Yearbook Photos, 8 - 12 March

Our annual class, individual and ECA/CCA photos will take place next week (refer to schedule below).

Photos will be taken during school hours, with an option to book sibling and family photos on Saturday, 13 March. If your children are unable to make it on Saturday, they can still take their sibling photos in the morning of Monday, 15 March.

During the week, learners will receive a card with their download code and website link for you to view and purchase online.

Please help to ensure your children are looking tidy in their formal Nexus uniform and pack their PE uniform in their bag if needed. Please also remind them to wear their favourite mask too!

At Nexus we always want to work in partnership with our families and as such we feel it is important to share what we know from our school networks with you. Young people will always want to experiment and push boundaries. Our job is to work with families and guardians to make sure your children, our learners are making sensible and informed choices. It is with this in mind, we would like to share some useful information with you.

We are aware that vape equipment has become more readily available across Singapore and that young people are being targeted.

We have reminded all learners that Singapore has a firm stance.

It is illegal to…

• Use an electronic vaporiser

• Buy an electronic vaporiser

• Sell an electronic vaporiser

• Have possession of an electronic vaporiser

• Share photos or videos of vaping on social media

We have recently become aware that the Telegram app is being used to buy and sell prescription drugs such as Zanax and that young people are being targeted. Xanax is a highly addictive benzodiazepine. It is commonly used to treat severe anxiety and panic attacks. When mixed with alcohol, even a small dose of Xanax can be fatal because of the possibility of respiratory failure, serious injury, and coma caused by combining two central nervous system depressants.

We believe that skate parks across Singapore are one of the places our young people are being targeted.

As always we would urge you to talk with your child and make sure you know where your child spends their free time, who they are with and what they are doing as Singapore has severe consequences for those breaking the law and their families.

Please feel free to contact school at any time with any concerns you may have.

Teenagers and Reading: Get them interested in reading by reading aloud to them

Why do parents stop reading aloud to their children when they enter secondary school? Is it because they think it’s too childish or that they won’t be interested. Maybe it’s time or skepticism. However, studies by education researchers such as Stephen Krashen, Jim Trelease, and Janet Allen have shown that reading to kids boosts their reading comprehension, increases their vocabularies, and helps them become better writers. In fact, students who are read to are more motivated to read themselves—increasing the likelihood that they will one day become independent, lifelong readers (Blessing 44). When I asked my Y7 English class if they prefer if I read to them or if they read on thier own, almost all of them wanted me to read.

So, how can you do this successfully, without them whining, whinging, and moaning? Choose the right book. I often use the sites https://www.readbrightly.com/ , https://bookriot.com/ and https://www.goodreads.com/ for inspiration. If you have a bit of extra time, read a review, read the first couple of chapters to gauge the vocabulary, interest level, and plot. If you really are keen, find a reading guide that gives you questions about the book. You also might want to explain why you are doing it; that you're reading aloud to them so that everyone can share the experience.

You could also set the mood’ as you might have done when your children were younger at bedtime. Dim the lights, sit on the same couch, set up a reading corner or offer some special snacks. We have quite a few sets of books in the Secondary Learning Resource Hub that would appeal to tweens and teens that your child can check out for both of you.

My suggestions:

• Scythe by Neal Shusterman. A great dystopian series. Age 12+

• Doll Bones by Holly Black. A horror story good for age 11+

• The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. A story about school norms, outcasts, and friendships. Age 11+

• The Secret of the Night Train by Sylvia Bishop. A classic whodunit mystery about a jewel thief in Istanbul; it’s peppered with illustrations as well. Age 11+

• The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe. Historical Fiction but based on real events; Dita Kraus risks her life to keep books alive during the Holocaust. 13+

• One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorne. This coming of age book has won many awards in Australia. A book about a boy who loses his mom and is struggling to deal with it; he finds solace in surfing, family and skateboarding. Age 13/14+

• Piecing me Together by Renee Watson. Another coming of age novel touching on class, single-family homes, race relations, and how it feels to not fit in. Age 13+

• Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. The classic vampire tale which sparked the vampire movement. A NY Times Bestseller and film. Age 14+

Have your child check these out before the break!

Ms. L. Secondary Teacher Librarian

Blessing, Candy. “Reading to Kids Who Are Old Enough to Shave.” School Library Journal, vol. 51, no. 4, Apr. 2005, pp. 44–45. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=16812745&site=ehost-live.

What would you like your children to understand better?

We are reviewing our personal social and emotional programme and would like suggestions from parents as to which topics you would like your child to discuss to support their personal, social and emotional development. Please help us by sharing your suggestions via this Google Form . We would like to support the discussions you have at home as children go through puberty and adolescence so please contribute.