24 LUMEN | INTERVIEWS
New Faces at SJI
By Mrs Jasmine Tan
Two very important people joined the school ' s leadership team near the end of 2020 , Vice Principals Mrs Shirley Foo and Mdm Lim Lay Hoon . Lumen takes the time to find out more about each of them , their journeys to SJI and their time with us so far .
We begin with Mdm Lim Lay Hoon , VP ( Curriculum and Special Programme ):
Lumen : Tell us about life before SJI ? I began my career in education at Catholic Junior College ( CJC ), my alma mater , moved on to become Subject Head for Student Development , and later Head of the Mathematics Department . The time I spent in CJC was a very enriching , heartwarming and fulfilling one as I saw myself grow professionally and spiritually . During my time in CJC , I made many friends among my colleagues and formed very strong bonds with my JC students ( prior to the pandemic , my CJ students were visiting me every Chinese New Year ). I enjoyed the many opportunities ( such as leading students in collaboration with Gawad Kalinga in Philippines to help the poorest and the least , and leading in the crafting of behavioural indicators for staff appraisal ) that were given to me by the various Principals including Brother Paul Rogers ( former Principal of SJI ).
After CJC , I moved on to serve as Vice- Principal in Jurong West Secondary School ( JWSS ) from 2014 to 2020 . I brought with me my strong belief in a values-based , holistic education which became an important moral compass for me as I led and made hard decisions . I worked closely with my Principal , Mr Michael Muhunthan and a team of committed key personnel and staff to improve the quality school experience ( QSE ) for the students , one focused
on discipline , strong care for students and academic improvement .
Lumen : How do the school values and mission sit with your own thoughts as an educator ? When I first stepped into the school campus , I could sense the strong collegiality among the staff as well as the strong bonds among the students . The school is also committed to providing a holistic education for all students , with a strong emphasis on character development . Having come from a Catholic school background and being a Catholic myself , the SJI values and mission resonate with my own philosophy as an educator and the culture of care and service I believe education is about .
Lumen : Who are you , outside of school ? I treasure family time and enjoy travelling , exploring nature ’ s wonders and meeting people of different cultures . For sports , I enjoy hiking and sea activities such as fishing , and snorkeling . Snorkeling is one of my favourite hobbies . I love to explore the sea and enjoy the underwater adventure ; I have visited many different atolls in Maldives . The experience provides me the opportunity to take a break from work to reflect and appreciate the beauty of God ’ s creation and love .
Lumen : How has your experience of SJI life been so far ? It has been an interesting journey so far trying to understand the culture , way of working , people interaction ( staff and students ) and the IB programme . I am fascinated by SJI ’ s rich heritage of 169 years and there is a lot I ’ ve to learn about the school . Every day , I am discovering something new about her history and get to observe and be involved in ‘ Ora et Labora ’ in action .
I am glad to be able to join a team of passionate staff here in SJI who is committed to grow every student into a true Josephian . I look forward to partnering the vibrant team of teachers and administrators to create quality school experiences for our students and I pray for God ’ s guidance in this journey .
Lumen : What would you like to say to the SJI community ? To the students and staff - that each one of us is blessed to be part of the SJI community . We all bring with us our gifts to be offered so do treasure the time and experiences here !