Primary Principals' Newsletter
English Version April, 2024
Spring Concert - Imagine!
On Friday April 26, the Kingston Community gathered for our Annual Spring Concert. We were very proud of all of our young singers, dancers and musicians who made the most of the moment and delivered wonderful performances throughout the event! We hope all of our families enjoyed the experience and are as proud as us of how well the children performed!
Special thanks to Mr. Jason for planning and preparing the English songs, instrumental numbers, the choir and orchestra performances and the Grand Finale!
Our thanks also go to Ms. Faye for training our Kung Fu Fan Dancers and our whole Chinese teaching staff for teaching and leading our Chinese language performances.
We are also grateful to our office and custodial staff who worked very hard and made it possible for the event to take place, along with our English teachers for supporting Mr. Jason throughout the preparations and the concert itself.
And finally, thank you to the families who attended and cheered on our wonderful and talented students!
KIK K4 Classes Visit to Lower Primary Library
The 4 Year Old Class students from KIK enthusiastically explored the library at the lower primary campus during their educational visit as part of their unit on "How We Express Ourselves." They eagerly consolidated their understanding of various book genres, including fiction, non-fiction, bilingual books, and pinyin books. Additionally, they discovered the structure of stories, recognizing the importance of beginnings, middles, and ends. As a special treat, they were given a guided tour of the lower primary campus, providing them with a glimpse into their future school environment for the upcoming school year.
Competitive Floor Hockey Tournament
On Saturday April 27 our competitive hockey teams played in a tournament hosted by CAIS. Each of our teams played 6 full games over the course of the morning! The competition was tough, and considering that the players had a big day with the Spring Concert, it might be expected that they would run out of steam after a couple of games. This was not the case! Both teams powered through all 6 games and kept up their intensity right up until the end. It is very pleasing to report that our Blue Team won the A Division and our Yellow Team finished 2nd in the B division, despite the absence of some key players.
Mr. John would like to thank Mr. Man (Ethan Man’s dad) for his excellent coaching of the Yellow Team and all of the parents who attended, cheered and took photos of our teams in action.
Our teams are on track to play in the Primary Floor Hockey League Championships on May 16th: only ASHK stands in our way! The semi-final game vs ASHK will be taking place this coming Thursday!
In-school Chinese Events
Y1 Tongue Twister Competition on 7th May
Y1 Parents and students are encouraged to join the tongue twister Competition.
Y2 Chinese Idiom Quiz on 13th May
Do you know some Chinese idioms? Our Y2 students do! We believe that they will impress the attendees at the interclass Chinese idioms competition!
Y3 to Y6 Chinese Battle Of the Books Competition
This year, our Y3 to Y6 students have read the books “Journey to the West”, “Investiture of the Gods”, “The Fisherman and His Wife”, “One Thousand and One Nights” and many other masterpieces. Each year level will be taking part in Chinese Battle of the Books in-school competitions in late May and early June. We are looking forward to these events!
SRC Fundraiser for Crossroads
Congratulations to our SRC who, with the support of the Kingston Community, raised $9740 during the March 27th Spring-Inspired Dress Casual Day!
The funds raised have been donated to Crossroads. Find out more about Crossroads on their website!
Kingston Environmental Group (Lower Primary)
English BoB Author Talk - Kate Klise
On the 12th of April, our school had the pleasure of hosting a captivating Zoom session with the renowned author, Kate Klise. Kate Klise is a celebrated author known for her engaging storytelling and imaginative narratives. She has authored numerous children's books that have captured the hearts of readers around the world.
Kate Klise's writing style is characterized by its whimsical charm and clever storytelling techniques. With a background in journalism, she brings a unique perspective to her children's literature, infusing her stories with wit, humor, and relatable characters. Her ability to weave intricate plots and create vibrant worlds has earned her a dedicated following among readers of all ages.
One of Kate Klise's most beloved works, "The Mystery on Magnolia Circle," has been included in our Battle of the Books reading list, captivating readers with its intriguing storyline and well-developed characters. Through her writing, Kate Klise inspires imagination and creativity, encouraging young readers to explore the magic of storytelling.
During the virtual session, Kate Klise shared insights into her writing process, shedding light on how she crafts compelling stories and develops intricate plots. One highlight of the session was when our students had the opportunity to participate in a collaborative storytelling activity. Together, they crafted a whimsical tale about a baked bean's daring escape from a dinner plate, forming an unlikely friendship with a dog.
The interactive experience not only sparked creativity but also provided a valuable learning opportunity for our students. Engaging with a celebrated author like Kate Klise was a unique and enriching experience, inspiring our learners to explore their own creativity and storytelling abilities.
Overall, the Zoom session with Kate Klise was a resounding success, leaving a lasting impact on our students and fostering a love for literature and storytelling. We are grateful for the opportunity to connect with such a talented author and look forward to more enriching experiences in the future.
Good luck to our Battle of the Books team as they compete in the Battle of the Books semifinals on the 2 May 2024 at DSC International School of Canada.
Y6 Chemistry Inquiry
At Kingston, we are committed to fostering curiosity and innovation in our students. Our curriculum, including the Y6 ‘How the World Works’ unit, is just one example of how we are providing students with hands-on, experiential learning environments that make science both fun and educational.
As part of their recent unit of inquiry, the Y6 students examined the fascinating world of physical and chemical change. They learned about saturation and crystalloid growth, observing the changes and the formation of complex salt crystals.
Students also used salt to lower the freezing point of water and conducted a simple and fun experiment to "hook" ice cubes in order to observe the effects of solvent on the solute. They also explored the properties of acids and alkali by observing the color change of butterfly pea flower tea, a memorable visual experience to aid in understanding the more abstract mechanics of chemical change.
Our hands-on approach not only ensures that students can learn scientific theories, but also understand the practical applications, while keeping learners engaged and curious to learn more.
Y2 Second Hand Exchange Market
We are thrilled to share the resounding success of our bilingual Year 2 event, the "Second-Hand Item Exchange Market," held as part of our "Sharing the Planet" inquiry unit. This event allowed our young learners to explore ways they can actively contribute to waste reduction and create a greener world.
Conducted in the lower primary section, our learners embraced the concept of reusing resources. They eagerly brought in one or two used, second-hand items, and took turns exchanging the items together as a whole group. The event not only encouraged sustainable practices but also fostered a sense of community among our students.
In addition to exchanging items, our learners had the opportunity to earn extra tokens for a separate auction. During this exciting occasion, they enthusiastically bid on second-hand prizes generously donated by the Year 2 class teachers. This unique experience further emphasized the value of repurposing and showcased the creative spirit of our students.
We extend our deepest appreciation to all parents for their unwavering support and encouragement.
Let us continue to empower our children to be responsible global citizens, as they discover meaningful ways to reduce waste and protect our environment. Together, we can inspire a greener and more sustainable future.
Mr. Dan's Rugby Travels
Last week, Mr. Dan was away on a Rugby tour, representing Hong Kong. We are very proud to have a high-level athlete like Mr. Dan on our staff and would like to share his thoughts on his trip:
I want to take a moment to share my experience on the recent tour I had with the Hong Kong, China Mens Rugby team to Canberra, Australia.
From the 21st to the 28th of April, our team had the privilege of staying at the prestigious Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). The facilities at AIS are truly world-class, and it was an honor to have access to such top-notch training amenities. The accommodation and support provided by AIS were exceptional, ensuring that our focus remained solely on our preparations for our match.
During the tour, our days were filled with intensive morning and afternoon training sessions, dedicated to refining our skills and tactics for the upcoming match. On the 27th of April, we had the opportunity to put our training to the test when we played a match against the ACT Brumbies Runners at the renowned GIO Stadium. Unfortunately, we faced a strong opponent and the result didn't go in our favor, with a score of 65-0 to the Brumbies. Nevertheless, we played with determination and gave our best effort. Following our match, we had the privilege of witnessing a thrilling Super Rugby clash between the Brumbies and the Hurricanes.
On Sunday morning, the 28th of April, we boarded our flight back to Hong Kong, carrying with us memories and experiences that will last a lifetime. The tour not only provided us with an opportunity to represent Hong Kong, China but also allowed us to immerse ourselves in a different rugby culture and learn valuable lessons along the way. It was a truly incredible tour and I am so grateful for the opportunity that came my way.
-Mr. Dan
Student Initiated / Student Managed Clubs
Did you know that Upper Primary has two clubs that were founded and are currently run solely by students? For most of this school year, Y5 students Ayala and Isla have been running a Drama and a Dance club (respectively) for interested students. Ayala approached Mr. John early in the year to ask if she could start a Drama club, and Isla started her club shortly after that. They have now turned their attention toward final preparations for performing for the whole Upper Primary student body in mid-May. We will report on their performances in our next newsletter!
Raina Li
Kingston alumnus and current Shatin College Y7 student, Raina Li dropped her sister Anna off at school recently, during a PTC break. It was great to catch up with her and hear that she is a member of the Shatin College fencing team and that she had great success in a Taekwondo tournament earlier this year!
