West Grove Primary School

Active Minds, Gracious Hearts

NewsletterIssue 1, May 2016

DESK

Mr Foo Chuan Kai Vice-Principal

Much to our delight in mid-2015, our school was informed by MOE that we can transit to single session in 2016. The

transition was by no means a walk in the park. There were many considerations to consider and if we missed out on any of them, it could mean a messy start to the new school year. I remember how the entire team of Key Personnel in the school was involved in rounds of intensive discussions week after week to iron out the anticipated issues. Some of these issues included Recess Timings, Hall Seating Arrangement, Classroom Allocation, Transportation for Students, Dismissal Arrangements and many more. We also had to look into how to communicate these changes to existing parents as well as new parents whose children are entering Primary 1. The situation was made more complex with the opening of our Student Care Centre at the same time. Beyond our Key Personnel, we also had conversations with our teachers to seek their inputs and concerns on going single session. Through the collective wisdom of all our staff members, we were able to anticipate and address these issues to ensure that we started the new school year with minimal hiccups.

It’s been almost half a year since West Grove has been operating as a single session school and things are looking pretty good. The traffic congestion along Jurong West St 72 that we used to face every morning in previous years has largely been resolved with our decision to allow parents to drive in in the mornings. The usual dismissal congestion at Gate 1 was also resolved with the use of our Vehicular Gate 1 for dismissal. Many other infrastructural and process improvements were put in place and these have contributed to a more conducive environment for our students and staff. As a single session school, we now enjoy

greater flexibility in time-tabling, allowing our teachers to engage in professional development more effectively and frequently. We can also plan enrichment lessons after school without room constraints. Every class can also have their own classroom and students have access to school facilities and resources for the whole day.

All these would not have been possible if we were not ready to embrace changes. From big changes like going single session to smaller changes like allowing parents to drive into the school, these changes have brought us into the unknown. And with the unknown, there’s always the fear of “What if something goes wrong”. While some may see this as prudence, we can also see this as a hindrance to progress. We all know that change is hard. Our comfort zone is established when we’re so used to doing something that we ultimately become rather good at it. However, in today’s world, everything changes at such a breath-taking pace that what you learn today may become obsolete in a matter of years. Schools are no different. We are not sheltered from the global phenomena of change and some may argue that we even have to be at the forefront, or we risk losing a generation of dis-interested students.

Today, our teachers deal with changes every day. From the use of new technologies and pedagogies in their daily lessons to the implementation of new initiatives from MOE, we embrace changes even if it means getting out of our comfort zone. We need to encourage our students to take on changes in a positive way. They need to believe that changes happen for a reason, and usually a good one at that. As what American entrepreneur Jim Rohn once said, “Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change”.

From The Vice-Principal’s

BOOK BUZZ CLUB (BBC) Book Buzz Club also known as BBC is a new initiative started this year to engage our students in the reading of Mother Tongue (MT) books. Most of our students come from English-speaking backgrounds. Therefore, it’s imperative that we engage our MT students in reading activities in their respective MT languages so as to encourage them to borrow and read MT books. During BBC, our students not only get to listen to stories in their MT languages but they also reflect and engage in activities that follow. Our students get to role-play, sing, dance and act in short skits prepared by themselves. Moreover, our students learn speech and drama skills. BBC is conducted in a conducive environment to enhance maximum participation and allow them to explore ways to express themselves confidently. Moreover, BBC activities keep our students gainfully engaged and thereby promote reading of MT stories.

Teachers lead, care and inspire. In our effort to enthuse our students towards life-long learning, our Teachers lead by example. Our Teachers never stop learning. Several learning opportunities in the form of workshops and training sessions contribute towards upscaling our skills and competencies which would in turn benefit our students.

“ We need to encourage our students to take on changes in a positive way. They need to believe

that changes happen for a reason, and usually a good one at that.”

Learning for the Future

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P5 Camp This year’s P5 camp was an enriching learning journey for the students. Throughout the 3 days 2 nights camp, students built on their confidence and self-esteem through challenges like high and low elements and also water-confidence activity. They experienced communal living with their schoolmates and learnt to appreciate nature. As the camp date fell on 23rd March 2016, the students also wrote remembrance messages in honour of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. They showed their heartfelt appreciation as they embarked on the fruitful camp with great attitude and to their best ability.

Social Studies Learning JourneyOur primary three students went on a Social Studies learning journey trip to the Land Transport Gallery this April. The gallery showcases the transport system through the years. Students learnt about the great MRT debate, integrated transport hub and the improvements made to our transport system from the past.

P6 Learning Journey to Sungei Buloh Wetland Nature Reserve The Science Department organised a Learning Journey to Sungei Buloh for our Primary 6 students to help relate science concepts they have learnt in the classroom to real life examples in the natural world. Through the outdoor experience, our students not only learnt about the physical characteristics of a mangrove environment, they also learnt about plant and animal adaptations. Moreover, our students learnt about the importance of mangrove conservation and how they can play a role in keeping Singapore’s nature reserves clean and green.

P5 & P6 ML/TL Parents’ Workshop In our effort to partner our parents and provide space for interaction between parents and teachers as well as guide parents to prepare their children for PSLE, we organised a Parents’ Workshop for P5 and P6 parents. Positive feedback were received from the 46 parents who attended on Saturday, 5 March 2016. They found the workshop useful for them to guide their children and also to have a better understanding of the 2016 PSLE format and new 2017 format.

ML/TL Book FairThe ML/TL Book Fair that was held on 11 March 2016 received encouraging responses from our students. The booklists that were distributed in advance helped the parents and students to discuss and choose appropriate books. Our vendors Alam Cahaya and Persama together with local author, Dhiana AK, displayed many books suitable for our students of all reading levels. They also recommended suitable books that may be of interest to the students. Primary 1 and Primary 2 students were delighted by a story-telling session by Dhiana AK.

Nature Walk at Lower PeirceThe Pupil Well-being Department organised a nature walk to Lower Peirce Reservoir for the Primary 3 and 4 students who are under the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). The nature walk took place on 2nd and 9th of April. Tour guides from Cicada Tree Eco-Place accompanied the teachers and students for the walk. We went on the Lower Pierce trail which took us through the forest, home to many amazing species of plants and animals. The tour guides did a great job in teaching the students about the different species of plants and animals in the Lower Peirce Reservoir. We were lucky to have caught a rare sight of the colugo and the banded monkeys. The nature walk was educational and enriching for the teachers and the students. Furthermore, the students learnt about the importance of conserving nature in the reserves. We are sure that the students will go for another nature walk with their families after this wonderful experience.

International Friendship Day The theme for this year is ASEAN. Students learn and understand the rich cultures of the ten ASEAN countries through interactive classroom activities and sharing from their ASEAN classmates. Performance by our wushu team showcases team spirit and unity in strength, similar to the ASEAN values.

Total Defence DayAnchoring on this year’s theme “Together We Keep Singapore Strong”, the English Department got together to plan fun and meaningful activities to commemorate Total Defence in West Grove. Beginning with classroom activities, students from Primary 1 to 6 were asked to pen their thoughts on how they can do their part in staying strong as a nation. While the lower primary showed their appreciation towards the men and women in uniform, the rest reflected on how they can play their part to be good to their neighbours.

Apart from classroom activities, students were encouraged to participate in the various recess activities that allowed them to recognise the different aspects of Total Defence in fun and creative ways which even included computer games. Finally, the school learnt about other countries that also have their own versions of Total Defence. Overall, the commemoration aimed to create a deep awareness and understanding of the significance of Total Defence in Singapore among the students in West Grove Primary School.

Math Learning Festival 2016Our annual Math Learning Festival took place on 14 March. A total of more than 200 parents turned up this year to learn about the Math syllabus and pick up problem-solving skills to guide their children in the subject.

It is indeed encouraging to see our parents being very actively engaged in the Authenticity activities, and learning new concepts.

Great job, Parents, for being part of your children’s learning journey in Math and our partners in education!

Wonders of

Learning

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Hustle & BustleJanuaryP1 Induction

MarchP5 Camp

AprilWGPS Reading Festival

AprilInternational Friendship Day

AprilSingapore Youth Festival

MarchSchool Immersion Program-

School Visit by Kairos Gracia School

FebruaryTotal Defence Day

JanuaryLeadership

Training for P2 Junior Prefects

MarchMath Learning

Festival

AprilP6 LearningJourney to

Sungei BulohApril

ML & TL Creative Writing

Workshop

AprilScience

Workshopfor Parents

MayP3 Museum

Etiquette LearningJourney

MayFitness Fiesta

AprilP3 Field Based

Learning to Land Transport Authority

MarchLeadership

TrainingMarch

P4 ML &TL Camp

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Launch of Job Week 2016 at the IstanaWest Grove Primary School has been nominated by the Singapore Scout Association to participate at the Launch of Job Week 2016 at the Istana. The objective of Job Week is to inculcate in Scouts the dignity of labour and the value of honest work as part of their holistic value-based training. Kwa Shao Feng (6D) and Mirza (6F) had a wonderful experience, completing their jobs at the Istana and mingling with President Tony Tan and First Lady, Mrs Mary Tan.

West Grove Cub Scouts have also done well by completing jobs with a collection of $954.60 for Job Week 2016. Well done, cub scouts!

Values In Action (VIA) at WGPS

<I’m a Buddy! Programme> On First Two Days of SchoolIn our continuous effort to create a caring and conducive environment to help our 2016 batch of Primary One students adapt to primary school life, CCE department (Partnerships Committee) carried out a Buddy Programme for them. The programme was run from 9.15 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. on 4 January (Monday) and 5 January (Tuesday). P4 students were assigned the roles as buddies to guide the Primary One child through important tasks such as buying food at the canteen, familiarise with the school compound such as dental clinic, bookshop and washrooms (toilets).

Storytelling at Jurong West Public LibraryOne of the roles of School Reading Ambassadors (SRA) is to conduct storytelling at the public library. The purpose of storytelling is to help instill a lifelong passion for reading among the younger children. Prior to the storytelling sessions, the SRAs have learnt the important techniques and skills required to be an effective storyteller.

The children are very engaged during the storytelling sessions. Parents can also join in the fun with their children by interacting with the SRAs about the picture books.

Values In Action (VIA) are learning experiences that support students’ development as socially responsible citizens who contribute meaningfully to the community through the learning and application of values, knowledge and skills. In line with the school’s vision of Active Minds, Gracious Hearts, and as part of our efforts to develop the characters of our young West Grovians, we hope to provide opportunities for them to enact the 6 school values of R3ICK in school and back home. Our students are involved in a variety of VIA activities as part of our Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) in school.

The Guzheng, or Chinese harp, originated over 2,300 years ago and is one of the oldest plucked instruments in China. With its melodic qualities, Guzheng was extremely popular for both court and folk music. It’s attraction lies on the water-rippling sound produced when the strings are plucked by the fingers in a sweeping manner.

This year, the Guzheng Ensemble participated in the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Central Judging at the national level. With 40 members, it has been an exciting journey where the members grow in terms of skills and passion for music. The Guzheng Ensemble spent a lot of effort, time and perseverance. They attained The Certificate of Accomplishment for the SYF Central Judging 2016.

Dance Troupe In 2016, 102 primary schools participated in the SYF 2016 Arts Presentation for Dance (International). It was held from 18 to 21 April 2016 at the University Cultural Centre Hall. In this category, the schools displayed a wide spectrum of different dance styles ranging from ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, ballroom to tap.

Our dancers worked hard at the beginning of the year. With dedication and commitment, the members juggled their school work and the dance practices. The West Grove Primary Dance Troupe attained the Certificate of Accomplishment in this category.

2016 marks the 50th year of Singapore Youth Festival. Our Senior choir comprises of 54 members prepared for the central judging on 14 April 2016 under the guidance of the new choir instructor, Ms Rose Loh. The preparation was very intense given the challenging set piece entitled “Voice In The Round” composed by Jeremiah Li. The members had developed the perseverance as they worked on the set piece. The practice sessions provided opportunity for members to strengthen their vocal techniques

“Job Week is not about competing the amount of collections at the end of the exercise. I have learnt to enjoy the process of each job assigned to me and put in my best effort.”

Mirza (6F), as interviewed by Channel NewsAsia.

Choir

The Guzheng Ensemble

The National Arts Education (NAEA) Award is a national award conferred by NAC to recognise schools’ efforts in championing arts education. With the NAEA, the NAC hopes to encourage schools to offer holistic arts education for all students, and to affirm schools with good arts education practices and programmes. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Grace Fu, was at the NAEA Awards Ceremony and Showcase to present the awards to the schools’ representatives. West Grove Primary School was awarded the National Arts Education Award (NAEA) on February 2016.

NAEA Glow Award 2016

as well as knowing how to project their voices without straining their vocal cords. The learning had been productive and it is hoped that the members will continue to deepen their love for singing.

We are proud that our choir has attained a Certificate of Accomplishment for the Central Judging. Our choir has received strong support from parents. This is a strong indication of their interest in their children’s holistic development.

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SPOTlight

Robofest 2016

Shannon Chong (5E)3rd placing for Best Robot

PerformanceJovelle Sim (4D) Shine Xu (3G)

Inter-Primary School Badminton Championships 2016

Senior Boys West Zone 4th Placing

Junior Boys West Zone 4th Placing

Senior BoysNational

Certificate of Participation

Junior BoysNational

Certificate of Participation

Singapore Youth Festival 2016

Name of Event/Competition

Division Achievement

SYF Arts Presentation of

Instrumental Guzheng Ensemble

2016

National Certificate of

Accomplishment

SYF Central Judging of Dance

2016National

Certificate of Accomplishment

SYF Arts Presentation of

Choir 2016National

Certificate of Accomplishment

Brownies Goh Jing Xuan Glenys (6E)

Chief Commissioner’s

Award 2016

Nurul Izzah Mohd Azmi (6E)

Nur Sarah Rahmat (6E) Norfazila Ayomide Olaniyan (6F)

Nabilah Saiful (5E)

57th National Primary Schools Swimming Championships

Chan Yan Ning (P4E)

• Girls 10 years and under, 100m Backstroke: 2nd

• Girls 10 years and under, 50m Backstroke: 2nd

Chan Zi Xing (P6E)• Girls 12 years and under, 100m

Backstroke: 4th

Tang Hong Qian (6B1)

• Boys 13 years and under, 50m Breaststroke: 3rd

• Boys 13 years and under, 50m Freestyle: 3rd

School Green Awards (Singapore Environment

Council)Lotus Award

West Zone Rope Skipping Competition 2016

Overall (Boys) 3rd Placing in Divisional Champion for Senior Boys

Overall (Girls) 2nd Placing in Divisonal Champion for Senior Girls

Junior Boys

4th Placing in Pair Creative Event (Junior Boys)3rd placing in Team Creative Event

2nd placing in Team Double Dutch Event2nd placing in Team Speed Relay Event

Junior Girls3rd placing in Team Creative Event

2nd placing in Team Double Dutch Event3rd placing in Team Speed Relay Event

Senior Boys3rd placing in Pair Creative Event3rd placing in Team Creative Event

3rd placing in Team Speed Relay Event

Senior Girls3rd placing in Pair Creative Event3rd placing in Team Creative Event

1st placing in Team Double Dutch Event

National Rope Skipping Competition 2016

Chen Ying He (5B)

4th placing in Double Under Event (Junior Boys)

Toh Zheng Hean (5F)

3rd placing in Individual Speed Event (Junior Boys) 2nd placing in Individual Creative Event (Junior Boys)

Senior Boys 4th placing in Team Creative Event

Senior Girls3rd placing in Team Double Dutch Event

4th placing in Team Creative Event

Name of Event/Competition

Division Achievement

National Drill Competition 2016

(Girls’ Brigade)National Bronze

The Girls’ Brigade Singapore Company

Awards 2015National Silver

West Area World Scouts Day

Celebration 2016West Zone Silver

National Cub Scouts Challenge

National Bronze

Frank Cooper Sands Award 2015 (Scouts)

National Gold

National Story Challenge 2016

Name of pupil Category Achievement

Lutfil Hadi Bin Iskandar (5G)

Malay Language Indi-vidual Category

Champion

Somuthiruppathi Subhiksha (4A) Tamil Language Indi-

vidual CategoryChampion

Our Achievements

The National Story Challenge (NSC) Tournament is an original improvisational storytelling competition created by The Theatre Practice, and open to students in all primary and secondary schools. The tournament hopes to promote eloquence and a healthy interest in language.

The NSC is divided into English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil tournaments, with respective Individual & Team entries. This year is the first year our school participated in this tournament. A total of 40 participants from our school took part in this challenge at ITE College Central, Ang Mo Kio. Prior to the tournament, the participants have attended training workshops organised by Theatre Practice.

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The Staff Well-being committee organises Staff Fun and Fit Day on a termly basis for all our teachers. The teachers have a variety of activities to choose from. These activities cater to all ages and interests of the teachers. The activities range from badminton, handicraft sessions, dance, board games, captain’s ball and jamming sessions. The Staff Fun and Fit Day is also a day for our teachers to share their hidden talents with the rest of their colleagues. Some of our colleagues have conducted handicraft, upcycling and photography sessions. These sessions have been well-received by our teachers and we hope more teachers will come onboard to share their skills. Overall, Staff Fun and Fit Day not only allows teachers to keep fit mentally and physically, they also enjoy some bonding time with their colleagues. We are looking forward to more Fun and Fit days ahead!

West Grove Primary School, is in partnership with the Ministry of Social and Family (MSF), FamilyMatters@School to promote Family Life Education (FLE) programmes and resources (formerly known as School-Family Education) to both parents and students. The Family Life Education (FLE) programmes seek to help parents and students enhance the quality of family life by equipping them with the skills and confidence to build strong relationships.

West Grove Primary School has been accepted by

the MSF, for the implementation of the Evidenced-Based Programmes (EBP) also known as Positive Parenting Programme (Triple P) for All P3 and P4 Parents, under FamilyMatters@School (FMS), which commenced on 1 April 2016.

What is Positive Parenting Programmes (Triple P)?

Triple P is a parenting program, but it doesn’t tell you how to be a parent. It’s more like a toolbox of ideas. You choose the strategies you need. You choose the way you want to use them. It’s all about making Triple P work for you.

Staff Fun and Fit Day

Family Matters@School

Building RELATIONSHIPS PROMOTION 2016

Title Name

Mr Abdul Wahid B Badron

Miss Alagu Meenal Thamodaran

Miss Audrey Sim Huay Yin

Mrs Elaine Chin

Mdm Fan Fang

Miss Foong Yuk Yew

Mdm Ismawarni Binte Isnin

Miss Nur Anisah Binte Syed Maideen

Mdm Nur Hana Tay

Miss Ong Pyng Jing

Miss Sabrina Bte Annarhar

Miss Shariffah Affinda Bte Isa

Mr Tan Guodong

Mdm Tan Kok Teng

Mdm Tay Yee Teng

Miss Tiow Jingmin

Miss Tan Shuwen Candice

Triple P helps parents:

• Raise happy, confident kids• Manage misbehaviour so everyone in the family enjoys life

more• Set rules and routines that everyone respects and follows• Encourage behaviour you like• Take care of yourself as a parent• Feel confident you’re doing the right thing

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