By:    VP

Relevant Levels:   All

Date and Time of Event:  -

Information Details: 

Dear everyone, 

We reach the end of term and as we exhort our boys to Sharpen The Saw (H7), the next step preparing ourselves and our students be Proactive (H1), going back to the beginning of the 7 Habits.

1) Be Proactive in empowering our boys to Be Proactive & being able to Seek to Understand

As we study our boys' performance progress and gaps from the WAs and how to help our boys close learning gaps and/or extend their learning, one untapped potential is the boys' own motivation to learn and understanding of how to help themselves learn bettter. That is the proactiveness we could help them in.

For that to effectively take place, the question we want to address will be how to equip them or structure their learning such that they know how and what to be proactive in, example:

• clear goal(s)/direction(s) as a roadmap: know where they are going - Term 2 topical / content outline and learning outcomes/objectives

• success criteria for the boys to check against when they are learning (akin to self-assessment checklists/rubrics) 

• clear scaffolded guiding pointers and questions that help the boys use the success criteria/self-assessment checklists to check their own learning and understanding, examples:

  • • What does ... (success criteria)... mean?  

    • Am I able to .. (success criteria) .. accurately/correctly/properly?  What does it look like for me when I have learnt and am applying/doing it?   

    • What is the aspect I need to work further on, and how do I go about doing that? Which part is stopping/obstructing me, that I should go and clarifying/seek-help from my teacher and classmates?

• Together with the student, go through clear specific feedback and work out the best gap-closing / extension next-step(s), he can and should take ahead in the 1-week break and in Term 2.

2) Be Proactive in empowering ourselves: Begin With The End in Mind 

As we plan ahead within our Dept, PLTs, Level and as individual teachers in our subjects/classes, for our boys in Term 2, what do we anchor on and take reference from, so that our work with our boys are amplified when we are in a concerted direction and effort?  

(a) A most relevant roadmap, metaphorically, is our SSS School Strategic Plan.  

• We had shared that earlier, together with our 10 Stephenion Outcomes integrated into the Strategic Thrusts, at the 2022 end-of-year Work Week, as well as in our 2023 T1W5 Staff Bulletin too.  

• Now that we are at the end of term 1, it is again a good time to refresh and review how we have done vis a vis it, in our respective teaching groups and our own classes/subjects. 

• The document is in the attached PDF, which also includes elaboration on our school's Mission, Values and Vision leading to the Strategic Thrusts and Objectives, for both students and staff.

(b) One other important roadmap is at the curriculum lesson design level, to proactively begin by planning well. 

• We could refer and refresh again with our 2021 SSS Guide to a Good Curriculum Unit / Lesson, PDF attached here too. 

• Some 2 years later now, it might bring fresh perspectives and ideas to our planning of our lessons.

• Do take a look, particularly at the Outcomes / Success Criteria segment and the Assessment segment.

Cheers everyone! :D

By:  EXCO

Relevant Levels: All Affected Levels

Date and Time of Event: WA / Term Review Period 

Information Details: 

Dear staff, 

As a deepening of our nation's Joy of Learning & Learn for Life movement, MOE latest national policy change - removal of the Mid-Year Examinations - have practical-implementation implications on: academic assessment date clashes with non-academic holistic development events/programmes.

At the holistic development end, the freed-up space from the removal of MYE allows the richer and deeper set of life and character experiences. 

• Our school as a start has sharpened our enrichment and journeys into a Whole School Experiential Learning week (refer to Week 9 Bulletin). 

• At MOE level, the timeline for National School Games and other competitions / events have also been expanded to tap on the freed-up space, particularly in Semester 1.

• With Semester 1's packed NSG schedule and with our various teams' stronger performance now in advancing further into the competition, there will be clashes of timing between our internal WAs for the boys' respective classes.

At the assessment end, there is a paradigm shift here: 

• WAs/EYE no longer serve the singular purpose of the sole summative reference-mark for level-advancement purposes. 

• Instead, WAs are now an integral part of learning - a deliberate on-going feed-forward learning process. 

• They are meaningful in-class, bite-sized and lower weighting formative assessment to provide effective and timely feedback on learning, both AoL and AfL.

Our WAs have thus also shifted away from a common-day-slot summative model to that of within-class-periods formative assessment:

• We have over the last years already taken many other factors into consideration for each child's grouping for academic subjects, so he can best learn in a setting and pacing that suits him.

• A subject's WA for a level could be on different days, based on their class lesson schedule and coverage progress. 

Should there be a clash of WA dates with external events/programmes, for consistency of practice in our school, please follow the following SOP for a student taking your subject (in ranking order):

1. Subject teacher alerts Subject Level Rep to arrange for the affected student(s) to take the WA with another class taking on another day that does not clash.

2. Subject teacher to change the WA date to a day without clash for their class.

3. Subject teacher to arrange for the affected student(s) to take WA separately on another day if the above rescheduling options cannot resolve the clash.

We will also as a school educate our students to understand the purpose of WAs and to adhere to a code of honour and truth in taking WAs

• Students who have taken a WA to uphold integrity, not share information with the other classes/students awaiting (and vice-versa), to allow their peers a real chance of accurately knowing where his learning is at. 

• Should any student be involved in leaking the WA questions/topics/answers, disciplinary process will follow.  

The above process is for 2023, we will further review it for 2024 and put into the 2024 Student Diary.

"In recent years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has introduced several policy changes under the Learn for Life movement to nurture our students to be confident and resilient learners. The removal of mid-year examinations for all remaining levels in primary and secondary schools by 2023 is another step towards inculcating a joy of learning in our students, and is part of ongoing efforts to move away from an overemphasis in academic grades.

Schools that have removed the mid-year examinations shared that they have more time to design and provide a variety of learning experiences. Students enjoy more opportunities to discover their interests and strengths, as well as to act on teachers' feedback. We believe this will strengthen students' intrinsic motivation to learn, and help them become more self-directed in learning."

Mr Sng Chern Wei

Deputy Director-General of Education (Curriculum)
Ministry of Education 

Thank you.

By:  CCA Comm

Relevant Levels:  P3 (participants), P4-P5 Selected Student Presenters

Date and Time of Event:  6 March during curriculum

Information Details: 

Dear staff, 

There will be a P3 CCA Fair conducted in school on 6 of March at the school canteen. The P3 students will be involved before selecting their CCAs with their parents through ParentGateway starting Monday afternoon.

P4 and P5 subject teachers, please note that some students will be the presenters for the CCA fair at various allocated time and will not be in class for a certain period (Indicated on the classroom whiteboard)

Thank you 

By:  Art Department

Relevant Levels:  P1 to P6

Date and Time of Event:  6 March, Monday, at Assembly

Information Details: 

Dear colleagues,

2023 "Artists of the Term" will continue to recognize students' talent in the visual art, and strive for excellence while celebrating success.  At the end of each term, we will feature best curriculum artworks done by our student artists from each level during the school assmbly in week 10. Each student artist will be presented a token from the art department (6 levels X 3 winners) via their form teachers.  

NOTE: Form teacher, please present the token to your student in the presence of the whole class and congratulate him on the art department's behalf.  (The token will be left on your table on Monday morning if you have a winner)

Thank you 

By:  CCE

Relevant Levels:  P1 to P6

Date and Time of Event:  4 March to 14 May

Information Details: 

Dear colleagues, 

Lent is a time for reflection, sacrifice, and giving. Your contribution to Charities Week can help feed the hungry, provide shelter for the homeless, and support those struggling with poverty. Your generosity will not only make a difference in the lives of others, but it will also bring you closer to God. So let's make this season of Lent count and give what we can. Together, we can make a positive impact in our community and beyond.

Make a difference at: bit.ly/cw23smm

Please show the video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H-2v9cF3O8) to the boys on 6 March's CCE (FTGP). Parents will be informed of Charities Week 2023 through School Story on ClassDojo to make their donations. 

Thank you 

By:  CCE

Relevant Levels:  Primary 6

Date and Time of Event:  

Information Details: 

Dear P6 Teachers,

All P6 boys will be sitting for NE Quiz (Primary) 2023. It continues to focus on the acquisition of basic knowledge of Singapore along the current four themes through an interactive game hosted on SLS. 

Mission Time Period Place & Story Featured

1 1960s to 1970s Kampong life

2 1980s to 1990s Telok Ayer Street

3 1990s to 2000s Life at the HDB estates

4 2030 Marina Bay

P6 SS Teachers, NE Quiz Link: https://go.gov.sg/nequizpri. SS Teachers will need to assign the Quiz to students for the purpose of administrating the Quiz in school. A make-up session has to be done for absentees. The quiz (45-60 min) has to be completed between 28 February and 30 August 2023. 

Please indicate a suitable date and time for your class by 20 March 2023 so that the computer laboratories can be booked for the quiz. 

Thank you 

By:  CCE

Relevant Levels:  P1 to P6

Date and Time of Event:  By 31 March 2023

Information Details: 

Dear Form Teachers,

We will be doing our next round of reprinting Stephenian Birthday Programme badges for pupils new to our school. Please fill in the Google Sheet if you have pupils who need a badge to be printed for him. The list will be sent to the vendor on 1 April 2023. 

Thank you 

By: Hari Raya Committee & SWBC 

Relevant Levels: All Staff

Date and Time of Event: 5 April 2023, Wednesday (2.15pm - 5.30pm)

Venues:

1) Door-to-door Distribution: Blk 872A & 872B Tampines St. 88, or

2) Void Deck Collection Point: Blk 885A Tampines St. 83

Attire: School Corporate Polo T-shirt, comfortable pants and shoes

Information Details: 

Dear Colleagues,

We will be having our Staff VIA Project Ihsan on 5 April 2023 during our Wednesday Contact Meeting. It is organised in conjunction with the Hari Raya Celebration. The collection of donated food items will be done in the Foyer from 21-24 March 2023. All staff may also contribute to the donation.

Only one-way bus transport will be provided as you will be dismissed from the venue after the session.

Please indicate on the Google Sheet:

1) your availability for the Staff VIA on 5 April 2023,

2) your need for the one-way transport arrangement from school.

Please respond by Friday, 10 March 2023 (5.00pm).

If you have any queries, do approach either Norhazli or Hidayah.

Thank you