Junior School Headmistress' Report 2011-2012
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Junior School Headmistress’ Report 2011-2012 Farmer’s Plot in the Middle Garden, the Club’s next step is to grow vegetables using the organic farming method. The 2011-2012 school year was a very memorable year in the history of the School. It marked the first year of operation in the A recently conducted survey revealed that the girls’ favourite redeveloped Jordan Road Campus. The transition to the new place in the School is the library. The reading castle has been turned premises was smooth, allowing teaching and learning to be continued into a reading cottage, which sparks imagination and creativity. effectively. All major activities at the beginning of the school year Each morning, the whole school begins with the Assembly in the were not affected by the relocating process. On top of the regular spacious Junior School Hall. At last, all teachers and students can school schedule was the different logistics planning for the new assemble comfortably to be nurtured by Christian sharing, and enjoy environment. The School worked out specific dates for each primary different presentations and performances after our worship. level to attend school at the new campus on the first two days in September, 2011. The School provided different opportunities for The state-of-the-art school campus is equipped with a number staff members, parents and students to familiarise themselves with of new facilities. As you enter the Gascoigne Road entrance to the the new school environment. The timetables of the Junior School and Junior School, you will see at once a landscaped courtyard. This the Senior School were meticulously planned to ensure that students’ DGJS Courtyard leads to some special facilities in the campus in school life and classroom routines were not affected, especially addition to the two-storey library and the Assembly Hall. One of the when the swimming pool, sports field and the lifts were commonly special places is the Performing Arts Centre. Decorated with yellow used. The centralised office was established to provide the School spruce, it has a lively ambience and is an ideal place for holding with facility management monitored by different administrative and music lessons, orchestra and band rehearsals and different musical technical staff. performances for a small audience. Another special place is the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Room, where dedicated parents spend The excitement of the entire school rose to great heights as we countless hours planning activities and making important decisions “explored” the “brand new” campus together. The Senior and Junior for the benefit of the school and students. Right beside the PTA Schools reunited again at the Jordan Road Campus to experience Room is the Chinese Culture Room. The Chinese calligraphy and art a mixed “novel” and “nostalgic” feeling. The girls’ old favourite scrolls on the walls, together with the massive backdrop of a Chinese places, such as the Middle Garden, the playground with swings, and nature scene give this room a distinct identity and speak for the the reading castle are still present, but have been given a new look. function of the room. The room is entirely devoted to the promotion The new Middle Garden is now vertically located in the middle of of Chinese culture, providing a platform for students to enhance their the school building. In addition to the beautiful landscaping, the interest in the history and culture of the motherland. At Level 2, you playground equipment of the former Corner Garden can now be will find the air-conditioned, well-equipped DGJS gymnasium with found in the contemporary Middle Garden. The Environmental and clear glass windows overlooking nearby buildings and pedestrians. Gardening Club has turned the Middle Garden into their harvest Physical Education lessons and various sports teams and clubs, such backyard. Club members aspire to instill green values and promote as volleyball, badminton and basketball are conducted here. You may green practices to their fellow schoolmates. They also play a vital take the huge elevator to Level 8 where the young scientists make role in greening and beautifying the campus. Potted plants and observations, form hypotheses, perform experiments in the modern hanging pots of herbs can be seen in the Middle Garden and along Science Centre, fully furnished with proper laboratory workstations. the corridors on each level. With the available space in the Little - 152 - - 153 - Next to the Science Centre is the Student Activity Centre. The two Kong Schools Speech Festival, we captured 35 first places in the mirror walls make the Centre a perfect location for the Dance Club English Section solo speaking classes. The presentation of Chan and drama lessons. Sum Yu (Pr. 5C) was so brilliant that she was recommended by the adjudicator to perform in the Prize-winners’ Recital. Both of our The entire staff worked extremely hard to make the best use of Harmonic Choral Speaking Groups, Primary Two and Primary Three, the new facilities and expanded space to create the most favourable came first. We swept the top two places in the Improvised Dramatic teaching and learning environment for our girls. Scene and Rehearsed Original Scene competitions. The trilingual skills possessed by our girls are truly outstanding. Not only are Nevertheless, we soon understood that all beginnings entail they eloquent in both English and Cantonese, they also demonstrate difficulties and challenges, as the School had to face different great proficiency in Putonghua. In the Chinese section of the Speech teething problems. Contingency plans were executed while defects Festival, we won 23 first places in Cantonese and Putonghua entries. were rectified and emergency repairs were carried out in the school building. The achievements we see today are the results of the Music in DGJS is welcomed as a happy and vibrant activity. collaboration of every member in our large DGS family, the School Each morning, we sing hymns to glorify our Heavenly Father Council and its different subcommittees, the teaching staff of the in the Assembly. Students, as soon as they join the DGJS family, Senior and Junior Schools, parents and students. All have worked are therefore embraced by an atmosphere that encourages them to with great enthusiasm and commitment for the love and betterment cultivate singing skills. For those who are more passionate about of our School. singing, they may further train their tonality and sense of rhythm by joining the School Choirs. These choirs participate in the Hong Kong On the academic front, our team of teachers enjoys a collaborative Schools Music Festival every year and achieve stunning results. environment which facilitates professional development and ensures that our programmes are dynamic and flexible. In seeking to enrich In the 64th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, both our Senior our students’ appreciation of English literature, teachers dedicate and Intermediate Choirs secured the first place in the categories of special time to engage students in writing and poetry study. Our Choral Singing in Chinese and Choral Singing in Foreign Language. efforts were rewarded when Cheng Yi Ting (Pr. 5B) was awarded the The Senior Choir was selected as The Best Primary School Senior Champion and the Poet of the School by the 2011/2012 Hong Kong Choir in the Urban Area. One of the highlights of the Music Budding Poets Award organized by the Gifted Education Section Department last year was the participation in the 2012 World Choir of the Curriculum Development Institute of the Education Bureau. Games in Cincinnati, USA, in July. The Diocesan Cincinnati Choir, Other astounding poets from the School include Stephanie Leung, comprising selected singers from Primary Four and Primary Five, the Second Runner-up, and Serena Tsui, the Third Runner-up and the competed in the Champions Competition in the category of Young Best Improviser of the Year. Our students’ talents in creative writing Children’s Choirs and was awarded the gold medal. Apart from are profound. In the Hong Kong Young Writers Award, stories written competing, the choir joined the “Parade of the Nations”, performed at by our gifted young writers Celeste Wu (Pr. 6C) and Charlotte Leung the “Friendship Concert” as well as sang as a visiting guest choir at (Pr. 5B) were published in the New Tales of the Yangtze River, the the Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati. Anthology of The Hong Kong Young Writers Awards. 2011 to 2012 was an equally exciting year for girls involved in Once again our students received recognition in the inter-school sports. The results in the inter-school competitions in the Kowloon arena with their impressive speech performances. In the 63rd Hong - 154 - - 155 - West Area were remarkable. The School attained championships in to be a well-received and successful approach in guiding students to the inter-school swimming, volleyball, table tennis and badminton reach their achievable goals. competitions, and the first runner-up in the athletics competition. In July 2012, the School unveiled a new scholarship scheme to In addition to these remarkable results, the School was awarded the recognise the dedication and achievements of students in the fields Gold Prize for the best achievement in sports as well as a special of sports and music. The Sports Scholarship is designed to support Gold Cup for being the sole winner of the Gold Prize for twenty- students who have exhibited exceptional sporting prowess to attain three consecutive years. Through participation in sports teams and their potential. Eleven outstanding young athletes were awarded vigorous training, players develop mental and physical resilience the sports scholarships of $1,000 each in 2011-2012. Students who to overcome defeat. Girls also steel themselves to strive harder to have a profound commitment and made a major contribution to the improve their individual and team performances.