Dear parents and HoK community members,
The situation with the Covid-19 virus is constantly changing. As a school, we have been endeavouring to ensure that you are fully aware of the latest developments. At times this has been difficult due to the lack of clear information.
However, we now believe that the resumption of school will not happen in the short term. For this reason, we have decided to add an additional 3 weeks to the school year.
We will extend the end of the school year from Friday, June 19, until Friday, July 3. This will provide an additional 2 weeks. April 3 will remain a public holiday but the Spring Break that was scheduled from April 6 to 10, will now be a normal school week with students attending class.
The May Day holiday will be extended from 3 to 5 days, and will now take place from May 1 to May 5, which is in line with the revised Chinese public holiday schedule. This is also the mid-point of the revised semester.
In order to provide your children with more face-to-face contact time at school and to compensate our teachers for working an extra 3 weeks, online lessons will cease and the next 3 weeks will be designated a school holiday break. Therefore, there will be no online lessons will be provided between Monday February 17 and Sunday March 8, inclusive.
We will plan to be ready for students to resume classes on Monday March 9. This scenario is based on the latest information that we have from the Education Bureau and local government authorities. However, the directive that schools are to remain closed until further notice remains in place and we will continue to follow their instructions. Schools will not resume until we are authorized us to do so. Therefore, these dates may change.
Prior to school resuming, all classrooms will be fully disinfected and measures put in place to assure the continued safety of everyone who enters our campuses. Regular temperature checks, more regular cleaning and disinfecting, as well as a heightened awareness of the signs of illness will take place.
This decision has not been taken lightly and a great deal of thought, consultation and care has happened prior. We have considered the needs of all stakeholders and have deliberated widely. We sincerely thank those parents who have provided feedback and support during the past 2 weeks to help us with this decision.
Your understanding during this challenging time has been very much appreciated, as has your willingness to work with the teachers in delivering the online lessons to your children. We recognize that this has been difficult for some families.
While many of you have expressed your appreciation for the efforts of the teachers, you have also shared your concerns about a lack of personal, face-to-face interaction. We have listened to your concerns and considered your feedback carefully prior to making this decision.
As a school we will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the Education Bureau with regards to health and safety. As stated previously, our main concern is to ensure the well-being of all members of our HoK community.
If you have any specific questions, concerns or feedback, kindly contact your child’s teachers or the principal of your particular campus. I am also available if you need via email: russell.oneill@hokschools.com or wechat: russell_oneill
In the meantime, please continue to check your email for further updates.
Kindest Regards,
Russell O’Neill