Lower Primary School Parent Handbook - DragonNet - Hong Kong ...

18 Hong Hong International School
also communicate regularly with parents, in a variety of formats – some write class
newsletters, some do personal emails, others have notebooks. Our goal is to keep
you informed of your child’s work.
n Orange Notices
From time to time we send home information notices that require parent signatures.
These notices are always printed on orange paper as an extra indication to you that it
needs your immediate attention and that you must sign and return it to school. If your
child is in Reception One or Two, please put these notices in your child’s clear plastic
folder when returning it to the teacher.
n Fall Parent Coffees
These events are held at the beginning of the year and provide opportunities for
parents to hear more about the educational program of the school and also to ask
questions. Parents also enjoy the opportunity to meet other parents in an informal
setting.
n Back-to-School Nights (Open House)
Two nights are set aside in the Fall for Lower Primary Back-to-School Nights, one
night for Reception One and Two and one night for Grades One and Two. By offering
two opportunities for parents to visit, we provide a program that is more specific to
your child’s grade level and your interests. It also reduces the number of people at
the school for each evening, thus giving us more time to meet you individually and
respond to your questions. Generally we meet in the gym for snacks and drinks,
followed by a short presentation from the Principal or Associate Principals, ending
with a presentation by your child’s teacher in the classroom.
10. early Leaving
Extended absences and early leaving for any reason other than illness are strongly
discouraged. Our instructional program is planned for the full year. New concepts
are taught, practiced, and reinforced on a daily basis. In addition, classroom reading,
writing, and discussion form the basis for our theme learning. Children who are
absent miss these valuable opportunities to verbalize and work with new instructional
concepts. They also miss important opportunities to work as cooperative partners
in groups. Children who miss many school days sometimes feel left out when they
discover that the class has moved on to new topics or themes.
When children leave before the end of the school year, they miss special activities,
which are designed to bring closure to the school year.
11. end of Year Check out Procedures
At the end of the school year students are expected to return all library books, text
books, DVDs or other educational materials that have been loaned to them for the
year. Students who have lost materials or books will be expected to pay replacement
costs before report cards are issued. We ask that parents help develop their
children’s sense of responsibility for school materials.
12. Field trips
Field trips are an important part of our school curriculum. They provide extended,
hands-on learning experiences for all the children. You will be informed of all field trips
before they occur. We use our own regular school bus for transportation. Parents are
welcome on field trips. Teachers will communicate with parents regarding attendance
at field trips and volunteer parent chaperones. Please note, domestic helpers and/
or nannies are generally not allowed to accompany children on field trips, mainly
because we want to keep parents as our main partners in education.