SJI COMMUNITY
Many individual Josephians and school teams performed very well in myriad competitions throughout the school year , and they were simply delighted . Some of these were the Raffles Business Symposium , Singapore Mathematical Olympiad , Plain English Speaking Award Competition , National Science Challenge , the National Malay Debate Competition and the Commonwealth Essay Competition . I know the strong community spirit and faith in each student ’ s potential encouraged them to do well .
Our teachers too had lots to smile about . It was a good year as they participated in various professional development efforts at school and academy levels to upgrade themselves . Through Staff Learning Teams , focused workshops , and local and overseas conferences , many were happy with the myriad opportunities to develop themselves as Lasallian educators .
Josephians . Ms Bee and Mr Chew have a profound belief in the good an SJI education can make in a student ’ s life . This moved them to give their lives to SJI . Having known them , many teachers , I know , want to make this belief real for Josephians , like Ms Bee and Mr Chew have done . They smile knowing this is a good mission .
We smiled a lot in SJI . Our smiles however are not just for ourselves . They are also meant for someone else : to greet them ; to encourage and cheer them up ; and to say , “ you are special !” Smiles also affirm friendship , and in SJI they remind us that we are Josephians and we are one .
2019 was a special year for SJI . We celebrated the Tercentenary of the death of St John Baptist de la Salle ( founder of Lasallian schools ) and the Year of Lasallian Vocation for educators . During the year students and teachers reflected on the anniversary theme “ Our Heart , One Life , One Commitment ” in varied ways .
Among these , three events in SJI best express how we remembered , celebrated and continue to believe in the Lasallian mission that undergirds the quality education SJI provides .
First , the making of the Tercentenary Banner . Every member of the SJI community contributed a palm print or thumb print to create the largest hand printed banner in Singapore in 2019 . This was recorded in the Singapore Book of Records . More significantly , doing this together in the ‘ gotong-royong ’ spirit of improving SJI , we brought to life the importance of our SJI community to support , affirm and celebrate one another . This banner was displayed on our Indoor Sports Hall ’ s façade from February to September for all to see how tall we can stand together as SJI .
Second , the opening of our Heritage Gallery ‘ Missio 1852 ’. In this new , purposed built space , we celebrate our school ’ s Catholic , Lasallian identity and ethos , history and tradition through key milestones in SJI ’ s development from Bras Basah Road to Malcolm Road and significant Josephians who contributed to SJI ’ s legacy . Our staff and students worked together to launch it successfully on 7 August . SJI is indeed ‘‘ a tradition worth keeping .” This is why from 2020 , every new student and teacher will be inducted into SJI through this space which will not only display SJI ’ s history and memorabilia but serve as a history classroom for teaching and learning .
Third , the passing of an era . This year Ms Bee and Mr Chew retire after 48 and 49 years respectively of loyal , selfless and distinguished service to SJI . Many of us smiled as we remember Ms Bee for her graciousness and Mr Chew for his inventiveness at their Farewell celebrations . We delighted in the gift they are to the school and many
One of us in SJI is Aunty Vanda . She is our security guard . She always has a smile for everyone who enters and leaves SJI . As a security guard it is her job to notice people and situations . But she always notices us with a smile . For many students and teachers , even parents , she is a wisdom figure , a caring mentor , a helpful person and , most especially , a mother-figure who protects and teaches . She does all this because she cares . Her smiles tell us so .
Like Aunty Vanda , we have all smiled at one another this school year . We have because we really do care for each other . In the words of 2019 IB Class , we care because SJI is a wholesome school . What a wonderfully life-giving image this is for us to close this school year with . It is because in every smile , you and I have experienced the goodness of each other . More significantly , we have received through each other ’ s smiles nothing less than God who is smiling at us and blessing us .
As we look ahead to 2020 , I pray God will lead us into the new school year with a smile – not just to welcome us to a new school year , not even to assure us He has many wonderful and good gifts for us , but simply to say with His smile that you and I have no better place to be at in 2020 than here in SJI !
Ora et Labora !
Fr ( Dr ) Adrian Danker , SJ
JOSEPHIAN ANNUAL 2019 7