Children's Day 2009

This year's Children's Day celebrations once again demonstrated the wonderful involvment of our parents. Notwithstanding the lack of funds, our CCEs responded so warmly to the call for donations to sponsor ice-cream and popcorn treats for the SACPS girls. Some parents even replied with notes of encouragement and support.

So on 30 Sept 09, spread across the AM and PM recesses, a group of CCEs (mobilised with very short notice) became ice-cream and pop-corn distributors to our excitable girls. Their excitement was fanned by the PA announcements of this treat awaiting them. In fact, when the ice-cream freezer was delivered the day before, the PM recess girls immediately swarmed around it, trying to visualise their treats. Given the anticipation, the CCE distributors promptly form an assembly-line to give out ice-cream cups, then give out scoops, then stamp hands, then scoop popcorn and finally to give out the popcorn cups. Some CCEs doubled up as traffic-controllers to direct eager girls into the line that snaked from the linkway to almost the hopscotch area. We frantically worked at the 'assembly-line' to ensure that all the 1500 girls had their treats in the quickest way possible.

Despite the frenzy, the CCEs actually enjoyed ourseleves. The camaraderie was natural as we started off by sharing who are girls are. Soon, there were common topics of conversation. Everyone simply jumped in and take on all the necessary tasks including, buying lollies for ice-cream-allergic girls to sweeping the popcorn-littered floor. All these efforts were well worth it when we saw the girls licking their ice-cream and munching their popcorn in delight. Many even asked for seconds. Maybe, next year...

A million thanks to our CCE donors and helpers for giving this Children's Day a very sweeeeeet ending.

PSLE Mass 2009

The chapel was brimming with anticipation as the Primary 6 Catholic students streamed in for the PSLE Mass on 6 August 2009. Organized by the Praying Parents, guided by the school Chaplain Sister Janet and supported by the Catholic teachers and choir, the Mass was designed to uplift our Primary 6 girls in their preparation for the upcoming PSLE.

Fr Simon Pereira, the celebrant of the Mass, did just that. In his typical candour, Fr Simon started the Mass by reminding the girls to first remove all anger and discord so as to be right with God. Only then would they be able to draw near to Him with their petitions. Fr Simon then shared his formula for exam success. Backed by true-life stories of other students (including ex-Canossian ones), this sure-work formula is to:
1. Visualise – To see in one’s mind and to write out one’s goal for the exam. State it clearly and specifically, e.g. ‘To score 4 As’. In this way, we programme our thoughts and actions to meet that goal.
2. Actualise – Direct all efforts to meet the visualised goal. God helps those who are faithful.
3. “Prayer-ise” – Prayer is most essential. We are working with God and for God in the exams. When we pray, we will rise above all the stress and frustrations of the preparations. The most powerful prayer is none other than the ‘Our Father’ and then followed by ‘Hail Mary’ and ‘Glory Be’.

Before the dismissal, Fr Simon blessed the girls by laying his hand on each of them.
An exam-prayer bookmark was distributed to every student to encourage them to pray.

Behind the scenes, the core group of Praying Parents had been hard at work to design and print the prayer bookmarks, produce the Mass booklet, liaise with Fr Simon, rehearse the songs and even repair the organ pedal. On the day itself we were involved in leading the Mass, playing the organ, ushering the girls and distributing the booklets and prayer book-marks. This being the first Mass organized by the Praying Parents, we were constantly checking, double-checking and triple-checking if everything was in order. Thank God for the guidance of Sister Janet and the teachers who coordinated with the girls to do the readings, presentation of gifts and singing! Committing the Mass to our Lord in prayer, we knew it had to be God who would run the show. Indeed, it was heartening to see how spontaneously and fervently the girls responded during the Mass. We pray that whatever touch the girls had received from the Spirit, at the Mass, will carry them through their PSLE.