DBIS News

September update

Dear Parents

Hong Kong Young Writers of the Year Awards: Towards the end of last year a number of our students participated in the Hong Kong Young Writers Awards competition.  All entrants from DBIS were acknowledged for the quality of their writing and two of our students were selected to be included within an anthology of student writing that has been published and sold within Hong Kong.  Congratulations to Holly Keefe and Jemma Keefe – we have a number of copies of the book in our school library for everyone to enjoy.

Mandarin Studies: Please take a look at our Primary School Mandarin page on our school website for an update on our year level core expectations, an overview of unit studies for Term 1 and the associated character learning. 

We will be adding a new feature to our Primary Mandarin page shortly that will provide you with some fun follow up activities you may wish to try with your child.  These are not compulsory and will be aligned to the current learning focus for respective year levels. 

Our Mandarin extra curricular clubs will begin next week.  We hope to have a large number of enthusiastic students signing up to join us for each club.  Details of the club dates, year groups and activities are available on our Mandarin webpage … if students are interested in Chinese martial arts, Chinese chess, calligraphy and computer activities, be sure to come along.

Secondary School Admission – 2011 / 2012:  Our office staff are continuing to accept applications for admission into our Year 7 classes for 2011 – 2012.  While we already have 40 applications for the 44 places available, not all applicants have confirmed their enrolment with the payment of the $21,000 deposit (please note that this deposit is deducted from the first two Year 7 fee instalments).

We anticipate that we will fill all 44 spaces from students in our existing Year 6 classes with a waiting list developing, as is the case with our current Year 7 intake.  Once we have deposits for 44 confirmed enrolments, we will then operate a waiting list based on the date of each application to Year 7.

Homework Club:  We will launch a Primary School homework club next week.  This club will be held in our school Mandarin room.  It will be staffed and available to provide a quiet, supported atmosphere for students to complete homework activities.  The club will held after school, from 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm every Monday and Thursday in Room 1-34.

New Parents’ - Morning Tea:  Thank you to so many of our new parents for coming along to our New Parents’ morning tea last week.  It was a pleasure to meet with you again and to reinforce a very warm welcome to your new school.

Secondary School Parents’ Evening:  Thank you to all of our parents of Secondary School students who made it along to the presentation and tutor teacher evening last Thursday.  We will be holding another sharing evening with all of our Secondary School staff later this term.

Lost and Found:  The Lost and Found Room has been relocated to the room on the left hand side of the outer corridor of the Globe.  In the past it has been a difficult task to return all lost items to their owners as many were not labelled with full name (preferred name) and class. So we would ask parents to ensure that clothing including PE gear, hats, drink bottles and lunch boxes are clearly labelled with full name and class so everything can be easily returned if misplaced. 

Sports Season and Training Timetables:  After a very busy sign up day DBIS will be represented by over 24 sports clubs this year!  Thank you all for your support on the sign up day.  The training sessions for all clubs began this week, either in the morning before school or after the conclusion of our school day.


With so much going on in our extra-curricular programme, it is important that you continue to use the school website to ensure you know who the different coaches are, when the training occurs, and where it will be held. There are often one or two changes at the start of the season so please keep referring to the timetable, which can be found on both the Primary and Secondary PE pages on the school website.


Additionally, all coaches have sent, or will be sending out training reminders to all of those students that have indicated they want to take part in a specific sports club.  Please communicate with your child’s coach regarding any questions you may have.


Have a fantastic season!  (from the PE Department)

International Food Fair:  Our first International Food Fair committee meeting will be held in the Globe Theatre this Tuesday 14 September at 10:00 am.  If you are interested in working with this organised and most enjoyable team, please come along.  You may not be able to offer your time to be on the committee, but you may be able to assist in some way.  Your help is welcomed in whatever capacity.

Natalia Veldman is the chairperson of our International Food Fair committee this year.  Natalia is already getting a number of key elements in place and will outline these with you on Tuesday morning.  We look forward to welcoming you along to the meeting in the Globe.  Morning tea will be available.

School Uniform: Our compulsory school uniform has been designed to look smart while accommodating the seasonal changes in our weather in Hong Kong.  All students are required to be in the correct school uniform and teachers have been asked to carefully check students in their respective classes.  Please take a few moments to revisit our school uniform requirements on our school website to ensure your child has the correct items for school each day.

To accommodate the increasing interest in football at school we have suggested to students that they may bring their sports shoes to school with them to change into at lunchtime if they wish to play football. Students can then change back into their regular day shoes at the end of their lunch break.

Please check the following link to review the uniform requirements at DBIS:  http://www.dbis.edu.hk/about_our_school/parent_information/uniforms/

Boardwalk Café:  Our new Boardwalk Café is in full operation and we are delighted with the response from our students.  Thank you to our parents for your support with this initiative.

Bicycle Safety:  A start of the year reminder that all students riding bicycles to school must ‘walk’ their bicycles in and out of the school entrance area, dismounting or mounting their bicycles sensibly in the cycle lanes provided on Discovery Bay Road.  Students riding to and from school should also be wearing an approved safety helmet.  

The decision as to who is allowed to ride a bicycle to school rests entirely with parents, however our school staff will apply consequences for unacceptable or unsafe behaviour by students with bicycles.  Such consequences will include contacting parents when necessary and may also include banning the use of a bicycle for a period of time.

Please help by ensuring that your child is well versed with road rules and safe biking habits.  Please check that your child’s bicycle is safe and that they wear an approved safety helmet.  Discovery Bay presents all of the road hazards to be found world wide, and the road adjacent to our school gets very busy at the start and end of our school day.

Administration of Medication at School:  The beginning of a school year is a great time to revisit and share our procedures for the administering of medication to students at school.  To ensure the safety of your child we have a set of procedures in place that must be adhered to should your require us to administer medication to your child during the school day.  Please familiarise yourself with these procedures:


1. A written request must be received from the parent.

2. The request must include clear instructions as to times for administering and the prescribed dosage.

3. Any medication brought to school must be delivered personally to our medical staff by the parent or carer. Medication will be kept in a secure, locked space.

4. Medication must be contained in the original container displaying: a pharmaceutical label, the patient’s name, the name of the medication, dosage, time, doctor’s name, expiry date and the date the prescription was           issued.

5. A completed Medication Authorisation form must be completed before medication can be administered (available in our medical room).

6. Remaining medication will not be sent home with a child – a parent or carer will need to collect it from our medical room.

7. The school does not accept responsibility for any reactions that may occur following administration of medication sent from home.

8. The school does not accept responsibility for any reactions that may occur due to insufficient medication quantities being sent to school.


For your child’s safety and wellbeing, we will not provide / prescribe medication for your child at school (other than as noted above).  Should your child need medical attention, you will be contacted to then take your child home or to visit a doctor.

Health update:  Recent information from the Centre for Health Protection indicates an increase in influenza activity and Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD).  The Centre encourages parents to check their child’s temperature on a daily basis and to ensure that students with a fever remain at home for a 48 hour period to recover.

Students with HFMD should be excluded from schools until the fever has subsided and all the vesicles have dried and crusted.  Students who develop symptoms including: diarrhea, vomiting, skin rashes, fever or influenza - should remain absent from school and seek medical advice.

There have also been a few cases of head lice.  All parents are advised to check their child’s head and scalp for signs of head lice or nits (lice eggs).  If you suspect your child has head lice, please treat them and inform our school nurse.

School Photographs:  School photographs will be taken during the week starting 25 October 2010.  Further information regarding class dates and times will follow in the near future.

Dates for 2011 – 2012:  We are able to provide some probable dates for the 2011 / 2012 school year:


Thursday 18 August 2011 – start of term 1

Friday 16 December 2011 – End of term 1

Monday 9 January 2012 – start of term 2

We will confirm these dates and provide further information once we have received the ESF mid term 1 dates and the confirmed Public Holiday dates.

Iain Macleod

Our school has been advised of the sad passing of Iain Macleod.  Iain and Ronnaug were active members of our Discovery Bay International School community with their daughters Mairi and Eilidh attending our school.  Our thoughts and wishes are with Ronnaug, Mairi, Eilidh and Kirsty at this difficult time. 

Kind regards

Grant Ramsay

Principal

Community Notices

Disclaimer - The following notices are presented as a community service.  While the content is proofed and generally summarised, it is important to state that the information contained in these Community Notices in no way reflects Discovery Bay International School policy or practices.

Special Discovery Bay Fund Raising Event:  There is a very special fundraiser for taking place on September 25 at Zaks. Edwin Stevens, a most amazing young person in our Discovery Bay community, will undergo major surgery; the operation is lengthy and complex and will require him to be in traction for nearly two weeks beforehand.

The operation is not being covered by insurance and as you can imagine, this will be very costly as it having to be done under the private health sector. Cath and Ian Stevens are valued members of our community whose home, as many of you will know, is always open to anyone in need of friendship and support.  Edwin is an intelligent, brave and very amusing young man who truly makes a difference.  We, a close group of friends of Edwin’s parents have made a decision to take this out of their hands - they have enough to cope with.  We’d really appreciate your support.

If you would like more information please email  A special fundraiser is being held at Zaks from 7:00 pm – Saturday 25 September.  Tickets are $500 per person with entertainment and refreshments provided.  Please read the attached flyer.

DB PIRATES RUGBY SIGN UP:  Please go to http://www.dbpirates.com/news/news.htm to get all information needed to sign up, as well as information on times and places to receive your kit.

Animal Adoption Day:  On Sunday 12th September, the animal society PALS (Protection of Animals Lantau South) will be holding another of its successful animal adoption days at the Gazebo of the DBIS car park. The event runs from 12:00 pm – 2.30 pm and gives you a chance to meet some of their animals and to decide if you could offer a permanent or temporary home to one of them.  See you there!

“Robin Hood”! Chunky Onion Productions:  Want an adventure? Come and enjoy “Robin Hood”! Chunky Onion Productions – a leading theatre company in Hong Kong is going to perform “Robin Hood” in the Discovery Bay Community Hall at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm on 26th September 2010. Tickets: 2110-0014 or http:// chunkyonion.com/robin

Play Sport Coaching Ltd - Fun Packed Sports Activities:  We offer a wide range of FUN sporting activities all year round for both boys and girls of all ages and abilities.  Activities include: New Soccer School of Excellence 6+yrs, Mini - Sports, Soccer tots 2-5yrs as well as many other fun classes for tots and older children. We also offer Brilliant Sports Birthday Parties for all aged kids.

Venues include: DBIS and the lovely new soccer pitch at the new plaza.  Please visit our web-site http://www.playsport.com.hk for more information and to book on-line or call the office on 28189453.

Penny Scallan Design  25% DISCOUNT:  Order online at http://www.pennyscallan.biz, type the Promotional Code 'design' to received 25% off all items.  Receive a free matching bag tag with every backpack, kinder lunchbox, wheelie bag, overnight bag, laptop bag, wine cooler and cooler bag.  HURRY, ends midnight Monday 13th September.  www.pennyscallan.biz  tel: 6015-4050