Message from the Principal
‘CAS – An array of extra-curricular learning’
At the PTSA meeting this week, I thanked the committee for providing feedback last year regarding our Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) program. Our CAS team has been working hard to respond to that feedback and enrich the program offerings for our students. At the PTSA meeting it was gratifying to run through the list of CAS activities with our parents and see the breadth, diversity and quality of the extra-curricular activities available.
In our 2018 Stakeholder Survey the statement ‘My school gives me opportunities to do interesting things’ was one of the highest rated responses, with close to 90% of students strongly agreeing or agreeing with the statement. We are grateful to our staff who go above and beyond to provide these opportunities. Whether it be a Challenge Week activity, a charity fundraiser, a sport carnival, an arts activity or an academic competition, the participation opportunities CAS provides our students are impressive.
Our staff play a key role in providing the experiences that our students rate so highly. We appreciate the CAS team’s work, and would also like to give a special ‘shout-out’ to Dean Beard, Scarlet Ip, Eugenia Lui and Jim Corrigall for leading and coordinating the CAS program.
Our ESF organisation also recognises the value of experiential learning and ESF has teamed up with an organisation called ‘Higher Ground’ to offer an intensive 6-week outdoor education program in rural Queensland, Australia. The overview of the program, entitled ‘Limitless’, is below:
For six life-changing weeks during Term 3, Year 9 students will live, work and learn together with experienced facilitators from Higher Ground who are highly trained in interpersonal and group management skills as well as the hard skills associated with outdoor adventure.
Students will learn to take the analytical skills they have learned so far in their school classroom – and apply them to solving real-life problems in a unique and unfamiliar environment.
Limitless will change lives. It will help your child grow in confidence, learn how to work individually and as part of a team – and it will challenge them in ways that will set them up for the remainder of their time in school and beyond.
The program is open to Year 9 students across ESF, and the trip is planned to take place between 11 May and 21 June 2019. To learn more about the program, please visit http://limitless.esf.edu.hk/.
Upcoming KGV School CPD Days
I also wanted to give you all a brief update on our upcoming KGV School Continuous Professional Development (CPD) days. Mid way through last year, we sought feedback through our PTSA regarding the placement of our four CPD days for this 2018-19 academic year. The consensus was to complete the days in the early part of the academic year and to cluster the days together.
We have listened to this feedback and have completed two CPD days at the start of the academic year in August, and have our final two CPD days on Friday 21 September and Monday 24 September. Students are not required to be at school on these two days. Please also keep in mind that Tuesday 25 September is a public holiday. After these two days, there are no more CPD days allocated in this 2018-19 academic year.
Kind regards
Mark Blackshaw
Principal
King George V
