Principal’s Message
Dear Parents, Staff, Students and Friends of WIS,
Congratulations to our ‘Shark Week’ leaders who have engaged the community in thinking about how life below water is being destroyed by human choices. As we move into Chinese New Year celebrations, please think carefully about restaurants you support as Hong Kong is responsible for up to 40% of trade in shark fin products worldwide. Maxims has banned it from all menus this year but many will still be serving the traditional dish. Well done to the team for getting your message over so convincingly.
When we return after the break, Harshul will be leading an education week focused around life on land. It also coincides with Tasty Tuesday as a Chartwells experiment with a meatless menu to reduce our carbon footprint.
Our A Grade Girls Netball team has won the ISSFHK and HKSSF finals and secures the top spot amongst all Hong Kong international schools. The standard of play is exceptional and worthy of national attention for this talented group of ladies. Well done on an exceptional season. Looking forward to hearing about the success of B Grade and A Grade Boys Basketballers as they approach the ESF Basketball Finals on 4 February. Other successful teams making a difference this week are the work of students supporting the Society for Relief of Disabled Children. Clovis and Lilla have donated over forty hours of time to the charity and made a significant impression on its members.
Success for individual athletes. Haydn Ching has been nominated for the Hong Kong Most Promising Sports Stars Awards organised by the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong. In February, Ginnie Ding has been invited to represent Hong Kong in the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Golf Championship. A most prestigious athlete for a most prestigious tournament.
Bori Gibb has won the Children’s Challenge Cup at Hong Kong Jockey Club. Securing a victory in the January finals, this young equestrian secured the highest aggregate score for her team. If you currently ride and wish to join Bori to form a school equestrian team, we would love to hear from you.
Sports Day looks like quite the event on Thursday, if this is anything to go by. Good luck everybody.
Of no less prestige is the shortlist which Sienna Bertamini finds herself in, having been selected out of 4000 candidates to attend the Voice of Democracy scholarship awards in America. Along with 53 other finalists, she will discover if she has indeed won the prestigious award for 2020. Well done Sienna.
Chinese New Year assembly was a great way to start festive celebrations. Singing and dancing was exceptional today and it was made perfect with Justin Ng, Alumni of Class 2017 who returned from the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts to play his Zhongruan. Absolute delight for us all.
Prosperity is set to come everybody’s way in the New Year of the Rat. A reminder here to download your form from Gateway, complete and submit to the Main Office by 10 February in order to benefit from the Student Grant Scheme.
As ever, the last few weeks have been packed and there is more to come. Look out for the PTA events planned shortly after we return. Rocking with our 80s Disco on 21 February or coming to the School Fair on 16 March, we really look forward to seeing you after the break.
Gong Hei Fat Choy!
Yours,
Christopher Sammons
(Principal)
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
February 11 & 12: Techniphoto at WIS for team and sports photos
February 17 – 21: WIS Talks: Mental Health Week
