September 2023
Message from the Principal
September 2023
The typhoon on 1 September 2023 gave us a belated commencement of school year 2023 – 2024. Nevertheless, students returned to school refreshed and reenergized all the same.
In retrospect, our achievements in 2022 – 2023 were countless. To highlight some, we once again broke our own record in the 74th Schools Speech Festival in terms of number of awards and participation. Approximately 40% of our students from Form One to Form Six joined various English speaking events, with some of them reaping the first, second and third places. What we treasure the most is not the trophies or certificates, but the experience and self-confidence students have gained in the process. Progressing from the success we made the previous year, our drama team has staged two musical performances involving nearly 70 front stage performers and backstage helpers. Our students’ performance was highly praised and recognised. Our effort in cultivating a language rich environment is not limited to performances or competitions, but the daily encounters with each other which are further reinforced by our diversified English activities. The greatest reward, for an educator, is to see our students’ growth.
Meanwhile, our young sports and music talents shone in interschool competitions obtaining nearly 130 prizes. What students have learned on the sports ground and the stage are invaluable. From the very vigorous and persistent training to turning stress into motivation, success is never about luck but hard work. A senior form student once shared with me that he had to spend at least 2 hours on practices every day amid his hectic schedule, with his increasing workload for the HKDSE was approaching. To strike a balance between studies and personal pursuit, time management and self-discipline are the key. These qualities are to be cherished and further nurtured.
As for teachers, we have organised in total 11 open classes, coupled with ample inter as well as intra-departmental dialogues, for professional exchange and development. The scale is, once again, unprecedented. From lesson planning, class delivery to after class debriefing sessions, teachers were highly engaged. With them playing an active role in lesson demonstration, not only do we enhance learning and teaching effectiveness as a whole, but establish a learning community where teachers inspire each other, joining hands to provide quality education to students.
Looking ahead, what we need to further strengthen among Wong Tai Shan students is probably their resilience and the first step is to realise the importance of acknowledging imperfection and focusing on improvement. Failures could teach us life-changing lessons, and we make progress by refining what we do, avoiding the same mistakes, and becoming a little wiser. While aiming at success, let us also make the best of the setbacks that toughen us up.
With technology advancing at light speed, what can truly stand the test of time is human values and our mentality to embrace changes, which members of Wong Tai Shan for sure possess. Salute to my team for their all-out effort in creating precious learning opportunities and success experiences for students! Let’s kick off a new school year with buoyant smiles!
