BRADBURY NEWSLETTER-16 MARCH 2018
Greetings to the Bradbury Community
Reading through this issue of our school newsletter, I am struck by how many and varied activities we have at school to support our students’ learning. There are also lots of ways for you as parents to become involved with us as well. It is great to be able to offer such rich opportunities for learning.
One way of showing pride in our school is through our uniform. There are a couple of areas that we would appreciate your support in for improvement:
PE runners – mainly white or black only, no coloured laces. These are to be worn with the PE uniform only.
Jewelry – no jewelry except for religious purposes. If this is the case for your child, please let me know. To date, no parent has done so.
Nail polish/tattoos – not to be worn at school.
I am looking forward to tonight’s Curry and Quizz Night. Many thanks to the PTA and team for organising this night. It will be a lot of fun.
Sandra Webster
Principal
Chinese New Year Celebration
Important Dates
| DATE | EVENT | TIME |
| 16 March 2018 (Friday) | Curry and Quiz Night | 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| 16 March 2018 (Friday) | Year 5C/5S Trip to Macau | |
| 17 March 2018 (Saturday) | ESF 50th Anniversary Carnival (KGV) | 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| 18 March 2018 (Sunday) | Splash and Dash Event | 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| 21 March 2018 (Wednesday) | Feeding the Homeless | |
| 22 March 2018 (Thursday) | Year 2 P.T.A. CAKE Sale | 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. |
| 23 March 2018 (Friday) | Year 5B/5F Trip to Macau | |
| 27 March 2018 (Tuesday) | Year 6 Exhibition | |
| 29 March 2018 (Thursday) | Last Day of Term 2
( School ends at 12 noon) |
12:00 noon |
| 30 March 2018 (Friday) –
13 April 2018 (Friday) inclusive |
Easter Holidays | ——- |
| 16 April 2018 (Monday) | Classes Resume after the Easter Holidays | 8:30 a.m. |
| 17 April 2018 (Tuesday) | Y1 DTP Immunizations & some Y6 | 9:00 a.m. |
| 26 April 2018 (Thursday) | P.T.A. Sausage Sizzle | 12:00 p.m. |
| 27 April 2018 (Friday) | Action Day | |
| 30 April 2018 (Monday) | CPD Day – No Classes | —– |
| 01 May 2018 (Tuesday) | Labour Day – Public Holiday | —– |
| 21 May 2018 (Monday) | CPD Day – No Classes | —– |
| 22 May 2018 (Tuesday) | Buddha’s Birthday – No Classes | —– |
| 18 June 2018 (Monday) | Dragon Boat Festival – No Classes | —– |
| 26 June 2018 (Tuesday) | Year 6 Graduation Ceremony | |
| 29 June 2018 (Friday) | Last Day of Term 3
(School ends at 12 noon) |
12:00 noon |
Please remember to collect UNUSED toiletry items from any hotel that you visit during the forthcoming holiday and subsequent weeks right up to 27 April.
PYP Exhibition Update
By Amanda Bremner, PYP Coordinator
The Year 6 students are busy preparing for their upcoming Exhibition which is based on the transdisciplinary theme ‘How We Express Ourselves’. This is an opportunity for the students to demonstrate their learning in the PYP and this year is based on the students passions and interests.
Earlier on in the term the students attended the Agents of Change day at Kowloon Junior School to learn how others are using their passions to help make a difference in the HK community. From this, they formulated questions which were used as the basis of their inquiry. Students have constructed a central idea and lines of inquiry which helps the students to get a better understanding of issues related to their passion/interest and explains the significance of the inquiry.
The students have explored various art forms and chosen a medium to convey their issue. They have also been working with our resident artist to create some art works which reflect the following themes of the Exhibition -wealth, equality, health and wellbeing, innovation, life on earth. The students are also busy rehearsing the opening of the Exhibition with specialist teachers which will showcase the art forms and the passions of our students.
Following the inquiry cycle, students have researched their passion/interest and related issues, contacted relevant NGOs and are preparing to take action over the coming weeks. Throughout the process they have been reflecting on the journey and their learning each week as well as, making regular entries in a journal to document the work they have engaged in so far.
Following this, the students will be presenting their inquiries to the school community and celebrating their learning on Tuesday 27th March at the following times:
9.00am – 10.00am (other schools and parents in the Bradbury community)
11.00am – 12.00am (other schools and parents in the Bradbury community)
5.00pm – 6.00pm (Year 6 Parents and invited guests)
The students are very excited and have been working hard on their inquiries despite the school closure due to the flu. We are looking forward to seeing their final pieces of work being presented on the 27th March to the school community.
All members of our community are welcome to attend. Please pop by!
Body Systems Day 2018
By The Year 4 Team
On Thursday 1st March Year Four enjoyed their “Body Systems Day”. The children were joined by lots of enthusiastic parents to investigate and test the many body systems they had been learning about over the last 6 weeks.
Spread over three different stations the children tested their nervous system through speed-stacking, investigated the capacities of our lungs and circulatory system, showed their isotonic and isometric muscle strength and tracked increasing heart rates during exercises with Mr Maclay and Mrs Hopewell. Lots of fun was had by all!
Longer than you think
Hong Kong Young Writer’s Awards entry by Ruby Sylvester, Year 6
Drips of river water race onto my forehead and run down my nose down onto my neck. I can feel a cold feeling wrapping around my body. I step out of my cabinet that’s underneath the kitchen sink. The room was how it had always been. Dark, damp and rusty. I take a deep breath and step outside. The cold feeling tightens. Its dawn and the sun is just starting to rise.
“Aarush why are you up this early in the morning” my grandmother says, without turning around. The sky is turning a pinker shade of yellow. It reminds me of home, real home.
Where I come from homes are built up snug and tight. They’re like a part of us. They usually have a welcome mat by the front door with a pink elephant in it. But most of all home is India.
Before we moved into this dusty boat we lived on the far side of the hill in Landor. My family built a path leading up and down the hill. At the top you could find breathtaking views and awesome birds. At home I feel I can be myself, but without a proper home I’m nothing. Ali and Abo don’t need me. Naana is the only one who listens to my thoughts and emotions. She says that Abo is only stern because I remind him of mother. If only I could cure his grief. But how can you bring back the dead?
Abo, my father, was a journalist working for a popular newspaper. When he went on a tour of the Governor’s house he discovered he was smuggling drugs from Afghanistan into India. He wrote an article about the dangers this could lead too. When the Governor found out he sent the army out to kill anyone in our house and chop Abo’s head off. Luckily Abo and Ali were already preparing a truck for us to escape in, away from our house. I had just come home from school to find guards at my door. They grabbed hold of me and forced me up, up the hill. That’s where I found mom racing towards me. They let me go and took her. I can only guess that she made a deal to swap my life for hers.
I never saw mom get killed but I didn’t see her survive. In my grief I managed to find Abo and we had no choice but to leave, and after that it was a long drive to the Ocean, and maybe once we found a boat, safety.
Ali is cooking porridge for breakfast. As she serves it see shakes her hips’ trying to impress Abo. Ali is my mother’s sister and has liked my father for many years. I feel like Hamlet sometimes! Once we are all seated she asks “How are you Aarush”. “Fine” I reply glancing at her shirt. She has pulled it up high showing her piercing. Abo is gripping on to his coffee cup and his face is wearing a frown. He opens his mouth and says, “school starts now and we will be in Australia in three weeks”. Australia is our destination. I get up and head of to Naana”s room
There is a hole forming in the bottom of our boat. It’s all taped up now but every now and then I see water coming in and out. I am responsible for laying more tape on each day. Scot is bouncing on top of me. Scot is our sheep dog. He may be annoying but he is my only friend.
Two weeks later we have got all our supplies ready to be unpacked. We can see land in the distance but we have to work out where to land, somewhere we won’t be caught. Naana is feeling sick, Abo cannot put the motor on full speed or it makes it worse. One night I find Naana’s body lying peacefully on the ground. I touch it. Its icy cold, “HELP” I cry. Abo comes running. “Aarush how could you” he screams. “But” I cry. “Out” he points to the door.
I hear water running. I race to the hole, water is racing through the tape. Quickly I race upstairs and jump off the boat . Soon Abo, Ali and Scot follow . I swim till I run out of energy. Then a giant, blue wave crashes on top of me.
I wake up with an ache in my left arm. A white nurse lays a tray full of odd looking food on my lap. “Welcome to Dampier, Australia, I am your nurse, Mrs Newton”, she says holding out her hand. I shake it. She shows me how the tv works and how to take my medication every night but when she told me how I would be in cast for a few months I fainted.
She wakes me by shaking my shoulders.
“You must stay awake while the doctor arrives” she tells me. “Here he is”.
A white doctor walks into the room. He has blond, bushy hair and wears a thing around his neck. He stays with me until I am strong enough to go to my new house. He puts me in a wheelchair and pushes me into the waiting room. Abo and Ali are waiting for me holding hands and smiling. “ We missed you Aarush” says my Abo says. “You did?” I ask with disbelief. “Of course we did” Replied my father. He gave me a big hug and said the strongest words in the world. “I’m Sorry”
Feeding People in Need
By Carol Farrington, Action Leader & Amanda Bremner, PYP Leader
At Bradbury, we provide our community with various community events across the year in which we can help others. If any staff or families are interested in joining us in the following upcoming Feeding People in Need, please let Ms. Fritzi know.
Wednesday, 21 March, 2018 5:45 p.m. Feeding people in need. Please find the details below:
Where: Nam Cheong MTR Station Exit A – meet across the road outside Fu Cheong Mall
Time: 6.00pm to 7.30pm (meet 5.45pm)
Who: Year 2-6 students and families/friends (students need to be accompanied by an adult)
How: MTR Tung Chung orange line from Central Station
Cost: $200 per person (this covers the cost of the food we deliver and is payable in cash when we meet on the evening)
Ms Farrington or Ms. Bremner will contact you closer to the time with more details.
Bradbury School Action Day
By Carol Farrington, Action Leader & Amanda Bremner, PYP Leader
To celebrate the Action that students have been initiating and taking part in, our Action Day this year will partly involve packing toiletries to make up hygiene kits for some of Hong Kong’s poorest people.
The collection is going quite well, but we are still short on batteries, small cloths, insect repellent, antiseptic cream, and plasters. The prize for the class who collects the most items continues… as of March 13th, the totals from the year groups were:
Year 1: 1348 Year 2: 2269
Year 3: 2483 Year 4: 2288
Year 5: 2915 Year 6: 512
And, in our competition for collecting the most items, the outstanding classes are:
3SP: 1106
4T: 1116
5F: 2163
However, much can change in this competition. For example, earlier this term the children in 2T were surprised that they were in eleventh place so they determined to ask friends and family to pass on items from hotels that otherwise would have thrown away. Now they are in 4th place!
Please continue to send in your medium sized plastic bags as these will be used to pack the toiletries in on the day.
Well done everyone, keep on collecting until the 27th April – Action Day!
KEEP COLLECTING…
INVOLVE YOUR FRIENDS & RELATIVES
Action Day
By Carol Farrington, Action Leader & Amanda Bremner, PYP Leader
This year we are having a whole school action day to celebrate the varied actions students have taken as a result of their learning. Our whole school action day, is scheduled for the Friday the 27th of April. On this day we will have a variety of events happening, as well as packing hygiene kits with Sunshine Action for some of Hong Kong’s most needy and vulnerable. On the day up to 3000 kits will be packed by student and parent volunteers.
This will happen throughout the school day and it would be fantastic if we could have some parent volunteers. Here is an outline of the days proceedings:
8:15am- 9:00am – Assist with setup of tables for packing.
9.00am-10.00am We will be coordinating and packing hygiene kits with student volunteers
10:30am-12.00pm We will be continuing with this process.
From 1.00pm we will be loading the packed kits for dispatching. To make this day successful, we need a significant amount of parent volunteers to assist with all aspects of the set-up, packing, loading and tidying up at the end of the day.
Volunteers will need to wear comfortable clothing and shoes as there will be some lifting involved. If you are able to volunteer to work with the students on this day please contact Ms Fritzi to register your name and time. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Year 1 Vaccination Reschedule 2018
By Lauren Lau, Health Professional
Due to transportation arrangements, the School Immunisation team cannot come on the arranged date, and have rescheduled to visit the school on April 17th, 2018 for the upcoming DTP Vaccination for the Year 1s, and Year 6s (those that has missed out the Vaccination in February).
In the meantime I will keep your child vaccination records to the day that they come and visit.
If you would like to collect your original records please contact me.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Library News
By Jane Thompson, Teacher Librarian & Connie Leung, Library Assistant
READING IN UNUSUAL PLACES:
A huge thank you to all the students who entered photos into the competition. We had over 70 entries this year. All of the entries are on display in our ‘Reading in Unusual Places Gallery’ in the library. Here are just a sample of some of the entries.
Kane Schaus 5C
Emily Farrow 6B
Desh Traino 3D
Chloe Herminjard 3V
Brigitte Wong 6D
Ava Dubinsky 6B
Anya Reeves 1G
Ancita Ma 6C
Charlotte Wong 3D
Connor Massey 4FLast week all of our students voted on their three favourite photographs. Eleven diligent children helped Ms Leung to count up all the votes. Thank you to; Jonas Brantingham, 6B, Emma Song 6A, Emily Farrow 6B, Valerie La Maisons 4F, Jemima Ali 4F, Samantha Wilkinson 4H, Trisha Cheng 3SP, Beatrix Wong 3SP, Isaac Wong 3SP, Francis Wong 3SP, Caius Leung 3SP.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR THREE WINNERS (in no particular order)!
Kyla Chung 4T
Selma, Ella & Saga Boldt Christmas 6C, 6A, & 4T
Julien Wen 4H
We were delighted to have Gail visit our Years One, Two & Four this week to share her books. She read her stories and shared information with the students about life as an author and how to write interesting fiction. The children loved the puppets she used to tell her stories and as well as being inspired to write stories of their own.
After the Easter Holiday all students from Years One to Six will have their loan increased by one book. The extra book is to encourage and enable children to borrow books in another language and must be used for this purpose only. Our Chinese Department have recently purchased some lovely new books for the library and these will be out on the shelves shortly. The new loan system will commence on Monday 16th April and will look like this:
Years 1, 2 & 3: 2 books of choice plus one other language book (3 in total)
Years 4, 5 & 6: 3 books of choice plus one other language book (4 in total)
SOUTH AFRICA MOBILE LIBRARY-ENGLISH BOOKS FOR COLLECTION
We will be continuing to collect books for this charity as part of the Bradbury School Action Day which takes place on Friday 27th April. We have ordered more boxes from Sony HK and we will be encouraging students to find books on their bookshelves at home to donate to this worthwhile cause. Teachers will be sharing a short video with their classes to explain about how the mobile library works. Please encourage and help your child to find books that they could give. Any donations can be brought to the library and students will be helping to put them in boxes on Action Day.
South Africa Mobile Library – Children’s Books for Collection We accept books as follows :
- Written in English Language
- Suitable for 6-12 years old
- Pages should not be yellow or brown (due to aging)
- No missing or torn pages
- No scribbling on the pages
- No Textbook
- No Magazines
- No Encyclopedias
The Race
By Ally Maclay, Head of PE
On Saturday, the sun was shining and we were set for a great morning at Discovery College. A team of 24 students headed to Discovery Bay to take on many of the other primary schools around Hong Kong, in a long distance cross-country race.
All age groups had very strong fields with some excellent athletes who are well trained. The Bradbury student’s turned up in great spirits and ready to take on their opponents.
All our students had great races, trying their hardest throughout. Notable mentions go to Year 4, Sophie Hufton (9th), Year 3, Adrian Ting (4th) and Year 6, Ashley Grantham (3rd) for their top 10 placings. Bradbury continue to compete at this level and I look forward to the future seeing our younger athletes flourish.
P.T.A. News
By Julia Dunn, PTA Chairperson, Catherine Hufton, Vice Chairman & Lin Gong, Bradbury School PTA Limited
SAVE THE DATE
March 16 Curry and Quiz Night
March 22 Yr 2 Cake Sale
April 20 Year Book Cover Competition Deadline
April 26 Sausage Sizzle
June 19,20,21 School Discos
YEARBOOK COVER COMPETITION
There are lots of exciting things happening over the next few months, the first of which is the launch of our annual yearbook cover design competition. This is open to all Bradbury students and is a chance for them to show off their creative talents.
The only rule – it has to be an original idea created by the student. Please see the following poster for more information. Closing date is Monday, April 20th. The first and second place winners will be the Front and Back Yearbook covers, and the runners up artwork will be used in the 2018/19 School Calendar.
SAUSAGE SIZZLE
Our next Sausage Sizzle is on Thursday, April 26. Forms will be sent home in your child’s diary straight after the holidays and will need to be returned by Monday April 23.
SCHOOL DISCO
Disco dates have now been confirmed:
Tuesday 19 June – Yr3/4
Wednesday 20 June – Yr 5/6
Thursday 21 June – Yr 1/2
We encourage classes to use these as end of year parties and more information will be sent to you via your class parents closer to the time.
As always, if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions for events or spending plans, or if you are interested in joining the PTA committee please email pta@bradbury.edu.hk.
Julia Dunn
PTA Chairperson
Email: pta@bradbury.edu.hk
Website: https://www.bradbury.edu.hk/pta-2/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BradburyschoolPTA/
Year 2 Cake Sale
The Year 2 cake sale will be held on Thursday, 22rd March 2018. We would be grateful if each year 2 Student could contribute one dozen (only) individual sized cakes for this event. Please have your child deliver the cakes to the school hall on Thursday morning. If you would like your container returned, please clearly label both the top and bottom with your child’s name and class. Please remember no nuts or nut products.
Although brownies and cupcakes are very popular, there is a school wide focus on health this year. To encourage children to make healthier choices we would love to see some alternatives that more nutritious and lower in sugar.
Volunteers – we require 9 helpers on the day between 9:30am and 11:00am, please email your class parent or the PTA at pta@bradbury.edu.hk or call 2893 2256 if you can help.
If you would like your child/children to buy a cake, please provide them with $10 and they will have an opportunity to buy a cake at morning break on Thursday.
Many thanks.
‘ESF The First 50 Years’ is now published! This volume chronicles the ESF story, highlighting key events over the last 50 years. It also celebrates the successes and contributions of our students and staff, both past and current.
What’s in the Book?
- Stories of ESF’s major developments and milestones over the past five decades
- Interviews of all 22 ESF schools with key historic events and current whole school photos
- Exclusive interviews of 22 prominent alumni
- Interesting stories from 5 key leaders and 12 long-serving staff
The book is now available for sale via the ESF website: www.esf.edu.hk/50th-book/. Copies are also be available in major bookshops in Hong Kong.
Enquiries: 50book@esfcentre.edu.hk
More details: http://www.esf.edu.hk/2017/12/11/esf50-book/
Third-Party Organised After School Activities
Dear Parents,
The following companies are currently hiring our facilities to provide extra curricular activities for students. You may browse the school website under “LIFE AT BRADBURY” for their programs and enroll your child directly to the
company:
ESF Sports, contact 2711 1280 or sports@esf.org.hk
Website: www.esf.org.hk
Adventure Sports Academy Ltd. – Soccer & Basketball Training, contact Eilis Cheung at 3998 4042 or info@adventuresportsacademy.com
Website: www.adventuresportsacademy.com
Backershagen B.V. (LanguageOne) – Global Mother Tongue Education, contact Leandra Lok at 5501 5262 or
leandra.lok@languageone.nl Website: www.languageone.nl
Brilliant Learning International Ltd. (Sanskriti) – Sanskriti/Hindi Language Class, contact Geetanjali Dhar at 3563 4300 or info@sanskritiglobal.org Website: www.sanskritiglobal.org
CentreStage Studios HK Ltd. – Singing, Acting, Dancing – Ballet, Jazz, Tap Dance, contact Imogen Taylor or Kaijah Bell at 5236 7960 or 2689 2272 or admin@centrestagestudioshk.com
Website: www.centrestagestudioshk.com
Discovery Dome Hong Kong Ltd. – Astronomy Club with a Portable Mobile Planetarium, contact Lorne Ali at 9754 4081 or lorneali@hotmail.com
Website www.discoverydome.hk
Foundation Academy Ltd. – Foundation’s Filmmaker, contact Foundation Academy at 3107 8810 or
academy@foundationge.com Website: http://www.foundationacademy.co/filmmaker/
HoYinPingChess – Chess Class, Holiday Camp, contact Yin Ping Ho at 9215 2682 or hoyinpingchess@gmail.com Website: www.hoyinpingchess.com/index/lesson.html / www.hoyinpingchess.com/index/camp.html
Hong Kong Star Basketball Training Centre Limited – Basketball, contact Yuki Lai at 9669 4280 or yukilai@hk-bbstc.com Website: www.hk-bbstc.org
Move For Life Ltd. – “Move” Dance Class, contact Rosie Martin at 5491 2473 or info@moveforlife.asia Website: www.moveforlife.asia
Starlit Voice Ltd. – LAMDA Musical Theatre & Group Drama, contact Vincent Warren at 2108 2182 or info@starlit.hk Website: www.starlitvoice.com
Swedish Cultural Society – Swedish Language and Culture, contact Linda at 9316-6599 or svenskaskolanhongkong@hotmail.com
Website: www.svenskaskolan.hk
N.B. Bradbury School is not responsible for the quality and safety of programmes offered by third parties. However, please note that all hirers are required to provide third party liability insurance. Parents are urged to take steps to ensure that they are satisfied with any and all aspects of the after school programme(s) they elect to opt in to.
