Dates For Your Diary

Full calendar and term dates here.

5 September	Meet the Teacher
14 September	New students' Parent Teacher Therapist Conferences
27 September	PTA Annual General Meeting at 5.30 pm
11 October	Primary Sports Day
12 October	Secondary Sports Day
23-27 October	Half-term break
30 October	Staff training day (CPD); no students at school

Principal's Message

Dear all,

As we wrap up our first week back at school, I am delighted to see our students learning and playing together so harmoniously. I would like to warmly welcome our new students, who have transitioned smoothly into our school and are eager to learn and build new connections.

I also want to express our gratitude for our new staff members who are already making positive impacts in our school community:

• Deana Bria, Lead Teacher

• Daphne Ip, Occupational Therapist

• Anna Romagosa, Educational Assistant.

We also welcome back Liezel, who is returning from her maternity leave. It is wonderful to have her back.

Mark your calendars for the Meet the Teacher event happening on Tuesday, 5 September. This is an excellent chance for you to meet your teacher and therapist and get any questions you may have about the school answered. More information will be sent out soon.

Today, all parents should have received a notification that nominations are now open for the election of a parent representative to the JCSRS School Council. The School Council is the governing body of the school. The primary purpose of the School Council is to help the school to provide the best possible education for all its students. Please reach out to me if you are interested in volunteering your time and would like to find out more about the role.

We are excited to announce the start of our Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) program for the school year. These activities provide a great opportunity for students to explore their interests and develop new skills outside of the classroom. Sign-up will open on Monday, 21 August, with activities starting on Monday, 4 September.

From Monday, the school doors will be opening at 8.15 am. Students and supporting adults can come in and wait in the reception area or sit down in SENsations until it's time to head to classes. This is super important to ensure everyone's safety and security, so please remember that nobody will be allowed into the classrooms before 8.45 am. We really appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

I want to take a moment to wish all of our students and staff a successful year ahead. As we work together as a school community, I am confident that we will continue to see everyone happy, engaged, and learning.

Anna

SNN Presents: Glued to the Screen?

Special Needs Network HK is organising a free online event. Please find the details below.

Dear SNNHK parents and friends,

SNN Presents: Glued to the Screen? Healthy device use habits in children with SEN.

Please join us for our first event of the new school year on Tuesday 12 September at 7-8:30pm, with a presentation by Dr Mark Gandalfi. Tune in to learn parenting and educating wellbeing strategies for digital natives. Register below or click here.

Workshop Topics:

Edutainment

*  How education, play, and technology are reshaping the way children learn and live

Managing the Spectrum of Boredom to Overstimulation

*  Today more than ever our overall wellness (quality of life) requires us to be mindful of rest, relaxation, boredom, and (over)stimulation

Brain Exercises vs Brain Games

*  How to better understand and choose play/learning digital resources

Behavior Management with Devices

*  Establish age-based rules of engagement with devices to reduce stress, overstimulation and addiction/dependency risks

Looking into the Future Learning Landscape: Collaborative Technology to Support Special Needs Children

*  Each year we learn more about the brain and technology and how to strengthen and enhance a child's developing brain

SNN Presents: Glued to the Screen? Healthy device use habits in children with SEN

Online event: Tues 12 Sept 2023 at 7pm

JCSRS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Calendar

The world is rich with diversity, which is reflected in the observances celebrated by its various cultures and populations. We hope that knowledge of the holidays and celebrations for diversity in this calendar can enhance our school's diversity and inclusion efforts.

23 August	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
30 August	Hungry Ghost Festival
15-17 September	Rosh Hashanah
16 September	Disability Awareness Day
18-24 September	International Week of the Deaf
22 September	International Day of Sign Languages
26 September	Yom Kippur
26-27 September	Eid Milad-un-Nabi
29 September	Sukkot begins
29 September	Mid-Autumn Festival