Message from the Principal - February 2021

Dear parents of APSW,

     May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus be with you always!

     As we enter the Year of the Ox, I would like to wish you and your family health, peace and the Lord's abundant blessings on behalf of APSW. Though the Lunar New Year is approaching, we might not find it as festive as before due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Nevertheless, I believe children are still eager to experience an exciting "red" holiday - wearing red garments, receiving red packets, or visiting relatives under precautionary measures. I hope that during this festival, even under the gloominess of the pandemic, children can comprehend how important it is to cherish what's around us - cherishing the time spent with family, cherishing the gifts or money they receive, or cherishing the opportunity to learn. In this ever-changing world, nothing is certain. We should therefore be grateful and cherish what we have.   

     Under the threat of COVID-19, parents and children will experience inevitable pressure. It is really important to relax yourself from time to time. You might opt to stay home with your children during the holidays, but it would be a good idea to exercise with your children at home or go for a short walk in less populated areas. Good parent-child relationship is an important key to effective family education. Moreover, you can share the latest news on the pandemic with your children, and through that instill positive values in them. Children can come to understand that challenges are inevitable amidst the pandemic, but we ought to face every challenge positively and boldly. Therefore, they will be prepared to face adversity in the future.

     To enable students to experience a "positive" Chinese New Year, this year we will be handing out a "Good Character Pet" sticker pack for every student as a Chinese New Year gift, helping them to understand, learn and develop sound moral values. The sticker pack will be distributed on the 9th February.

     Also, reading is the most effective way to learn. We want to continue to encourage children to read more. During the pandemic, we have purchased a variety of books for the Central Library and English Library. Students will be able to access them once the school suspension is over in the second term. Besides, we are assigning less holiday homework to allow students more time to read, experience life, and plan their own study schedule and goals.
     Last week, we have distributed the second learning assessment syllabus to students. We certainly understand that both parents and children are facing immense challenges and pressure during the pandemic. Yet considering that students of different grades have different learning needs, we have decided to carry on with the learning assessment - Primary 5 and 6 students will be taking internal assessments for secondary school places allocation soon; Primary 3 and 4 students also need to be tested for class allocation arrangements in the next academic school year. The assessment is also an important marker for us to have a better understanding of the students' learning progress under the current online learning methods, and to make corresponding arrangements and changes in the second term to accommodate their learning needs. Unfortunately, the situation of the pandemic is still unstable right now; the Education Bureau has launched different policies and arrangements regarding face-to-face activities at school. We are currently adjusting the details of the learning assessment to ensure students' needs are well taken care of. New assessment methods for Primary 1 and 2 students may be adopted to ease off the pressure for our students, while still able to monitor their study progress. We will make relevant announcements after the Chinese New Year holiday in late February in accordance with the latest pandemic situation then.
     Additionally, large banners have been hung up recently to promote positive values, they are hung on the sides of the front and rear staircases of each floor, to welcome students when face-to-face classes resume. Also, a large-scale covered walkway project will be launched in late February: a covered walkway will be constructed to connect the gate to the U/G hall, shielding the passage from sunlight and rain. Also, the washroom renovation project on the 2/F is almost coming to an end. We look forward to the completion of the projects, so students are able to enjoy a better learning environment.

     Face-to-face classes have been suspended for a long time due to COVID-19. During this time, we have made numerous of decisions. Upon every decision-making, we have been asking ourselves: "Should we or should we not? Why should we or why shouldn't we do it? These "whys" are very important to our policy-making. We are truly thankful to the members of the IMC, chairperson of the PTA, parent committee members and all parents for their support and assistance, it had enabled us to understand the concerns and needs of each parent. Your invaluable feedback has helped us better our policies. May we continue to work together and strive for the wellbeing of our children during this difficult time.


     After the Chinese New Year holiday, we will enter the Year of the Ox. I would like to wish everyone good health, not just the body; but the mind and spirit, and for families to be filled with joy in the new year! I look forward to seeing you again in the Year of the Ox!

Mr. Lee Tak Hang,
School principal