Click to download the 2023-24 Hillside Calendar. You can also access the school calendar via the ESF App.

5 September: K2 Parent-Teacher Meet and Greet

8 September: Parent Forum: Engagement and Parent Involvement (Details below)

15 September: Parent Webinar: Hillside's Chinese Programme (Rescheduled)

Since the start of school, we have been liaising with Kwoon Chung (KCM), our outsourced bus company. From our understanding, more new families have signed up for the bus service now that the children are settled. To accommodate new subscriptions from September onwards, KCM might need some time to re-assign larger buses or re-route some bus lines; hence, they are yet to confirm the final start date for these new sign-ups.

Knowing KCM services numerous schools across Hong Kong, we have requested that they pay attention to details, particularly to do with safety concerns. For example, all parties hold the most up-to-date and accurate information: name lists, bus timetables, and bus stops. We also provided feedback on communication - while we appreciate that they are inundated with enquiries, it is important to maintain and provide timely communication. This is why KCM introduced the WhatsApp groups this year to better support communication.

At the start of every school year, we observe that the city will take some time to absorb the school traffic and adjust to the bus routes and routines. We will continue to follow up with KCM as we work through the bus arrangements, and we ask you to please bear with us in the interim. 

Please also note that due to safety reasons, we cannot unload all buses simultaneously, so there will be a bus queue on arrival. We normally unload the children early before the start of the session to ensure the children can access their classrooms promptly. Based on this week’s observations, most buses arrived on time, and children alighted promptly - i.e. most children are in the classroom by 8:50am or 1:00pm. It seems the morning traffic is more congested, but we will continue with KCM to adjust the schedule as needed, and we have reminded KCM to inform parents of any delays.

Dear Hillside Families

We have had a great start to the new school year. The K2 floor is buzzing with energy, and the children are ready to learn, whilst the majority of the K1s have settled well into the new routines, with just a handful of new children still adjusting to the new environment. We appreciate your support in making this smooth start to the academic year.

We anticipate that more children will be travelling on the school bus from now on, and there will be fewer non-bus children/ walkers. Always have your pick-up cards when you collect your child at school or from the school bus for safety reasons. We are still learning to recognise all the families. If you plan to change your child's going home arrangements, you must inform the bus company and the school Admin Team (via the app) or call us for any last-minute changes. 

Warm regards
Audrey

Hillside's Chinese Programme (Especially for K1 families and anyone new to Hillside)

RESCHEDULED DATE: Friday, 15 September, 1pm

What does learning Chinese as an additional language look like in the early years? Join our Chinese Team for a Q&A session on what Chinese Learning looks like here at Hillside and how you can support connections between your child's learning at school and home.

Zoom link: [Web Link]

We appreciate your cooperation and support in staying vigilant and keeping our community safe. On this note, we would like to remind families of our "Zero Tolerance Policy" towards spreading illness at Hillside. While we understand that wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of illness, it is not a substitute for staying home when sick. When a child is feeling unwell, it is important that they stay home to rest and recover. Therefore, please do not send children to school if they have a fever and/or respiratory illness symptoms. Sending a sick child to school with a mask on can increase the risk of spreading illness to others, including teachers and classmates. Hence, we will send children home if they come to school with a fever, runny nose or a continuous cough. These procedures are in place to protect everyone at school. Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our school community healthy and safe. 

We appreciate the class WhatsApp groups help share information about events, support info and class socials. Within interactions, assume positive intent and maintain a positive tone. Stay solution-focused. We want to remind our community of a few safeguarding guidelines outlined in our Parent Handbook. Please contact the school or your class teacher directly for the most accurate information.

Please keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Confidentiality is key 
• Treat others with respect - i.e. Respect the beliefs, cultures and opinions of others even if you disagree
• Use non-judgmental, respectful language
• Photographs and Filming – Due to child protection and confidentiality, staff are responsible for protecting the privacy of children, families, and their work colleagues. In the spirit of building community, individual or group photos of the children in class might be shared at times. However, these photographs should be for private or personal use and not shared or forwarded to a public forum.

We take safeguarding responsibilities seriously and will deal with any reported incidents appropriately. Our Child Protection Officers are Laura Bousfield (Vice Principal) and Audrey Tang (Principal).

We believe that strong home-school partnerships are essential for the children's education journey. With that in mind, we cordially invite you to a special Parent Session on Engagement and Parent Involvement.

Date: Friday, 8 September

Time: 1pm

Location: Zoom - Click to Register

During this session, we will share practical ways for parents to get involved and connect with our school community. We are also keen to hear your feedback during this session. Your active participation in your child's education positively impacts their learning journey. We will share the recording for those who are unable to attend.

Parent Handbook
Inclement Weather Arrangements
School Uniform