Aug 21, 2026
Aug 21, 2026
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Dear Parents
During Back to School Night, we talk about Executive Function skills and how there is a huge growth in your child’s brain and skills during their time in Kindergarten. Over the next few weeks, I would like to share more information about Executive Function skills and how we (teachers and parents) can help these develop in your child.
During the Kindergarten years, your child develops in so many ways and each child has their own unique development and God given gifts and abilities. They grow taller and stronger, so they need plenty of sleep, healthy food and exercise. Many parents feel that if their child plays in the playground, or walks to school they will be too tired for school. In fact, the opposite is usually true. The more exercise children get, the stronger their bodies become, they can sit still for longer periods and can focus better.
Children’s language develops and they need adults (not just brothers and sisters) to talk with them so that they can hear the various grammar structures of language and they can learn and understand new vocabulary as they hear stories or have new experiences. This is especially important when children are learning more than one language. Children need exposure to English outside of school to learn well in an English medium school.
Children’s social and emotional development is huge. Your child is now developing friendships and learning to share with others and to take turns. They also learn to adapt to new situations and what to do when things do not go their way. Self-regulation and how to handle emotions is something children learn by observing others but also by being directly taught what to do.
Now that they have started Kindergarten, they are also learning to learn and about school. Their learning behavior is also developing – how long can they focus for, can they follow instructions, work independently and transition from one activity to another. How well your child learns in school and future academic success is hugely dependent on how their Executive Function skills develop. There are two items below that explain more about what Executive functions skills are and how they develop in young children.
We are here to help, please do ask if you would like help or advice. Later we will share about Parenting books that we have available.
Blessings
Gillian Wu
Kindergarten Assistant Principal
Additional Information About Executive Function
What’s the Role of Executive Function in a Child’s Early Years?
https://www.famly.co/blog/executive-function-early-years-eyfs
For more information of executive functioning you can visit Harvard University: Center on the Developing Child website
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/
Center on the Developing Child: Harvard University. (n.d.). Executive Function & Self Regulation. Retrieved from Center on the Developing Child: Harvard University.
Important Dates
Aug 25 (Tue): KG Photo day
Sep 4 (Fri): PD Day
If a different adult is coming to pick up your child from school, please notify the Kindergarten Office giving us their full name, Hong Kong Identity card number and their telephone number.
All people coming to pick up your child must:
Be on the authorized list on PowerSchool i.e. a parent has given us permission to release their child to that person.
Bring the purple pick-up card (original card, photographs will not be accepted).
In absence of the pick-up card, for persons we do not recognize we will either - check their Hong Kong Identity Card or call the phone number you have given us.
If we are unsure of the identity of the person picking up your child, we will check their identity.
If the person is not listed on PowerSchool, and you have not informed us, we will call parents to confirm.
If your child usually takes the bus home and changes to being picked up from school, please notify us. Please ensure that the person coming to school is on our authorized list. If in doubt, please give us their name
If you change or employ a new Domestic Helper, please remove your previous helper or add a new helper to the pick-up contacts on PowerSchool.
Parents, be empowered and equipped with the knowledge and resources you need to support your child's growth and success. This page provides resources, and we hope to help parents navigate the challenges of parenting and support your child's overall well-being. Make sure to check out our parent page HERE!
If your child is sick, please keep your child at home to rest and recover and notify the school by completing the relevant e-collect form on PowerSchool of:
Your child’s absence / number of days your child is likely to be off school
Your child’s body temperature (please state actual temperature, not just “has a fever”)
Once recovering from a fever (38C or above), please let us know the day and time your child’s fever subsided without medication. If you do not specify a time, we will use the time from your email. We can then specify how soon your child may return to school (48 hours after fever subsided).
Your child’s symptoms (not just “unwell”).
If your child has Chickenpox, Hand Foot and Mouth or other notifiable disease - please send in a doctor’s note confirming diagnosis. We also require a doctor’s note stating that your child is fit to return to school.
Red Eyes—conjunctivitis can be very infectious. If your child has red eyes, please give us a doctor’s note stating that your child is not infectious before they can come to school.
Department of Health requirements state that if a child has a fever (38C or above), or repeated diarrhea they need to stay home for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have subsided (without medication).
Even though your child’s fever may have gone, a child may still have a runny nose or bad cough and are not fit to return to school. Please keep them at home to rest.
Please do not send your child to school if they are still taking medication following an illness. The medicine may make your child sleepy and they still need time to recover and rest at home.
If your child has recovered but still has a mild cough (not chesty or coughing up phlegm), they may return to school but should wear a face mask.
International Christian School – Kindergarten
852-3156-1234 | kindergarten@ics.edu.hk | G/F, Kam Ho House (Block H), Kam Fung Court, Ma On Shan, N.T., Hong Kong
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