Principal's Message

Dear all,

"We have three innate psychological needs—competence, autonomy, and relatedness. When those needs are satisfied, we’re motivated, productive, and happy."

― Daniel H. Pink, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

With our continued focus on improving pedagogy in classrooms across our learning community  it was great for our staff to reflect on how we can improve student voice and autonomy to ensure that every student is happy and motivated and achieves their potential. 

We want to strengthen our IEPs by involving students in IEPs planning. This starts with them knowing who they are as a person and learner. In preparation for the annual review meetings, our staff are engaging with students in discussions on their interests and strengths to make sure that their IEPs build on their strengths and competencies. Please have a look below to find out more about the annual review meetings.

I couldn’t be more proud of the whole school community who have invested so much passion and hard work in our ‘’We Are The World’’ Art Exhibition, which will take place at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre. This creative project involved learning design developed using the New Pedagogies of Deep Learning framework. I really hope that you can join us at the gallery to experience the thought-provoking art pieces that our amazing students have created. 

As the situation in Hong Kong continues to evolve, we are back in the scenario where Influenza (ILI) and upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are on the rise again and COVID19 variants are recorded. As you can imagine we want to ensure that our children and staff can safely be in school and that learning continues safely and undisrupted. Please read below how we can all work together to maintain our half-day in school timetable for as long as possible.

We are very pleased to inform you that Robyn Turnbull, Occupational Therapist, will be finally joining the JCSRS community from the start of the next school year. Robyn is currently supporting our therapy team through remote working and is already involved in some of the school work. I would like to thank Daena Ramos for taking on the role of the Occupational Therapist over this academic year and for providing excellent support to our students. From August, Daena will return to her role of the Occupation Therapy Educational Assistant.

I would like to thank all staff for their ongoing passion for learning and continued professional development and for providing the very best opportunities for all students. It makes an inspiring ethos and culture and a great school

Warm regards, 

Anna

Parent Meetings and End of Year Reports

Bookings for Annual Review/IEP Meetings will open on Monday 10th May on the Gateway from 9:00 am. Meetings will be 40 minutes long via Zoom and will include parents, the class teacher and therapists and will be spread over 2 weeks.

End of Year reports will be available on the Sarah VLE next Friday 14th May along with IEP evaluations. This information will help to support the conversation in the meetings. Teachers will share the agenda and some questions in advance to help structure the meeting. 

We want learning to be positive and inclusive. We can do it by engaging students and listening to their voice. 

Currently, teachers are spending time talking to students about their strengths and interests. This may be through conversations, photos and symbols or using other communication strategies to help inform us about what is most important to our learners. During the upcoming meetings, parents will have the opportunity to contribute to this further. Parents will have a chance to articulate their aspirations so that together we can use IEPs to set out the road map to success with students and families priorities front and centre.

JCSRS Art Exhibition

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Only SIX days until our “We Are The World” art exhibition starts at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre!

You are invited to view your children's creative artwork during week days and including the weekend. Admission is free of charge and open to the public so please bring your family and tell your friends.

Dates: Thursday May 13th to Monday May 17th

Opening Hours: 10am to 9pm

Address: 7A Kennedy Road, Central (between the Peak tram and Hong Kong Park)

Please note that the Centre is closed on Tuesdays and the maximum number of guests allowed in the gallery is 21.

All JCSRS students will visit the gallery to view artworks with their class during school hours (please refer to table). Students will arrive at school at the usual time and will travel by school bus to the gallery. There is a small park next door to the Gallery where students can have a snack and water break. Students will return to school in time to take their usual bus home.

Due to restrictions, JCSRS will not be hosting an open evening ceremony, but please make every effort to visit the gallery; we are extremely proud of the students who have invested so much enthusiasm and hard work into their Deep Learning art pieces.

We are in the process of printing all student artworks onto postcards and you will have an opportunity to purchase these shortly.

Sally Fryer

Art Coordinator

Total Communication at JCSRS

AAC Top Tips - Explore and Play

AAC Tip of the week! Give AAC learners time to explore and play with their device. This is okay! In fact, it is really important to give them time to explore their AAC and see what it can do.

Troubleshoot:

• Help! My child repeatedly presses the same button over and over again.

  • There may be a few reasons for why this is happening. If you are having trouble with your child repeatedly pressing the same button, click here to read more.

• Help! My child keeps leaving the AAC app.

  • Click here and follow these steps for keeping children on the AAC app.

JCSRS Vocational Learning Programme

The ESF Facebook page published a post earlier this week promoting our Vocational Learning Programme. Read below:

"The ESF Jockey Club Sarah Roe School Vocational Learning Programme celebrates diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Partner with us to make a difference.

The programme supports our special education curriculum and develops our students' employability through real-life work experience. We do this by matching companies' opportunities with students' interests and skills.

Previous partners such as Swire, FWD Hong Kong & Macau and Crossroads Foundation have described the programme as a unique opportunity for their staff "to become better managers by coaching, training and helping children with different backgrounds."

Join us in inspiring futures. More details here: [Link]"

Congratulations to Colouring Competition Prize Winner - Damon Tong

The Committee on Respect Our Teachers Campaign (CROTC) is an organisation in Hong Kong that aims to enhance teachers’ image and promote public awareness of respecting teachers. It organises different kinds of activities, competitions and awards for all students in Hong Kong.

In Term 1 this year, Damon Tong from Pearl class entered CROTC's colouring competition for Special Needs schools. He achieved a merit award for his artwork (shown above). We would like to congratulate Damon on his achievement.

Visitors to School

Our overarching goal is safe learning for all.

Under the current restriction, we have to follow very strict rules on visitors to school. This includes parents' visits to school. Unfortunately, we are not able to facilitate parents visits to school for events, such as assemblies or class visits.

In circumstances that require a face-to-face meeting with parents, such as to discuss student health or academic concerns, parents may be invited onto campus. Any such visits will have to be agreed with the senior leader. On arrival on the campus, all visitors have to complete the health declaration and have their temperature taken. Visitors will not be able to walk around the school unsupervised or visit classes and the compliance with social distancing and safety measures must be ensured.

However, we acknowledge that certain end of year activities play an important part of our students’ learning and life journey. Graduation, and leavers assemblies can be undertaken with the appropriate adequate distancing between students, social distancing measures and safety considerations in place. We are planning our graduation ceremony and undertaking all necessary risk assessments.

Student Health Reminder

We received a letter from the Education Bureau (EDB) stating that the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has recently received increased reports of institutional upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) outbreaks. Therefore, EDB is reminding schools that students with fever or respiratory illnesses should refrain from going to school and seek medical attention immediately. Since the symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) and URTI are similar to those of COVID-19,  schools with ILI or URTI outbreaks will have to suspend classes for 5 days and all students and staff will be required to receive COVID-19 testing before returning to school.

A warm reminder that at this time, students should only attend school if they are symptom-free. Students with a fever of >37.5˚C forehead skin temperature, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezes, sore throat, coughs, headaches, muscle aches, or generalised malaise should rest at home and not be sent to school. If a student develops these symptoms at school, the parent/guardian will be asked to pick the student up from school and it is recommended by CHP that the student seek medical advice.

We have an ongoing responsibility to monitor absences and sickness. Please continue to let us know if your child is ill in any way by emailing Nurse Christine (christine.cheung(at)jcsrs.edu.hk) with a description of symptoms. Also, if your child has seen a doctor and been confirmed with an illness, please send a copy of the doctor’s note.

Should your child or anyone in your household be confirmed with COVID-19 or as a close contact, please inform the school immediately by email. If the child is being tested for COVID-19 because of a compulsory test requirement, he/she must not attend school until a negative result is obtained and sent to the nurse.