LS Newsletter 6-3-2024 - Hangzhou International School

HIS CALENDAR

HIS DATES

Upcoming Events

*7 June Fun Day/Dragon Boat celebration

*10 June Dragon Boat Festival holiday-no school no CCA's

*11 June Student Council project event

*13 June Last Day Of CCAs

*14 June NO CCAs Grade 12 Graduation

*16 June HIS DRAGON RUN

*20 June Grade 5 Promotion Ceremony

*21 June Semester 2 reports home. Last day of school

HIS CALENDAR 2024-25

2024-2025 CALENDAR:https://www.his-china.org/inform/school-calendarhttps://www.his-china.org/inform/school-calendar

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ADMISSIONS

IMPORTANT Reminder from Admissions!

This is a friendly reminder that the annual, or semester tuition is due by June 21, 2024. Please, if you had paid, don’t forget to send the receipt to Payment payment@hisdragons.org.cn.

Remember that by policy, communicated in the Tuition and Fees document online and shared by email with the invoice, after the deadline the seat guarantee fee is no longer applicable, and we will start placing new applicants in the seats available.

If your plans had changed and you are NOT returning this August 2024 for the new school year, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can support your transition to a new school.

温馨提示您，2024-2025新学年学费支付的截止时间是2024年6月21日。

如果您已经支付第一学期或一整学年的学费，请尽快发送付款凭证到邮箱payment@hisdragons.org.cn，以便确认。

学费单可通过邮件的方式线上发送和确认。按照规定，截至时间过后，仅支付Seat Guarantee费用的学生，将视为自动放弃学位，我们将录入相应待定席位的新生。

如果您已经确认2024年8月份将不在HIS 继续就读，也请尽快通知学校，以便我们协助您办理转学事宜。

Thank you!

Andrea Stubbs

Director of Admissions and Community Relations

HIS FUN RUN SAVE THE DATE SUNDAY 16 JUNE

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Dear Families,

Thank you for being so supportive in getting students well-fed, rested, and on time to school so they are prepared to perform to the best of their ability in the NWEA.

Upcoming events

Fun Run

We invite you to join us for the Fun Run next weekend at 7.30 am. Whether you run, walk, or cheer on the participants, your presence will make a difference. The event is always a fantastic, fun day and an excellent opportunity to strengthen our school community.

Reports

Staff is writing and synthesizing the range of assessments and learning points that give a global sense of your child’s development progress this semester.

Fun Day

Please prepare for Fun Day this Friday and ensure your child has a costume, towel, shoes that can get wet, sunscreen, insect repellant, and a labelled bag to put wet items in. Students can also bring a labeled water pistol with them.

Promotion Ceremony

Grade 5 will participate in their promotion ceremony as they prepare to move to the middle school and grade 6. This is a wonderful time to celebrate their achievements the PYP and Lower School.

Transitions grade 1 and 5

This is an exciting time for students, and planned transition activities and learning opportunities that prepare our Kindergarten and grade 5 students to move across divisions are well underway.

In addition, we look to inform and actively pass on information to staff who will be teaching.

Note that the last day of the CCA this semester is Thursday, June 13. There are no CCAs on Friday, June 14, as it is GRADUATION.

Warm regards,

Lynn

Lynn Pendleton

Message from the LS Vice Principal

Field Trips are an important component of learning and an integral part of learning here at HIS. They provide students with opportunities to connect to their units of inquiry and have hands-on experiences that enhance their understanding of the concepts covered in the classroom. Recently, our Grade 3 learners were able to take a field trip to the Exploreum.

One of our Grade 3 teachers, Ms. Melissa van Niekerk, shared the following about their trip:

“We had an amazing time visiting the Exploreum as part of our exploration of the Symbiosis, Survival, and Securing the Future unit under the 'Sharing the Planet' transdisciplinary theme. The visit provided us with hands-on experiences that showcased the importance of using recycled materials to minimize environmental impact. We also learned about waste utilization and took part in interactive activities that emphasized the significance of sustainable practices.”

We always ask parents to help chaperone field trips and would love to have you join us next year on one of your child’s trips. It will surely be a wonderful time for you and your children as they explore and make connections to their learning outside of the classroom.

Jessica Johnson

Lower School Vice Principal and PYP Coordinator

MESSAGE FROM THE ECE VICE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents,

Our ECE students are engaged in working on their portfolios, sharing what they have learned over the course of this academic year. As parents, one of our most important roles is nurturing a positive, supportive relationship with our children. This involves striking a delicate balance - being honest and transparent while also maintaining appropriate boundarie

s. Let's explore some guidance on how to achieve this balance.

Positive Communication is the Foundation
Strong parent-child relationships are built on open, respectful, and caring communication. When you try to truly listen to your child, validate their feelings, and have thoughtful discussions, you strengthen the bond of trust and support.

Embrace Openness and Transparency
Children thrive when they feel they can trust and confide in their parents. Be open about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in an age-appropriate way. This promotes emotional intimacy and demonstrates that you value your child's perspective. It's crucial to avoid burdening children with adult-level problems or decision-making. They should not be a party to matters solely responsible for parents or caregivers. Maintain an open dialogue, preserve their childhood, and protect their emotional well-being.

Set Healthy Boundaries
While transparency is important, children must also understand that certain topics or issues are private to parents. Avoid sharing graphic details about marital problems, financial stresses, or other adult concerns that could overwhelm or worry a child. Please encourage your children to share their thoughts and feelings, but make it clear that there are some discussions you will have privately with other adults. This helps them learn to respect boundaries and not feel responsible for their parents' problems.

Model Healthy Communication
Above all, focus on communicating with your child in a manner that is caring, respectful, and appropriate for their age and developmental stage. Demonstrate active listening, validate their emotions, and have open discussions about topics that interest them. You can nurture a strong parent-child relationship that supports your child's growth and well-being by fostering trust, openness, and healthy boundaries.

Remember, you are the expert on your family - trust your instincts and do what feels right for your unique situation.

Kind Regards,

Rene Smal

Lower School Vice Principal and ECE Coordinato

LIBRARY NEWS ECE

As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, we embraced the festive spirit by reading a delightful book called "Little Zongzi, Little Zongzi." This engaging story captivated the students' attention as they followed the adventures of the little zongzi characters.

They eagerly expressed their preferences for the different flavors of zongzi, immersing themselves in the culinary delights of the festival. In addition, the students had the opportunity to explore all the materials and try their hand at wrapping the sticky rice and beans with leaves. They explored different techniques and used their unique ways to wrap up the rice-filled bundles.

The Dragon Boat Festival serves as a beautiful opportunity to embrace traditions, create lasting memories, and deepen the students' understanding and appreciation for different customs and festivities.

Ms. Ivy

ECE Library

LIBRARY NEWS Grade1-5

Dear HIS Families,

We have our Battle of the Books winners!! Here are the book winners for each category:

The book with the best message:

Hope the Whale written and illustrated by Laura Chamberlain

The book that taught me something new:

Amazing Animal Journeys written by Laura Marsh

The book with the best illustrations or images:

Hope the Whale written and illustrated by Laura Chamberlain

A big congratulations to all the students who entered this semester’s Battle of the Books. Please refer to the poster to see all the students who read more than three books. Here is also the list of the students who scored the highest in the Battle of the Books quizzes: Annysa and Amy 5D with 40 points, Ivy 3C and Mia 5B with 31 points, Annie 5B with 29 points, Alison and Lena 4B with 28, and Lucas, Nicole 2D, Sophia and Liz 3A with 27 points.

We have our first Welsh (language spoken in Wales) book in the LS Library! It was generously donated by Henry from Grade 3C! Come check out this book and others in our World Languages collection that we have in the libraries.

For this coming week’s Read Aloud, that can be found on Moments 365 on Tuesday afternoons, the book is called “Same, Same But Different” written by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw. This is a wonderful book that compares two boys from different countries and cultures. Even though their lives look very different, there are similarities that exist across countries and cultures that unite us all.

If you would like to contact the libraries, please use the email addresses listed below:

ECE Library, Ms. Ivy – ecelibrary@hisdragons.org.cn

Lower School Library, Mrs. Majoos and Ms. Jeanne – lslibrary@hisdragons.org.cn

Upper School Library, Ms. Sara– uslibrary@hisdragons.org.cn

Happy reading!

Mrs. Majoos

Lower School Librarian

CCA information

CCA3 UPDATE

CCA3

Please visit the Co-Curricular page on the HIS website for more information

https://www.his-china.org/extend/co-curricular-activities

You can also send an email to activities@hisdragons.org.cn if you have any inquiries.

CCA for K-Grade 5 students are from 3:15 – 4:15 with a few exceptions where the CCA will finish at 4:45. Please be on time to collect your child from the Main Gate at 4:15.

Late Bus Service

Please note the following regarding access to late bus:

Only students who are eligible and registered for the regular morning/afternoon school bus service will be eligible for the Late Bus Service.

Late buses are only for students who are registered and participating in one of our after-school activities on the day they wish to use the late bus (CCA, Swim Team, Athletics Teams, Performing Arts Rehearsals)

Questions relating to the late bus can be directed to our Transportation Secretary MS. Tracy Zhu: tracyzhu@hisdragons.org.cn

When selecting CCA or Swim Team practice days, students should not register for any which conflict with their sports practice days.

Students involved in Performing Arts rehearsals can participate in both activities if they can participate in at least 1 sports practice per week for their chosen sports.

All information relating to HIS Athletics can be found at the following link:

https://www.his-china.org/extend/athletics

Registrations for sports teams are now open through the link below.

https://www.his-china.org/extend/athletics/athletics-handbooks

GATE PROTOCOLS

Wearing masks to enter the school is optional for students and staff. Masks will still be available for students who want to wear them.

Procedures and Protocols

Please ensure that if your child is ill that they do not attend school. If your child continues with a high temperature or remains unwell, please seek medical support. We ask that parents err on the side of caution and keep children at home until they have fully recovered.

HOW TO CONTACT TEACHERS WE ARE ONLY USING WECHAT FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS SUCH AS SCHOOL CLOSURES AND LOCKDOWNS

Moments 365 Help

Help with Moments 365 is available from Mr Emlyn Majoos (Mr.M) to ensure we have all parents using this platform. If you need a Chinese or speaker of another language please contact Mr M.and we will arrange support.

emlynmajoos@hisdragons.org.cn

Contacting Teachers

We ask parents to contact teachers via Moments 365 or by email. Teachers are busy working with students, attending meetings, preparing class materials, and ensuring student safety. They infrequently look at their computers or mobile phones and may miss your message. For changes to pick-up arrangements or urgent news, please get in touch with the school secretaries, who are online all day.

ECE lilyfan@hisdragons.org.cn LS main building florali@hisdragons.org.cn

Online teaching and Student/Teacher contact

For online teaching and correspondence between teachers and students we use TEAMS.

SWIMMING NEWS

A heartfelt thanks to all swimmers participating in this year's HIS Swim Team Summer Splash Swim Meet and Awards Presentation. Each lap and cheer has created a ripple effect of joy and camaraderie.

To our incredible parents and volunteers, we cannot thank you enough. Your generosity in giving your time and energy was the key to the event’s success. Thank you for making the swimming season truly special.

To our swim coaches, from daily swim training to ensuring safety, your contributions were indispensable. Your selfless service has left an impression on the hearts of our swimming community and has been the cornerstone of the swimming program.

To the operations team, nurses, and administrators, THANK YOU!

PHOTOS - HIS SWIM TEAM SUMMER SPLASH / AWARDS PRESENTATION

Please SCAN QR code or click the link below for photos

https://live.photoplus.cn/live/pc/32052522/#/live

SWIM TEAM TRAINING SCHEDULE

June 3-7: Aquathlon - Students to bring Swimming kit and PE kit

June 10-13: OPTIONAL Swim Team Training

Note: NO morning training sessions.

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK

Congratulations!

Gold Squad – Jake Li (G6)

Pre-Gold Squad – Aditya Sharma (G8)

Silver Squad – Lena Kwok (G4)

Bronze Squad – Minchae Kim (G9)

Blue Squad – Sophia Wang (G2)

Tadpoles – Marius Caboche (G3)

THE WORLD’S LARGEST SWIMMING LESSON 2024

HIS is proud to be a partner in this global event promoting water safety. Get ready for the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson on Thursday, June 20th! Mark your calendars and be part of this life-saving initiative!

Hangzhou International School’s THE WAVE will be serving as an official Host Location Facility for the 2024 WLSL event. HIS was the first school to participate in WLSL in China, and only one of two host venues in China in 2024. Parents are invited to learn more about this phenomenal event by visiting www.his-china.org/extend/swim-team/wlsl or WLSL.org.

The World's Largest Swimming Lesson was created to raise awareness about the importance of teaching children to swim to prevent childhood drowning. Since its inception, more than 383,000 children and adults have participated in WLSL Lessons in 53 countries on six continents generating billions of media impressions about the importance of learning to swim. TEAM WLSLTM holds five Guinness World Records.

SUMMER SWIM CAMP OPPORTUNITY

THAILAND SHARK FRENZY SUMMER CAMP (INTERMEDIATE)

Pattana Sports Resort, Chonburi, Thailand

July 1-7, 2024

The swimming camp also includes an indoor and an open water swimming competition to finish. If interested, contact Coach Nat at swimming@hisdragons.org.cn or visit the link https://www.rocketsciencesports.com/events/index/view/id/9/

UPCOMING EVENTS:

May – Water Safety Month

June 1 – HIS Summer Splash Swim Meet/ Swimming Awards (HIS)

June 3-6 – HIS Swim Team Aquathlon (squad practice time slot)

June 20 – World's Largest Swimming Lesson 2024 (HIS)

QUICK LINKS:

Swim Team Registration and Handbook

2023-2024 Swim Meet Schedule

Aquatics Calendar

HIS Swim Records

Swim Meet Results

PICK UP OF STUDENTS DELAYS AND IMPORTANT MESSAGES TO TEACHERS

Please assist staff by advising us early (before lunchtime) wherever possible, if you need your child to do something different at their usual pick-up time and location. Teachers focus on working and engaging their class while maintaining a safe environment. They get to their computers sporadically and may miss changes. In addition, some classes are with Specialist staff for the last lesson and bring the students to the pick-up locations. They may be unaware of last-minute changes.

If you need to make a late change to plans, I'd suggest you send a message to our Lower School secretaries, florali@hisdragons.org.cn or in the ECE lilyfan@hisdragons.org.cn, and they can pass on your message.

PAFA NEWS AND EVENTS

PAFA Fitness – Join us for a Boxing session this Thursday morning! join the fun!

PAFA KITCHEN MASTERCHEF

PAFA Kitchen – Recap of the Master Chef 2024 class (QR code of photos attached)

The highly anticipated grand finale of PAFA Kitchen's Master Chef 2024 had arrived! Four dynamic teams faced off in a culinary showdown like no other. The Cooking Monsters, led by Joann, Melody, Vivianne, Eva, Annice, and Liz, brought their A-game. Team Yummy Mummy, including Fengyang, Chunxiang Gu, Shan Zhao, Daisy, Yilan Li, and Lily Shen, showcased their delectable creations. Team Mom’s Touch, comprised of Anne, Seohee, Miyoung, Bella, Hayoung, and Seonmi, delivered heartwarming dishes. Lastly, Team Pink Shrimps, with Rachel, Katie, Yanti, Vanessa, Mamiko, and Kiki, served up some delightful surprises.

The atmosphere was electric, with each team crafting an appetizer, main course, and dessert from a secret ingredient box. A twist awaited them as a mystery ingredient was revealed midway through the competition, challenging their culinary prowess. Our esteemed judges, Mr. Aaron Ayer’s, Mr. Liam O’Shea, Ms. Jessica Johnson, Ms. Rene Smal, and Mr. Albert from the Admin team of HIS, had the tough task of selecting a winner.

The teams hustled and brainstormed, impressing the judges with their innovative recipes. After two intense hours, the dishes were ready for tasting. Judged on taste, creativity, presentation, and cleanliness, each team left a lasting impression. In the end, Team Yummy Mummy emerged victorious, claiming the coveted title!

Congratulations to Team Yummy Mummy for their well-deserved win! They received MasterChef aprons, a 300-yuan gift voucher from Herma supermarket, and PAFA Kitchen shopping bags. Every participant was acknowledged with a 100-yuan Herma voucher and a PAFA shopping bag. The judges were also honored with PAFA Kitchen aprons for their invaluable contributions.

Special recognition goes to Yuko, our dedicated parent photographer, whose captivating images captured the essence of each session. Her passion brought the season to life, creating unforgettable memories.

As the 2023-2024 season of PAFA Kitchen ends, we reflect on the excitement, camaraderie, and growth we experienced. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate reuniting next year for more culinary adventures and cherished moments.

You can see photos from the event by following this link https://m.alltuu.com/album/1462043604/?from=appmessage and scanning the QR code.

PAFA SUMMER LUNCH

HIS PAFA airlines: Fly into Summer Lunch!

Hangzhou International School (HIS) Parent and Friends Association (PAFA) hosted a special "HIS PAFA AIRLINES : Fly into Summer Lunch" end-of-year celebration at the Grand Hyatt in Hangzhou. The event, which was attended by more than 120 school parents, was a creative celebration of the HIS community as the school year drew to a close.

The PAFA Luncheon Committee, dressed in black with matching scarves, worked tirelessly to transform the 2nd-floor ballroom into a lively airport-themed atmosphere. Guests, who came dressed in white, had signed in for the event with "boarding pass" invitations. PAFA Luncheon Committee members dressed up as flight attendants and welcomed guests as they "checked in" at the entrance.

Guests were encouraged to write special messages for their children on postcards, and explore a "duty-free shop" filled with colorful garlands to capture the essence of summer and door gifts. On the other side of the duty-free shop, there was a large world map where the parents were invited to place pins indicating the places they would be traveling to over the summer.

One of the highlights was Air India Lounge where a tea specialist from India showcased the art of making traditional Indian masala tea. Guests also had the opportunity to take photos in a life-sized paper airplane cutout, which was big enough for people to go inside and see the faces of their friends from the "windows" while others could stand outside and admire the decor with suitcases, adding to the airport ambiance.

After exploring the airport-themed areas, the guests entered the ballroom, where each table was decorated with a theme-appropriate table runner and small airplane models.

The afternoon continued with a delightful lunch followed by engaging games and activities that filled the room with laughter and joy. The first game was a guessing contest for country flags, which had everyone excited as they tried to identify the flags. The winners received special prizes. Next, the parents participated in a "musical countries" game, similar to musical chairs, where they had to move around the room based on the country name that was called when the music stopped. It was a beautiful sight to see the parents following the lead of the Parent Pilot, Aman, and dancing to the lively music numbers.

The event then moved to the bittersweet moment of bidding farewell to the parents who would not be returning to the HIS PAFA community, as they were leaving the school. It was particularly emotional for the PAFA Luncheon Committee, as their chairperson, Renata, was among those departing. PAFA members Anuja and Katie delivered heartfelt goodbye speeches, filled with sadness and tears, as the community realized that regularly meeting their leaving friends would no longer be as easy.

Finally, the event culminated with a group photograph, where the entire HIS PAFA community came together to stay united and continue growing stronger, despite the changes ahead.

You can see photos from the event by following this link

https://m.alltuu.com/album/1231463142/?from=appmessage and scanning the QR code.

2023-2024 Yearbook Sale!

Don’t miss the school year memories and order a yearbook by scanning the QR code in the poster.

Continue:

IMPORTANT Reminder from Admissions!

This is a friendly reminder that the annual, or semester tuition is due by June 21, 2024. Please, if you had paid, don’t forget to send the receipt to Payment payment@hisdragons.org.cn.

Remember that by policy, communicated in the Tuition and Fees document online and shared by email with the invoice, after the deadline the seat guarantee fee is no longer applicable, and we will start placing new applicants in the seats available.

If your plans had changed and you are NOT returning this August 2024 for the new school year, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can support your transition to a new school.

温馨提示您，2024-2025新学年学费支付的截止时间是2024年6月21日。

如果您已经支付第一学期或一整学年的学费，请尽快发送付款凭证到邮箱payment@hisdragons.org.cn，以便确认。

学费单可通过邮件的方式线上发送和确认。按照规定，截至时间过后，仅支付Seat Guarantee费用的学生，将视为自动放弃学位，我们将录入相应待定席位的新生。

如果您已经确认2024年8月份将不在HIS 继续就读，也请尽快通知学校，以便我们协助您办理转学事宜。

Thank you!

Andrea Stubbs

Fridays HIS Artisan Food Market is back! Every Friday from 2:30 to 4:30 pm

Every Friday Hangzhou International School along with our community Artisans will offer to purchase tasty treats and excellent snacks from the different food vendors attending.

Come for a pleasant afternoon to end the school week, and head out for a relaxing and fun weekend with a happy stomach!

For information, contact Ms. Andrea: andreastubbs@hisdragons.org.cn

HIS Social Media.

Follow us and subscribe to our channels!

#GoHISDragons!

Andrea Stubbs

Director of Admissions and Community Relations

Hangzhou International School

2190 Xiangbin Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310052 Phone: 86-571-8669-0045
Email: andreastubbs@hisdragons.org.cn

SECURITY- HI SID CARDS

Parent and Student ID Cards

All students and parents should have an HIS Identification Card. Please review the information on the website to submit your photo to the secretary for ID card generation. HIS ID card information

DRAGONS WEAR THEIR UNIFORM WITH PRIDE EACH DAY!

Please can I ask you to remove the QR code and instead update the link so that it directs people directly to the website (rather than the PDF)?

https://www.his-china.org/extend/co-curricular-activities-clone

School Uniform

Please wear our school uniform with pride each day, and we seek your support in having your child dressed in the complete uniform each day. We will notify you if it is a special day to dress up; otherwise, students should be in uniform. Also, please have your child wear their PE kit on swim days (Grade1-5). Please label your child's clothing to help us return it to you. We often find many items without names, and the students cannot recognize their belongings.

Purchasing School Uniform

Families can purchase items at the Dragon Shop. It is open

Monday to Friday from

*8.05 am-2.45 pm and 3.15 pm-4.00 pm

For more information, please contact the dragon shop:

olivexu@hisdragons.org.cn

Alternatively, if you need to link, check it out here
https://issuu.com/hangzhouinternationalschool/docs/uniform_catalogue