Primary Principals' Newsletter
English Version June 2024
Welcome to our 4th Newsletter. It is hard to believe it is already the last day of school and time to say goodbye for the summer! This is our final newsletter for the 2023-2024 school year, but we will start publishing again this coming September. We wish everyone safe and fun-filled travels this summer! To our Y6 Graduates: Please come see us again soon and share with us how your new learning journey is going!
United Nations Day of Play
On June 11, Kingston celebrated the inaugural United Nations Day of Play. This special day has been dedicated to recognizing and highlighting the vital importance of play in the lives of children.
We decided that the Day of Play would be a great opportunity for students to meet and spend time with each other across grade levels. Therefore, on Day of Play, the Y3s spent time with Y5 students at the Upper Primary Campus, and the Y5 and Y6 students played with Y1 and Y2 students at the Lower Primary Campus.
There were a variety of play stations set up at both campuses and it was rewarding to observe how easily and naturally the students from each grade mixed with each other and how caring everyone was with each other.
Y6 Graduation
On the evening of June 14, our Y6 students, their families, teachers and Kingston’s leadership team attended the 2024 Kingston Graduation at Happy Valley Racecourse. The ceremony included speeches from Kingston CEO Dr. Emily Ngan, two Y6 parents, the 2024 Valedictorians and words of thanks to their parents from each of the Graduates. Additionally, there were small-group performances, larger singing performances, the graduate certificate presentation, and a cake-cutting ceremony. After the ceremony was completed, students, families and KIS staff sat down for a delicious buffet and a memorable slideshow of the graduating cohort throughout the years. It was a truly memorable evening!
Celebrations of Learning
Yesterday’s Celebrations of Learning went very smoothly, with parents and their children taking part in a reflection process during which students led parents through an explanation of some of their learning throughout this school year. Stations with prepared activities from Unit of Inquiry learning, English, Chinese and Mathematics were set up by teachers and students took the lead from there. We hope it was a satisfying experience for all!
Y5/Y6 Girls Football Match
After having to postpone their ICHK-HLY friendlies twice due to wet weather, the Y5/Y6 Girls Football Team were divided into two squads who played against each other on our Upper Primary playground on June 20. Parents and school friends were in attendance as the two squads, ‘Yasify’ and ‘No Boys’, played two exciting 10-minute halves. All of the girls played well and each put in great effort!
In the end, Yasify beat No Boys 2-0, with the two goals being scored by Yasmine and Olivia.
We very much look forward to expanding competitive football opportunities for Upper Primary girls next school year.
Drama and Dance Recital @ Upper Primary
Readers may remember from April’s newsletter that there are student-initiated Drama and Dance Clubs at Upper Primary. We are pleased to report that each of these clubs performed during an assembly today in front of their upper primary peers during our Last day of School Assembly.
The Drama Club performed an original play about the complex lives of famous singers and the Dance Club performed their dance to the song ‘Untouchable’. Both performances were well-received and we hope that student-driven clubs will become a fixture of life at Kingston.
Y6 Goodbye Song and Celebration
After today’s Y5 Drama and Dance recital, the graduating Y6 students were surprised with a video featuring KIS students from Y1-Y5 singing ‘Hall of Fame’ by the Script, topped off with a live serenade by Y4 and Y5 students. This surprise was organised by the SRC, with filming at every Lower and Upper Primary classes taking place over the past two weeks. When ‘Hall of Fame’ reached the third verse, Y4 and Y5 students stood up to sing along with the video.
It was a very moving moment and some nostalgic tears were shed. This was a great initiative brought by the SRC and we will certainly make it a tradition in the years to come!
Virtual Marvelous Melodies
Recently, Mr. Jason invited students from all grade levels to submit videos of musical and/or movement performances. There were many submissions and they have been joined together in this year’s Virtual Marvelous Melodies video. Families are welcome to watch the video here: Virtual Marvelous Melodies 2024 - enjoy!
Khloe Lam - Scholarship
We were very pleased to receive word that Khloe Lam has been awarded an Overall Scholarship for the 4th year in a row at YCIS secondary. She has provided us with a message to share regarding her achievement and the effect of her primary life at Kingston on her current successes:
Dear Kingston Parents and Students,
I am Khloe Lam, a proud graduate of the class of 2020. It is my pleasure to introduce myself as a Kingston alumnus.
Currently, I am a Year 10 student at Yew Chung International School, and I am actively involved in various roles. I have had the honour of serving as the Student Council Representative for three consecutive years, a member of the Youth Leadership Council, the Class President, and the Vice Captain of the U20 Mixed Hockey Team.
Since my time at Kingston, I have continued to excel academically. From Year 7, I have consistently been awarded the Co-Principal Honour Roll for my academic and character excellence. With the active support from Mr. John, I am deeply grateful to have my Overall scholarship renewed for the 2024-2025 school year, marking my third year as a recipient of the overall scholarship. Additionally, I was also nominated and awarded the Kowloon District Outstanding Student Merit Award, a testament to the efforts I've put in as a student.
My experiences at Kingston have been instrumental to these achievements. The lessons I learned inside and outside the classroom have enriched my life and transformed me into a resilient, disciplined, and team-oriented individual.
The experience I gained in Kingston has left an indelible mark on my heart. I am profoundly grateful to all the teachers and staff who challenged me to reach new heights and supported me every step of the way. The values I imbibed at Kingston have been priceless as I've continued my educational journey. I am proud to represent Kingston as an alumni and look forward to giving back to the community that has played an essential role in shaping who I am today.
Khloe Lam
