Published on Saturday 4 May 2024
You can perform miracles by touching the hearts of those entrusted to your care - St. John Baptist de La Salle
Staff Bulletin for 2024 T2W8
About our SSS Staff Bulletin: This weekly Staff Bulletin is our "virtual" print version of a weekly Staff Contact Time. All staff are expected to read each issue in full and be aware of all the vital aspects of upcoming programmes and processes. The accompanying files/slides for each news item are for your downloading. and reference.. PLUS: Please do continue checking our CES outlook emails daily, for any direct communication as well as urgent / immediate matters.
Stephenians Living in Faith, Leading in Service and Learning as a Community,
for the Glory of God.
Principal's Update
Dear Colleagues
Only 3 more weeks to go to the end of the term. The last few weeks have been hard and very hot and in spite of the difficulties, I have seen colleagues soldier on and I want to thank everyone for exemplifying what it means to persevere.
I was reflecting on some of the more challenging boys that we have with us and many times I wonder how we can correct the seemingly impossible to change behaviours. First, don't let our boys mistake our kindness for weakness and don't let our firmness degenerate to harshness. Second, let's persevere in being firm and fair. As I pray about it, I ponder the words of our quote for the week. In spite of the difficulties in managing the challenging boys' behaviours, let'still see the good person within each difficult boy waiting to be released and continue to correct and change our boys, one behaviour at a time.
Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible,
and suddenly, you are doing the impossible.
~ St Francis of Assi
Credere et Servire!
Keep Believing and Serving,
Timothy Goh
Featured Specials
Feast of the Ascension of the Lord Mass
By: Lasallian Programmes and School Heritage
Relevant Levels: ALL
Date and Time of Event: Thursday, 9 May, 7.35 - 8.30am
Information Details:
Dear Colleagues,
We will be celebrating the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord with mass on Thursday, 9 May, after morning assembly. Ethics and Catechism will be from 7.35am to 8.30am so timetable is suspended till 8.30am.
Catechism students will report to the hall directly with their bags and sit in their Catechism class rows for morning assembly. Thereafter, there will be mass.
Ethics pupils are to report to their Ethics classrooms. Ethics teachers, please follow the SOW for Ethics. An additional Ascension Day Lesson Plan is available for your use if you have finished the planned SOW for that day.
Hall seating arrangement and teacher deployment is attached here.
Thank you!
Ascension 2024 Deployment PlanFounder's Day Mass and Classroom Activities
By: Lasallian Programmes and School Heritage
Relevant Levels: ALL
Date and Time of Event: Wednesday, 15 May, 8 - 10am
Information Details:
Dear Colleagues,
Founder's Day celebration will happen on Wednesday, 15 May. School will end by 10am for all students who are not involved in the Honour's Day after.
Mass is from 8am - 9am in the school hall. Classes are to make their way down by 7.45am.
Classroom activity worksheets will be printed and distributed before the actual day. Additional resources like videos and slides can be found in this google drive attached.
Information on hall seating and programme flow can be found in the google drive.
Thank you!
Student Programmes & Matters
Celebrating Mother's Day & Father's Day
By: CCE VIA
Relevant Levels: Primary 1 to 6
Date and Time of Event: 6 May, FTGP lesson
Information Details:
Dear Colleagues,
As per last bulletin, please use the FTGP period coming Monday, 6 May to share the attached slides on Celebrating the Mother and Father Figures in our lives.
Steps for completing the Hand-made Paper Craft Bouquet is provided in the slides. The materials will be given to you by your Year heads. Please bring along a scotch-tape and stapler to assist pupils in pasting/attaching the craft together.
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1tapkVXMJw5PUzoY1aleHhHFTGWwLCFSh
Let's try our best in supporting pupils in the craft work, so that every Stephenian has one Flower Bouquet to bring home to thank the Mother Figure in their lives.
Thank you.
Class Committee Semester Check-In 1
By: CCE-Student Leadership Development
Relevant Levels: P1-P6
Date and Time of Event: T2W8-T2W10
Information Details:
Dear Colleagues,
Let's take this time to check in with our class committee students who are approaching expectations and filling in the excel sheet on the students under your charge by ticking the check boxes on whether they are approaching/meeting/exceeding expectations.
By giving feedback to the boys, we give them a status check as well as a reminder and encouragement to work on their areas of growth by Sharpening the Saw as we continue to believe in them.
Class Committee Google Sheet:
Please do check the boxes for all your students as the Student Leadership Development Team will be using this information to affirm our class committee student leaders who have been exceeding expectations in semester 1 during the Student Leadership Week at the beginning of term 3.
Thank you.
Epilogue
Our Glorious Patron
Dear Colleagues,
Founder's Day is 15 May, the date being the day our Founder St. John Baptist de La Salle was proclaimed Patron Saint of All Teachers of Youth. This date is celebrated as Founder's Day by Lasallian schools worldwide.
As we prepare ahead for Founder's Day, let us also reflect on each verse in the text of Glorious Patron, refresh and commit to our mission as Lasallian teachers, and act in bringing the values, meaning and purpose into our roles and lives as Lasallian teachers for our boys.
GLORIOUS PATRON
St John Baptist Holy Founder
Friend and father of the young
Patron of Lasallian teachers
We acknowledge you in song
Thanking God we proudly name you
Patron and Protector strong
You became a friend to children
To the needy kind and good
You were sent to show compassion
Making God's words understood
St John Baptist Holy Founder
Model of our Brotherhood
Bless the tasks we share together
All who learn and all who teach
All the wisdom that we treasure
All the charity we preach
St John Baptist may your family
Be like you in act and speech
St John Baptist inspiration
Of each school community
Help us live in peace together
Gladly and fraternally
Following the way you taught us
Strong in faith and unity
(This is the full 4-stanza text. We are very familiar with the first 2 stanzas we sing every Wednesday which brings forth the values that St. John Baptist de La Salle embodies. Stanzas 3 & 4 paints for us the Lasallian community, together and by associattion.)
In 1900 John Baptist de La Salle was declared a Saint. In 1950, because of his life and inspirational writings, he was made Patron Saint of all those who work in the field of education. John Baptist de La Salle inspired others how to teach and care for young people, how to meet failure and frailty with compassion, how to affirm, strengthen and heal. At the present time there are De La Salle schools in 79 different countries around the globe.
Born at Reims, France April 30, 1651
Ordained priest April 9, 1678
Died April 7, 1719
Beatified February 19, 1888
Canonized May 24, 1900
Proclaimed Patron of Christian Teachers May 15, 1950
Thank you.
From https://www.lasalle.org/en/lasallian-holiness/st-john-baptist-de-la-salle/
Stephenians
Living in Faith,
, Leading in Service and
Learning as a Community,
for the Glory of God.
NIL