on PTA events and activities of the last school year, our Honorary Treasurer will present the highlights of the financial reports for the last school year, and our Principal will be highlighting past and future developments at school and how the PTA’s support enhances the learning facilities for all our students. As “Parents as Partners” we seek your participation, contribution and support, which is vital for us to continue to support our students and the QBS community.
We look forward to your attendance at our Parent Workshop on “Positive Education”, Cocktails and followed by the most important PTA event of the year, the AGM!
Please click on the below AGM Documents for viewing:
- Official Notification of Annual General Meeting
- Agenda for the Meeting
- Nomination Form
- Audited Financial Statement (2015-2016)
- Questions Form
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: 21 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: will be 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”