August

August

National Day Celebration 2020

The theme of this year’s National Day celebrations “Together, A Stronger Singapore” could not have come at a more appropriate time. With all the disruptions to our lives brought about by COVID-19 and the circuit breaker period, the National Day celebrations this year serve as a testament to our country’s resilience and our people’s ability to adapt and manage the dynamics of the ever-changing situation. Our ability to emerge stronger as one united nation from the COVID-19 pandemic is also reflected in how our National Day celebrations this year have allowed us to remain close-knit as a school community.

Our day started with the National Day Observance Ceremony, where members of the various uniformed groups marched in with the state and school flags. The entire march-in and procession was streamed live to all classes via Zoom, allowing the entire school population to commemorate this solemn yet significant movement together. After which, Mrs. Ng, our Principal, read the National Day message which was broadcast live to the whole school.

A snapshot of our Cadets who made the Observance Ceremony a success.

Because of the changes in the format of the celebrations, the performing arts groups pre-recorded the performances and the concert was streamed live via Zoom to the whole school. The concert started with the performances by the Symphonic Band, where the solo Saxophone performance of “Where I belong” by Ang Kai Xin (Class 3-1B) and a remote performance of “Love at First Light” demonstrated the Band’s ability to adapt to the presentation style of remote performances.

Students enjoying the National Day Celebrations via Zoom

After which, the school enjoyed performances by the EC club, Malay Dance and the PE department. The performances explored various aspects of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued to remind us about the importance of staying resilient and united in the face of adversities. The subsequent performance by Modern Dance which centred on the theme of “What I miss most” also served as a refreshing reminder to always treasure what we have around us.

Our school Modern Dance in “What I miss most”

Then, for the first time ever, we held our school-wide Kahoot challenge! Each class sent 2 representatives to participate in the Kahoot quiz which was based on interesting facts about Singapore shared by the committee during the course of the week. The students had fun taking part in the Kahoot quiz, and roars of erupted laughter rang through the school as students figured out their responses in albeit humourous manners.

Students and teachers having fun during the school-based Kahoot challenge

The performance ended with a rousing rendition of “Home” by the Choir, a performance which saw teachers, school mates and even alumni members joining in. It was an apt way to end off the series of performances because it reminded everyone about where we would always belong – Singapore our home. Even though we commemorated the National Day celebrations in our individual classes, we could still have fun and connect via digital platforms. As one student remarked in the post-event survey form, “Even though we could not celebrate together in the school hall (like past years), seeing my friends perform in class (through zoom) was a good surprise which I enjoyed!”

This is Home truly – as the Choir and this year’s celebrations have shown us!

14th Student Leader Council Elections and Campaign

The inaugural Student Council Election was organised by the Student Leadership Development (SLD) team in July 2020. The elections provided an opportunity for student leaders, who desire to serve in a bigger capacity as part of the Executive Committee, to campaign through sharing their own leadership journey, motivation to serve, and vision for the upcoming year to the school population. Both the student population and teachers were involved in the casting of votes in the election. Each member of the school population received 4 votes, to decide for whom they would like to see be part of the 14th Student Leaders Council. Apart from Student Voice, the election was also an opportunity for the Citizenship Education (CE) team to educate the student population about the significance of voting.

In the lead up to the elections, the candidates were involved in a series of interviews with the school leaders, as well as to run their own campaigns. The campaign was conducted online, in which each candidate had their own 1 minute video to allow the school population to know them better, before casting their votes. Posters, containing each candidate’s key message to the school population, were also found around the school.

The Elections saw a total of 4,160 votes cast for the candidates in the elections. Through the votes and interviews conducted, the 14th Student Leaders Council was successfully formed.

Student Leader Council Candidates Campaign Video

A campaign poster

14th Student Leaders Council Election 2020

Student Leaders’ Investiture 2020

This year, as part of our continued efforts in recognizing and empowering our student leaders, our 14th Student Leaders’ Investiture took on a different approach in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of the usual format, this year’s event was broadcasted into the classrooms live via Zoom on Friday 14 August 2020. Though it was a relatively compact proceeding, the objective and essence of the investiture were met and conveyed to all.

This year’s theme is “Ignite the Fire” and the proceedings comprised of live speeches as well as a pre-recorded Handing over Ceremony. The climax of the investiture culminated with the taking of the Student Leaders pledge by over 400 various student leaders (which includes the Student Councilors, CCA leaders, Class leaders and PSLs) which echoed through their respective classrooms. Prior to that, a special mention was made in recognition of the ICT Representatives for their tireless and significant service in supporting the learning of those students overseas, on SHN and LOA.

Furthermore, our CCA leaders also prepared an introductory video showcasing their unique CCAs as well as to introduce themselves. These videos were televised on the TV screens around the school and made available on our school’s Instagram. We hope that this event will spur our student leaders on and we look forward to seeing them in action.

Handing over ceremony video cover

Our 14th student council executive committee

Teachers and Staff Appreciation Day (TASAD) 2020

Amid a hectic and eventful year, it is important for us to celebrate the tireless dedication and hard work of our teachers and staff.

This year, we invited our teachers and staff to walk down memory lane with us, to appreciate our roots and celebrate our values as they guide us in our hopes for the future, all through a time travel experience! Hence, the theme for TASAD this year is “WRS 2∞ and Beyond!”

TASAD 2020 Theme

The day began with the welcoming of the “passengers” and checking them into their personal boarding rooms (form class) for light refreshments. Each of them also received a lovely welcome gift that was handmade by the members from the Parent Support Group. They were then ushered onto the “shuttle”, and had a Zoom session with our Principal before being transported to the past to their favourite era where they celebrated with their students.

It was followed by an e-concert that propelled everyone to the future. The students creatively prepared and videoed their performances to show their appreciations towards all staff.
A number of alumni sent in dedication clips to give thanks to their teachers too. The day’s celebration ended with a sumptuous lunch set prepared by our Staff Well-Being Committee.