1. Who is your transport vendor and what is the contact number? 
   
   Our transport vendor is Kwoon Chung Bus Company and they can be contacted at 2578 1178. 
   
   
2. Are students required to use the bus service both to and from school or are they permitted to opt for a one-way service? 
   
   Yes, students can choose one-way or two-way service.  Please contact our service provider for detailed arrangements.
   
   
3. What bus service options are available for students participating in after school activities?
   
   For the 2009/10 academic year, The Kwoon Chung Bus Co. will provide return bus services at three different times, namely:-
   
   - at 2:20 P.M. for Foundation Year students;
   - at 3:30 P.M. for Grade 1 to 10 students who do not have Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) and for Foundation Year students participating in ECA; and
   - at 4:30pm for Grade 1 to 10 students who have ECA.
   
   
4. As there is an option to take the school bus at different times, how do parents indicate to the bus nanny or driver that their child is to take the earlier or later bus?
   
   Please contact Kwoon Chung Bus Co. at 2578 1178 to inform them of your preference.

1. Does the school have a hot lunch program?
   
   Yes, our lunch vendor, Sodexho (HK) Limited, prepares food on campus.  Menus will change periodically and parents can choose to purchase monthly or daily meal plans.  At present Sodexho (HK) has three menu choices available each day.   
   
   
2. Can students bring their own lunch from home? Does the school provide facilities to store and heat up meals?
   
   Yes, students may either bring lunch with them when they come to school in the morning, or have lunch delivered to them between 10:00A.M. and 11:00 A.M. for Primary students and between 11:30A.M. and 12:30P.M. for Secondary students.  There are refrigerators and microwave ovens to store and heat up meals.
   
   
3. How do parents order meals from Sodexho (HK) Limited? 
   
   Menus for each month are sent out around a fortnight before the first of each month through the weekly Friday Circulars and are also available on The ISF Academy Portal.  Parents complete the form and return it with a check for the requisite amount to the School Office before the due date stated on the notice or portal. 
   
   
4. Will anyone supervise the students during lunch time?
   
   There are teaching staff or parent volunteers on hand to supervise the students during lunch time.  The ratio of adults supervising students is higher for the lower grades than for the upper grades. 

1. Are there any Extra Curricular Activities? How do parents register their child for an ECA if they are interested?
   
   We have a variety of ECA courses available for all grades including Violin, Flute, African Drum, Percussion, Western and Chinese musical ensembles, drama, dance, choir, basketball, soccer, table-tennis, fencing, taekwondo, volleyball, swimming, and track.
   
   
2. Are the ECAs included in the school tuition or is there an additional charge?
   
   Some ECAs do not incur additional charges and some do.  Parents will be given an ECA signup sheet which states the fees charged for each activity before the start of each semester. 
   
   
3. Are the ECAs conducted on campus or off campus?
   

   Some ECAs are held on campus and some off campus. This will be stated in the ECA signup sheet. 

Does the school organize an orientation program for new students?

An Orientation Week has been scheduled to start the week prior to the start of school.  For the 2009/10 academic year, school starts on Monday, September 14 and Orientation for new students starts on Monday, September 7.  Information on the Orientation week including the times and objective was included in the Admission Package (Item 09 – Primary: Item 20 – Secondary) and the same information is also available on The ISF Academy Portal. 

What is included in the Orientation program?

The orientation program will include English and Putonghua lessons and activities to help new students become familiar with the new environment including our teachers, our teaching methods and our facilities.

Will there be any school bus service during the Orientation Program?

Yes, and for details, please contact the Kwoon Chung Bus Co. at. 2578 1178.

Can parents join the students during the orientation program?

Parents are invited to join the first day of the orientation program.  Details on the arrangement will be sent to parents about a fortnight before the start of the Orientation Week. 

What is the school’s home work policy?

Homework is an integral part of school life and helps children to understand that learning also takes place outside of school.  Homework is relevant to class work and teachers give what they believe the child can handle comfortably and independently within the following guidelines.

Primary Division
Foundation Year:	None in the first semester.  Some homework may be given in the second semester.
Grade 1:	up to 30 minutes per day
Grade 2:	up to 40 minutes per day
Grade 3:	up to 50 minutes per day
Grade 4:	up to 80 minutes per day
Grade 5:	up to 90 minutes per day
Secondary Division
Grade 6:	up to 100 minutes per day
Grade 7:	up to 120 minutes per day
Grade 8:	up to 140 minutes per day
Grade 9:	up to 160 minutes per day
Grade 10:	up to 160 minutes per day

Reading is an integral part of students’ language development; the times indicated above are inclusive of 15 to 20 minutes of home reading.  Students are also encouraged to read over the weekends and holidays.

Are parents expected to help with students’ home work? If so, in what ways?

Parents are not expected to help students with their homework.  However, parents of younger students are encouraged to read with their child as it forms an integral part of their child’s language development. 

How can parents help with their child’s language learning? Especially if the parents do not speak English / Putonghua at home.

Parental support is always very important for a child’s learning and parents are encouraged to provide an environment at home which encourages their child to use both English and Putonghua at home.   

Parents are also encouraged to maintain close contact with their child’s homeroom teachers as well as attend our workshops which we conduct from time to time to know more about their child’s learning. 

How does the school communicate with the parents?

There are many different channels for parents to communicate with the school.  The school sends out weekly notices every Friday informing parents of announcements concerning their child and the school.  Parents are also free to contact their child’s teachers by email or over the phone through the School Office.  Various meeting sessions are also arranged during the course of the year such as Principal’s Coffee Mornings and parent-teacher conferences.   Please refer to latest version of the Parent Handbook which will be distributed at the beginning of the school year.

Who should the parents talk to should they have any concerns, suggestions or questions?

Parents may speak to the School Office or refer to the Parent / Student Handbook for further information.

What are the school hours?

	Regular School Hours	Extra Curricular Activities
Foundation Year	8:00A.M. – 2:10P.M.	2:30P.M. – 3:30P.M.
Grade 1 to 5	8:00A.M. – 3:30P.M.	3:30P.M. – 4:30P.M.
Grade 6 to 10	8:00A.M. – 3:30P.M.	3:30P.M. – 4:30P.M.

How does the school involve new parents in the school community?

The school warmly welcomes parents to be involved in school activities and has many volunteer opportunities available.  Parents can volunteer by contacting the school directly or by contacting the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).  Please contact the School Office to indicate the area(s) that you would be interested in volunteering such as fundraising, extra-curricular activities, mentoring etc. and the office will direct you to the person in charge of that activity. 

Does the school provide any materials or support for new students before they start the school?

One of the objectives of the Orientation Week is to familiarize new students with the new learning environment and the listening and speaking in Putonghua and/or English. 

How does the school facilitate new students to adapt to their new environment?

The Orientation Week is an excellent opportunity for students joining in September to socialize and make new friends.  For students joining in the middle of the school year, we have a “Buddy System” where the Homeroom teacher will assign a classmate to “buddy” and take care of the new student.