1 December

  • For this Week
  • EDB Updates
  • Supporting Children
  • ESF Fundraiser
  • Staff Calendar

For this Week

  • Mon: Literature Circle @ lunch 

  • Tuesday: Josh Blue, Head of Education - Curriculum, coming to visit (AM) | Lunch Staff Meeting 

  • Wednesday: Anna Kuiti, Ed Tech Coach, visits (AM)

  • Friday: Dress-down day


Morning team,

I want to begin by thanking you all once again for your understanding and care over the past few days. Even as we’ve had to make changes to our plans, you’ve continued to approach everything with empathy and professionalism, always keeping the children’s wellbeing at the centre of what we do. I’m very grateful for your steady support and teamwork.

As the situation is still unfolding, the grief and heartbreak that many of our fellow Hong Kongers will be feeling are unfathomable. At the same time, witnessing how people across Hong Kong have come together to support one another has been truly remarkable. It is a privilege to live in this city and to be part of such a compassionate and resilient community.

I understand there are families across ESF directly impacted by this tragedy, including family members of staff from schools around the Tai Po area. We must continue to do what we believe is right to support our students, our colleagues, and the broader community we serve.

We also have several Hillside families who are firefighters, emergency services personnel, and civil servants. While I do not know if they were directly involved in this particular operation, I have sent a note of appreciation on behalf of our community to our firefighter parents - acknowledging their service and courage.

Thank you all again for your calm leadership, care, and compassion. These are difficult days for many in our wider community, and your steady presence makes a real difference to the children and families we serve. 🙏🏼

EDB & ESF Updates

Over the weekend, the EDB issued a letter outlining mourning arrangements for schools in Hong Kong. During this time:
  • All international schools with flagpoles are required to fly flags at half-staff.
  • All schools are advised to actively consider suspending celebratory activities.
  • For non-celebratory activities held during this period, performance elements should not be included.
  • EDB shared their website for mental health support https://mentalhealth.edb.gov.hk/en/ 
With this in mind, it remains essential that we maintain a structured and stable environment for the children. Being with their friends and teachers in a familiar routine helps them feel safe and maintain a sense of normality.

Christmas songs and activities may continue as part of day-to-day learning. However, we will not hold large celebrations, performance, or make these activities a big festive event out of respect for those deeply affected by the tragedy.

As a mark of respect for all those who have lost their lives or been impacted by the tragedy in Tai Po, all ESF schools and offices will observe a minute of silence at 10:00 a.m. today (Monday).

You may have already seen this shared on social media yesterday. However, we understand that this timing and format may not be suitable for our young children. Instead, we will gather as a staff team at 8:30 am in the K2 shared area to quietly observe the moment together.

This will allow us to pay our respects collectively and also be fully present for the children when they arrive.

Supporting Children

As mentioned during the teacher meeting on Friday, we have created a social story and compiled some sample scripts to support children who may bring up or ask about the event. You can access them [here]:

Please keep your messaging simple and factual, focusing on kindness and helping others – for example:
“Some people are in need right now, and we want to help them. We can celebrate together another time.”

Key Guidance from the ESF Student Support Team

Teacher Actions:
  • Limit exposure: Don’t introduce the topic proactively unless children are already discussing it. Keep explanations brief and simple if it comes up.
  • Reassure safety: If a child expresses fear about fires, reassure them they are safe and that their parents and trusted adults are there to protect them.
  • Focus on support: Remind them that firefighters, police, and doctors are helpers who work to keep everyone safe.
  • Physical comfort: Be prepared that some children may need extra reassurance or closeness.
  • Maintain routine: Continue with your normal class routines — play, snack, and story time — to reinforce a sense of calm and safety.
Suggested Language (adapt as appropriate):
“You might have heard grown-ups talking about a big fire that happened in Hong Kong. Firefighters had to go and help the people there. Firefighters are helpers who keep everyone safe.”
“Sometimes hearing about a fire can make us feel a bit worried or confused. All feelings are okay. We are all safe here at school and at home. Our buildings have alarms, sprinklers, and people who know what to do to keep everyone safe.”
“If you ever feel worried, you can always come and talk to a teacher. We are here to look after you.”

ESF Fundraiser

ESF has announced an ESF-wide fundraising day on Friday, 5 December. The event will involve students and staff wearing a selected colour and making a donation. This will coincide with our planned Hillside Dress Down Day, so we will combine efforts once we have more information after the ELC meeting later today.

Upcoming Dates
Please check our internal calendar below. We might forget to remind everyone of odd dates. We will continue to add events as soon as they're confirmed. Here's the full 2025/26 Calendar.

Thank you!