Dad’s-for-Life @ TKSS – Bonding at Bedok Reservoir Park

~ Article contributed by Tan Chin Eng

20 February 2016 was a wet Saturday morning and many students and their fathers woke up wondering if it is indeed still on. “It” was an outing Dad promised that Saturday, to spend time with the child in the trees at Bedok Reservoir Park. “It” was Dads-for-Life@TKSS quarterly event.

The rain cleared up quickly and the struggle to find a car park space was soon forgotten when father and child found themselves being challenged from 5m above ground, swinging, grappling, jumping, crawling, sliding and zipping just over the reservoir. That is Forest Adventure!

28 students and their fathers were absorbed in challenging heights, themselves and each other and later found themselves encouraging themselves and each other, and also other participants. Some overcame their fear of heights, some saw a different side of their dads. Rarely were fathers found vulnerable in front of their children, and enjoying it.

A dad said, “My wife made me register last minute and I’m so glad I did. It was nothing I expected. It was so tough and so much fun.”

One of the students expressed that he had so much fun with his dad that he would do this again, “It was so difficult but to hear encouragement from my Dad in the trees was worth it. I must do this again.” 

Most completed all 4 sites over 2 hours and after concluding each site by zipping across the reservoir on a wire, they returned to “earth” for some rest and Nasi Lemak. After collecting their certificates of adventure together, we hope they continue to have many more good bonding opportunities.

Great Bonding Session !

AND... our special thanks to Chin Eng & Peng Gun for being leading the Dads-for-Life Events all these  years!  

Chinese New Year Celebration at TKSS

~ Article contributed by Kalpana V

TKSS celebrated the Chinese New Year on 5^th of February 2016. 

Mdm Haslinda, the Principal, and her Staff had extended the warm invitation to the PSG Team to join in this celebration.  It was indeed a joy and privilege to be part of the festivity. Like every year, the School had also invited the elderly from St Hilda to join in the celebration.  

The celebration started with the Lo-Hei. Tables were arranged in the shape of the Chinese character representing the Year of the Monkey in the Parade Square. It was a mass Lo-Hei involving the entire School Management and Staff, Board Members of the Governing Council, the elderly from St Hilda, all the students and us, PSG Team.  

This was followed by an elaborate and wonderfully organized concert in the school hall. The performances by the students were excellent and very well coordinated, and the presentation by the school band was outstanding (as always). The elderly of St Hilda also sang for the students.  What a lovely performance!

The children were extremely excited and delighted to see the friendly “Chai Sen Ye” who distributed sweets and walked up to greet Mdm Haslinda and the elderly of St Hilda. The Event concluded with the wonderful performance of the traditional Lion Dance.

Gong Xi Fa Cai, Everyone !

TK1 Nite 2016 - An Event By the Parents for the Parents

~ Article contributed by Kalpana V

TK1 Nite is an annual event held at the beginning of every academic year when new Sec 1 cohort joined TKSS.  It is an event organized by TK PSG with the support of the School Leaders. 

Through this Event, the parents get an opportunity to tour the School, meet with the Principal, the Vice Principals, Form Teachers, Co-Form Teachers and other fellow parents.

This year, TK1 Nite was held on 23 January 2016.  We received an exceptionally good response with 180 parents registering for the Event (a big round of applause for the new parents)!

After registration, the parents were given guided tour of the school campus by the Student Councilors.  Thereafter, Mdm Haslinda, the Principal, together with the HOD CCE and Sec 1 Year Head warmly welcomed the new parents in the Auditorium.  Next, the parents proceeded to their children’s classrooms, a segment led by the PSG Coordinators.  Through the ice breaker session, the parents started to mingle with each other and this greatly helped to initiate interaction amongst the parents. The parents also took this opportunity to exchange contact details with one another.  We are certain that many of these interactions will blossom into cherished friendships.  The highlight of the Classroom Segment was when the parents wrote encouragement notes and place them on their children’s table-top.  One can easily see the emotional feelings of these parents and we have received feedback from the students that they were so pleasantly surprised to see these encouragement notes when they came to school the following Monday. A lovely and touching moment, indeed!  The Classroom Segment ended with the Form Teachers and Co-Form Teachers giving updates to the parents on their respective classes.

The final segment of the Event was the Hall Segment.  The PGS Working Team decorated the school hall beautifully with dinner buffet spread set up on both sides and round tables in the center of the school hall.  The PSG Working Team also made great effort to ensure that parents of the same class get to sit together with two or three teachers teaching the lower secondary at each table.  This gave yet another opportunity for the parents to bond with each other.  

The Hall Segment began with the IP Heads giving the parents detailed presentations of the Academic Programme and curriculum strategies adopted by the School, followed by a speech from the Student Council President.  Thereafter, the parents enjoyed the sumptuous dinner buffet while continuing networking with the other parents and teachers.

Overall, it was a wonderful Event and for which a huge thanks is due to each and every one who contributed to its success. Cheers to Team TK!