Newsletter 1

January Newsletter 2015

Dear Parents and Students, welcome to 2015! We are delighted to have the Secondary Ones and their parents join our SJC Family.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS We would like to congratulate our students for their hard work and achievements.

N-LEVEL RESULTS 2014 Our Normal Technical student who qualified for a lateral transfer to 4NA:

� Varsha Chellani

Our Top Performing Normal Technical Students with at least 3 As:

� Kalidas Natasha � Low Xin Jing � P B Sulthana Shameera � Seng Shu Ting Jasmine � Shivaani Rajendran � Varsha Chellani � Yael Vijaya

Our 6 NT Students with the Largest Value-Added Results:

� Yael Vijaya � Kalidas Natasha � R Pavithra � Darshini D/O Muthusamy � Malka Stanley � Kaladashini D/O Murasolimaran

Our Top Performing Normal(Academic) Students with at least 5 Distinctions:

� Chew Nikka Cualing (4B) � Krishashini D/O Vijaya Raj (4B) � Amirah Syafiqah B Mohd N (4D) � Chua Chia En, Erin (4D) � Judith Ashla Pereira (4D) � Kasthuri D/O Thirunavukarasu (4D) � Wint Sett Naing (4D)

Our NA Students with the Largest Value-Added Results:

� Judith Ashla Preira (4D) � Yong Sze Chin, Jamie (4B) � Geethanjeli D/O Chinnadakan (4B) � Judith Roy (4C) � Natasha Ananda (4B) � Nur Deana Bte Amran (4B)

30 of our students qualified for PFP, a huge improvement from the results a year ago. 85.2% of our students qualified for Sec 5.

O-LEVEL RESULTS 2014 Our Top Express Student with 8 Distinctions:

� Mohamed Ali Azeera (4E)

Our Top Express Students with 7 Distinctions: � Yeo Jing Ying (4E) � Krithika D/O Ramamoorthy (4E) � Tan Suan Zi, Chloe (4F) � Lo Cai Yue Brenda (4I)

Our Top Express Students with 6 Distinctions:

� Ain Nadirah Bte Abdul Hamid (4E) � Zhang Yanjiao (4F) � Nicole Tan Jia Ling (4E) � Nai Jing Wen, Bernessa (4E) � Bernice Lee Mei Hui (4E) � Latasha Lenus (4E) � Toh Xia Ping(4E) � Denissa Ting (4E) � Ong Qian-Er, Oriana (4I)

Our Top Express Students with 5 Distinctions:

� Low Miao En, Bibiana Inez (4I) � Eunice Lim Ying Hui (4E) � Shona Tan Su Lyn (4I) � Du Yingying (4I) � Leoni Wong Sue Min (4F) � Tang Jia Ning, Mikki (4F) � Mardiana Bte Azimi (4H) � Charmaine Koh Jie See (4F) � Tan Huining Samantha (4F)

Newsletter 2

JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS: ORIENTATION CAMPS SJCians started 2015 with our exciting annual orientation camps. Here are some highlights! CAMP SPIRITO, OUR SEC 1 CAMP THAT IS RUN BY STUDENT LEADERS AND SJC TEACHERS The activities were really fun. My weakness is stage fright but when we were on stage, I realized it was not that scary when I had friends by my side. – Wong Wenxin, 1A. I made a lot of caring friends. The instructors were amazing. They were very kind. I really like our class facilitator, Sec 4 Leader Andrea. - Tanesshaa D/O

Kajayndiran, 1A

1B students wading through an imaginery river.

Camp Spirito was tiring yet fun. Seniors took good care of us. I really appreciate their hard work to make the camp enjoyable for all of us. My favourite part was the team-building games. Even though the camp was tiring, there was a lot of meaning behind each activity. Even after the camp, our class continues to grow together through the different activities in school and lessons. – Valerie Ong, 1C Everything was fun but the Sengkang Trail was my favourite! We had to find our way around Sengkang and learn more about the areas near our school. We worked together to agree on the clues we were given after each game and where to go next. I learnt about teamwork, how to cooperate with one another and to be more open to my teammates’ opinions. – Kareen Lawrence, 1C I learnt to be thankful for all that I have through activities like the IJ Trail, especially at the ‘Baby House’ station. Campfire Night impacted me the most as the rehearsals helped me bond better with my class. I realise how thankful I should be for all the friends that I have and will make in the near future. I realise the joy of being an IJ girl. – Priscilla Lee, 1E This camp has given me more opportunities to interact with my classmates and to see myself more as a leader. I have learnt many new things that I can put into action in my everyday life. – Germaine Aw, 1E

� Evelyn Koh Hui Ting (4I) � Quek Swee Lynn, Michelle (4I) � Zahirah Bte Mohamad Latiff (4I) � Quah Jingyi, Sylvia (4E) � Darilynn Goh Jia Wei (4F) � Teoh Hui Wen, Lynn (4E)

Our Top Sec 5NA Students with 3 or More Distinctions:

� Dhashene D/O Panner Salvam (5A) � Chun Shuk Yee (5A)

Our Top Sec 5NA Students with 2 Distinctions:

� Irina Lai Cheng Yee (5B) � Soh Jia Qi, Olivia (5A) � Tan Hui Min (5A) � Gwee Zi Qian, Chloe (5A) � Wong Kai Jun (5A) � R Ashwini (5A)

Our Express Students with the Largest Value-Added Results:

� Reshma Kaur Selvaruben (4F) � Cara Chloe Anne Manaois (4H) � Vanessa Tan Fei Min (4I) � Latasha Lenus (4E) � Evelyn Koh Hui Ting (4I) � Chang Hui Zhen (4I) � Selina Jane Bangras (4H) � Chin Li Ting Samantha (4H) � Cheong Britney (4I) � Nur Sajinah Bte Ayub Khan (4H)

Our Sec5N Students with the Largest Value-Added Results:

� Irina Lai Cheng Yee (5B) � R Ashwini (5A) � Jessica Maria Toh Chui Lyn (5A) � Krismir Grace Nirmalan (5B) � Alicia Chew Xinying (5A)

Our L1B5 and L1B4 were 17.4 and 21.1 for the Sec 4Express and Sec 5 respectively in 2014. 99.4% and 74.5% of the 2014 Sec 4Express cohort qualified for Polytechnic and JC respectively. 73.8% and 16.4% of the Sec 5 cohort qualified for Polytechnic and JC respectively. We would like to thank Parents and the PSG for their support.

Newsletter 3

The greatest experience during the camp was when I had to sleep overnight without my family, but with new friends whom I had met during the camp. I learnt to persevere and to build a strong teamwork. - Laraine Lim 1H When I first came to SJC, I was unfamiliar with the environment. I tried my best to be as outgoing as possible and made new friends. This camp enabled me to bond with the entire class and to make friends with people from various primary schools. I find that our seniors really played a big part in helping us bond. If I could, I would definitely want to experience a camp like that again. – Angelica Ang, 1H REFLECTIONS FROM OUR STUDENT LEADERS: I learnt to be more responsible, not only for myself but for the people around me. As a class facilitator, I always had to ensure that my campers were well-taken care of. I also had to constantly communicate with the other departments, not just focus on my work. I got to grow as a person and I learnt a lot of skills during the camp which I think I would not have been exposed to without the camp. I learnt how to handle stress better and to keep calm in any situation. I also learnt to be more confident. – Cheryl Pereira, 3F I learnt that I need to do things to the best of my ability. If I want my campers to put in 100% of energy into an activity, I must put in double the amount. I liked it when the Sec 1s learnt the learning outcomes that we had planned for them, seeing them grow so much closer was heart-warming! - Hillary Nah, 3E

CAMP CHALLENGE: THE 3D2N ADVENTURE

CAMP FOR SEC 2 SJCIANS

A Sec 2 student conquering her fears.

I learnt that we need to respect one another and not to put the blame on others when we are at fault. Teamwork and trust are also important and I want to continue to encourage my friends not to give up! - Khairunnisa, 2A Alpha Link is a game of listing all the letters of the alphabet in ascending order. We have to create a chain with our hands and step on every alphabet with 2 feet. One foot is yours and the other belongs to your

JANUARY ORIENTATION CAMPS Before the camp, I was excited as I had not camped in school before, especially when I didn’t know anyone yet. I found the camp enjoyable. The Transition Talk taught us about time management as going from primary school to secondary school is a big leap. We need to cope well in CCAs and additional subjects like Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Time should not be wasted on unimportant things. The activity I enjoyed the most was making the ping pong ball float. Communication is very important in a team. We had to work together to get things done. Lastly, I would like to say a big thank you to all teachers, camp commanders, instructors, alumni, leaders for planning this camp for us! ☺ - Stella Low, 1F

I was excited and afraid before the camp yet relieved and excited for school. I was excited as I got to know more about the school values like love and integrity. I was afraid before the camp because I was away from my friends and I am not the sociable type. I felt excited for school after the camp surprisingly because I had made new friends. I learnt to be more engaged and active during group discussions. Being engaged in a discussion is important as everyone has to contribute. We need to cooperate by speaking confidently and clearly so that everyone is able to complete the task well. – Samantha Foo, 1F

1D during the CHIJMES Trail

Punctuality is very important as we would have to report at some places at a specific time and could not be late or the rest of the programme would be delayed. Sleeping on the classroom floor was not exactly comfortable but after sleeping on the hard floor, I appreciate the luxury of sleeping on the bed at home. I’ve also learnt that food is precious and we should not waste it. It is also our responsibility to wash our own dishes. Overall, the camp was fun. – Rebecca Pinto, 1G

Through this camp, I have learnt to be more independent, responsible and to step out of my comfort zone. The food at the camp was delicious. However, the only bad thing is that we had really little time to shower, unlike in usual life. Hence, we also learnt to be fast. If we spend time on things that can be done fast, we would have less time for more meaningful things. I hope to have another camp like this some day. – Angelina Lee, 1G

Newsletter 4

the

friend. I learnt skills that I would be able to apply in daily life - teamwork and strategizing. We can work as a class to conquer and understand the subject with studying techniques such as note-taking. Patience and positivity can be used at work. For example, if we hand-in our reports and they get rejected repeatedly, we have to stay positive and improve our reports. During the high elements, I faced my fear of heights by completing the element on a suspended platform. I was encouraged by many of friends and teachers. They gave me instructions to complete the element. I learnt perseverance. - Syncletica Choo, 2E

During the high elements activity, we all had different roles and responsibilities to ensure one another’s safety. When it was my turn to climb and complete walking across the log, I was very nervous as it was really high up. I was shaking and reluctant to continue. My friends were cheering me on so I gathered my courage and completed the challenge. I learnt that words of encouragement are really important as they can brighten someone’s mood and motivate them. Thus, we should always strive to ‘Encourage the Heart’. - Lemaine Lin, 2G

Learning to observe and trust during the Blindfold Trail.

Leaders are important for a group. Without leaders, the team will be flustered and no commands can be followed to finish the task. During the Alpha Link activity, I was able to lead the way for others who were in trouble and was able to ‘Challenge the Process as a Team’. – Yashwini, 2F

Experiencing the Trust-Fall Game.

One important thing I learnt today was patience. Even though I was scared during the Tree Climbing and Mouse Trap activities, I still challenged myself to go for it. I would want to challenge myself further to do more challenging activities. – Navinah, 2F

Unravelling a team puzzle.

This camp experience was definitely a better one for me compared to last year when we were still unfamiliar with one another and we were all too busy adjusting to a new environment with new people and new expectations set for us. Though there were times when we may have stumbled, be it due to a certain friend who wasn’t listening to our suggestions, or that we were just focusing on ourselves rather than working as a team, this camp opened our eyes to the way we may have been acting towards one another, resulting in a change for the better. I have learnt much about ‘Encourage the Heart’, and ‘Challenge the Process’. These apply in real life situations too. When our friends are going through difficult situations, encouragement and support could make the journey less difficult. In ‘Challenge the Process’, tests and boundaries challenge us to push ourselves further. The key here is not to underestimate one’s abilities and to always set targets for ourselves in order to overcome our weaknesses. - Anne-Marie Ramachandran, 2H

Newsletter 5

CAMP METAMORPHOSIS, THE SEC 3 CRITICAL

THINKING CAMP THAT REINFORCES SJC’S

DISTINCTIVE PROGRAMMES

Students have to put up a dramatic showcase based on the theme Singapore: Then, Now and Next as part of our ALP and the pilot of the school’s LLP,

Thinking for Life Through Future Problem Solving where students analyze social issues to better understand implications. This camp is a precursor to the Sec 4 overseas VIA camp.

I learnt about the history of Singapore and also the terrorist threats that can threaten Singapore. I now appreciate the importance of being sensitive to my friends from other ethnic groups. – Teo Swee Leng, 3C I have learnt that Singapore aims to always be prepared for crises. This is especially true with regards to external threats, such as terrorism. The presence of the ISD ensures the defence of Singapore. – Sheby James, 3D The most exciting moment was the visit to the ISD heritage centre. I am aware that this heritage centre is not open to the public. I was happy with the chance to visit the heritage centre. The visit gave me a better idea of how Singapore has progressed through the years. I learnt things that were not covered in textbooks. – Cham Reika, 3G

Exploring exhibits at the National Museum

Reflecting on Social Issues before Group Discussion

With the learning journey to ISD heritage centre and the National Museum, I am more confident now for the Sec 3 drama showcase. This is because I now know more about Singapore from the learning journeys as the information in the galleries was very relevant to the showcase theme addressing the past, the present and the future of Singapore – Joyce Ampo, 3H I learnt that we should not take what we have in Singapore for granted. Singapore’s harmony can easily be broken by racial or religious disputes and terrorists could target public places in Singapore. The most enriching moment was the visit to the ISD heritage centre where I got to know about Singapore’s past and how many terrorist attacks had been overcome. I was particularly intrigued by the accounts of how various terrorist attacks were discovered and stopped in the nick of time. – Ervinna Ho, 3F

Unpacking Social Issues through Drama Classes

I realise that Singapore is not immune to security threats. I have also acquired deeper knowledge of Singapore’s past and of our pioneers who laboured to build Singapore. – Deborah Choo, 3D The drama preparation was the most enjoyable part of the camp as the class brainstormed, planned and performed a piece of drama together. – Yap JiaXi, 3H

Newsletter 6

A NOVEMBER EXCURSION

A DAY IN COURT: CRIMINAL JUSTICE LJ FOR SEC 3 STUDENT LEADERS

On 19 November 2014, the four of us, chaperoned by our teacher, Ms Faith Chew, stood outside the grand State Courts of Singapore with much anticipation. For us students, it was our first time attending a seminar on criminal justice at the State Courts. Upon entering the grand building, we saw a long line of people queuing for a security check. After registration, we were led to the auditorium where the Presiding Judge of the State Courts gave an opening address and shared her decision to be a judge. This inspiring speech was followed by ice breaker games to acquaint us with the various roles in a courtroom. The real fun began in the next segment where we were grouped with student leaders of other schools to take on different roles in a case study and to work through a court conference. Through role-play, we experienced a ‘Heal’ session, a meeting between an ‘offender’ and his ‘victim’ to discuss the former’s offending behaviour and the next steps for action. We learnt the important skill of perspective-taking through this role-play. A Moot Court role-play followed. We got to see a real courtroom! The wooden wall, arched furniture and the judge’s bench all added to the solemn and tense atmosphere of the courtroom. It was especially chilly in the room and our facilitator pointed out that the air conditioning is deliberately set at a really low temperature to heighten tension, to remind those in the courtroom that events in court are to be taken seriously. Indeed, court was no laughing matter– this was established during the role-play where my group mate, who played the role of an offender, was aggressively interrogated by the judge (played by a real court interpreter) and subsequently chided for letting out an anxious giggle. Lastly, we had a Q&A session with four eloquent district judges who invited us to give our inputs in a discussion about legal issues. We learnt about the considerations when deciding on a sentence for an offender and the importance of a fair trial for both parties. It was an enriching full-day seminar and we departed the State Courts building having gained many valuable insights.

Written by Daveenasheni Selva Kumar (4G), Henny Maherah Bte Huzaini (4F), Chang Min Wen Jillian (4G) and Sabrina Abdul Gahni (4D).