CONVENT OF THE HOLY INFANT JESUS SECONDARY
18 January 2008
Dear Parents/Guardian
On behalf of the IJ family, I wish all parents and students a blessed year filled with lots of love, joy and peace.
1) ‘N’ LEVELS 2007
We want to thank God for the good ‘N’ level results achieved in 2007. A total of 97.6% of the 82 girls who sat for the exam passed and were promoted to 5N. We are also very proud of the top two students who scored a total aggregate of 3 points for their best 3 subjects, they are:
|
Name |
Class |
|
Tsang Wing Lam |
4/6 |
|
Cherie Chen |
4/6 |
We wish all our graduating students the best this year as they sit for the GCE ‘O’ Levels in October.
2) SEC 1 REGISTRATION AND ORIENTATION
We welcome the parents and students of the 2008 Sec 1 cohort to the IJ family. The Sec 1 registration was carried out on 21 Dec where students were assigned to their classes and introduced to their classmates and form teachers. Administrative matters like the collection of students’ and parents’ particulars, purchase of text books and uniforms and registration for special programmes were carried out.
The Sec 1 Orientation was carried out from 2 – 4 Jan. The programme comprised activities to acquaint the students with the history and culture of IJ and foster closer relations amongst the students and with their teachers. The orientation ended with a campfire which was held in school.
3) PARENTS’ SUPPORT GROUP (PSG)
The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the PSG, Mrs Phyllis Tan and Mrs Gerry Koh, welcome all parents to IJ.
Sec 1 parents, if you are interested in joining the PSG and to support in the running of the numerous school activities, please join us at the Sec 1 Parent-Teacher Meeting where the PSG will introduce you to the various ways they support the school. Do complete the attached ‘Response Form’ and submit through your daughter to the General Office so we can know you better.
Sec 2 to 5 parents, if you are similarly interested, do come down to IJ on 27 Feb at 7.00 p.m. to meet up with the PSG. Do complete the attached ‘Acknowledgement Form’ so we can know you better.
4) Theme for 2008
I am happy to share that the theme for 2008 is Gaining Knowledge, Living the Experience! Through this, CHIJ Sec aims to provide more opportunities for our students to apply the knowledge acquired by students as we strive to improve their quality of learning.
5) NEW TEACHERS TO THE IJ FAMILY
We would like to welcome the following teachers who have joined us in 2008. They are:
|
Name |
Department |
Status |
|
Ms P Mara |
History/Social Studies |
Permanent |
|
Mrs Ng-Goh Yeong Huay |
Art |
Adjunct |
|
Ms Grace Yu |
English/ Literature |
Adjunct |
|
Dr Maha Sripathy |
English/ Literature |
Adjunct |
6) IJ Education and Curriculum Design
The KNOW-DO-BE Bridge maps out the IJ Curriculum framework that defines students’ learning to realise our mission and vision of nurturing confident, competent and compassionate ladies.
We believe that our students need a strong foundation of knowledge (KNOW) to guide them in thinking, planning and to making sound decisions based on available information (DO). As technology continues to provide information at lightning speed, our students must learn to sift through all that information and ultimately make accurate assessments and timely decisions. To be able to achieve this, character is the guiding principle that sustains the success of the KNOW-DO-BE Bridge.
Complementing the KNOW-DO-BE Bridge, Differentiation and Integration is key to our classroom teaching and learning. Differentiation is the approach to teaching and learning to create appropriately different learning experiences for different students. Likewise, through integration in learning, students learn to transfer their learning from subject to subject.
All these learning opportunities and approaches allow students to be excited about learning, to be engaged and to experience – the 3Es.
7) IJ AFFECTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME
The IJ Affective Education programme hinges on the following beliefs:
1) That students make good life decisions when they are anchored on values and beliefs that are enduring and meaningful to her. Students will be exposed to and guided in their exploration of various beliefs and value systems so they can formulate their own set of guiding principles that will permeate every aspect of their life (Learning).
2) That opportunities to live out these values, with an emphasis on personal reflection and teacher mentoring, ensures that internalized values are appropriately externalized (Living).
3) That students need to be challenged to lead and inspire others to live out their values and make a difference wherever they are (Leading).
Through the varied affective programmes, we endeavour to nurture students who can say; ‘Whatever we learn, we live. However we live, we seek also to lead; for we will not hide our light.’ – the 3Ls.
8) ASSESSMENT
Assessment is an important part of the IJ Experience as it is a powerful tool to guide and support students’ learning. The three principles of assessment
adopted in IJ are:
- Multi-Dimensional
- Continuous and On-going
- Collaborative-Reflective
Students are assessed both for learning (formative) and of learning (summative).
Term Progress Reports will be presented to parents at the end of Term 1 and 3.
Semestral Assessments (SA) will be conducted for all students sit in the mid-year and at the end-of-year.
The weighting for the assessment are as follows:
|
Term |
Assessment |
Weighting |
|
Term 1 |
Progress Report |
NIL |
|
Term 2 |
Mid-year exam |
40% (for Sec 1 and 2) |
|
30% (for Sec 3) |
|
Term 3 |
Progress Report |
NIL |
|
Term 4 |
End-of-Year exam |
60% (for Sec 1 and 2) |
|
70% (for Sec 3) |
9) SCHOOL WEBSITE AND COMMUNICATIONS
The most common modes of communication between the school and parents are:
|
Mode |
Remarks |
|
School website |
Address: www.chijsectoapayoh.moe.edu.sg or http://schools.moe.edu.sg/chijsectp
The website is currently being upgraded to serve you better. We will update you on improvements in future newsletters. For 2008, the school calendar and the respective class timetables are currently available. A copy of this letter to parents will also be posted.
For 2008, we are putting in place a portal that will allow students and parents to log in so as to access information on students’ performance, for e.g. students’ progress report at the end of terms 1 and 3. |
|
Letter |
These will be given to you by the teachers through your daughter. |
|
E-Mail |
Your e-mail address was requested of your daughter at the beginning of the year to facilitate communication between the form / subject teachers and you. The school’s e-mail is chijtpss@moe.edu.sg should you need to communicate with us. |
|
Telephone Calls |
These will be made by the teachers when there is a need to. |
10) UPCOMING EVENTS
|
Date |
Event |
Remarks |
|
19 Jan
(Sat) |
CCA Orientation |
For Sec 1s and foreign students who want to familiarize themselves with the range of CCAs the school offers. A synopsis of each of the CCAs will be given out so parents can help their daughters select a CCA of their choice |
|
16 Jan
(Wed) |
Weekly Mass begins |
This will be conducted in the School Chapel at 2.30 p.m. Students and parents are invited. |
|
6 Feb
(Wed) |
CNY Celebrations |
7.50 – 9.00 a.m. – CNY Mass
9.00 – 10.30 a.m. – CNY celebrations in the hall |
|
15 Feb
(Fri) |
Sec 1 Parent-Teacher Meeting |
Time: 6.30 p.m.
Venue: Hall of Faith
Programme:
· Introduction to the PSG’s organised programmes
· Principal’s Welcome
· PSG’s Presentation
· School Counsellor’s Talk
· CCA Talk
· Question & Answer
· Dialogue with Form Teachers
Letters of invitation details of the night will be given through your daughter in Feb. |
|
1 Mar
(Sat) |
Honours Day (Academic) |
Academic award winners for 2007 will be identified and acknowledged for their achievements. |
11) ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Closure of the side gate at Block 168
The side gate located at Block 168 will be closed from 23 Jan for two months to facilitate the construction of the covered linkway from CHIJ to blocks 168 and 169. The construction work is carried out by the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council.
2. Building of the Indoor Sports Hall
Work on the new Indoor Sports Hall located above the Hall of Faith at the Barre block has begun. Parents and visitors to the school are advised to be careful when driving into the school as hoardings have been put up next to the canteen, which obscure oncoming traffic.
Please complete the attached ‘Acknowledgement Form’ and submit it through your daughter to her form teacher by 24 Jan.
With God’s grace, I thank all parents for your continued co-operation with us to help your child progress. I look forward to an enriching year ahead as we grow together from strength to strength.
Happy New Year!
Mrs Regina Lee
Principal
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Letter to Parent Due: 24th Jan
Acknowledgement Form
1. I, parent of ______________________ of __________,
acknowledge receipt of the above Letter to Parents, dated at 18th Jan 2008
(name of student) (class)
2 I will / will not * be able to attend the PSG meeting dated 27 Feb at 7.00 p.m. in the AVA Room.
___________________ _________________ ______________
Name of Parent Signature Date
* Please delete accordingly
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Letter to Parent Due: 24th Jan
Acknowledgement Form
I, parent of _______________________, of _______________, acknowledge receipt
(name of student) (class)
of the above Letter to Parents, dated 18 Jan 2008.
_____________________ __________________
Name of Parent Signature
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Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need clarifications. We can be reached at:-
- Tel: 63534972
- Fax: 63544573
- Email: CHIJTPSS@MOE.EDU.SG
- Website: HTTP://WWW.CHIJSECTOAPAYOH.MOE.EDU.SG
Thank you and God Bless.
Mrs Regina Lee
Principal