Dear Parents,
The Christmas spirit has been in full force this week with a fantastic range of festive highlights happening across campus! The festivities kicked off with a superb evening of live music at our Winter Concert, led by our talented musicians. A huge thank you and well done to all performing students, as well as the Music department for what was a phenomenal evening of merry entertainment.
The week ahead sees us looking forward to the school Christmas Jumper day on Wednesday, followed by a celebratory Christmas assembly on Friday. Students are in for a treat of live music, staff pantomime performances and student readings of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
At NAIS Hong Kong, we value student voice and are committed to empowering our students to be outstanding leaders of the future. Student Leadership Council interviews are underway this week and the Senior Leadership Team and I have been extremely impressed by the quality, ambition and commitment of our candidates. Successful candidates will be announced in school on Friday, with more information linked to Student Committees to follow after the Christmas Break.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year with your loved ones. I look forward to seeing our students return to school in the New Year.
School Production
Winter Concert by Debbie Yu
Coming off the heels of an incredibly successful international Music tour to Prague, we kept the momentum going with a show-stopping Winter Concert last Wednesday.
Thanks to a number of passionate IB students leading some new Music ECAs, enrollment and talent have skyrocketed and it was fantastic to showcase over 120 musicians in our multiple ensembles. The audience was treated to an energetic mix of showtunes, film scores, pop hits, jazz standards, holiday classics, and more. From the whimsy of "Matilda" to the adventure of "Jurassic Park," every performance was pitch perfect. Our every growing 60-piece orchestra closed the show with invigorating and dramatic renditions of Brahms' "Hungarian Dance No. 5" and Sibelius' "Finlandia". To relive the concert please follow the links below:
Part one: https://youtu.be/bWZw7OpViI4
Part two: https://youtu.be/7HotpK1kqR4
I would like to take this time to thank all the musicians who have committed so much of their time to the music department so far this year, without their hard work and dedication we would not be able to put on performances like this. I continue to be amazed by the growth and their continuous work has led to new heights, I cannot wait to see what these group will accomplish next!
If you would like your child to be a part of any of our ever growing and dedicated music ensembles, please encourage them to come along to any of the rehearsals below or speak to a member of the music department.
IBDP CAS Project
Our CAS project aims to support the NGO Crossroads by collecting second-hand shoes in good condition. We believe that with the help of the school community, we can make a significant impact on those in need.
Sports fixtures and results by Alex Wiltshire
Fixtures Next Week
Monday 9th December - Football
U16 Girls Football vs IS
Tuesday 10th December - Basketball
U12 Boys vs SASHK / U14 Girls vs SASHK / U14 Boys vs TSIS
Wednesday 11th December - Basketball
U12 Girls vs SIS / U16 Boys vs VSA
Thursday 12th December – Football & Basketball
U16 Boys Football vs RCHK
U14 Boys Basketball vs DC / U16 Boys Basketball vs ICS / U20 Boys Basketball vs TSIS
Match Reports
Monday 2nd December
U16 Boys Football vs DBIS
An away trip and change of time zone saw the U16 boys football team travel to Discovery Bay on Monday. A thin squad meant players needed to play out of their usual position and contend with warm and humid conditions against an able and athletic DBIS team. A competitive first period saw DBIS take the lead, however, some lovely link up plays between Mir and Taeyun early in the second period saw Taeyun score his second goal in 2 games.
DBIS continued to pressure our back line and some brave goalkeeping from Chris kept the score down to 1-3 at the end of the second period. The third period saw fatigue set in and DBIS win 1-5. A great effort from the boys though. A real demonstration of effort and commitment to the team, especially with no substitutes available and having to play outside of preferred positions.
Tuesday 3rd December
U12 Boys Basketball vs TSIS
A very exciting game for the U12 boys’ basketball team vs @esf_sis at our Lam Tin campus today. An end-to-end game with lots of positive play, points, assists and moments of quality from both sides. TSIS pulled away during the final quarter to end 30-44.
U14 Girls Basketball vs VSA
Our U14 girls’ basketball team hosted @vsahkg at our Lam Tin campus this evening. A close contest after a blistering start by VSA was narrowed to 2 points for most of the game. VSA managed to close out the game in the final minutes to win 20-26.
U14 Boys Basketball vs ICS
In a competitive match against ICS, the U14 Boys team began strongly, showcasing solid defensive rebounds and a lead of 10-8 in the first quarter. However, a series of errors and turnovers in the second quarter allowed ICS to surge ahead with a 32-19 halftime lead. Struggling against ICS's press and plagued by turnovers, the Knights couldn't regain momentum, leading to a comprehensive 64-32 victory for ICS, sealing the game decisively.
Wednesday 4th December
U12 Girls Basketball
The U12 Girls Basketball team faced a challenging match at VSA during their third game of the season. From the outset, the girls demonstrated good movement into open space, effectively swinging the ball around the three-point line. However, they struggled against the pace of VSA's defense and offense, which put them on the back foot. VSA's height was particularly overpowering, as even with good positioning to take shots, the girls found themselves frequently blocked. However, it was good to see all the girls make baskets as we moved into a friendly match. Despite the challenges, they showed resilience, with their captain stepping up to motivate the team and encourage perseverance. As the season progresses, the girls are actively incorporating the coach's feedback, and we look forward to witnessing their continued development.
U16 Boys Basketball
In a closely fought U16 Boys Basketball match between the Knights and Harrow, both teams displayed strong defensive performances in the first half. Limited scoring opportunities, missed passes, and low shooting percentages characterised the period for both teams in the second half. A run of unanswered points by Harrow led to the Knights trailing 26-37 at the games end.
Thursday 5th December
ISSFHK Swimming Championships @ Victoria Park
The Knights swim squad went to Victoria Park swimming pool to compete in the finals of the ISSFHK Championships. We had some new debuts to the team for our new U12 members. Well done to Camilla, Lizanne, Ayla, Sophie, Moses, Max and Caleb for competing in their first major event and in a 50m swimming pool. The event was hard fought with several of our swimmers narrowly missing out on medal places. However, U14 boy's swimmer Brandon claimed the bronze medal in the 100m Backstroke. Massive congratulations to him for all his hard work. Our final competition of the season is in January, so we look forward to some more personal best times from our team members. Go Knights.
U20 Boys Basketball vs SIS
In a competitive matchup against Singapore International School, our team faced a tough defeat, losing by a score of 53-32. Despite the loss, there were notable performances on the court. Mika had a standout game, showcasing his shooting skills by knocking down four 3-pointers, contributing significantly to our score. Daniel also had an impressive performance, effectively controlling the tempo of the game during the first two quarters, helping to keep our team in contention. While we didn’t achieve the desired result, the players displayed great effort and teamwork. We will take this experience to improve and come back stronger in our next game.
Friday 6th December
ISSFHK Cross Country Qualifier
We took 40 students from years 7 – 12 across to Sai Kung Country Park Friday afternoon to compete in the Cross-Country mini meet. This competition allows our students to gain a time, to be able to qualify to compete in the Cross-Country Championships in January. The weather was perfect for a cross-country run and all the students were keen to get started. The results are being finalised to see who will be competing in the Championships, but all our Knights showed determination and resilience when competing in their run and distance. We are looking forward to the championships.
Christmas Jumper Day – Wednesday 11th December
This week, we are stepping into the festive spirit at Kwun Tong and encouraging all students to wear Christmas jumpers to school on Wednesday 11th December! Please note that students should wear their usual school skirt/trousers/PE wear with their Christmas jumpers on this day.
Inter-house Drama Competition by Sara Skibsted
Last week, our most aspiring thespians took to the stage to showcase their brilliant acting skills in front of an audience for NAIS Hong Kong’s very first Drama competition! We have been so impressed with the level of commitment, passion and skill displayed. The performances ranged from students in Year 7 to Year 12 for a chance to win 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The results will be announced during a whole school assembly on Friday the 13th, with prizes to be won. Well done to all the students for signing up and taking part.
Looking Ahead
Best regards,
Fiona Thorndike
Head of Secondary
