Dear Parents/Guardians,
There’s much to celebrate this year with regard to our children’s holistic development and teachers’ contributions. In our quest to realize our vision, ‘Global Learners of Tomorrow’, we have implemented some innovative programmes. These programmes focus on the outcomes of our vision, to develop confident children, successful learners and involved citizens.
The Confident Child
We have introduced a Speaking Curriculum which comprises Speech and Drama for the lower primary and the Readers’ Theatre for the upper primary. Both programmes build our children’s confidence, the former touches on the basics of good speech while the latter develops good speaking skills through reading.
We believe in every child being developed as a leader. Our student leadership framework is values-driven, hinging on our school values and is 3-tiered. The 1st tier sees every child as a leader carrying out responsibilities at the classroom level. The 2nd tier develops children to serve at the school level as AV Monitors, CCA Leaders and Prefects. Children at the 3rd tier represent the school at the international level, be it in Sports, Arts or Academics. Our children at the 2nd and 3rd tiers are provided with leadership training opportunities to build their confidence as well as their social-emotional competencies.
Yet another platform to build children’s confidence is through our Form Teacher Guidance Period where our teachers bond with our children to better understand their needs and concerns.
The Successful Learner
Our English Language teachers have scaffolded our children’s thinking at the P4 and P5 levels to enable them to converse with substance on current affairs. Our teachers’ efforts and our children’s good response have earned our school the MOE Innergy Award 2011 (Bronze).
Some of our Chinese Language teachers have collaborated with the University of Taiwan to work on an Action Research Project to study the impact on online reading through cooperative learning. Our children have benefitted much from this project and our teachers are ready to share their findings at international conferences.
Our Science teachers have continued developing our very own Fernvale Environment Education Curriculum, this year, focussing on our children reaching out at the community level to experience environmental education. Our children took part in the Primary School Water Festival and were awarded 1st prize in the ‘Water for All’ category. Their winning entry was an innovative game they created to teach water conservation to all children in Singapore!
Some of our P4 and P5 children have experimented using ICT tools for photojournalism and broadcasting of current school news. Their projects were displayed at the cluster level this year and won much compliments from senior MOE officials for their ingenuity and creativity.
Our customized PE Curriculum to develop our children’s fundamental movement and skills in basketball and hockey has seen our school being among the top 4 at the zonal level for these two sports. Our PE teachers have initiated the games approach in our POWER Club which has resulted in a significant improvement in the attendance of members. Obesity continues to be of serious concern in our school. Parents and guardians, please work with us to bring up the fitness levels of our children by providing a healthy diet at home and exercising together with your children, especially during the holidays.
The Involved Citizen
We have established a Satellite Partnership with Fernvale Garden School enabling our children to appreciate the special needs of their friends next door. To date, some of our P4 children have become buddies to a group of children from our neighbouring school. The buddies have recess together, our children helping their buddies to buy food in our canteen and then playing games with them. This partnership has enabled our children to grow our school values, besides making good friends.
Some of our P5 children have been involved in the creation and design of learning resources for the Sengkang Floating Wetlands Project, together with children from neighbouring Primary Schools. The resources our children developed touch on National Education issues and will be used by all children when they go on learning journeys to the Floating Wetlands.
Some of our prefects, in serving the community, have designed an innovative ‘Safety Kit’ for our elderly in times of crisis. Our children’s innovation has been one of the few selected to be showcased by the Ministry of Home Affairs at their Innovation Festival this year.
PAL ( Programme for Active Learning) in 2012
Starting in 2012, our school will embark on PAL, a major MOE initiative to address the need for greater emphasis on non-academic programmes for all P1 and P2 children. PAL comprises modules of activities in two broad areas, Sports & Outdoor Education and Performing & Visual Arts. PAL will be conducted for two hours per week during curriculum time. As such there will be changes to the curriculum hours for our P1s and P2s as spelt out in our correspondence to parents.
More importantly, PAL will provide our children with broad exposure and experiences through fun and varied activities in Sports, Outdoor Education, Performing Arts and Visual Arts, facilitating the well-rounded development of our children and providing avenues for them to build a strong character.
To conclude, parents and guardians, we would not have been able to achieve all that we have done this year without your strong support and ceaseless co-operation. I would also like to acknowledge our Parent Support Group members for continuing to assist our school graciously and meaningfully. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our children!
