Dear Colleagues,

Earlier last week, we were invited to attend a webinar by Muriel Summers who was credited for developing leadership among elementary school students using the principles of the 7 Habits. She shared a quote that she wanted all the students to know: " You are Seen, You Belong, and You are Loved." It was such a powerful line that it remained with me the whole week. As I reflect on the culture of our school, I kept thinking to myself...how nice if each teacher came to work feeling that way, and how inspiring and motivating it would be if each boy came to school feeling that way.

As we come closer to the end of the school year and begin winding down our curriculum, let us take the time to focus on closing the year well by spending some time and energy helping each boy and colleague know through our thoughts, words and actions that:

You are Seen.

You Belong.

You are Loved.

Have a great week ahead and I would also like to wish our Hindu colleagues a Happy Deepavali!

By: VPs

Relevant Levels: All

Date of Event/Programme/Item: -

Deadline to Note: -

Information Details:

Dear Colleagues,

We have purchased an umbrella media license to show films / movies in our classrooms, effective date beginning 2 November Monday. This opens up possibilities for us not just for in-curriculum infusion of film as part of cultural exposure or festival week, also for end-of-year enrichment of post-exams.

· Do note that the films we show in class in school have to be rated ‘G’ General or ‘PG’ Parental Guidance’ (for upper levels and with teachers as the adult parental guidance, and not contain vulgarities, sex, drugs, suicide and so on.)

· Do note the terms and conditions of the umbrella licence includes no ticketing and no advertising of titles/ images in website/social media or to the general public (Dissemination of screening information to members in the licensed premises is fine) i.e. meaning no putting on FB or other social media too.

For those of us who would like to augment our P6 post-PSLE now and other levels year-end in-class enrichment for our boys, this could be a good avenue. Our boys being the youtube and Netflix generation tend to select what they watch and may not have had the pleasure and opportunity to enjoy good films that could inspire them. If the departments and/or teachers like, please feel free to co-opt this option into the post-exams / end-of-year enrichment.

There are good animation films or good G/PG literary/topical movies and so on, for sports, math, languages, science and so on. Films / movies are contemporary forms of literature, portraying universal themes of the human condition and presenting situations of the character’s dilemmas of good versus evil / right versus wrong, as well as general knowledge or other lands that form the background context. Films bring about moral imagination and further contemporary issues discussion.

· If you have your own favourite movies – it can be great to show and share on your favourite movies – as long as G/PG.

Because there is definitely something in it that makes it your favourite and you could anchor your sharing and discussion with the class on that subsequently. Even something like The Day After Tomorrow includes themes of human condition, as well as climate change possibility and so on. Or even You’ve Got Mail or Sleepless In Seattle (K I m revealing my age-group) for their take on human connection and serendipity, but all are PG. Some brilliant Disney animation/films or even Pixar too, with issues and themes to discuss. Happy Feet, Frozen, Toy Story and so on.

· For movies, while this license allows us to show a movie in entirety just for pleasure entertainment and not necessarily linked to curriculum, it is always good to find appropriate moments to pause and insert thinking questions, lead the class in a bit of discussion, before carrying on, as well as having an end-of-film deeper discussion on the issues or situations and how the boys feel or think – why the characters did what they did (empathy) and what they themselves would have done (empathy and moral imagination) etc. The boys grow in maturity of sense and sensibility, in mind and heart, as a result.

You could also show documentaries (YouTube is full of them, good ones too, including travelogues, CNA documentaries, National Geographic documentaries, and so on).

· You could also bring the world to the boys – tour various cities, virtually! Free Tours on Foot is one YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsGkZk2PVM_gaZjS0VH8RCA) that you could explore as well and present to the boys, especially for places you have visited on vacation and share your tales along the way. Since internationalisation programme has been put on hold due to COVID, this is another way of helping our boys, especially in upper primary, to connect with the rest of the world and broaden their perspectives.

Hope you find this additional option available useful! You could also discuss with fellow level teachers or department heads for a level-wide module/programme. This is an auto-renewable license, so we can factor in films/movies for our curriculum/festivals next year too!

By: VPs

Relevant Levels: All

Date of Event/Programme/Item: -

Deadline to Note: -

Information Details:

Dear All,

There are 2 useful pages in the Staff Bulletin that you may not be aware of:

1) Quick Links @ Home Page - all the key links you need to have in SSS

https://sites.google.com/moe.edu.sg/ststephensschool/home

2) Quick Contents Page - list of all the announcement items in past issues of the Term

https://sites.google.com/moe.edu.sg/ststephensschool/home/2021-contents-page

If there are other pages you would like to include in the Quick Links @ Home Page, do just let us know. :D

Cheers!

By: CCE - Catechism & Lasallian Celebrations

Relevant Levels: P1 to P6

Date of Event/Programme/Item: 1 November 201

Deadline to Note: 1 November 2021

Information Details:

Dear colleagues,

All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on 1 November, dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. All Saints' Day observances focus on known saints, recognised in the canon of the saints by the Catholic Church. This is followed by All Souls' Day, observed on 2 November, dedicated to those who have died and not yet reached heaven.

All Saints' Day is a Catholic Holy Day of Obligation - all Catholics are required to attend mass on that day. We will be having mass in school for the pupils in Catechism Classes.

Please refer to the post in last week's bulletin, All Saints' Day Mass on 1 November, for more details such as deployment and lesson for boys in Ethics Classes. Timetable will be suspended for mass from 1230 to 1330. Pupils will be in their Ethics and Catechism Classes.

Catechism classes, please log in by 1225.

https://moe-singapore.zoom.us/j/82608749645

Meeting ID: 826 0874 9645

Passcode: Saints