Hua Yi Connection - Hua Yi Secondary School
Transcription
Hua Yi Connection - Hua Yi Secondary School
For Internal Circulation Only Issue 1 / 2012 Newsletter of Hua Yi Secondary School Hua Yi Connection 仁 Benevolence 义 Justice 智 Wisdom 群 Togetherness Message from the Principal The new year has begun on a pleasant and uplifting note as our 2011 batch of students did the school proud with their good ‘N’ and ‘O’ levels results. I wish to congratulate the teachers, students and non-teaching staff for their hard work in achieving these results. Our Vision: Where learning is vibrant and teaching is dynamic Our Mission: To nurture our students to be creative, independent life-long learners who are confident, gracious, humble and responsible citizens, prepared for the challenges ahead. As I assumed my new appointment as the 11th Principal of the school, I am heartened by the good work done by my predecessors, past and present staff, SAC members and alumni. In Hua Yi, all staff and students are guided by the school's vision, mission as well as school values in our pursuit of excellence in education. We aim to develop our students holistically, in all aspects – moral, cognitive, physical, social and aesthetic. In order to achieve this, we need the collaborative effort and support of all stakeholders to nurture our students. Our area of focus will be values and character development. We will consciously imbue in our students the school values of benevolence, justice, wisdom and togetherness and instill in them the awareness that whatever we do should be anchored in these sound values. Apart from values inculcation, we will also focus on building a sense of belonging to the school. In order to do this, we have introduced TeacherStudent interaction time every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Form teachers meet each pupil and conduct a conversation to get to know the pupil. Through the TSR period, we wish to create a more inviting school for both staff and pupils. We will also provide opportunities for bonding with friends, teachers, and alumni members. We hope that all members of the Hua Yi family will live up to the school motto: ‘Together we care and grow’. Furthermore, to prepare our students for the demands of the 21st century, we will build relevant skills and knowledge in our students. Finally, we hope to better engage stakeholders through effectively communicating school activities and programmes. In this inaugural issue of Hua Yi Connection you will find articles written by students and teachers covering key happenings of the term. These stories reflect a vibrant and well-rounded school life. We look forward to an exciting and fulfilling journey ahead. Let us work together to bring Hua Yi Secondary to greater heights! Issue 1 / 2012 Ushering in the Year of the Dragon 2 Release of 2011 GCE O and N Level Results 3 T.E.A.M – Sec One Orientation Camp 4 Sec Two and Three Adventure Camps 5 Total Defence Day 6 One-to-One Teacher-Student Interaction Time 6 School-Family Partnerships 7 Hua Yi Alumni Society 7 The Last Page o o 8 CCA Achievements Staff Movement Mdm Tay Siok Hwa Principal Editorial Committee: Mr Ong Ka Ming Mrs Pan-Ong Fei Eng Ms Danielle Zheng Tel: 65634568 60 Jurong West Street 42 Singapore 649371 Fax: 65634505 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.hyss.moe.edu.sg Issue 1 / 2012 Ushering in the Year of the Dragon by Dilys Woon and Tricia Tan (Class 3E1) On Friday 20 January 2012, the Hua Yi family bade goodbye to the Rabbit Year and ushered in the Year of the Dragon. Everyone was involved in the exciting celebrations, making the day most enjoyable and memorable. First, there was the Arts and Crafts Fair held during the combined recess time at the school canteen. Four different booths represented different Chinese New Year traditions: students could cut out different symbols or words representing good fortune at the paper-cutting booth, or make beautiful decorative handicrafts at the Chinese knot booth. At the Chinese calligraphy and painting booth, students created wonderful calligraphy pieces, simply with a brush and some ink. Calligraphy is often used to write couplets or ‘dui lian’ to express happy and hopeful thoughts for the New Year. Lastly, there was the making of threadbound books. Students who participated these activities would, have realised the brilliance of Chinese art. 2 The highlight of the day was the Chinese New Year Concert. Everyone involved worked very hard to ensure that the concert was a success and they did not let us down. Kicking off the concert was the loud and exciting Lion Dance, followed by the graceful Chinese dancers and Guzheng players. Always the hot favorites, the hip-hop dancers wowed the school with perfectly executed dance steps. Even the teachers contributed to the entertainment with their comical skit about a young, adventurous dragon seeking to help poor commoners by bringing riches and rain. The excitement continued with the results of the Class Decoration Competition and the Online Quiz. For a rousing finale, the God of Fortune arrived, throwing sweets to the students in the hall and spreading the festive joy as everyone scrambled for the catch. What made this year’s celebrations more enjoyable and meaningful was being able to share the festive cheer with the community. What made this year’s celebrations even more enjoyable and meaningful was being able to share the festive cheer with the community. As part of a project with the Southwest CDC, our Secondary Two students prepared and distributed 110 goodies bags to the needy residents in adopted blocks of Ho Ching Road. Also, 2E1 hosted 26 elderly people at our school’s Chinese New Year concert. Prior to that, the 2E1 students had also prepared goodies bags for the invited guests. The concert was especially well received. “I was entertained by the teacher’s performance as the teachers have boldly displayed their acting skills,” remarked a Sec 3 student. She also added that she wished the combined recess time had been longer, so that she would have been able to spend more time at the activity booths. A winner of the CNY online quiz also told us that she did not expect herself to win and was pleasantly surprised, Winners of CNY Classroom Decoration Competition (1st, 2nd and 3rd) Sec 1: 1N2, 1T1, 1E2 Sec 2: 2E2, 2E3, 2E1 Sec 3: 3E2, 3T1, 3E1 Sec 4/5: 4E2, 4E3, 4N2 A big Thank You to all the organisers, performers and teachers for a wonderful Dragon Year celebrations. We wish everyone in the Hua Yi family a bright, colorful and joyous year ahead! Benevolence Justice Wisdom Togetherness Issue 1 / 2012 Release of 2011 ‘O’ and ‘N’ Level Results The release of the 2011 Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘O’ Level Examination results has brought Hua Yi much joy and pride. More than 70% of the Sec 4 Express students qualified for entry to junior colleges, and 97% for polytechnics. The Sec 5 Normal (Academic) students also did well, with more than 75% eligible for polytechnics. Many subjects scored above national average in terms of percentage passes, including English Language, Mother Tongue Languages, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics and Combined Humanities. Notably, the school saw two firsts: a student scoring more than 7 A1s, and another scoring 9 distinctions. Ms Teo Bei Fang, scored 8A1s, with an L1R5 of 6 points – her excellent results were at the top of the Sec 4 Express cohort. Ms Liaw Ee Jin achieved an impressive 9 distinctions. Our Sec 4 Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) students also obtained stellar results in the 2011 GCE ‘N’ Level Examination. Six subjects obtained 100% passes for the N(A) subjects, and there were three N(T) subjects. with 100% passes. 100% of our 4N(A) students obtained three or more N Level passes, with 90% eligible for promotion to Sec 5N(A). 93.9% of our 4N(T) students achieved three or more passes, and 100% qualified for further education at ITE. The school wishes the graduating class of 2011 the very best in their education and endeavours. We are proud of all of you! How did they do it? - Tips from Hua Yi’s Top Students “My source of motivation is simply my desire to do well. I care for my future, so that motivates me to do well for my studies. My mother and my teachers also influence me to work hard so as not to disappoint them.” – Teo Bei Fang, National Junior College “To de-stress, reward yourself after doing work: have your own time slot every day to do what you like, or want to do apart from studies. Another method is to search for inspiring quotes.” – Chew Wei Ting, National Junior College “My study strategy: finish work that is supposed to be done today and do not procrastinate. I always start early; I do not wait till the last minute to work under immense stress.” – Liaw Ee Jin, Hwa Chong Institution “Make a detailed study plan – what subject to study today, tomorrow, and so on, and include the specific chapters. Make sure the plan is realistic, if not it will make you more stressed out. Swear to yourself to follow the plan strictly, until the major exam is over.” – So Jia Yi, National Junior College “The main critical strategy I adopted is to take ownership of my learning and be as independent as possible. I do not depend on teachers for answers. I personally feel that only with hard work and effort can one overcome obstacles along the way.” – Tio Lin Wei, Top N Level student 2011 仁义智群 Top Student for Sec 4 Express: Teo Bei Fang – Class 4E3 English Language Higher Chinese Chinese Combined Humanities Mathematics Additional Mathematics Physics Chemistry Biology B3 A1 A1 / Distinction A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 Top Student for Sec 5 N(A): Chia Meng Hoe – Class 5N1 English Language Chinese Combined Humanities Mathematics Science (Chem/Bio) POA B3 A2 / Merit B3 A2 A1 A1 Top Student for Sec 4 N(A): Tio Lin Wei – Class 4N2 English Language Chinese Combined Humanities Mathematics Science (Physics/Chem) POA 4 4 / Merit 1 1 1 1 Top Student for Sec 4 N(T): Asqalani Hakim B Heryadi – Class 4T1 English Language Mathematics Science Food Science CPA EBS Basic Malay B B A A A A A 3 Issue 1 / 2012 T.E.A.M – Secondary One Orientation Camp by Ashley Lim, Foo Junhao and Suu Le Min (Class 3E2) Even before 2012 officially began, student leaders and teachers were busy preparing to welcome our fresh batch of Sec One students at their orientation camp. The theme for the camp was T.E.A.M, which stands for “Together Everyone Achieves More”. Over three days and two nights, juniors came to understand the school system, bonded with their new schoolmates, and experienced one of Hua Yi’s school values – Togetherness. On 28 December 2011, fresh and early in the morning, our new Sec Ones reported to school in their colourful PE attire. Eager and full of anticipation, they began the camp by playing icebreakers and creating group posters. Their first challenge came with the Amazing Race, where each group was assigned a mission: they had to locate their stations with the given clues, and accomplish challenges at each station in order to get their next clue. The first group to finish nine stations and find the organiser with a coloured band on his wrist would be the winner. The campers displayed excellent teamwork and enthusiasm throughout the race. When asked whether they enjoyed the Amazing Race, the campers agreed without hesitation. “It was very tiring but we had a great adventure, even though we lost. My group became more bonded,” one camper said. Another camper from the winning group declared proudly, “My group was the first group to find the person in the coloured band!” The sports leaders also observed that campers took the initiative to lead and motivate their groups, and were very sporting and willing to try again when they were not able to complete some games. The highlight of the camp was Campfire Night. The campers were given some time to come up with a performance, and they must have worked very hard and well, as each group presented distinctive and captivating performances. They put up skits, danced and sang. Parents also arrived at the campfire to watch these performances, asking excitedly, “Is that my kid’s group?” The campfire brought everyone together, and left deep impressions on all who were present. All in all, the camp was an enriching experience not just for the Sec Ones, but also for all involved: the councillors, facilitators, sports leaders and other students leaders, including the AVA crew who helped to capture the wonderful memories in photographs, and also the overwhelming support Consectetuer: from parents who made the effort to attend the campfire. Truly, the theme “Together Everyone Achieves More” could not have been more appropriate. Another memorable team-building game was the Blindfold Walk. This was a thrilling experience in the dark. With some help from the facilitators, campers had to communicate with their groupmates in order to move around. One camper commented, “It was scary as I couldn’t see, but it helped to build trust within my group.” Another said, “I was initially hesitant about putting on a blindfold, but my groupmates made me feel much less afraid.” 4 Benevolence Justice Wisdom Togetherness Issue 1 / 2012 Teamwork and togetherness: Secondary Two Adventure Camp by Tan Chun Guan and Winston Tay (Class 2E3) On 7 March, the Secondary Two cohort attended their adventure camp at Changi Civil Service Club. The objective of the camp was to impart the school values, especially that of togetherness. Key highlights of the camp included the sand sculpting activity and the Amazing Race. Students worked with each other to create magnificent sand sculptures based on the camp’s theme: Believe. The Amazing Race consisted of many different challenges and games that encouraged students to work together as a team. There was also a Night Confidence Challenge where groups of 3 to 5 students ventured into the woods with only glowsticks. With their ability to see affected, they had to depend on other senses – and on each other – to make it through the trail safely. One of the interesting things about the camp was the sleeping arrangement. For the two nights of the camp, the boys and girls took turns to sleep in chalets and tents respectively. Li Xuan from 2E3 commented, “For the first night, we were all crammed into a tiny room. For the second night, we slept in the tents but there was a heavy downpour. Still, overall the camp was an interesting experience I won’t soon forget!” Aries from 2E2 added, “I think the camp was meaningful. I strengthened the bonds with my classmates.” On the last day of the camp, the camp commandant gave a touching speech that moved many students to tears. Students were sad and reluctant to leave the camp and the fantastic trainers. It was indeed a camp to remember. Service, friendship and fun: Sec Three Overseas Leadership and Adventure Camp by Melodie Edith James (Class 3E4) The Sec 3 cohort embarked on a long journey to Bintan, Indonesia. Some looked very green as they boarded the ferry that Tuesday morning – but over the next four days, this turned out to be the least of their worries. In an unfamiliar environment, students were pushed to their limits, forced to overcome challenges with teamwork and leadership The highlight of the 4-day camp was skills. undoubtedly conquering Mount Bintan. The two-and-a-half hour trek up the The children of Bintan welcomed Hua Yi summit was difficult and slippery. It not students as we visited a local school and only took skill and strength, but also orphanage, SMP Negeri Lapan and teamwork and care amongst students. At Yayasan Inayah Bintan respectively. This the summit, students enjoyed the scenic overseas service-learning project was a view, and a quick lunch of instant delightful and rewarding experience for noodles, before their careful descent. At both Hua Yi students and Bintan children. the end of the day, the students completed Each class brought gifts and prepared the climb, and were more bonded than programmes to interact with the students, ever. That night, the campfire symbolized in addition to wrapping tables, and the end of a meaningful journey in Bintan. painting doors and windows. 仁义智群 “I enjoyed the campfire the most because it helped me get along with my awesome new classmates,” said Karen Aung from 3E4. Amirah from 3N3 reflected on the CIP activity, “After visiting the orphanage, I realised how fortunate I am.” Guided by the camp theme “Culture of Care” and our school values, students worked together to make the camp a fruitful and enjoyable one. Be it for the community or for each other, the students demonstrated care and love throughout their journey in Bintan. 5 Issue 1 / 2012 Cultivating resilience and responsibility: Total Defence Day 2012 Total Defence Day is taken seriously in Hua Yi, where students are keenly aware of a small, vulnerable nation’s needs to enrich its citizens with the understanding of total defence beyond the military. A vibrant culture of Total Defence in Hua Yi surfaced in the week of 13 February 2012, where a variety of experiential activities cultivated students’ resilience and responsibility. A prime opportunity was given to Secondary One students in their handling of Ready Bags. Led by the ONE Advocates and ONE Heritagers, and in collaboration with South West CDC, students partnered cadets from the school’s National Cadet Corps to share and distribute, Ready Bags to the residents of Clementi Avenue 2. With much exhilaration, Caleb Pui (1E3) remarked, “I find the Ready Bag activity really fun and enjoyable – helping the elderly and interacting with them.” Secondary Two students learned survival skills to deal with possibilities like the outbreak of terrorism or conflict through the In Place Protection (IPP) rooms. Using their classrooms as chambers of survival, they learnt about the dangers of inaction, the need for the efficient sealing of the IPP room to prevent toxic gas attacks, and even created their own makeshift toilets. Amber Qua (2E1) reflected, “I realised it is important to have essentials at home. I’m glad to have taken part in Singapore’s psychological defence.” Upper Secondary students had a meaningful learning experience about the heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for Singapore during the Japanese Occupation, and came to a deeper understanding of National Service’s significance in the Think, Discuss and Dialogue (TDD) session which followed. Ng Sheng Mu (4E4) reflected that Lieutenant Adnan’s tale of valour “reminds us of the need for National Service, and that everyone in National Service has a shared destiny.” Building stronger relationships: One-to-one teacher-student interaction time This year, Hua Yi Secondary School has implemented the Teacher-Student Interaction Time during the first period in the morning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Form teachers meet up with students from their classes for a one-toone conversation, so as to interact at a closer level, thereby enhancing the level of communication between teachers and students. The objective of the one-to-one Teacher-Student Interaction Time is to build better Teacher-Student Relationship (TSR) by allowing both staff and students to forge trust in a safe environment where they can freely share their thoughts and feelings. We strongly believe that strong TSR will have a positive effect on students even after they graduate. “The interaction time allows my Form Teacher to understand the needs of different individuals. Eventually, this will enable all of us to have a better learning environment.” – Xiang Tingting (Class 4E2) 6 “This interaction time is very useful as it fosters closer bonds between students and teachers. Students can share with teachers what they face in school as well as at home.” – Elisa Ng (Class 4E1) “I find the one-to-one interaction time beneficial as a lot of students are actually shy and will not have the chance to share their problems or thinking with their teachers.” – Gavin Chew (Class 4E2) Benevolence Justice Wisdom Togetherness Issue 1 / 2012 Building School-Family Partnerships Hua Yi is committed to engaging and partnering with parents through various programmes and platforms. A group of active and committed parents form the Parent Support Group (PSG), currently headed by Mr Yeo Thiam Huat. These parents devote precious time to support the school’s activities. “Parents play a critical role in the education of our children. To succeed, we must partner with parents and the community. We will need community support to allow students to take part in meaningful activities and to learn useful lifeskills.” - Minister of Education, Mr Heng Swee Keat The school also partners with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) to run the School Family Education (SFE) Programme. SFE adopts a holistic family learning model: equipping parents with effective parenting skills for them to become parent facilitators, helping school staff enhance family life, and providing students with life skills training. The following are some of the activities and events organised by and for parents: Bonsai Appreciation Programme Roller Blading Play Tent – an SFE programme Hua Yi Alumni Society Since last year’s 55th anniversary celebrations, an event attended by some 1000 guests, the rekindled friendships and renewed interest in the rich heritage of Hua Yi prompted several months of preparations that finally resulted in the official formation of the Hua Yi Alumni Society on 1 January 2012. In the 56 years since the founding of Hua Yi, the school has gone through many ups and downs and experienced tides of changes over time. Common experiences in the history of Hua Yi have left precious memories for generations of alumni. Today, the Society is entrusted with the mantle of fostering the friendship of generations of alumni. The aspiration of the Society is to be able to evoke amongst members a sense of belonging to Hua Yi and thereby promote a desire to give back to our alma mater. At a ceremony held on 12 February 2012, the Society presented a gift of two stone elephants to the school. Elephants, often described as intelligent animals, are a symbol of teamwork. These virtues coincide with “智” (wisdom) and “群 ” (togetherness) in the school’s motto. The elephants were nicknamed “阿仁” (benevolence) and “阿义” (justice) so that all four attributes of the school motto are represented. This gift represents the Society’s aspiration for the school to produce many more generations of alumni that exemplify these virtues. The ceremony was well attended by alumni and retired teachers. The reunion of students and teachers, who have all grown older and wiser, and the singing of the school song with gusto brought back not only memories of years gone by, but also reminded all present of the sense of mission that the school was founded upon. The event culminated in a friendly basketball game between veteran alumni and younger ones, which provided an occasion for fellowship amidst fun and laughter. The Society hopes to organize many more such events to promote friendship among the alumni, as well as to galvanize members to play a pivotal role in supporting the goals and objectives of the school. However, these hopes will only come to fruition with the support of alumni both in joining the Society as members, as well as participating in the running of the Society and its activities. The Society looks forward to your support for the betterment of Hua Yi! 仁义智群 7 The Last Page A round-up of school events and news Hua Yi shines in West Zone B Div Girls’ Volleyball Competition CCA Achievements by Sim Bei Ni (Class 4E1) The Hua Yi Volleyball Team has fought hard to clinch fourth position in this year’s West Zone B Division Girls’ Volleyball competition, qualifying for the national schools championships. The victory was particularly satisfying, as many schools seemed to have underestimated our school’s team since the graduation of many good players from last year’s B Division girls. Unlike other schools, our school team consists of players with no past experience in volleyball. Nonetheless, we managed to prove our critics wrong. During the course of the competition, our players demonstrated the values of sportsmanship and togetherness. When we faced setbacks, and defeat seemed certain, the players spurred one other on, displaying strong bonds and unwavering fighting spirit. Such was what happened during one of our most memorable games, against St. Hilda Secondary School. Initially, Hua Yi was initially lagging behind with a score of 13-9, and elimination seemed inevitable. With a never-say-die spirit, the team remained determined to win. We feverishly kept up the chase, and our efforts finally paid off when the score was tied 23-23. Eventually, Hua Yi managed to eke out a hard-earned win over St. Hilda's. The players' remarkable team spirit left a deep impression on many who were there to witness the match. It was not easy, but together we overcame the odds, and the Hua Yi volleyball team now stands shining and proud. Infocomm Club National Infocomm Clubs Outstanding School Award Red Cross Youth Best Unit Award 2011 (Silver); Community Service Award 2011 (Gold) National Cadet Corps Best Unit Award 2011 (Silver) National Police Cadet Corps Best Unit Award 2011 (Bronze) Girl Guides Best Unit Award 2011 (Bronze) Volleyball (B Girls) 4th place, West Zone Inter-School Volleyball Championships; Top 16, National Inter-School Volleyball Championships Track and Field (C Boys) 5th place, SPH Schools’ Relay Championship Track and Field (C Girls) 5th place, SPH Schools’ Relay Championship Staff Movement We warmly welcome the following staff to the Hua Yi family: • Mdm Tay Siok Hwa: Principal • Ms Agnes Teo Pek Hoon: Vice-Principal • Mr Justin Tan Kum Kit: HOD (Science) • Ms Polina Dronova: Teacher (Geography/History) • Ms Zhuang Xiaojuan: Teacher (CL) • Ms Li Yandong: Teacher (CL/Chinese Literature) • Mr Zulhairi Bin Jaffar: AED (T&L) • Ms June Chen Yee Sing: AED (Counselling) • Mr Mohamed Asyraf Bin Mohamed Kassim: TSO (Science) • Ms Oi Sok Hian: Intern (Chemistry/Mathematics) • Ms Lim Wan Ying: Intern (CL/Chinese Literature) • Ms Ng Yee Jia: Intern (CL/Chinese Literature) • Mr Hong Yu: Chinese calligraphy (pen) • Ms Zhang Lanjun: Chinese calligraphy (pen) • Ms Luo Qingchun: Conversational Chinese facilitation • Ms Nur Baeyah Bte Roslin: School Health Advisor We congratulate the following staff for their new appointments: • Mr Lee Han Hwa: HOD (Character Development) • Mrs Pan-Ong Fei Eng: HOD (EL/Literature) • Mdm Lye Yoke Pheng: Level Head (Mathematics) • Mrs Angie Ng Yin Peng: Senior Teacher (CL) We warmly welcome the following adjunct teachers: • Mdm Lim Choon Lai (CL) • Mdm Sim Swee Eng (CL) • Mrs Siow-Cheah Sook Han (Mathematics) • Ms Su Mee Chan (Humanities) • Mr Colin Tiang Chang Hwei (D&T/CPA) • Mrs Wee Sock Chin (Biology) • Mr Wong Wai Seng (D&T) • Mr Wong Yan Poh (Art) We would also like to thank the following staff for their contributions to Hua Yi: • Mrs Mabel Leong: Principal • Ms Beatrice Kong: HOD (Student Development) • Mrs Chong Ai Jee: HOD (Science) • Mrs Heng Foong Ying: Teacher (Geography/EL) • Ms Leyana Bte Ibrahim: Teacher (EL/Science) • Mrs Kwok-Leong Wai Yin, Lisa: Teacher (EL/Music) • Ms Haslinda Binte Abdullah: School Health Advisor