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Message from the Principal
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents/Guardians
Greetings! It is the sixth week of the first school term and we certainly hope that our students have had a joyful and engaging school experience.
I am very happy that I have met the parents of our Secondary 1, 2 and 3 students, and am looking forward to meeting the parents of our Sec 4 students on 1 March 2024. This is an exciting year for our school, with the resumption of many programmes to the full scale. I am very heartened by your positive response and appreciative of your confidence in us. Our staff have been working hard to design programmes that will provide our girls with a coherent and holistic learning experience, and we can see our girls’ eagerness to explore and take on more responsibility. I am sure your encouragement and guidance have contributed to our girls’ can-do attitude towards learning and new challenges. Kudos to you for your efforts!
Secondary school is a terrific time for our students to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. In fact, many of our alumni reflected that they gained so much growth and confidence because of the opportunities they had in serving the community, trying out work attachments, initiating projects and working with different groups of people. We will continue to provide our students with a range of opportunities so that they can all get the most out of their secondary school days.
Thank you for your trust in the school and unwavering support. Let us continue to work together to provide our girls with the most conducive environment to grow and mature. I would also like to wish you an auspicious Year of the Wood Dragon - The Wood Dragon is known for its creativity and visionary leadership. It likes to explore new challenges and is also generous, compassionate, and loyal to its friends. May we all enjoy the great year to start new projects, explore new opportunities and create value for ourselves and others! 祝愿大家在2024甲辰龙年龙行龘龘、前程朤朤！
1. Special School Arrangements on 14 February
1. Special School Arrangements on 14 February
As mentioned in the previous letter, NYGH will have a school-wide workshop for staff on Wednesday 14 February. On that day, students do not have to come to school. They will be assigned home-based learning work for the subjects that are on their timetable for the day. There will be no CCA that afternoon.
2. Life Skills Programme (LSP)
2. Life Skills Programme (LSP)
Our students started the school year with four days of orientation, which was specially designed for each level of students, preparing them for the year ahead. After ten weeks, the students will end the first school term with LSP on Friday 8 March. This programme aims to provide our students with opportunities to participate in activities for their holistic growth.
Table 1 shows the key activities for each level’s LSP. The activities are designed based on the students’ developmental phase and needs. More information will be shared with you in a separate letter.
3. Lower Secondary Community Education – Serving People with Innovation, Commitment and Empathy (SPICE)
3. Lower Secondary Community Education – Serving People with Innovation, Commitment and Empathy (SPICE)
In the first Semester, all Secondary 1 and 2 students will experience the SPICE programme. Through this programme, students get to interact with our community partners and speakers, and carry out collaborative work to understand the needs of the community. Having understood the needs of the community, the students will share their findings through different means with the school. By presenting their findings, we hope the students will also inspire others to act and deepen their understanding of the wider community.
Programme details for the two lower-secondary levels are as shown in Table 2.
4. CCA Matters
4. CCA Matters
Sec 1 CCA Allocation
Sec 1 CCA Allocation
The Secondary 1 students would have finished their CCA tryouts by Term 1 Week 5. Table 3 shows the CCA allocation timeline.
Secondary 4 CCA Stand-Down Date
Secondary 4 CCA Stand-Down Date
CCAs play a critical role in students’ all-round growth. Through CCAs, students discover their interests and talents, develop their character and social emotional competencies, and learn soft skills that prepare them for the future.
Our Secondary 4 students have been extended the option of standing down either by end of the June holidays or later in the first half of Term 3 (up to Term 3 Week 5 inclusive). We hope that this option allows our students to have a longer runway to complete aspects of CCAs such as guiding their juniors (which is itself an important part of leadership development), serving the community or continuing to enjoy the CCA activities as part of their balanced lifestyle. The option for Term 3 CCA stand-down is voluntary and students will work in consultation with their CCA teachers on a much scaled-down involvement during this period.
5. Summative Assessment Matters
5. Summative Assessment Matters
Assessment is an integral part of student learning. In class, teachers use formative assessment (e.g. quizzes, homework assignments) to gauge students’ understanding and mastery. Besides formative assessment that is non-weighted, there is also summative assessment. Our summative assessment weighting is reflected in Table 4.
Details of the assessment plan for Term 1, which include the schedule, topics and mode of assessment, have been communicated to the Secondary 2-4 students via email on 23 January 2024.
The school’s assessment policies and procedures can be found in the 2024 Student Handbook.
6. English Language Resource Materials
6. English Language Resource Materials
The Secondary 1 Language Arts extensive reading programme introduces students to 50 critically acclaimed books from diverse genres. These books are available through a “reading cart” in class as well as on a special shelf in the library reserved for Secondary 1 students.
The Secondary 2 Language Arts curriculum broadens students’ reading through our subscription to the Straits Times IN. Only available via bulk subscriptions through schools, this magazine provides articles on current topics that are written for secondary school students, allowing students to develop their understanding of the world around them. As students discuss some of these topics in class, they will develop a deeper understanding of and gain different perspectives on current local and global issues. The cost of $14 per student for 20 issues (print and digital IN + Monday’s ST ePaper) for the year will be absorbed through miscellaneous fees.
To encourage all students to read widely and to be aware of different perspectives, the school has renewed “The New York Times Educational Digital Subscription”. More information on how students can claim or renew their free pass to the digital version of The New York Times will be given in mid-February.
In addition, magazine subscription forms from magazine vendors will be distributed to the students via their Language Arts teachers in February. Subscription to the magazines is encouraged and is optional.
7. Chinese Language Reading Programme
7. Chinese Language Reading Programme
The Chinese Language and Culture department Reading Programme is designed to engage students across all levels in a diverse range of Chinese reading materials (fiction and non-fiction texts). Through this programme, we aim to cultivate lifelong reading habits, enhance language proficiency, and keep our students informed about the world around them. We are confident that this reading programme will be successfully implemented with your support, and that our girls will find reading a joy. The reading materials and costs are reflected in Table 5.
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