29 September 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

After overcoming many obstacles, we have finally resumed full-day classes!

For nearly a century, full-time school was the norm here at Pooi To, and for many it would have been hard to imagine it being taken away from us. Unfortunately, in 2020 we did lose the opportunity to learn and teach face-to-face in a full-day schedule. Why are teachers and students so happy to resume full-day classes? Well, we don’t always realise how important something is until we lose it. Only once it has gone do we really appreciate its importance, and that nothing in life is guaranteed. Just as the Bible says, God did not promise that skies will always be blue and that all our lives will always be filled with pathways strewn with flowers, but God promises to be with us, facing any and all. He will lead us through difficult times.

We have been fighting the pandemic for three years now, and students have sacrificed a lot. Although basic knowledge may be learnt through online teaching, it is much more difficult to build character and develop oneself via this mode of learning. How can we keep ourselves in such a long-term sleeping-mode? In this state, over time, people have become estranged, unfamiliar, and some have become self-centered. Schools would rather deal with any challenges that arise and return to normal full-time study as soon as possible so that they can resume a "normal" school life where students can integrate with society, the rest of our country and the world. By going back to our pre-pandemic full-time schedule, we are better able to cultivate students' values ​​and attitudes, such as: love, empathy, integrity, purity, perseverance, diligence, respect, a sense of responsibility, commitment, being a law-abiding citizen, embracing national identity, etc.

Over the past few weeks, students have been working hard to get back to their normal routines and adapt to the "new" school life. Simple things like whole-school assemblies, lunch arrangements, extra-curricular activities, after-school tutoring, etc., are also guided by teachers in order to reach our school vision “Encouraging Growth for All” and our three school missions:

• with bilingual education, students learn to express themselves well, enjoy thinking and become proficient in Chinese and English;
• with love and expectation, students get to know Christ, respect themselves and others and set goals for life;
• through multiple learning experiences, students develop their potential, become acquainted with different cultures and care about the world.

 The spirit of "Love, Integrity, Purity and Perseverance" runs right through the school.

The school has been completing outdoor activities such as the S1 Student Training Camp, the S4 Growth Camp, and Sports Day. Various extra-curricular activities have also started. Students are excited to engage and work hard. Pooi To has always been committed to the balanced development of moral, intellectual, physical, social, aesthetic and spiritual education, in which the mission of the school has never changed. The school will continue to strive for excellence through diverse learning experiences, believing that it allows students to develop their potential, challenge themselves, build their confidence, encourage cooperation and team spirit, develop independence, improve their problem-solving skills in dealing with various situations and improve time management. Also, when students are given responsibilities or tasks to deal with, they develop a sense of responsibility and are prepared to solve the unforeseen. Parents, please give your daughters your full support and encouragement so that they have the courage to challenge themselves, step out of their comfort zone, and unleash their abilities. May we walk with our girls together with "Encouraging growth for all".

Best regards,
Constance Cheung
Principal

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)