20 Nov

 

  • For this Week

  • IB Evaluation

  • Early Years Conference

  • Plans for 14 & 15 December

  • Free Seminar by an ex-Parent

  • Staff Calendar

Happy Monday, everyone! Can you believe it? Christmas is just four weeks away! I don't know about you, but I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I'm excited about the upcoming Christmas break, but on the other hand, I'm freaking out a little as time seems to be slipping through my fingers with so much left to do!


For this week, we have our IB evaluation, and possibly a few K2 ARP parent feedback meetings (pending ESFC confirmation).


I've been office-bound way more than I'd anticipated in the past few weeks with back-to-back zooms, but more unexpectedly, handling several busy incidents/complaints. Take last Monday, for example. It practically swallowed up our entire week! We've been busy reassuring parents, liaising with the bus company, and reporting everything to ESFC.


But amidst the drama, I want to shout out our amazing team. Despite the bus complaints, all the parents have included positive messages about how pleased they are with Hillside. They specifically mentioned the class teachers and EAs, recognising their dedication and impact. Oh, and I can't believe I forgot to share this last week, but the ESF photography team had some kind words, too. They've been to a few campuses, but they were impressed by our setup. Even during open play, everything was so well-organised, and the kids knew what to do. 

Many of our K2 colleagues shared their appreciation for the K1 team during the PRD chats. They feel the K1 team has done an amazing job with the current K2 students, and the K2 team can take their learning even further. 


I'm so proud of our team and our school! We do amazing things here at Hillside. I'm feeling very confident as we approach the IB evaluation this week. We are in an excellent position to go through the evaluation process and come out shining.


With that said, here's our IB Eval Timetable and a warm reminder to be on time for the meeting at 8:15 on Tuesday! To support our ESF colleagues and schools undergoing evaluation in the near future, it would be great if we could jot down some of the questions the visiting team asks us during meetings (in the timetable, you’ll see the meeting hyperlinked to the document). Thank you so much!


Early Years Conference

ESF is in the process of planning the ESF Early Years Conference, which will take place on 19 February at SJS/Sha Tin College. The conference is for all ESF colleagues (teachers and EAs) from K1 to Y3. We are now looking for presenters for the 45min long breakaway sessions.

The themes are framed around:

  • Play and transdisciplinary inquiry
  • Wellbeing and inclusion
  • Networking and sharing practice

We're doing really amazing things here at Hillside, and if you're interested, we're happy to help with collecting documentation, creating slides, co-presenting, etc. If you have any questions or would like to chat about some potential ideas, please chat with Brenda and put in your proposal here.


Plans for 14 & 15 December

The 14 December will be ESF-wide K1 Admissions Day (No school for existing children). We will hold play visits during the day in four classrooms. I will be going over the details with everyone next week. Here are some key themes:

  • Four sessions (A, B, C, D)
  • 4 staff per team: K1 teacher, K2 teacher, 1 SLT/LET, 1 EA

For those colleagues not helping with play visits, we would ask you to start the end-of-term "tidying-up" process. Open cabinets, tidy items, and return them to their original/ designated place. (Everyone can help with this throughout the term, so minimise the need for big clear-outs.)


On the morning of 15 December, I hope to plan a wellness morning for everyone to enjoy. Hence, the earlier poll to seek interest in the workshop options. Hopefully, we will have something for people to enjoy with their colleagues in a social and casual setting. As per previous years, we plan to finish before mid-day to avoid Bradbury traffic. 


Free Seminar by an ex-Parent

The mother of Ayaan Chatlani, who attended Hillside last year, is inviting any staff to join the following session:


"In celebration of World Children's Day on 28 November 2023, my family law partner, Sam Gershon, and I are hosting a seminar entitled Navigating societal transformations in divorce proceedings and children's rights. The topics of the two panels include:

  1. Navigating societal impact and transformations
  2. Children's right in divorce: safeguarding their best interests

Please register by clicking here."


Upcoming Dates

Please check our internal calendar below, as we might forget to remind everyone of odd dates. We will continue to add events to the calendar as soon as it's confirmed. Here's the full 2023/24 Calendar 


Thank you!