CHAPTER ONE
From the Principal
Thirty years ago Mr Alfred Wong designed the SJI campus at Malcolm Road . His intent was to create a space that would be “ more than a place of learning … a special place and not just another school ” as he wrote in his autobiography , Recollections of Life in an Accidental Nation . Thirty years on SJI has indeed realised his hope : many call her ‘ home ’.
Home because SJI is where countless Josephians have grown up and continue to grow up through the lessons they learn about life , even as they learn knowledge to broaden their minds , skills and dispositions to succeed in the future , and values to guide them to live purposeful lives that will make the world better . Home too because here is where many a strong life-long friendships is forged through the joys and challenges of growing up .
Our teachers and Executive and Administrative staff also call SJI ‘ home ’: they spend much of their daily life accompanying our students and helping them to grow up ; they do this happily and very well . This year I especially wish to thank them for supporting the school in our efforts to improve the home SJI is .
2018 has been a year of home improvement . With our campus redeveloped for better education and school life , we now focussed on reorganising the school into 3 academies for the Foundation Programme at Years 1 and 2 , the O Level Programme at Years 3 and 4 and the IP-IB Programme for Years 3 to 6 . Each academy focuses on providing better quality teaching and learning , more responsive pastoral care and enhanced student development that are specific to each academic programme and age-appropriate for the different year classes . This improvement enables us to better meet the needs of every child and develop their interests and passions . Additionally , this reorganization encouraged the school to come up with the SJI Teaching and Learning Framework . This articulates our educational beliefs and approaches in the classroom and the school ’ s programme to develop our teachers .
These improvements have begun well as they build on SJI ’ s foundations and strengths . I believe this is why our students continue to appreciate that their learning is meaningful and their school life is happy . Our teachers ’ sense of mission as Lasallian educators is also renewed ; they are proposing new initiatives to improve the quality of SJI education . Their commitment to care for our students and develop their potential remains strong and steadfast . For everyone in SJI , good friendships still abound ; these sustain the vibrant , flourishing school community that SJI is . Maybe this is why this saying comes alive SJI : “ they come to school running ; they leave it dragging their feet .”
If we want to transform a building into a home and to work on its continuing improvement , we need a plan . Besides the ongoing efforts to touch up the school ’ s refurbishment , 2018 saw SJI make greater efforts to improve the quality of education and build up the school community . Indeed , this was our focus of the 2018 Work Plan – “ Together , We Become the SJI significance .”
Of the many ways we strove to achieve this , three events best expressed our efforts . First , “ Mahalo ,” the school carnival . Our Year 4 Student Council initiated and organised this event . It brought students and teachers across the school , as well as alumni and parents for a fun-filled day . In keeping with the theme of “ Mahalo ” or gratitude , our school raised funds for HopeHouse and its care for youth . Second , “ The SJI Learning Festival – Culture of Growth , Community of Practitioners ”. Our teachers organised this event to display and share their best practices in teaching , learning and student development . Thirty teachers from MOE and international schools attended ; they were energised by our teachers ’ sharings . Third , the 6th SJI Model United Nations . Our Year 5 students initiated this event . It drew students from varying schools to stimulate a UN Conference by taking the roles of political leaders of various countries to discuss this year ’ s theme “ Unity Among Worlds .” The participants agreed they learnt much about current issues and concerns and possible responses to solve them for a better world .
Individually and together , these events expressed how our many communal actions allowed us to become the SJI significance . Each initiative came from the community . Each of them was accomplished with the vision , giftedness and hard work of the community . Each benefitted the school and many others . These were three ways SJI realised our significance for our students , teachers and the larger community in 2018 .
As you read the following pages of this year ’ s Josephian Annual , you will see this pattern repeated . First of all in how our students came together to study , support and challenge each other – with their teachers ’ help – to do very well in their ‘ O ’ - Level and IB exams . Our ‘ O ’ -Level Class saw 100 % passes , of which 93 % qualified for junior college . Forty of 253 students scored 5 A1s or more , while 82 of them scored less than 10 points . The IB Class also saw 100 % passes with 7 students scoring 45 points . Fifty percent of the Class scored 42 points or better and 79 % scored at least 40 points . The prestigious Bilingual Diploma was awarded to six students . The school ’ s average score was 41 out of 45 points .
This pattern goes beyond studies . You will see it in how our sport teams through teamwork and faith in each other exceled at zonal and national levels , including retaining the ‘ C ’ -Division Zonal Championship in Football , being National ‘ C ’ and ‘ B ’ Division runners ’ up in Canoeing , achieving key victories in Dragonboating and Badminton at the national level . You will also see it in our Uniformed Groups that continue to be recognised amongst the best in Singapore . You will see it too in our individual Josephians and school teams who competed and did very well in many diverse competitions
06 ST JOSEPH ’ S INSTITUTION