Canossian School Holds 1st Mass @ Temporary Site

Following is a report in The Catholic News 13 February 2011 Vol 61 No 33 by Paula Png:

Students and staff of St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School celebrated their first Mass at the school’s holding site at Bedok North Road, having moved from Bedok North Avenue 4 late last year.

The temporary move was part of the Education Ministry’s plans to improve and upgrade the facilities of the old building. The Jan 10 Mass, celebrated by Father Johnson Fernandez, marked the beginning of the new school year as well as a new chapter in the school’s history. Joining the school community in prayer were the Canossian Sisters and Ms Grace Tan, principal of Canossa Convent Primary school.

The celebration concluded with a teachers’ dedication prayer and a students’ commitment prayer, in which both educators and pupils asked for God’s blessings and strength to stay committed to their endeavours through the new academic year.

“As I looked around the hall at the eager faces of the little girls, I wondered what is going on in their minds and hearts at such school Masses,” commented Sr Cecily Pavri, supervisor of the Canossian schools.

“Some appear to be mildly present, others fidget restlessly but at those moments in the liturgy when they were invited to be still and pray, it amazed me at how angelically deep into prayer they were.”

She added, “I firmly believe that a Catholic school is privileged to structure such strong moments of connecting with the divine into the school programme. It is imperative that we nurture the inner anchors of our children so that all other curricula can rest strong on this God foundation.”

The school community expects to return to its refurbished building in 2013.

School Family Education - MCYS Jan 2011 Newsletter

The School Family Education (SFE) Programme is another family life education effort by Family Education Department, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

The SFE e-newsletter aims to provide updated information on SFE and other family life education programmes and happenings. In each issue, a short article on parenting issues will also be shared.

The January 2011 issue can be found here.

MCYS would like to hear from you on how they can make this e-newsletter and the SFE programme better. If you have any suggestions or feedback or wish to contribute to the e-newsletter, please contact mcys_sfe@mcys.gov.sg

CCE Exco

The CCE Exco is a core team of parents who supports the school in planning and organising events or programmes which involve parents. The team also liases with other CCEs to promote parent involvement in school activities.

Following is the updated organisational chart of the CCE Exco:

Hello P1 Parents!

Welcome all new P1 parents!

The year ahead will be an exciting one as you begin a memorable journey with your girls as they embark on their primary school life.

Many of you have signed up to be in the loop during the orientation on 4 January 2011 and we thank you for your quick response. For those who were undecided and would now like to sign up, you can fill up the form given and ask you daughter to hand it to her form teacher. Alternatively, you may email us at cce.sacps@yahoo.com.sg to let us know.

All contact details will be added to our database and you would receive email blasts in due course.

In the meantime, do read through the blog to see what we have been up to the last few years and do check in on the blog on regular basis to keep abreast of what is happening.

See you soon @ a CCE event or @ a SFE parent workshop!

School Family Education - MCYS Family Bonding Contest

MCYS would like to invite all parents to take part in the Family Bonding Contest.

Email your best family bonding idea (limited to 80 words) which you have done during the year end holidays to mcys_sfe@mcys.gov.sg

Don't forget to include your name, contact number, email address, mailing address, and name of SFE School. The best 10 entries will receive a $20 NTUC Voucher!
Closing Date: 17 January 2011

First Day of School 2011

School will re-open on Tuesday 4 January 2011!

Details for the first day of school can here found here.

In addition, please take note the information on access to the school and gates operation as outlined here.

Till we meet next week, here's wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!

SACPS Moves to Holding Site

Following is a report in the Catholic News, issue vol 60 no. 24, by Paula Png:

Students and staff of St. Anthony's Canossian Primary School at Bedok North Avenue 4 found it hard to keep emotions in check when the school closed its doors for the last time on Nov 16.

The event marked the closing of a chapter in the school's history here as lessons will now be conducted in a temporary holding site at Bedok North Road for the next two years. The building will be refurbished as part of the Education Ministry's plans to improve and upgrade its facilities.

The Nov 16 ceremony began with a commemoration of the history of the school, which used to function at Middle Road.

A bell and a key brought from the Middle Road campus were presented to Mrs Eugenie Tan, the principal, as a symbolic representation of the school's heritage.

Mrs Tan then received a candle signifying Jesus Christ, to whom the school will continue to look for guidance as it starts a new chapter of its history.

Leading the Canossian family in prayer, the school's chaplain Sr Janet Wang gave thanks to God for his blessings on the Canossian schools through the decades.

Emotions ran high as the prefects, representing the school population, proceeded to close the classroom doors on the second floor as a symbol of the end of an era.

As the choir led the school in the song, We Shall Go Out With Joy, the staff, the Canossian Sisters and the Primary Six students set off for the temporary holding site together.

The ceremonial walk, the school's first step into its new future as one big Canossian family, was followed by a flag-raising ceremony and paraliturgy at the holding site.

The school community is expected to return to its refurbished building in 2013.

COMPASS (Community and Parents in Support of Schools) - Part 2

The second report of the annual COMPASS Convention which was held on 16th October 2010 at Singapore Polytechnic where the focus was on the role of parents in the 21st century can be found here

COMPASS (Community and Parents in Support of Schools) - Part 1

Since 1998, COMPASS (Community and Parents in Support of Schools) has been actively encouraging parents and the community to work together with schools to help children learn better.

The annual COMPASS Convention was held on 16th October 2010 at Singapore Polytechnic and this year's focus was on the role of parents in the 21st century.

The first of two reports on the Convention can be found here.

Children's Day - 30 September 2010

Children’s Day was celebrated in school on 30 September 2010 and once again, we could count on the invaluable support of the CCEs to create a fun & exciting day for the girls.

Besides being rewarded with a slightly longer recess whereby CCEs distributed a cup of Matkool Ice Cream & a small can of Pringles Potato Chips to each girl, there was also a surprise lucky dip in store for them. It was a sure win as each girl walked away with items such as stuff toys, stickers, paper bags amongst others that were generously donated. The ice creams were especially a refreshing treat on a hot day for the P1 to P3 girls as they were having their Games Day activities. The girls were extremely excited over the lucky dip – there were squeaks of joy as some picked up what they were eyeing and for those who did not, they were equally delighted and some even went on a swapping spree with their friends!

It was a heart-warming sight to see the girls enjoying their ice cream and muching on their potato chips....ah the innocence of childhood and how the simple things in life make their day.

Thank you to all the CCEs who made it all happen both at the AM & PM recesses....you were great in taking up all the necessary roles so that we could ensure all 1500 girls had their share of goodies in the quickest & orderly manner.

Do check out the slideshow on the right.