Jan 9, 2026

January 9, 2026

Dear ICS Community,

Happy New Year! I hope that all of you were able to enjoy the Christmas break and have a good time with your families. New years and new beginnings always bring the opportunity for new resolutions, which sadly (according to the evidence) don’t usually last very long! It’s a reminder that “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”. Jesus says those words to his disciples in the Garden of Gethsamane, as he is about to take the cup of suffering upon himself. Though he asks his Father for it to be taken from him, he submits to his will, and because of his submission and perfect, willing sacrifice, sinful disciples like you and I can have our sins forgiven and new beginnings ourselves. Praise God for ICS and for our shared Gospel hope in 2026.

There are two things to draw to your attention in this first Weekly Warrior of the new year:

i.) It was a pleasure, as ever, to talk to parents last night over Zoom at the forum, and to be able to speak to all the good things that God is doing in sustaining us and leading us forward. The recording is available below.

ii.) If you are not already aware, the law has recently changed in Hong Kong regarding smoking and e-smoking. The latter (vaping, etc.) is completely illegal for anyone of any age. The former is illegal for under-18s. It is also illegal now to smoke within 3 metres of a school entrance. Our handbooks are already clear about our expectations of students (regardless of whether they are 18 or not), but as a senior team we wanted to reinforce this for the avoidance of any doubt for all of our community.

On a happier note, we are starting 2026 full of optimism about our Christian mission in Hong Kong, and looking forward to seeing boys and girls growing as Oaks of Righteousness at ICS and beyond.

Go Warriors!

Blessings

Nick Seward

Head of Schools

Recording

📢 Re-Enrollment for 2026-27 (Deadline is TODAY)

Re-enrollment for the 2026–27 academic year will begin on the first day we return from Christmas break, Monday, January 5. Kindly log in to PowerSchool to complete the online re-enrollment by Friday, January 9, to retain your child’s seat at ICS for the coming academic year. The process should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. In parallel with completing your child’s re-enrollment, please also take time to update your family’s contact information in PowerSchool. (*Current Reception 2 and Grade 12 students are exempt from this process.)

Once the January 9 re-enrollment deadline has passed, the Admissions Office will begin offering any remaining vacancies to outside applicants. Therefore, it is important that all current ICS families fully complete the re-enrollment process to guarantee a seat for their children for the 2026–27 academic year.

If you encounter difficulties with, or have questions about, the re-enrollment process, please contact the Admissions Office at 3920-0001 or email admissions@ics.edu.hk.

Instructions

📢 LAST CHANCE to Join the Unforgettable USA Educational Tour – We Need You!

U.S. School Tour – Summer 2026

There's still room on the plane for an incredible adventure! We are excited about our 13-day immersive educational tour to the United States, but we need a few more students to make this transformative trip a reality.

🔔 Important Update — We need 7 more students to join, or the trip will be cancelled.

If we do not reach the required number by the deadline, this trip cannot proceed. Your participation is crucial to making this journey happen for everyone. This tour is designed to blend academic insight with rich cultural and historical experiences, promising to be a highlight of your educational journey. To secure the group arrangements, we need 7 more students to join us!

A Quick Recap of Key Details:

Dates: June 19 to July 1, 2026
Cost: HK$40,000 net (includes round-trip airfare, group insurance, accommodation at Gordon College, and core itinerary expenses)
Highlights: University campus tours, walking the Freedom Trail, cultural immersion in Boston, and much more.

⏰ This is the Final Call!

The sign-up period closes next Monday, Jan 12, at 12noon. If you have been considering it, now is the time to act! Register via the sign-up form before the deadline.

Help us cross the finish line and ensure this amazing trip proceeds for everyone.

Application Form

Join Us for Family Fun Day: Growing a Better World!

Feb 28, 2026 (Sat)

Get ready for a day of fun, games, and learning! Our annual Family Fun Day for KG and ES students and parents is just around the corner.

Event Details:

Date: Feb 28, 2026 (Sat)
Time: 11am – 3pm
Location: Shek Mun Campus
Admission: Complimentary

This year, we’re excited to welcome wonderful NGOs who will host engaging game booths to share their inspiring missions with our young learners. It’s a perfect opportunity for families to play, connect, and discover how we can all help grow a kinder, more sustainable world.

Tickets will be available early Feb via the ICS Portal. Be sure to secure yours early! We can’t wait to see you there for an afternoon full of laughter, creativity, and community spirit.

Inspire the Next Generation: Share Your Career Journey

Many of us remember the uneasy mix of possibility and pressure we felt as teenagers, standing on the brink of adulthood and unsure which path to take. A single honest conversation with someone further along can reshape how a young person sees their gifts, studies, and future.

This March, ICS High School will host after‑school Career Month talks on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, 3:30 - 4:30 pm. We invite parents, alumni and friends of ICS to “pay it forward” through story‑driven, practical talks about your work, education path, and, where appropriate, faith.

Suggested industries include:

Technology and data
Health, biotech, and wellness
Green, climate, and energy
Business, finance, and entrepreneurship
Creative, media, and the creator economy
Education, human services, and psychology
Law, government, and international relations
Engineering, manufacturing, and advanced tech
Commerce, logistics, and e‑commerce
Fine and performing arts

If you are interested - or can recommend a colleague - please complete the Speaker Interest Form by January 19, 2026. Feel free to reach out to communications@ics.edu.hk if you have any questions about sharing at this event.

Speaker Interest Form

Change to Google Drive Data Quotas

To further optimise the limited storage provided as part of the Google Workspace for Education, starting on February 2, 2026, the IT Department will be implementing some changes to the Google Drive Data Quota usage for students and parents. For students, the data usage will be capped at 30 Gigabytes, and parents will be capped at 15 Gigabytes.

What that means for you is over the next month, take a look at the data that you have stored on Google Drive and reduce it down to the relevant threshold. For the majority of you, you won’t need to do anything as you are below the new limit but for a small handful of you, you’ll need to download and offload your data from the School’s Google Drive.

You can find steps on how to do so below.

Managing Storage in Google Drive

Manage your storage in Drive, Gmail & Photos

If you have any questions or need assistance, you can contact the IT Department by emailing us at support@ics.edu.hk or giving us a call at 3920 0228 and someone can assist you. Our office hours are 8am - 5pm, during normal school days.

Join us for the Domestic Workers Clothing Drive

Our school’s domestic worker clothing drive is a wonderful way to show support and appreciation for the hardworking domestic workers in our community. The goal is to collect gently used clothes in good condition that can make a real difference in someone’s life. It’s a chance for all of us to come together and give back in a meaningful way.

Please remember, this drive is specifically for clothing, hats, backpacks. so no personal hygiene items or worn-out clothes, please. The collection will take place at the ICS carpark ,so let’s work together to make this effort thoughtful and impactful! Thank you!

Maggie Ho, Class of 2019

Maggie Ho (Class of 2019) received double degrees from The University of Hong Kong in education and social sciences.

Throughout her university journey, Maggie pursued internships in a variety of fields, such as teaching, business development, and human resources. These experiences all helped her explore new interests and grow professionally.

Currently, Maggie is in her first post-grad role as a graduate trainee at DFI Retail Group, focusing on the Learning & Development field. She hopes to support lifelong learning and people development through innovative and modern solutions.

International Christian School

1 On Muk Lane, Shek Mun, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong

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