Dates for Your Diary

30 October	AAC Parents and Carers Workshop
3–4 November	Parent Teacher Therapist Conferences
5 November	Box of Hope submission
27–28 November	JCSRS 40th Birthday Show
8 December	Day after election – no school
10 December	Santa’s Grotto
24 January	JCSRS 40th Birthday Fun Day

Click here for the full school calendar.

Principal's Message

Dear JCSRS Community,

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable October break. It has been a joy to welcome our students back and hear their wonderful stories of travels and time spent with family and friends, both here in Hong Kong and abroad.

Our staff also had a productive start to Term 1B, engaging in some highly valuable professional development. We deepened our knowledge in key areas such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Brain Development and Self-Regulation, Intentional Teaching, and Shaping the Future of Education with AI. These sessions are so important as they equip our team with new ideas and strategies to enrich the learning experience in every classroom.

The end of last week was a highlight, marked by the exceptional sports achievements of our students during the Primary and Secondary Sports Days. It was incredible to witness the great sportsmanship, personal successes, and the overwhelming sense of community. A special thank you to our supportive parents, dedicated staff, and the wonderful students from KJS who helped. The event's success is a testament to the fantastic efforts of Mike and his team – thank you for your superb organisation.

A key date for your diaries: our Parent Teacher Therapist Conferences (PTTC) will be held on 3 and 4 November. This is a valuable opportunity to connect with your child's teacher and our dedicated therapy team about your child's progress. Booking will open on Gateway this Thursday, 23 October, and will close at the end of Wednesday, 29 October.

As you know, we have faced an exceptional level of disruption to face-to-face learning this academic year, primarily due to the weather. To ensure our students receive the valuable learning time they need, we have made the decision to convert the ESF-wide CPD day on Monday, 23 February, into a regular school day. We will follow the usual timetable, including after-school activities. We understand that some families may have already made plans, so if your child will be absent due to travel, please be assured their absence will be authorised.

Finally, please SAVE THE DATE for a major highlight of our 40th-anniversary celebrations!

We invite you to our 40th Birthday JCSRS Performances, running from 1 to 2 pm on the following days:

• 27 November: Foundation, Builders 2, Explorers and Life Skills 2

• 28 November: Builders 1, Builders 3, Life Skills 1 and Vocational

It promises to be a wonderful showcase of our students' talents and a beautiful celebration of our school's history.

Warm regards,

Anna

Sports Days: A Resounding Success!

Primary Sports Day

What an incredible day of athleticism, teamwork, and fun we had at our Primary Sports Day! A huge highlight was seeing our F1 students participate in their very first Sports Day. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to step out of the classroom and demonstrate their developing abilities in a much larger, more dynamic venue, navigating crowds and movement with impressive confidence.

For many of them, it was a valuable learning journey as they navigated a bigger space with many people. We were thrilled to see so many students stay focused and demonstrate great spatial awareness, especially as they ran, successfully staying in their own lanes. It’s a true testament to their growing ability to manage new environments and listen to instructions.

The energy was infectious! We saw some wonderful friendly rivalries emerge as the students showcased their speed, fast arm actions, and high knees during the races. The determination on their faces was priceless!

Beyond the track, there were cheers and excitement at all the stations. It was great to see students throwing, jumping, and having a blast on the assault course and at the parachute station.

We can’t wait to see what these amazing young athletes accomplish next!

Secondary Sports Day

The stadium was electric for our annual Secondary Sports Day, showcasing the grit, skill, and incredible sportsmanship of our older students. This year's event was a spectacular display of both competitive fire and collective pride.

Track highlights – speed and perseverance

Our track events put speed and strategy to the ultimate test! The sheer velocity displayed in the 15-, 25-, 50- and 100-meter sprints was incredible, with students pushing for every millisecond.

However, a few moments truly embodied the spirit of the day. A major highlight was the inspiring display of empathy and teamwork during the one-lap race. This event truly pushed the physical ability of many students, and we want to especially commend Mattias for assisting Alex over the line after finishing his own gruelling race. This selfless act of support perfectly captures the values we cherish. We are immensely proud to report that every single student who started this race crossed the finish line, demonstrating remarkable perseverance and spirit.

The relay race was a truly fabulous spectacle! The coordinated hand-offs, the speed of the sprint legs, and the roaring support from the stands were a vivid showcase of teamwork and trust – a powerful reminder that we are stronger together.

Field events – records and personal bests

The field events were equally thrilling and marked by some exceptional performances and incredible personal improvement. Huge congratulations go to Anya for her amazing efforts in the javelin throw, setting a new school record for the girls’ event! We were also delighted to see the huge strides made by so many students, such as Karis, who demonstrated fantastic competitive growth by extending her distance by a massive 25% on her second throw.

Sports Day is about more than just medals; it's a vital life lesson. Our senior students demonstrated maturity and resilience, learning to handle both the triumph of victory and the grace of defeat. They collaborated, communicated, and motivated one another, reinforcing the invaluable life skills of teamwork and leadership that extend far beyond the sports field.

A huge thank you to all our staff, and especially our amazing student volunteers from KJS, who worked tirelessly to coordinate the events. A special thank you to the many families who came out to support our students. Your cheers and encouragement truly added to the unforgettable atmosphere and helped make the days a resounding success.

Well done to all competitors – you made these absolutely inspiring days!

AAC Awareness Month – Parents and Carers Workshop

Don’t forget to sign up for our parents and caregivers training on AAC. We will be covering some basics for our beginners and breaking off into groups to plan activities together.

Useful AAC handouts:

• Common Myths About AAC (Susan Berkowitz) 

• 5 Tips for Communicating with Nonverbal Students (Noodle Nook)

• 10 Things You May Not Know About AAC

• Being a Good Communication Partner to an AAC User (Susan Berkowitz)

Box of Hope

This year, students in the Vocational Class (V1) are supporting the Box of Hope initiative. This is linked to their work in RSE & Citizenship on ‘Helping Others’ as well as working on key skills linked to Vocational Education of planning, purchasing and organising.

We would like to invite our JCSRS families to also take part in this wonderful project by creating boxes to send to school.

How you can help

Making a box is easy! By following a few simple steps, you are well on your way to bringing a smile to a child’s face.

1. Find an empty shoe box

2. Decorate the outside of your box

3. Add in your gifts

4. Complete the Box of Hope Sticker (these will be sent out in students’ bags after the break)

5. Drop off the box at school by Wednesday, 5 November

You can choose to make a Box of Hope for a child or a teenager. Click on the links to see the list of required items.

Important: Please do not seal the box or wrap items individually. Our V1 students will be checking the boxes for quality control.  You can secure your box with an elastic band.

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.

October	AAC Awareness Month ADHD Awareness Month Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) Awareness Month Dwarfism Awareness Month LGBT History Month Menopause Awareness Month Rett Syndrome Awareness Month Selective Mutism Awareness Month
19–25 October	Ace Week Invisible Disabilities Week
20 October	Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism) Installation of the Sri Guru Granth (Sikhism)
22 October	International Stuttering Awareness Day Birth of the Báb (Baháʼí)
23 October	Birth of Baháʼu'lláh (Baháʼí)
25–28 October	Chhath Puja (Hinduism)
26 October	Intersex Awareness Day
29 October	Chung Yeung Festival (Double Ninth Festival)
31 October	Samhain/Hallowe'en (Wicca/Pagan)