JOCKEY CLUB
SARAH ROE
SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT
2013-14
Message from the Principal
Dear parents and JCSRS community
I would like to start this year’s report by saying thank you. Thank you for your warm and
open welcome to JCSRS. From the very beginning I have been impressed with the many
skills and talents of the students and the professional and dedicated staff. I particularly want
to thank Susan Chung and Annette Chapman for taking on the role of principal before my
arrival in May, also to Jenny Lingham for her leadership and her support. The School Council
and the PTA have equally welcomed me and supported my transition into the school.
I have now had an opportunity to meet many families and it is clear that there are strong
and enduring partnerships between school and home. Our work together makes a real
difference to providing the very best education for our students.
This report highlights the many successes and achievements across the school. The students
have so many opportunities to shine both in the classroom and out in the community. Many
students have benefited from integration at other schools, from the outdoor activities as
part of the PE program and the Structured Workplace Learning Programme provided by the
ESF Career Development Services. We are also incredibly fortunate to have a team of highly
qualified therapists at JCSRS. Their work with the students and their collaboration with the
teachers adds great value to our school.
There has been a huge amount of work on both the primary and secondary curricula and the
introduction of Classroom Monitor, a web based platform that will help us track and share
student learning. In addition we now have an Independent Living Skills room, an Expressive
Arts space and renovated toilets and change rooms.
Congratulations also to the staff who have made an excellent start to the Self Study as part
of the Council of International Schools (CIS) accreditation process. During the 2014-15
school year we will be finalising our report and hosting a visit from the CIS team. There is
another busy year ahead.
It is a privilege and an honour to join this learning community and I very much look forward
to continuing the journey of improvement and striving for excellence at JCSRS.
I hope you enjoy reading the 2013-14 annual report.
Yours faithfully,
Karin Wetselaar
Principal
JCSRS MISSION STATEMENT
Empowering young people to achieve their full potential
School Aims
To provide a holistic and inclusive
By committing ourselves to:
approach to learning, supporting our
Recruiting, inducting and developing high quality
ethos to making a difference.
staff.
Continuous improvement.
Assuring the quality of the service we offer.
Providing a centre of excellence for local provision of
SEN.
Being proactive in influencing local SEN forums.
To develop an inclusive approach to
By providing:
educational life
A quality curriculum accessible to all.
An entitlement to accreditation for all.
Equal opportunities for all students.
The pupils with the skills, knowledge and
independence / interdependence to face their
futures.
To provide a learning environment
By:
based on mutual respect and self
Encouraging all staff and pupils to manage their own
advocacy
learning.
Valuing and celebrating achievements and success.
Valuing the contribution of everyone in our own
commitment to provide an atmosphere of warmth,
equity and respect for persons.
Listening to others, making decisions, setting targets
and monitoring our own learning.
To create a challenging and forward
By:
thinking culture
Ensuring creative teaching is an entitlement.
Encouraging and supporting risk taking.
Developing self awareness and enabling everyone
to seek solutions and not limitations
School Council 2013-14
JCSRS School Council is responsible for the governance of the life and work of the school.
The Council has a number of responsibilities including monitoring, reviewing and evaluating
the School Development Plan; the appointment and promotion of staff; approving the
school budget; ensuring the condition and maintenance of the school premises and facilities
and also acts as a link between ESF management, the school and the community as a whole.
Chairman
Ms. Virginia Morris
Parents Representative
Ms. Clare Allum
Mr. Alan Collins
Ms. Sandra Lee
Community Representative
Dr. Kenneth Sin
Ms. Maria Wong
Ms. Louise Thomas
Teacher Representatives
Ms. Heidi Lee
Ms. Carol Li
Ms. Lorna Banfield
Support Staff Representative
Ms. Daphne Ip
ESF Representative
Mr. Chris Durbin
School Principal
Ms. Karin Wetselaar (A Chapman & S Chung acting)
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Our PTA continued to support the students of JCSRS in a variety of valuable ways.
The PTA has continued its efforts to improve the students’ transport to and from school.
This has resulted in journey times of no more than 1 ½hours for any student within our
catchment area, which is the whole of the territory. The PTA has maintained the services of
five Rehabus vehicles in addition to our own buses. The PTA is working towards funding a
new school bus.
PTA Members of 2013-14
Chairperson
Treasurer
Secretary
PTA Coordinator
Parent Representatives
Teacher Representatives
Mr. John Greene
Ms. Minnie Ma
Ms. Elaine Ward
Mr. Lap Yau
Ms. Sandra Lee
Mr. Louis Ma
Ms. Jenny Lingham
Invited Member
Ms. Daphne Ip
Ms. Kit Chan
John Greene
Minnie Ma
Elaine Ward
PTA Jazz Family Fest 2014
On Friday 10 and Saturday 11 January JCSRS hosted two phenomenal nights of music at
Grappa’s Cellar. The event, which required almost two years of preparation, was the
brainchild of Cecile and Oliver Smith, parents of a student at JCSRS.
Ticket sales were excellent; over two nights, more than 420 people attended the event.
Attendees included JCSRS parents and staff, friends, other members of ESF, and walk-ins
from the street!
During the event, Vice Principal Jenny Lingham made a presentation about the purpose of
this fundraising event. As she explained, our students will benefit greatly from the
development of two new rooms: an expressive arts space, where there will be light and
sound beams for students of all levels to make music, and an independent living space,
where students will be encouraged to practice practical skills such as cooking, cleaning,
ironing, making the bed, and so much more.
Beyond ticket sales, funds were collected through a silent auction, a lucky draw and
generous donations. Without a doubt, the events were a huge success!
Special thanks go out to:
… Grappa’s Cellar for donating the venue
… The jazz musicians for donating their time and energy
… Cecile Guitton, John Greene, Susan Chung, Sarah Clifford, Sandra Feran, Lapkee Yau, Kim
Anderson, Eva Hui, and Judy Yue for the tireless work that they undertook to make these
nights possible
… And to all of the committed parents, staff and friends who came along to support!
Class A
Class A had a wonderful year. There were many highlights throughout the year where the
students enjoyed hands on experiences to further their understanding of the themes.
In term one the students enjoyed exploring food production with their theme Farm to
Table. They experienced this process first hand by growing watercress and then using them
to make watercress and egg sandwiches. The students also visited a large garden where
they were able to pick their own turnip just like in the story The Enormous Turnip by Alexei
Tolstoy.
The Christmas production was another time the students were able to highlight their many
talents. They wowed their peers, parents and the greater community with their confidence
and amazing performances.
In term 3 the class theme focussed on celebrations. The class examined different party
foods, and reasons and ways people celebrate. They made delicious party foods to try like
pineapple cheese, which was enjoyed by all.
The year ended with a memorable trip to Ocean Park, where the students were able to
celebrate the end of the school year and enjoy their time together.
Lorna Blanchfield
Class A teacher
Class B
What a busy year it has been for Class B. It has been filled with a variety of learning
experiences, with each student giving their best effort from Day 1, and as a result, have
made great strides in their learning journey.
A key priority in Class B is developing well-rounded students who would be able to function
on the day to day as members of the community. In order to do so, we strive towards
providing a holistic learning program for the children where personal and social
expectations are embedded into everyday expectations and their individual learning targets.
As a team, we collaborate and create an individual learning plan best suited for the students
to ensure success. This year, communication and independence continues to be the
overarching target in our learning. For each student, the process and the output may look
different, but the expectation remains the same. Their use of language has expanded to a
great number of different areas and situations. Our students have made tremendous
strides in communicating in all areas such as wants and needs, retelling their own
experiences, and in social and creative play situations.
Developing independence is another target that goes hand in hand with our communication
expectations. In being independent, students feel a sense of pride and accomplishment
which therefore boosts their confidence in themselves as successful learners. Every student
in the class is expected to be responsible in following a form of a visual schedule which
outlines for them the structure of the day and what they are expected to do. Additionally,
students also help in being “teachers” by helping to lead different aspects of our morning
circle time where they are able to interact with their peers. Our expectations are
continuously modified for the individual student, their learning need and style.
Class B has had an amazing year filled with many different activities in and around the
community: educational visits, interaction with mainstream peers, and participating in a
variety of school events. What has made this year above and beyond the standard is being a
witness to the personal growth of each student and taking that step forward towards being
well-rounded people. It is our hope that as we move ahead in their learning journey in the
coming years, we continue to provide the necessary tools and motivation to help the
children flourish and succeed.
Sandra Gee
Class B teacher
Class C
Class C has had another busy and fruitful year. They were exposed to a variety of interesting
and educational activities. We worked on three new units this year which included “My
family”, “Plants and Animals” and “Let’s celebrate”. In these units, students acquired
knowledge relating to their communities. Their social and communication skills were also
further developed. Students joined in various educational visits to consolidate and
generalize their learning in different settings such as, Pizza Express, Botanical Garden, Ocean
Park and IKEA.
Students had great fun joining in different school events. The Dr. Dog visit, acrobat
performance, classical music concert, Book Week, Seeing Is Believing and Art Exhibition
were the highlights of the year. Two students from Class C won the first and third prize in
the Art Exhibition. Their hard work paid off!
Developing independence is one of the key areas of learning in our class. Students were
encouraged to use various communication devices to express needs such as Super Talker,
Switches, PC Eye, iPod Touch and Picture Exchange Communication System. Eating and
toileting programmes were also part of daily teaching and learning.
Some students had the wonderful opportunity to go horse riding throughout the
year. The programme has greatly contributed to building up their motor skills and selfconfidence. They looked really proud on their horses.
Throughout the year, Class C students have been working hard to achieve their learning
targets. They had lovely moments cross grouping with other primary classes every
Wednesday. It is encouraging to see them growing and making progress in different learning
areas. I am sure they will keep it up. Well done Class C!
Heidi Lee
Class C Teacher
Class D
What a wonderful year we had in Class D! The students finished the three units of the
Primary Learning Programme. In the first term, students learned about the family. We
posted the students' family photos and their baby pictures in class. They were able to find
their own family photos and talk about them. Some could identify their grandparents,
uncles and aunts. We went to the Ikea Store and the History Museum where students
learned the names of different pieces of furniture found in homes.
In the second term, students learnt about plants and animals. They planted their own
potatoes, green onions and New Guinea Impatiens. They were very interested in the
animals in the Kadoorie Farm and the Dinosaur Exhibition of the Science Museum. When Dr.
Dogs visted school, all students had a good time walking with the dogs.
In the third term, we learnt about tastes around the world. Students learnt about other
countries and food related to those countries. It was great to see students matching and
naming country flags and their food. Some students’ parents and brothers came in to talk
about their country and shared their popular food with us. We really appreciate their effort.
We made some special food such as Lamingtons and fish and chips.
Some students had horse riding sessions. There were rugby sessions and swimming sessions
in a public pool. Students like to keep fit.
In Maths, students learnt how to tell time, length, patterns and shapes. Some students can
do mental addition and subtraction too. In Literacy, students learnt to read stories and
letter sounds of the alphabet.
We see growth in the students in different areas. Their parents’ support is very important.
We thank the parents for their efforts in helping the students do their homework and for
their participation in the interesting projects with the students. It has been a rewarding year
for all of us.
Mimi Kong
Class D teacher
Class E
This year Class E, Post 16 group has been taking six ASDAN Towards Independence modules
Making Pictures, Sports and Leisure, Money (introduction), Recognising and Using Everyday
signs, Literacy and Numeracy. Students are also placed into different work for work
placement and experience to further develop their vocational and Life skills.
Reading in the Library
Matching (Numeracy) games
The students’ creativity shone through when they were learning different techniques listed
in the ‘Making Pictures’ module. Students exhibited
their Egyptian Art work using a variety of media in our Art Exhibition.
Working on Egyptian Art
Working on Egyptian Art
Displaying completed work
With the support of the PE teacher and our PE assistant, the students participated in a wide
range of PE activities such as kayaking, sailing, adventure camp, tennis, rugby, swimming,
lawn bowl, rock climbing and gymnastic for their ASDAN Sports and Leisure module . Class E
has also won the fastest team in the relay in the school’s Sport Day.
APA Camp
Kayaking
Sports Day
Climbing Wall YMCA
The module ‘Money’ has been challenging but fun and useful for students. They learned to
recognise money in notes and coins. They have been practising how to use money in
exchange for services and food in real life contexts when we were out on educational visits.
Using A Shop(Salvation Army)
Using A Shop(Salvation Army)
Using a Cafe
The module ‘Recognising and Using Everyday Signs’ has also benefited the students in
learning the social norms and rules in the community.
Learning Street Signs
Using signs in MTR
Supermarket Signs
Making a Sign Game
Using the signal to cross at proper time
In addition to this, students have been participating in social skills training in class to address
their emotions and feelings and have regular sessions with Sheung Ho, our Speech and
Language therapist, to learn how to construct speech to give a presentation .
Presentation Group with Sheung Ho
Presentation Group
Our Occupational Therapist, Laurena also worked with the girls in the Young Women Club
once a week to facilitate interaction, to encourage sharing and to further develop their skills
in working with others. Laurena also worked with individual students on their fine motor
such as typing and shoe laces tying and life skills.
Girls Group with Laurena
Girls Group with Laurena
Jackie Newman
Class E teacher
Girls Group with Laurena
Class F
2013 -2014 has been an amazing year for Class F. Not only have they experienced new and
exciting things, they have also achieved personal success and recognition of their efforts in
various events and activities. During this year, students from class F joined many different
out of school activities such as APA Camp, kayaking, Special Olympics, Sports Day and
Sailing. Each of them overcame many challenges which tested their physical abilities and
enjoyed the experience that came with it.
We want to also show our admiration towards their outstanding act during the Christmas
performance and also extend our congratulations to three of our students who were
recognized for their talents and were invited to perform in an event organized by CASEN.
In ASDAN Transition Challenge programme, Class F completed the English, Community,
Sports and Leisure and Work Related activities. In English, students read “We’re Going on a
Bear Hunt” to a primary class during the Book Week. The students read the book out loud
and helped conduct sensory activities linked to the story. Everyone did a fantastic job for
the session and interacted beautifully with the younger students. In Community, students
learnt about appropriate behaviours in public places e.g. reading in a public library; ordering
food in a restaurant. They also visited a Sikh temple and learnt about
appropriate clothing to wear,( e.g. a head scarf) and to follow the rules with respect to the
religion. In Sports and Leisure, this year’s hiking activity was combined with a charitable act
called ‘Greening for the Chest’ which was organised by the Hong Kong Community Chest.
Students developed a sense of achievement by completing the hikes. The funds raised by
the program are used to benefit children and youth services.
In Work Related, one of the exciting events was an outing to ‘Dream Come True’ Education
Centre, a learning centre which introduced different industries including aviation, tourism,
firefighter, medical and performing arts. It was an invaluable opportunity for our students
to learn about different careers.
As it was a great joy to see our students succeed, we were also sad to see some of them
leave our class. Four of our students have moved up to Class Jade to further their studies
and one of our students was able to secure a position in KGV. We wish them the best of luck
and success in their futures.
Carol Li
Class F Teacher
Class G
This year we have worked on 5 ASDAN modules: Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and
Relationship. In “Personal” Module, the focus is on “My Family Jobs”. Students have
learned the jobs of their family members through photos sent from home and PowerPoints
tailored made for each family. Each student has the chance of presenting his/her own
PowerPoint introducing their family members and their jobs. The visit to the ‘Dream Come
True’ was a wonderful. Students dressed up and were able to use equipment to help them
have a better understanding of different jobs. They all had great fun!
In the “Social” module students worked on understanding different jobs in school settings
such as teachers, EAs, therapists and cleaners who support them in their learning. Students
had experiences watching some staff at work.
In the “Health” module, the key areas we have focused on were “Keeping safe”, “Keeping
Fit” and “Personal Care”. Students engaged in activities identifying drinks, places and
situations that may be hazardous and have learned what they should do in those situations.
During the course of working on the Personal Care unit, a Personal Care plan was sent home
to encourage students to carry out daily hygiene routine as independently as possible.
Students loved the unit on Keeping Fit. This unit was taught throughout the year. Students
had plenty of opportunities joining a range of PE activities in keeping fit such as tennis and
lawn bowl in the Football Club and hiking in term 2. Some students also participated in
rugby and swimming. They learned that exercise is good for our health and that it is
important to find suitable clothing and footwear for different PE activities.
In the “Citizenship” module, students participated in an activity to improve an area outdoors
through gardening. They beautified the environment with pots of plants. Students also
helped to collect litter in school and KGV area to keep the environment clean.
The trip to the Ocean Park was fantastic. Students saw a clean environment with lots of
plants and beautiful gardens.
The visit to Fanling Environmental Resource Centre provided hands on activities where
students played computer games and activated switches to consolidate ideas of how to keep
our environment clean. Students also practiced putting items in the correct recycling bins
for recycling.
In the Relationship” module, work has been done on understanding different feelings and
how they can express and regulate them in proper ways. Students have better
understanding of their body parts and gender when they work on the Unit “Our bodies”.
Shopping
To enhance independent living skills we went out shopping. Students were grouped and
had the opportunity to go shopping on a termly basis to buy ingredients for cooking and
items related to the ASDAN units. They followed a shopping list and counted the exact
number of items. They were encouraged to follow the whole procedure.
iPads
As iPads are great in facilitating student learning through fun and games, the ICT technician
was invited to run individual and groups sessions trying out different apps in communication
and educational games. Students have made much progress in gaining more skills in ICT.
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related Handicapped Children
(TEACCH)
TEACCH is part of the routine for most of the students. There are 3 TEACCH work stations in
our class. Students are encouraged to work independently from two to six tasks. Most of
them have made wonderful progress working on tasks.
Floria Siu
Class G teacher
Class H
This year we welcomed five new students to the class. During the school year, the students
have particularly enjoyed studying and attending educational visits relating to the ASDAN
New Horizons modules. Over the last three terms we have covered ten units, these were:
Occupations of people who help us, Safety at home and at school, Personal care, Bodies,
Health and Fitness, Feelings, Our community, Different communities, Our likes and Dislikes
and Environment.
A great deal of academic exploration was involved whilst magnifying the New Horizon
communication, social and behavioural skills, i.e. learning through fun!
One of the most beneficial experiences was our visit to the Educational Park at Terminal 2
airport. Every student had the opportunity to become familiar with a range of occupations
by role playing and using real life props and equipment in realistic settings. We dressed up
as astronauts, surgeons and even news reporters with cameras and scripts.
During term 3, while learning about the environment, Class H took part in a beach clean up.
Although it was a scorching hot day, everyone was enthusiastic about keeping their
environment clean and made every effort to understand the effects of pollution. At the
start of the year we were also very fortunate to travel to an organic farm once a week to
learn how to grow and tend our own vegetables. After acting as farmers for a course of
seven weeks we were then able to harvest our crop and take home our yummy goods!
During term two, Class H took part in seven hikes around Hong Kong, including the New
Territories. We all honed our skills and fitness by learning new sports such as tennis and
lawn bowls at the Hong Kong Football Club and the students also played rugby every
Monday morning. With our energy and fitness levels at a peak, we went on to win many
medals at Sports Day and the Special Olympics!
Throughout the year, all Class H students have done exceptionally well at learning how to
express their preferences and feelings through their daily diary writing, role-playing and
social skills classes. It has been extremely rewarding to note the children attempting
independent sentence writing through the use of their pictorial templates and Oxford
Reading Tree book worksheets.
One of our class highlights this year was learning math through the running of our class H
tuck-shop. Together we created shopping lists of items to buy at the supermarket and then
selling the items to the staff and students at school. Through this activity, students
improved their communication skills and how to handle money.
This year, class H took part in raising money for the charity ORBIS by creating beautiful
artwork for the ‘Seeing is Believing’ art fundraising project. Together as a class we travelled
to see our artwork on display at the Tai Koo Shing Plaza and took part in the closing
ceremony. Whilst on the subject of art, class H studied ‘African art’ for the annual school art
exhibition theme, which tied in nicely with our ASDAN module ‘Different communities’. By
being exposed to a range of festivals and celebrations throughout the year and taking part
in cultural cooking sessions and geography lessons, class H had a bigger insight on the world
around them.
For the first time ever some of class H took part in a course of vocational learning by helping
out at the Elderly Centre in Sai Kung or assisting with the cooking and cleaning in our
SENsationals School café. Others also had the chance to attend integration classes over at
the KGV school, such as art, D&T and PE.
A big congratulations and well-done to students Michael, Jimmy, Darius, Andrew and Safika
for completing and passing the ASDAN New Horizons program with flying colours. All
received their certificate of achievement!
Well –done class H!
Sally Fryer
Class H teacher
Therapy
There have been a number of new initiatives and projects
completed this year making 2013-2014 a very exciting and
busy time for the therapy team. We have now completed
our first 2-year self-evaluation cycle, which began in the
summer term of 2012. The team has reviewed and
developed our service systems and standards, aligning
them with current best practice guidelines. One of the
outcomes from this self evaluation was the development of
a formal therapy policy which included a unique set of
‘Quality Service Standards’ for the JCSRS therapy service.
The self evaluation process is a continuous one and a new
2-year self evaluation cycle will begin this year.
The therapists have continued to work collaboratively with
educators at school in order to improve the service
provided to our students. Starting this year, a more user friendly and student-centred
Individual Student Programme (ISP) has been adopted. With this new format, teachers and
therapists meet together as a team to discuss each student’s annual targets at the beginning
of the academic year and evaluate their progress at the end of each term. With this new
practice, parents and staff can see and understand the main targets for each student in a
clearer and more holistic way.
The therapists have also worked collaboratively to produce a ‘capability framework’ in line
with similar frameworks produced by ESF for teachers and senior leaders. These cover
professional practice, provision of a quality service, education and development. This
framework has been endorsed by the Director of Education for ESF and will be adopted by
all therapists across the organisation.
There has been a broad range of training offered this year by the therapy team for staff at
JCSRS and the ESF community. This included workshops on moving and handling techniques
& equipment, the use of sensory integration, the development of handwriting and
supporting eating & drinking difficulties.
In order to enhance the evidence-based
practice of the therapy service, the team
adopted the outcome measurement tool
‘Australian Therapy Outcome Measures’
(AusTOMs) this year. This is a tool to quantify
changes in students functioning with scales that
measure activity limitations and restrictions to
participation, and well-being. We were able to
collaboratively assess students using common
language across disciplines and objectively
evaluate their strengths and needs. Therapists
will continue to utilise AusTOMs to measure
therapy outcomes as part of our service quality assurance.
There have also been a number of IT projects for the therapists this year. The team has
been working with the producers of the online tool ‘Classroom Monitor’ in order to adapt it
for therapy. This is a work in progress and we are excited about using this innovative
approach to tracking our student’s progress. The team has also produced our own
departmental pages for the school website; outlining our philosophy, service and facilities.
Staffing changes have included welcoming Occupational Therapist Laurena Chen to the
Secondary Department and saying goodbye to Speech & Language Therapist Karen Carmody
who leaves us to take up a position at Bradbury School. Her post has been filled by
Stephanie Eber, who joins us from Australia.
Laurena Chen (OT)
Stephanie Eber (SLT)
Karen Carmody (SLT)
PE
Asia Pacific Adventures (APA) 3 day/2 night Secondary Camp 2013
At the camp we were able to participate in low and high ropes, climbing, abseiling, Tyrolean
traverse, kayaking, rafting, jungle walk and beach games. Independent life skills of washing
dishes, pitching tents, washing, showering and serving others, making sandwiches were
covered as well as a BBQ and staying in tents overnight.
23 secondary students were involved and lots of fun was had by all.
Special Olympics
We entered Track and Field and Indoor Rowing again this year. We had 22 students sign up
for both. We medalled in both events and got into to double figures this year. Lots and funa
dn games were had by all including the adults.
We practiced our track and field at Perth Street Sports Ground,the same location as where
we held the school Walkathon.
Special Olympics Fun Day
This event was run by Hong Kong’s Special Olympics and consisted of many different
adapted games for Special Needs. Each student was given a card and needed to visit each
game in order to gain stamps on their card. Once it was full they were able to claim a free
game/toy from the toy company which sponsored the event.
It was held at Kings Park and we took 2 primary classes
Primary and Secondary Sports Days
We held both events at Sai Kung Sports Ground. Consisting of throwing jumping and running
events we were assisted by a local church who has given us much support over the past 2
years.
Sailing
We took 12 students on our 8 week sailing course in Term 3. We were rained off on 5
occasions and have change to Term 1 this year to see if this makes a difference.
Kayaking
13 students participated in our 6 kayaking sessions. Much strength and coordination were
built up over the course.
Sports Leaders Award
This is a UK based course which aims to develop leadership through sport. We have linked
with ESF LSCs and had 1 student from our school and 5 from KGC and South Island.
JCSRS v KGV friendly Football game
In Term 3 lunchtime we challenged KGV’s LSC to a football match. It was a learning
experience and KGV were dominant throughout but our players performed above their
usual levels.
Mike Watson
PE Teacher
Educational Assistants (EAs)
First and foremost we would like to introduce the new members of our highly talented and
educated EA team: Akiko Kakegawa, Phoebe Man, Martin Ngai, Angelo Bernardo, Echo Hui,
Winkii Lau, Andrew Duthie, Daisy Cheung, Scott Grodewald, Vincent Wong and Regan
Nicholas - welcome you to our JCSRS EA team!!
At the beginning of the year all new Eas were enrolled in a wide range of introductory and
basic training sessions from different members of the qualified staff here at Sarah Roe. The
training which took place after school started with basic first aid and seizure management.
We were also introduced to the many teaching strategies and techniques that are used in
the classroom. Our therapists were also kind enough to yet again train the new members of
staff on their specialist areas of speech and language, occupational therapy and
physiotherapy.
After all that training we were also offered the chance to learn more through an ESF wide
professional development day that was held in Beacon Hill School. All the workshops and
groups were relevant to what we do as assistants in a special school and the chance to swap
and share stories with others within the ESF community was very helpful.
Sadly, we must end with good byes to some of the most dedicated members of our EA staff.
Good luck to Bob, Janna, Almond, Judy, Pinky and Winkii.
Mari Nakamura (EA)
Graduates
This year, there are three students Amanda Nueville, Beth Samelson and Fabiana Muller
who graduated from JCSRS. A graduation ceremony party was organised jointly by class E
teaching team and the parents of the graduates to celebrate their achievement on Thursday
the 19th of July at the Police Officer’s Club in Causeway Bay. Amanda, Beth and Fabiana will
be moving onto a Post 19 programme to continue to pursue their performing arts, catering
and librarian career. Both Amanda and Beth will be joining Nesbitt Centre after the summer
holiday. Fabiana’s parents will decide her placement when they return from their holiday.
Amanda at Graduation
Beth at Graduation
Fabi
During the ceremony, Karin Wetselaar, the Principal presented the Graduation Certificates
and Most Improved student awards, to recognize the graduates and the students of JCSRS
who had shown the most progress in a variety of subjects. Jenny Lingham, the Vice Principal,
delivered a speech congratulating the students who had participated in the new Vocational
Placement Program at JCSRS and awarded them certificates recognizing their work.
Karin Presenting Award
Jenny Presenting Awards
Awards
Beth will continue with her training in Nesbitt’s Café and Amanda’s parents are considering
setting up a company for Amanda to run workshops for kindergarten students as an extracurricular activity. Amanda would like to acquire a position with HK Disneyland to be a
Disney character to take pictures with tourists and to take part in the daily parade
performance.
Class E teaching team and the therapy team have conducted a transition program with the
graduates at the centre of the family’s choice. Staff of the new centre have been informed
of the current strategies and skills used to support individual students. Class E team and the
therapy team will provide continued support when possible to ensure that the students’
needs are addressed.
Jackie Newman
Curriculum and Assessment – Secondary
The JCSRS Secondary Curriculum has been designed to address the needs of students with
learning difficulties and disabilities. The curriculum offers a range of opportunities to
ensure that all learners have access to appropriate and relevant education that will
improve their life chances. It is designed to provide a foundation for lifelong learning
focusing on transferable social and life skills which are essential for living in the
community.
In devising this curriculum, close attention has been paid to the ethos and principles of
the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that takes a holistic view of the
lives and needs of people with complex learning needs. Within the curriculum design,
there is a focus on supporting the development of Life and Independence Skills.This in
turn will contribute to increased autonomy, motivation and self determination
which can enhance students’ life experience.
The curriculum has been designed to complement the JCSRS Primary
Curriculum and link to the wider ESF framework. Target setting, monitoring
and reporting will be accessed via an ‘e’ based programme called Classroom
Monitor, which can be accessed by the teachers, support staff and therapy
teams.
The curriculum can be accessed by a wide range of learners including those who require
high levels of support, as well as those who can operate semi independently or
independently. Learning focuses on raising awareness and developing skills around issues
that students are likely to face. The curriculum is embedded within and
across the following six pathways:
 ASDAN – New Horizons
 ASDAN – Transition Challenge
 ASDAN – Towards Independence
 ASDAN – Workright
 ASDAN – Literacy and Numeracy
 ASDAN – Personal and Social Development
The pathways are accessed through modules as follows:
 New Horizons – Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship, Relationships
 Transition Challenge – Knowing How, Making Choices, Feeling Good, Moving
Forward, Taking the Lead.
 Towards Independence – Independent Living Skills, Creative Studies, Culture,
Leisure/Recreation/Sport, PSHE, Work Related Skills.
 Work Right – Health & Safety in the Workplace, Being Responsible in the
Workplace, Working with Others in the Workplace, You at Work.
 Literacy and Numeracy – Speaking and Listening; Reading and
Writing, Number; Measure, Shape/Space; Money;Handling Data.
 Personal and Social Development – Managing Social
Relationships, Making the Most of Leisure Time, Preparation for
Work, Personal Safety, Using Technology
The six pathways are accredited by ASDAN, a UK based organization that offers accreditation for
children and adults.
Curriculum and Assessment – Primary
The Primary Curriculum has been in place and implemented by the Primary team in the last
two years and this is the final year of the three year cycle. Unit planners were developed by
the class teachers highlighting differentiated learning targets and outcomes. Continuous
assessment was carried out throughout the unit and student progress was recorded on the
Individual Student Plan. Evidence of learning was presented in the form of a scrap book or
photo album.
Year 3
Class A (Lorna)
Ourselves and
From farm to table
Festivals around the
expressing ourselves
world
Class B (Sandra)
Straight from the
heart
Caring for animals
and plants
Culture and custom
Class C (Heidi)
My family
Animals and plants
in the local
environment
Let’s celebrate
Class D (Mimi)
Home is where the
heart is
Animals and plants in
their habitat
Taste around the
world
It has been a fruitful year for the students and they enjoyed very much a variety of activities
related to the units. They are all active learners!
Secondary and Primary Integration
Secondary Integration
This year, nine students from Jockey Club Sarah Roe School
participated in Integration activities with other ESF schools,
including King George V School, South Island School and West
Island School.
Some students engaged in integration activities for a whole
school day whilst others went for particular lessons.
The lessons included PE, Mathematics, Design and Technology
and English Literature.
Jockey Club Sarah Roe School would like to express their gratitude to teaching staff at King
George V School, South Island School (SIS) and West Island School for their assistance in
arranging lessons for our students and helping to supervise and support them.
Of particular note this year, after showing great promise during his integration program with
South Island School, Andrew Chan has been accepted into SIS’s Individual Needs
Department next year and will be joining them full time. Well done Andrew!
Primary Integration
In the Primary Department, there were 8 JCSRS students who successfully participated in
integration opportunities with several different primary schools within ESF. Participating
schools for the academic term included Beacon Hill School, Clearwater Bay School, Kowloon
Junior School, Peak School, and Sha Tin Junior.
In partnership with the different schools, a program was specifically created for each
student to further develop their social skills in a variety of situations in the mainstream
environment. Additionally, there were some students who engaged in academic learning
within the classroom. These sessions proved to be of great benefit in helping to develop
social skills in the varying learning situations for our students. Best of all, the students had
fun!
During the course of the year, the Primary Department also had visits from a variety of
primary classes gathering information for their Units of Inquiry. Many focused on inquiring
about different learning and communication styles and how that impacted students.
Putting their learning into action, there would be follow up visits to engage with our
students in a variety of learning engagements.
Jockey Club Sarah Roe School would like to extend a special thank you to those schools who
welcomed our students with open arms and were willing to be flexible in making
arrangements for us. We look forward to maintaining these relationships and building on
new ones in the New Year.
2014 Art Exhibition
The art exhibition on April 2nd of this year was the most exciting that JCSRS has had to date!
This year we were a little more adventurous and decided to ”go public" by exhibiting all
the students' work in a stunning gallery in Sai Ying Pun. Our opening ceremony took place
on World Autism Day and we had a great turn out of staff, parents and even some news
reporters turned up! The event was held in the evening and catering was included, helped
by several students who enjoyed serving the canapés! Throughout the remainder of the
week, all classes had the opportunity to visit the gallery to view the artworks. Seeing their
faces light up and the appreciation shown by all, made all the hard work involved
worthwhile.
Every year we have an art theme and this year was 'Art Around the World' - each class was
given a region for inspiration, these being; Indian, Aboriginal, Chinese, Japanese, American
Pop art, Egyptian, African and Aztec art. During art lessons in school, students were able to
learn and explore in depth the specific art and the cultures and traditions that each country
had to offer. This project was important because it linked nicely and hopefully increased
awareness of world Autism Day.
The art pieces ranged in a variety of different media that included paint, collage, prints,
papier mache, clay, natural objects, wire….. the list goes on! It was a very tough decision for
our judge, Fred Croft (Head of Art at KGV) to decide on the prize winners. A huge
congratulations to Markhus, our first place secondary winner and Maurice who also came
first in Primary. Mr. Croft also acknowledged and presented medals for the best art piece
from each class. All students, staff and parents could also take part in a voting collection
box throughout the week and results were announced, along with prizes in the school hall
on the following Friday.
The standard of work this year has been remarkable. It was very clear to see that all
students worked incredibly hard on their creative artworks for two months prior to the big
day. I would like to express my many thanks to all the staff for their help and support with
guiding the students through the many artistic processes. I am so proud of everyone for
their dedication and creativeness regarding the art exhibition this year. Now to come up
with a theme for 2015.......
Sally Fryer
Art co-ordinator
Vocational Placements
This year, twelve secondary students from Jockey Club Sarah Roe School took part in our
Vocational Placement Program. Our students worked in five different placements at
Crossroads International, Caritas Lok Kan School, the Sai Kung District Community Center,
Discovery College and Renaissance College.
The placements were matched to
students based on student preference,
ability and availability and took place
over Terms 2 and 3. The aim of the
program was to both provide a taste of a
working environment for our students
and to develop several vital skillsets:
 Communication skills
 Social skills
 Problem Solving skills
 Team working skills
 Independent working skills
 Time management skills
 Self-management skills
Crossroads International is a charitable organization that distributes second-hand goods
from Hong Kong to people in need around the world. These goods range from clothing and
toys to furniture, hospital equipment and medical aid. Our students worked in the bulk and
stationary sorting and packaging departments. During the placement our students helped to
unpack, sort, package and send nearly 1,000kg of clothing, toys and stationary to people in
need in Africa, Eastern Europe and South East Asia.
The Sai Kung District Community Centre (SKDCC) is a government sponsored operation
based in Sai Kung which hosts and runs several workshops and events for young children,
the elderly and people in need. Our students worked in exercise and sports workshops with
elderly people, as well as helping organize and deliver food bank packages for
those in need. They also worked in the offices of the SKDCC, helping to print, sort and
package community news and information. Most impressively, our students helped to
design and deliver basic English lessons for the elderly over a period of two months.
Caritas Lok Kan School is a local Hong Kong SEN school based in Yuen Long with a student
body of around 40 children and young adults. Our students have been working in Lok Kan’s
kitchen and gardens, collecting, cleaning and sorting cutlery and crockery, delivering meals,
weeding garden plots, planting crops and ornamental flowers and harvesting vegetables.
Discovery College and Renaissance College are ESF schools based in Discovery Bay and Ma
On Shan, respectively. Our students have been gaining valuable experience in working in the
library, collecting and sorting books, cataloging new titles and improving their social skills by
interacting with students using the library.
The response from the vocational placements we secured this year was overwhelmingly
positive, a sentiment matched by our students who participated in the program. Looking
forward, Jockey Club Sarah Roe School intends to retain and renew our current placements
whilst securing more in order to afford our students a wider range of workplace
experiences.
Independent Living Space and Expressive Arts Centre
Introduction
During 2013-14, the JCSRS team worked in conjunction with ESFC and a range of external
providers to move the concepts of an Independent Living Space and Expressive Arts Room
from vision to reality. Supported by funds raised through the Jazz Festival led by the PTA and
the Jazz Committee both projects are ready for launch as we start the new academic year.
The Independent Living Skills Room
Access to develop the skills to operate independently
-to be able to carry out some tasks alone, and
interdependently- the ability to interact effectively
with others are a human right and entitlement.
These skills range from indicating preference over
what to wear or eat, being able to prepare a snack or
drink, contributing to a group conversation, making a
bed, tidying a room and managing laundry.
The development of an Independent Living Skills
teaching space at JCSRS will provide an invaluable resource for enabling students of all ages
and abilities to develop these essential skills.
Students’ targets for will be taken from an Independent Living Skills Curriculum that will be
integrated within the wider curriculum framework at both primary and secondary level. The
flexible curriculum acknowledges achievement across the ability span, and enables students
to access learning opportunities that are appropriate to their ability and potential.
The room is equipped with the facilities and resources that are familiar sights within many
homes. These include a hob, cooker, microwave, fridge-freezer and washing machine, dining
table and chairs, bed, sofa, and rugs. Clothes and soft furnishing will also be supplied to
enable students to develop skills in sorting, matching, cleaning and care.
The teaching and learning space will provide a
friendly and welcoming environment in which to
practice skills in communication and interaction,
with students encouraged to invite friends and
parents to join them for social events such as a
games session or lunch.
We look forward to entertaining you there in the
near future!
The Expressive Arts Space
JCSRS encourages and supports students to
improve their ability to communicate personal
needs and interests as well as their capacity to
interact effectively with others. These skills
enable them to contribute to and participate
in community life.
The use of dynamic art forms such as physical
art, drama, role play, music, stories, media
and dance can facilitate the development
communication skills by providing
opportunities for students to explore ways to
interact and to express themselves.
The Expressive Arts Space at JCSRS will imaginatively make best use of the existing library
facility to extend the current provision. The library shelves will be low rise to allow ease of
access and be moveable to maximize on the use of space. The meeting area will be
equipped with lightweight contemporary furniture that can be accessed by students, staff
and visitors and configured for whole group, small group and individual activities.
The room will be fitted with an interactive light, vision and sound system that enables
individuals and groups to use interplay with light beams to engage in an extensive range of
activities including making music (from rock, to jazz, to punk and to symphony!), writing
stories, and engaging with problem
solving tasks.
Resources to support the teaching and
learning that will take place in the
Expressive Arts Space will be sourced
and kept in the room in bespoke
storage provision constructed in
keeping with the room design.
We look forward to inviting you to join
us for an explorative play session in the
room soon!
Budget Summary
Actual
2013/14
Budget
2013/14
Non-cash Funding
Staff funding
Adjustments on staff funding
18,832,875
18,832,875
Total non-cash funding
18,832,875
18,832,875
Capitation & ICT Funding
Grants
1,789,751
1,799,565
Rental and other income
School Activities
Donation
(15,931)
Total cash funding
1,823,021
1,884,565
Total Funding
20,655,896
20,717,440
Staff expenses
19,132,526
18,832,875
Other expenses - Operating
1,384,158
1,633,763
Other expenses - Capital
229,419
Total Expenditure
20,746,103
Surplus / (Deficit)
(90,207)
-
-
Cash Funding
-
35,000
50,000
17,772
31,429
Expenditure
240,000
20,706,638
**
** The deficit of HK$90k was fully funded by cash at bank last year.
After bridging the deficit, cash at bank carried forward to 2014/15 is about
HK$1.0m.
10,802