Please click to download the 2024/25 Hillside Calendar. You can also access the school calendar via the ESF App.

2 May: Continuous Professional Development Day (No School)

May (Fridays): K1 Chinese PTCs

19-22 May: K2 PTCs (Separate App Message)

26-29 May: K1 PTCs (Separate App Message)

30 May: ESF-wide K2 to Y1 Transition Day

Dear Hillside Families,

As we begin the last term of school, it's natural to start thinking about the next stage of your child's educational journey. We understand some parents have questions about early literacy skills, specifically phonics. Early literacy skills lay the foundation for your child's reading and writing journey, encompassing a range of abilities that work together to create a strong basis for literacy success. Alongside phonics, essential skills such as print awareness, vocabulary development, comprehension, and language fluency play integral roles in your child's literacy growth.

You can build a strong start on your child's literacy journey by actively engaging with them in activities that promote these early literacy skills. Consider reading books together, playing rhyming games, engaging in conversations, asking open-ended questions, and providing opportunities for drawing and writing.

Adopting a holistic approach to early literacy skills is important, as it is vital for your child's overall literacy development. Learning should be fun and play-based at this age! Incorporate games, songs, and hands-on activities to make the learning experience enjoyable for your child. We'll share more tips and resources in our upcoming posts, so stay tuned! Thank you for being an active part of our community! [IG: @esf.hillside] We hope you find this information useful.

Warm regards
Audrey

We're pleased to inform you that your child's Sharing the Planet Unit of Inquiry report is now available for viewing. Please refer to the graphics below to access your child's report. We invite parents interested in contributing to add your comments in the "parent response to learning" box as you review the report.

The ESF transition plans are well underway for our K2 families. All primary schools will be reaching out to their new Y1 families regarding induction plans before the end of the month. In addition, collaborative conversations between the kindergarten and schools will continue over the next few weeks.

Please check your email from your feeder school for details on transition activities and the ESF Transition Day. Parents will accompany their K2 child to primary school for familiarisation on this day. Children are welcome to return to Hillside after their transition day; however, please remember that it will be a big and exciting event for them, which can be overwhelming and tiring. Some families may choose to rest and recharge after the visits instead of returning to Hillside. This time will give the children the opportunity to process their experiences, talk and reflect on their feelings. We encourage you to discuss their new routines while they're still fresh in their minds.

At Hillside, we are extremely fortunate to have a large outdoor play area that backs onto a lovely natural green space. However, this does mean that mosquitoes and midges will be around.

We work with an exterminator year-round, conducting weekly fogging in the playground, drains, and other common breeding grounds. Additionally, we have mosquito-repelling lanterns and industrial fans in place.

However, we highly recommend applying insect repellent before school. Natural repellents may not last as long as chemical products, so reapplication is important. Roll-on repellents are very child-friendly and easier for children to manage independently. You may also apply repellent to clothing rather than directly to the skin, as we've noticed some bites can penetrate through clothing.

We understand that some children are more susceptible to bites and can develop itchy red lumps. We will apply an ice pack at school to help reduce any swelling for these children.

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Please contact kinder@hillside.edu.hk for any general enquiries.