Vice-Principals Message

Welcome back, Marsilians, to a new school semester! Now that you have finally taken a breather from the fluster of the mid-year examination, this issue of Marsiling Call promises you exciting updates on some school events. I am sure you missed your friends and teachers.

MARSILING CALL
A Publication of Marsiling Primary School Issue 18, July 2010

School Advisory Committee (SAC) Chairmans Message

It has been about six months since I came for the schools Prize Presentation Day in 2009. It was a memorable moment for me. Now, I am extremely delighted to be given this opportunity to share my thoughts in this issue of the schools newsletter. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Thomas Edison The story is told of a plane that crashed in a mountain and the survivors were desperately trying to keep alive on the remaining rations that they had. All electronic equipments were destroyed and they could not get help. The condition got so desperate that they started to eat those who died among themselves. In the end, they all perished due to starvation. Not long after they were found by the rescuers and to their surprise and dismay, the crash had just occurred on the opposite side of a mountain where a nearby village was located. The crash victims would probably have survived if they had taken the risk to look for help away from their crash site rather than wait passively for rescuers to locate them. I guess this illustrates well what Thomas Edison was alluding to in his quote above. It was the great Albert Einstein that said It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. It is also important for us to persevere in the tackling of challenges and problems that we face even if we do not succeed on the first few tries. This point was reinforced by my girls whom I spoke about at the Prize Presentation ceremony. You may remember that they are currently in Secondary 2 and are swimming competitively for their school and club. It is their dream to swim for Singapore one day. However, they have yet to finish better than 3rd place nationally for their age group and in order to represent Singapore, they must finish in the top 2 positions. Yet, in spite of the competitive nature of the sport and with many talented swimmers in the field, they continue to be filled with passion and enthusiasm for it. In fact, they told us recently that they will continue to persevere till they achieve that dream even if it means continuing to swim well after all their competitors have retired from swimming. Well, I am not sure if they will ever represent Singapore but I have a quiet confidence that if they continue with this attitude, they would one day fulfill their dreams. Likewise, I would like to encourage all Marsilians to continue to discover your talents and work towards fulfilling your dreams. This will require hard work, dedication and perseverance. Do not give up when the going gets tough, keep on going and I am sure like Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison, we will all realise our dreams one day! Dr Tan Boon Yeow SAC Chairman

Like you, I had taken a breather too a two-year break to be exact after completing my Master of Arts (Counselling & Guidance). So I am just as excited to come back to school! Also, I am honoured to take over from Ms Grace Tan, who is now pursuing her course in Leaders in Education Programme. I am particularly impressed with your discipline in the school hall. Your respect for school rules and the sense of order is apparent during the morning assembly where everyone reads their story books quietly in the hall even without teachers supervision. Your orderly dismissal from the hall to your classes is another evidence that demonstrates this virtue. Along with discipline, there is also warmth and spontaneity. You showed it when you came up to me at any time of the day to cheerfully strike up a conversation. This shows that you are confident and respectful towards teachers and adults. I believe that education is not just about examinations and grades, it also calls for moulding of responsible citizens of tomorrow. Certainly, your behaviours must be the result of the relentless efforts of the teachers in instilling in you the values of respect and esprit de corps. My hope is that with the partnership of both the school and parents, we can nurture all Marsilians to be Self-Directed Learners, Compassionate Leaders and Thinking Citizens. Ms Ivy Goh Vice-Principal

Highlights
01
Vice-Principals Message SAC Chairmans Message

06 Pupils Achievements
SYF Choir SYF Dances Other Achievements

02 School Programmes

Sharing Session for Parents & TeacherParent Meetings Parents Seminar (Academic)

07 Pupils Achievements
Athletics Rugby Sepak Takraw

03 School Programmes

P6 Motivation and Adventure Camp Pupil Leadership Training Camp Pupil Leaders Investiture

08 Updates

04 School Programmes

Pupils Learning Journeys Community Involvement Programme (Pupil) Community Involvement Programme (Staff)

05 School Events and Celebrations

Total Defence Day Chinese New Year Celebrations Games Carnival International Friendship Day

Caring Teachers Award Inspiring CL Teachers Awards Care Corner Student Care Centre Staff Updates Editorial Team

Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen

School Programmes

Sharing Session for Parents & Teacher-Parent Meetings

Sharing Session for Parents Parents play a very important role in the education of their child. It is especially effective when they understand the direction and focus of the school and support the school in every way possible. Hence, a sharing session for parents was carried out over three days (19 to 21 Jan 10) to communicate the vision and mission of the school to our parents. Form Teachers also communicated the class expectations and matters related to individual subjects to our parents. Feedback from parents was positive. They were particularly glad to be informed of the expectations of each subject and how they could help support their child in this area. Getting to know the Form Teacher also helps both parties have a better communication platform. Teacher-Parent Meetings The Teacher-Parent Meetings for P3 to P6 were held on 13 Mar 10 while the P1 & P2 were held on 22 May 10. The turnout was encouraging. Teachers gave feedback to the parents about their childs development in the academic as well as non-academic areas. Parents have found these sessions useful as they have a better understanding of their childs learning in school. The sessions have also helped both parents and teachers gain better insight into the learning styles and needs of the children. Contributed by Mdm Betty Chan (HOD Mathematics)

Parents waiting to see the Mother Tongue teachers

A parent with Mrs Rosalind Paul Koh

Parents Seminar (Academic)

Parents play a very significant role in the education of our pupils. In line with this belief, the school organised its first Parents Seminar for the year on 24 Apr 10. The objective of the seminar was to inform and equip parents with the knowledge and skills pertaining to the school curriculum (academic) so that they can play a complementary role at helping their children at home. Teachers from the various departments shared strategies and skills in their areas of expertise to enable parents to assist their children at home. Parents were also given opportunities to do hands-on activities using different pedagogical resources to get a realistic feel of the teaching and learning processes. The school will be organising a second Parents Seminar in Term 3 focusing on parenting skills and support for our pupils as the school believes that continual school-home collaboration will bring out the best in each pupil. Contributed by Mr Mohanan (FTSC)
A hands-on activity for parents

A Science sharing session

Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen

School Programmes
P6 Motivation and Adventure Camp
Walking shin-deep in mud is not exactly her idea of fun, but for Foo Hui Xuan of P6 Caring, that idea turned real on the morning of the second day of the annual P6 Motivation and Adventure Camp. In fact, she was almost in tears as she took the first few steps into the smelly slippery sludge somewhere in Lim Chu Kang forest. This was part of an activity called Nature Ramble that all P6 pupils who attended the camp had to go through. Like many of her peers, such an experience was something totally new and could prove to be rather daunting. Fortunately for Hui Xuan, her classmates were constantly giving her encouragement throughout the activity. She was herself surprised by the fact that she could do it. This was exactly what the camp had aimed to achieve. By exposing the pupils to such challenges, it was hoped that Marsilians would build up their self-confidence, and at the same time, a strong sense of esprit de corps would be nurtured. At the end of the three days, not only did the bond between the pupils become stronger, but each and every one of them came back with the belief that obstacles can be overcome with hard work and determination. Contributed by Mr Airwan Nain Sardi (SH Aesthetics)

Push me, pull me!

Taking a break after a fall!

Pupil Leadership Training Camp

This annual event was organised by the teachers in the Pupil Management, Physical Education and Science departments for pupil leaders holding key leadership positions. Our key leaders are the Prefects, CCA leaders, NE Ambassadors and the Environment Champions. The two activities conducted during the day camp aimed to teach our pupil leaders relevant leadership skills. One of the activities was the Low Ropes Elements Course. Our pupil leaders were engaged in these fun-filled team-building games that not only helped the pupils to build rapport and camaraderie amongst themselves but also learnt the value of respect and trust for one another. Another activity was the pupil leaders participation in three concurrent workshops. The P3 pupil leaders attended an Effective Communication workshop. The P4 pupil leaders learnt how to make effective decisions to solve problems while the P5 and P6 pupil leaders learnt to plan school events. At the end of the camp, the pupil leaders showed great interest, excitement and eagerness to apply the skills they had learnt. They also made many new friends.

On 4 Feb 10, Marsilling Primary School held the Annual Pupil Leaders Investiture. This investiture aims to give recognition to our pupil leaders for their contributions and commitment to the school. Apart from the Prefects, the pupil leaders also include the CCA leaders, NE Ambassadors and Environment Champions. This year, the ceremony was made even more meaningful when the principal and teachers pinned the pupil leaders badges individually on each pupil leader. The pupil leaders commented that they felt appreciated and proud of themselves. Congratulations to all our pupil leaders! We wish them all the best in carrying out their duties and we are sure that Marsilians will look up to them as role models!

Pupil Leaders Investiture

Pupil leaders waiting excitedly for their badges

Mr Airwan was conducting a debrief of the Low Ropes Elements Course

Importance of teamwork!

A prou d mom ent pinned the bad as Mrs Lee ge on o ur lead e

Contributed by Mdm Herianti Abu Shah (HOD PM)

Contributed by Mdm Herianti Abu Shah (HOD PM)

Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen

School Programmes

In line with the requirements of Project Work (PW), the P3 and P4 pupils went to Kampong Glam and Little India respectively for their learning journeys in the last week of Term 1. The pupils had an enjoyable and enriching learning experience. They had the opportunity to visit places of worship such as a Hindu temple and a mosque. Some of our P4 pupils even had the opportunity to try on traditional costumes like the sari and had a taste of Indian food like the thosai and chapatti. Our P5 pupils, on the other hand, went to Chinatown in Term 2 to learn more about the Chinese culture. At the end of these learning journeys, our school believes that our pupils will be more aware of the various customs, practices and cultures of the different racial groups in Singapore, bringing them a step closer to appreciating the ethnic diversity in our society. Contributed by Ms Natasha Maidin (LH Science)

Pupils Learning Journeys

Lets see who can spin the top for a longer time!

Learning how to put on a sarong

Community Involvement Programme (Pupil)

Care Care Care Care for for for for

The Community Involvement Programme (CIP) activities in Marsiling Primary School are centred on the value of CARE: Our School (P1-P3) the Environment (P4) the Elderly (P5) the Less Fortunate in Our Community (P6)

Community Involvement Programme (Staff)

All pupils in Marsiling Primary School are involved in CIP activities since the beginning of the year. Lower primary pupils help to keep the school clean by picking up litter around the school. Besides involving pupils in CIP activities within the school compound, there are also opportunities for pupils to reach out to the community. Six P4 classes participated in the Seashore Life Programme on 9 Apr 10. They went to East Coast Park to help clean up the beach. All P5 classes were involved in home visits to the Sunlove Neighbourhood Link P6 pupils helping in the fund-raising activities since March. The school also participated actively in the various fund-raising activities organised by the various organisations this year, such as, The Singapore Red Cross Society, Mainly I Love Kids (Share-A-Meal) and The Singapore Society for the Physically Disabled. P6 pupils were involved in collecting donations from their schoolmates during their recesses.
Litter picking activity for the lower primary pupils

As part of our Community Involvement Programme (CIP), the staff collaborated with the Lions Befrienders Service Association in collecting basic necessities from our parents, pupils and staff. The school strongly believes that every elderly person is a valued member of the society and deserves to age with grace and dignity. Various members of the staff were involved in the purchasing and packing of the basic necessities and delivering them to the befriendees on 3 Jun 10. In addition, another group of our staff painted the mural outside the Care Corner Student Care Centre. We hope the pupils would be greeted by the cheerful flowers when they enter the centre every day.
Teachers painting the mural outside the centre

Teachers sorting out the basic necessities for the elderly

Contributed by Mr Chin TS (CIP Coordinator)

Contributed by Mr Chin TS (CIP Coordinator)

Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen

School Events and Celebrations

Total Defence Day
Our school commemorated Total Defence Day on 11 Feb 10. This is a day marked annually to remember Singapores fall to the Japanese on 15 Feb 1942. This day serves to remind our pupils that Singapore is defendable and worth defending, and we ourselves must defend our Singapore. During the commemoration, we revisited the five pillars of Total Defence which are Military Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence, Psychological Defence and Civil Defence. Marsilians experienced the scarcity of resources and took part in an emergency exercise. Through the various activities planned for the day, we hope to instill in our pupils a sense of readiness when there is an emergency as well as not to take things for granted. The message we want our pupils to take home is that everyone can play a part in defending our country.

Chinese New Year

Celebrations
On 12 Feb 10, Marsilians came to school feeling happy and excited, anticipating the Chinese New Year celebrations the school had in store for them. Pupils started off the day with a simple class activity before they gathered in the hall for the concert.

Coming face-to-face with the Lion!

This year, the school managed to get the Lion Dance troupe from Singapore Polytechnic to perform in the concert. The drum beats and the dance lifted everyones spirits. Following the lion dance performance were other programmes such as sing-a-long sessions, games and video-clips on Chinese culture. The pupils had fun singing along and supporting their favourite teachers taking part in the games. At the end of the concert, our pupil leaders presented Mandarin oranges to all the teachers. Contributed by Mdm Chua MI, (LH CL) & Mr Tan KS

Marsilians having a hands-on session on how to do an arm sling.

Contributed by Ms Christine Ang (NE Coordinator) & Mdm Chua ML

Games Carnival
The dark grey clouds which gathered on the morning of 16 Apr 10 did not dampen the spirits of the Marsilians. They were looking forward to trying out the Low Ropes Elements such as the Multi-vines and the Broken Bridge. These were new additions to the games stations planned for this years carnival. All hopes were shattered when the lightning alert system was activated. Fortunately, all the mental and aesthetics games stations were not affected. 4 new mental games were introduced this year Charade, Picture It, Sudoku and Brain Benders.

International Friendship Day

In Marsiling Primary School, 16 Apr 10 was set aside to commemorate International Friendship Day. It is a day dedicated to help our pupils understand Singapores relations with our neighbouring countries and the world at large. To nurture in our pupils the spirit Heres Mdm Aidah simulating of friendship, we chose to learn how Archery is done about and appreciate the cultures of Azerbaijian and Namibia; the countries that we are twinned with for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG). We hope that Marsilians speaking different languages and having a diverse culture would be able to stay inter-connnected with the world through sports and games. The day kicked off with the Games Carnival where pupils had fun building friendship and sportsmanship with their peers. It culminated with a sing-a-long session to echo the joy of friendship as well as a mass lecture cum quiz on the YOG and our twinned countries. It was indeed a day filled with fun and laughter despite the bad weather. May Marsilians grow to be ambassadors of peace and goodwill for the world! Contributed by Ms Christine Ang (NE Coordinator), Mr Ong JJ & Mr Tan KS

Ring my bell do it well!

Similar to last years carnival, Sudoku for you? Marsilians had to complete a minimum of 9 stations to qualify for the collar pin. The stations must be a combination of mental, aesthetics and physical games. The rain did not dampen the pupils spirits as they went from one station to another, collecting the stamps on their Games Card. By the end of the 2 hours, most Marsilians managed to collect 9 stamps, with a handful even completing the entire card and starting on a second one. Rain or shine, the carnival had gone on as planned, and rather successfully too! Contributed by Mr Airwan Nain Sardi (SH Aesthetics)

Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen

Pupils Achievements

Singapore Youth Festival (SYF)

Congratulations to our Marsilians who had performed well in the recent SYF Dance and Choir Competitions. The awards won would surely spur our dancers and choir members to know they have the potential to do well!

Choir

Malay Dance

Getting ready for the performance

Choir is a new CCA that was introduced in 2009. With only 20 members then, participating in the SYF seemed such a daunting task. The choir showed their commitment to the tight training schedules and stayed back for practices under the guidance of the dedicated teachers and instructor. The choir members effort finally paid off when they attained a Bronze Award. Congratulations to the choir members for a job well done!

All prepared for the big moment!

Our Malay Dance group achieved a Silver Award in the SYF Malay Dance Competition. The award was well worth it, given the great effort put in by the dancers during the practices. The dance entitled Joyful Swing reflects the joy and happiness of working together.

Chinese Dance

Indian Dance

Moments before departing for the competition

A graceful pose

Our Chinese Dance group danced their way to a Silver Award in the traditional Chinese Dance category of the SYF Chinese Dance Competition. They performed a dance item entitled Flowers in Snow, depicting a scene of flowers blossoming during winter. After intense practices since last November, our pupils efforts have finally paid off. Well done Marsilians!

Our Indian Dance team achieved a Gold Award for the SYF Indian Dance Competition. Consisting of 19 girls and 1 boy, they practised rigorously since 2009. Under the guidance of our teachers and instructor, they danced to the bajan song Mangalam Ganesham.

Contributed by Ms Yeo XR, Mdm Hazlina, Ms Carine Ang & Mrs Nelson (Teachers-in-Charge)

Math Olympiads

Other Achievements
Malay Department
Muhammad Khairulnizam of P3 Caring recited a poem entitled Cinta and he came in 1st in the North Zone Schools Poetry Recital Competition. He was placed 3rd in the Malay National Story-Telling Competition Juara Tok Selampit. With his spectacular performance, he won the Best Performance Award. To cap it off, our school was awarded the School Best Performance Award. Contributed by Mdm Sabariah, Mdm Rashidah and Mdm Julianna (Teachers-in-Charge)

Six pupils from P6 Adaptable did us proud for doing well in the Singapore & ASEAN Schools Math Olympiads. Together they received one Gold, two Silver and 3 Bronze awards.

Science & Green Club

Two projects; Recycling Recyclables and Puzzle Fun with 3R submitted by the environment champions received a seed funding of up to $1000 each in the Panasonic-NEA Environment Champions Project Competition. The projects are built around outreach programmes based on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and they will be implemented in Term 3.

Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen

Pupils Achievements

Athletics

Kudos to our Athletics team! They did it again! They had captured glory in both the Akira/Swift 57th Track and Field Competition 2010 at Bukit Gombak Stadium in March and the 51st National Inter-Primary School Track and Field Competition 2010 at Chua Chu Kang Stadium in April. In the Akira/Swift 57th Track and Field Competition 2010, our athletes showed their prowess in the individual and team relay events, bringing home a total of 18 medals. In the Under 10 Boys category, Khairulnizam (P3 Caring) did well to come in 7th in the 600m debut run. In the 51st National Inter-Primary School Track and Field Competition 2010, our A Boys team was the A Boys National Champion for the fifth time. Well done athletes! Contributed by Mdm Rohana & Ms Ng YC (Teachers-in-Charge)
51st National Inter-Primary School Track and Field Championship athletes

Akira/Swift 2010 Marsiling athletes with their medals!

Rugby

Marsiling Primary School was given the honour of hosting the Annual North Zone Rugby Competition. The Senior Division matches were held in Mar 10 while the Junior Division matches were held in Apr 10. Our boys faced tough opposition from the participating schools. However, through strong teamwork and resilience, our Senior Boys managed to clinch a commendable 4th place. Our Junior Boys, on the other hand, managed to become the 2nd runner up. Job well-done boys! Contributed by Mr Randy Khoo (Teacher-in-Charge)

Our Senior Boys

Sepak Takraw

Our Junior Boys

A rattan ball and ordinary shoes were enough to get these boys going. For the love of the game, they have been training tirelessly together on Mondays and Thursdays and occasionally on Fridays. At the North Zone Sepak Takraw Tournament which was held at Peiying Primary School, both our Junior Boys and Senior Boys were placed 2nd and 3rd respectively. Our boys also competed in the National Inter-Primary School Sepak Takraw Championships which was held at the Co-Curriculum Activities Branch (CCAB) on 12 Apr 10. Despite the odds of having to face tougher and more experienced teams from various schools, our boys never-say-die attitude and fighting spirit led them to qualify for the quarter finals before bowing out of the tournament. A champion team does not only comprise of skilled and dedicated players but also players with admirable sportsmanship and attitude. The boys in our Sepak Takraw Team have all the qualities of a champion team. Congratulations boys! Contributed by Mr Amir Abidin Zulkifli (AED) Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen

Our Junior Boys

Our Senior Boys

Updates
Inspiring CL Teachers Awards

Caring Teachers Award 2010

Congratulations to our Chinese Language Senior Teacher, Mdm Goh Soy Moi, for being awarded the Inspiring Chinese Language Teachers Awards. Marsiling Primary School applauds Mdm Goh for her outstanding achievement! Contributed by Mr Tan KS

Mdm Goh with her trophy

Ms Yeo Xinru, Ms Yong Sze Leng, Mr Francis Tay, Mdm Goh Soy Moi & Mdm Aidah Hosni

The Caring Teachers Award 2010 jointly organised by the National Institute of Education and ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, with the support of the Ministry of Education, was aimed at acknowledging and rewarding teachers in schools who, through their daily actions, exemplify the values of caring, sharing and concern for the academic, moral, social, emotional and mental welfare of their pupils. Five of our teachers were given the Caring Teachers Award 2010 at the school level. They are Ms Yong Sze Leng, Ms Yeo Xinru, Mdm Goh Soy Moi, Mdm Aidah Hosni and Mr Francis Tay. Congratulations to them! Contributed by Mdm Catherine Lim (ST)

Care Corner Student Care Centre

In line with the schools effort to cater towards the needs of its pupils and their families, the school engaged a service provider to start a schoolbased Student Care Centre Our Care Corner Student Care Centre on 1 Feb 10. The centre is operated within the school premises and has the required facilities to provide student care support. The objective of starting the centre is to provide support for pupils who may lack adequate adult supervision at home, before or after school; especially in instances where both parents are at work and cannot adequately supervise pupils before or after school hours. The school-based centre operates from 7 am to 6.30 pm from Mondays to Fridays and 7 am to 12.30 pm on Saturdays. A cooking lesson in progress The centre conducts a series of programmes that caters towards the holistic development of the pupils enrolled at the centre. These programmes include supervised study, revision time as well as non-academic enrichment activities. All programmes and activities conducted are in line with the schools expectations. The setting up of the Student Care Centre is one more example of the schools determination to serve its pupils so that they can maximise their potential. The school remains committed in providing dedicated care and unwavering support for its pupils. Contributed by Mr Mohanan (FTSC)

Staff Updates
On behalf of the school, we warmly welcome our new staff to the Marsiling family. We wish them a happy and enriching time in Marsiling Primary School.

(From left to right) Mr Tan Yong Sng, Ms Loi Mingli Michelle & Mr Sukhvinder Singh Gill

(From left to right) Mdm Natalie Leong (AED-Counselling), Mdm Chow Lai May (AM), Ms Revathi (AED-LBS) & Ms Yap Hui Ern Grace (CCPE)

Contributed by Mdm Catherine Lim (ST)

Editorial Team
Mdm Zubaidah Mohd Yusoff

Our sincerest thanks

We take this opportunity to wish the following staff all the best in their future endeavours: Mdm Jaye Chua, Ms Carine Ang and Mr Lim Kan Boon.

Mr Chan Hong Wei (Advisor), Mdm Chua Mei Ling, Mdm Rashidah Yaacob, Mrs Rosalind Koh and

Every Marsilian is a Self-Directed Learner, a Compassionate Leader & a Thinking Citizen