CANOSSIANS’ CONNECTION · ANOSSIANS’ ONNETION May – Aug, 2016 Canossians’ Connection – the Official Newsletter of the Canossian Alumni Association (2016) FOR EXCLUSIVE AND

CANOSSIANS’ CONNECTION May – Aug, 2016

Canossians’ Connection – the Official Newsletter of the Canossian Alumni Association (2016) FOR EXCLUSIVE AND PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

President’s Message

From my heart to yours…

I am often asked why I love my school so much and what’s so special about our education. There may be varied reasons but I believe there’s only one key point that makes my affinity so strong and special. The Formation of the Heart. Many Canossian students will agree to this, I believe. Our educational philosophy has always focused on developing a person who knows how to care. In a world where the new poor emerges, people with compassion, integrity, respect and resilience are needed. The Canossian education creates that kind of people. People who are able to make a difference – not just of the head, but leaders of heart. People who are driven to love and service for others. In this issue we take a look at our junior schools and how they are pitching themselves to a generation of parents who may be considering placing their children in schools with high academic standards. Why Canossian, and what so special? We look at the precious bonds that our education has brought about – two batches of students who celebrate decades of friendships and a male teacher who is making a difference and “doesn’t need to lift a finger” to help the girls. Check out our Heritage Race write up as well and have a laugh over some of the pictures. Anyway, more photos are available on our Facebook Page - Canossians United. Our AGM in September will also see a new term for the Exco. We need Canossians to show their love . Join us and see how you can also contribute to the CAA in your own special ways. Via Veritas Vita.

Veronica Tan

Objectives of the Canossian

Alumni Association

i) to strengthen the network of

former students of the

Canossian schools and to

develop a true spirit of loyalty

and love for the Alma Mater.

ii) to be a channel of

collaboration between the

former students, the Canossian

schools and the society at

large.

Executive Committee

President : Veronica Tan

Vice President : Joan Teo Li

Sian

Secretary : Rebecca Chin

Asst Secretary : Lee Mei Yee

Treasurer : Catherine Yong

Asst Treasurer : Martina Wong

Committee Members :

Carolyn Seet

Janelene Leong

Martha Fernandez

Spiritual Director

Sr Dorothy Lim

Editor

Veronica Tan

Contributing Writers

Martha Fernandez, Janelene

Leong Alexandra Khoo

CANOSSIANS’ CONNECTION



The Canossian Education.

What’s so special? In the 1950s & 60s, parents would

queue for hours, some starting from as

early as 4am in the morning and

braving the rain to get their

daughters into our “convent” schools.

While times are a little different now, the Alumni still

gets bombarded with requests for referral letters and

applications to join the membership in preparation for

their daughter’s primary one registration in July.

So why go the extra-mile for a Canossian education?

Consisting of two kindergartens, two primary schools, a secondary school and a hearing impaired school, the Canossian family share a common history and legacy of foundress Saint Magdalene of Canossa. Born in Verona, Magdalene abandoned the riches of her noble family to embark on a life dedicated to helping the abandoned, the poor and the sick. Saint Magdalene and the Daughters of Charity–a charitable organisation set up by Magdalene in December 1828, advocates a life of service to the poor and those most in need–are role models to all students in the Canossian schools. Along with the strong emphasis on inculcating values and character education–a crucial compass in today’s challenging world, a rich culture of charity work, music, and the arts begin in the two kindergartens and is developed further in the primary, secondary and the hearing impaired schools.

Sr Louisa Lim, Supervisor of Schools explains: “Generally our approach to education is through our Canossian attributes and identity expressed through 3Ps and 3Cs. This approach and identity are underpinned in whatever we do. The 3Ps brand of education represent Passion, Person-centred and Proactive. The 3Cs refer to Compassion, Cheerfulness and Commitment – emphasising on courage, resilience, integrity, joy, enthusiasm, serenity and sacrifice.”

The Canossian core values which are humility, forgiveness and charity are subsumed in the 3Cs. All the teachers are trained and encouraged to ensure that our programmes and activities are designed along these lines. “Although, we are a Catholic school we are mindful that we are in a multi-religious society, therefore, catechism is taught only to the Catholics. It is however encouraging to see non-Catholic students requesting to join us in catechism classes, retreat and various spiritual activities.

“We welcome everyone and

encourage our teachers and

principals to hold programmes that

depict our values and our faith. “

The respective schools also organise activities under the ‘Values in Action’ series to reinforce the development of the right values of caring and respect for each other and the environment.”

The Alumnae is a strong testament to the type of education girls received at a Canossian institution. Many have chosen to come back to contribute as teachers, some in the Canossian Alumni Association, as speakers at functions and the younger ones come back as coaches and mentors in their CCAs. All have echoed and enthused that they have been inculcated with values that no books can teach – Compassion, Respect, Resilience, Integrity and Passion. Like the saying goes, we judge the tree by the fruit it bears.

Cover Story



The Kindergartens Focusing on character building and value education, the Canossian Convent Kindergarten (CK) which is located on sprawling grounds close to nature on a hilltop in Jalan Merbok, has a curriculum based on research that young children learn best through structured play. CK’s strengths lie in authentically designed, fully integrated and developmentally appropriate lessons which meet the sensory, cognitive and emotional needs of kindergarten children, preparing them for primary school. As it take a village to raise a child, CK maintains strong connections with families to share their children’s learning activities. A weekly curriculum plan is emailed to parents in advance to better prepare and prompt them on upcoming activities for the children. Magdalene’s Kindergarten (MK), housed on the grounds of Canossa Convent in Sallim Road, seeks to provide a holistic education to children through an integrated education programme, with the belief that every child has potential to shine. Miss Imelda Anthony, Principal of MK shares, “We encourage the teachers to take time to understand the children under their charge and to always work together with parents to share in the upbringing of the child.” Parents are regularly updated via e-mail with pictures of what the children do weekly and lesson plans of what is to come the following week.” The kindergarten has Christian meditation that the children practice before classes every morning. This helps to centre both the teachers as well as the children. They also engage in a few praise and worship songs and the nuns lead the children in prayer every morning. MK was awarded with the MOE Kindergarten Innovation grant in 2012 for a project “Learning Chinese is not Boring”, and has successfully nurtured children to have

good fundamentals of the mother tongue, many of them doing well in Chinese in their primary schools. The kindergarten also has a specially hired gym instructor who comes to the school several times a week to work with the children on their physical and gross motor skills development.

“We strive to inculcate Sts

Magdalene’s & Bakhita’s

characteristics of caring for those

who are not as fortunate as them;

and to give back to the society and

bring joy to those they meet – to

make Jesus known and loved.”

Ms Anthony further elaborates “The Canossians [institutions] are also the only Catholic schools having nuns playing proactive roles in the faith & moral education of the students. We believe in the formation of the heart, so that when a child leaves MK, he would have learnt about having compassion for others.”

Sr Joanna with the CK students doing experiential learning with nature

Nurturing the young calligrapher

Sr Enrica, former Principal, now the ‘face’ of Magdalene’s Kindergarten.



Primary Schools Canossa Convent Primary School (CCPS) is centrally located at the Aljunied Area and has a charming mix of old and new buildings. It boasts large grounds and spaces for children to learn and play in. The school has two distinctive programmes – the Service Innovation Programme (SIP) and a unique inclusion programme where hearing impaired pupils, many who are cognitively on par, attend classes together with their peers in CCPS. SIP is the teaching of design thinking processes consisting of skills and tools that help pupils to be others-centred, problem solvers and emphasizes empathy. Starting in Pr 4 these processes are progressively introduced, first through art lessons and then applied during the Values in Action programme. In Pr 5 & 6, students start to apply this thinking process to real problems. Internalised by the time they graduate, this is a life skill that they can tap on throughout their lives. Interacting with hearing impaired pupils and vice versa, enable all children to develop a sense of belonging and compassion for all human beings and the society as a whole.

“CCPS wants to build a community of

compassionate leaders and

passionate learners in the service of

God, country and family.”

“Nurturing good habits are essential at the primary level. Aside from formal lessons, one-to-one teacher-student interaction time for dialogues and self-reflection are essential and these are put in place to facilitate character education,” says Miss Grace Tan, Principal.

In St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School, (SACPS) at Bedok North, the entire school begin their day by breaking into songs, warming their vocal chords by singing to uplift the spirits of the pupils (and teachers) before classes start. This is inclusive of an occasional trending pop song! Principal, Mrs Eugenie Tan believes that being joyful creates a positive environment to learn and work in.

“At St Anthony’s Canossian Primary

School, our pupils learn to be leaders

with a heart for others.”

Students here are also made aware of the realities in society, where there are people less fortunate than them. They get involved in packing and sending rations to impoverished families or visiting homes for the underprivileged. This gives them a sense of how they can make a difference in their own little ways. Compassion and contribution-Core values in the Canossian education. The Canossian Co-educators (CCE) or Parent Support Groups, are an integral part of SACPS. The school holds orientation events for parents of P1 and 2 children, and with the help of the Canossian sisters, they showcase the history of the Canossian mission so as to allow parents to understand the rich heritage and appreciate the value of their daughters’ education here. In addition to the “heart-ware” aspects, SACPS also boasts of child-friendly, airy and colourful classrooms, an art gallery, band room, chapel, computer lab, dance studios, a heritage gallery and many other impressive facilities.

At the P1 Parents' Night – a jigsaw game to learn about the Canossian Mission

Children presenting their learnings to their classmates.



Canossian School (for the Hearing Impaired) The Canossian School is the only special school with an inclusion programme for academic and social-emotional learning. With a team of dedicated teachers, audiological and technical facilities creating this centre of excellence, Canossian School is committed to encourage each and every hearing impaired child to realise his full potential.

The hearing impaired (HI) pupils in the Canossian School do not learn sign language. They communicate just like everyone else i.e. through speech. This is so that HI pupils can integrate into society, get mainstream educational opportunities and build careers just like anyone else.

Using the Natural Auditory Oral Approach (NAO) which maximizes the residual hearing of HI children through a comprehensive listening programme and the development of spoken language, the school helps pupils reach full linguistic and academic potential. Support for HI children starts with the Canossian Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC). Pre-school children continue with an integrative programme in Magdalene’s Kindergarten. Every child has a place in mainstream classes and receives onsite learning, audio-logical and habilitation support. Upon reaching primary one, the girls will join the CCPS, while the boys will join Macpherson Primary School. These children integrate seamlessly into the regular MOE syllabuses and many complete their PSLE to continue to secondary school with ample skills for them to be able to blend into society without much difficulties. Many Canossian School alumnae have gone on to make an impactful difference in society. One of whom was Lily Goh, being presented the Singapore Woman Award by Mediacorp in 2014 . vt

The Objectives of the Primary and Pre-Primary Schools

Canossa Convent Primary School

To build a community of compassionate leaders and passionate learners

in the service of God, country and family.

St Anthony’s Canossian

Primary School

Formation of the heart of each individual so that

she may grow in the knowledge and

appreciation of self and of the reality, ultimately recognizing God’s love

for her and her mission in society.

Canossian Convent

Kindergarten

To provide a caring and stimulating environment

for joyful learning and growth in God-given

talents.

Magdalene’s Kindergarten

To be a place where all children are valued and loved. To educate our

young by giving them an integrated and total

education emphasizing on values, character

bulding and the formation of heart.

Core Values Charity. Humility. Forgiveness. Compassion. Respect. Integrity. Passion

What CORRI stands for

Can-Do Spirit, Other-Centredness, Responsible Individuality, Resilience and an Inquiring Mind.



Birthdays, Anniversaries & Jubilees. We look at the milestones that a Canossian Sister, a teacher and ex-students have

celebrated recently and what makes these moments so significant.

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY SR VITTORINA There was great joy on May 27 when Sr Vittorina Lamperti celebrated her 100th birthday, with a special Mass attended by her fellow Canossian nuns from Singapore and Malaysia, three priests and staff and volunteers at St Joseph’s Home, where she is currently residing. In her many years of service, she has taught generations of children, initially in England and post-World War 2, in Kluang and Singapore. She was at Canossa Convent looking after orphan boys and also taught in Canossa Convent Primary School. Says Sylvia Chua, alumni of CCPS Class 77: “Sr Vittorrina was a comforting sight for us at Canossa Convent – the example of a firm hand with a big heart! Strict disciplinarian but ready to laugh with us and hug us when

needed!” jl

MAKING A POH-SITIVE IMPACT Mr Andrew Poh, marks his 15th year teaching at SACSS, speaks to

Janelene Leong about being one of the few thorns among

Canossian roses since 2001.

The only male teacher I had ever known in my schoolgirl days at St Anthony’s Convent was the late Mr Quah Siew Kow, so this assignment intrigued me somewhat and a meeting with Mr Poh was soon set up.

An alumnus of St Gabriel’s Secondary and Catholic Junior College,

Andrew joined the teaching profession after a stint in the RSAF and discovered he had an aptitude for interacting with students and enjoyed imparting his knowledge, which was in the areas of Mathematics and PE. He taught at a few other schools after his course in the National Institute of Education (NIE) but was always keen to join St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary, having known Sr Josephine Sim, also a teacher, for many years. It was thus pure serendipity that one fine day, Sr Cecily Pavri contacted him and told him that a position had opened up. His answer was an immediate “Yes” and the rest, as they say, is history. I met up with the affable Andrew over coffee and chatted about his experiences as a teacher at SACSS.

People and Faces - Celebrating being Canossians

Happy Birthday an may God continue to shower his blessings upon you, Sr Vittorrina!



About who inspired him to do what he does, Andrew shared that his favourite teachers had an ability to create a sense of excitement about learning. “That is what I try my best to emulate in my position. It is not just about teaching but rather, to prepare my students for life and be equipped for the future. Some of the most important lessons have come from discussions about other issues in their lives, leading them to pick up other skill sets.” “Having taught in a co-ed school before, the girls would tend to let the boys do the heavier work, like carrying equipment for events. In SACSS, every girl chips in to do her part. This was, of course, also by necessity but nonetheless, it made for instilling in the students a sense of independence to do things without having to rely on the opposite sex. Being one of the few males in the school, I was initially quick to step forward and help, but after a while, I realised that it was not necessary as the girls could manage everything on their own, needing only a little guidance.”

“What I found different and admired

in SACSS, was the ‘can-do’ spirit of

the girls.”

“As a male teacher, I think one advantage I may have is that the girls also regard me as a father figure, especially for those who come from broken homes. Admittedly, I did have some ‘crush’ encounters but they were few and far between.” Issues like those have to be handled very sensitively and firmly, he declares. Andrew had a chance to work with was the late Mr SK Quah, who terrified yet inspired generations of SAC girls. “I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to work with him. We got along well both as colleagues and friends. Underneath that stern demeanor was a man who was passionate about teaching, going to the extent of

buying books and equipment out of his own pocket for the girls to help them improve in their chosen sports. He was a tough taskmaster and disciplinarian but he loved the girls and they loved him in return, as evidenced by the outpouring of grief when he passed away.” Another aspect of SACSS which impressed him, and still does, is

the prayerful atmosphere, which he noticed seemed slightly lacking in other mission schools. SACSS has been consistently upholding and maintaining this culture well through the years. Andrew enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and cycling which helps him de-stress. “I am always keen to explore new methods of pedagogy and how to utilise information technology to ease my workload.” The driving force behind his mission - “Knowing I have made a difference or positive impact in their lives, whether through teaching Mathematics or other life lessons and the look of pride and satisfaction on a student’s face when she has mastered something—these are priceless. That is when I feel that teaching is truly living life more fully.” This brings to mind the line in our school song “At work, at play, life’s lessons we learn.”

“I hope that by providing them with

a better experience in school, they

will find it in themselves to take

responsibility of their own lives,

become active rather than passive

learners and make a positive impact

on society when they grow up.”

Congratulations on celebrating 15 years at SACSS making a positive difference and here’s wishing you more years ahead in your chosen profession!



60 Carats. Precious & TreasuredA group of Sec 4A friends from Class of '72 decided to

celebrate turning 60 and after some planning, invited

all whom they could reach out to who had graduated

from St Anthony's Convent Secondary School in 1972,

fondly referred to as 'SAC'. The event was aptly called

'60 Carats'. The organising team modestly requested

that they not be named but due to their initiative,

school mates of 1972 got together for an evening of

fun and reminiscing. To ensure that no birth date was

missed, the organising team decided to hold the event

in December 2015

so that birthdays

from January 2016

to December 2016

would be included

in the celebration.

The evening started slow as past students started to stroll

in and register their attendance. Held at the Singapore

Swimming Club, the room

was decorated with SAC

memorabilia which included

old copies of school

magazines backdating from

Secondary 1 to Secondary 4, including a starched and

ironed uniform from one of the ladies kept lovingly over

the years, school badges and so on. Some had even

forgotten from which class

they had graduated from

and the old school

magazines were a great

help!

It did not take long for the

chatter and laughter to fill

the room as classmates of

past quickly caught up on

past ears, family and

experiences. The ladies were surprised by a montage of

pictures of past events during school days with

classmates and teachers, painstakingly put together by

one of the ladies in the organising team. The room filled

with laughter as we walked down memory lane and

especially looking at our young, eager faces, unknowing

of what the future was holding for us, keen to move on.

True to the Canossian

way, we had

'reflection time' and

some shared how

growing older can be

'scary'. One described

turning '60' as the new

'40' which

immediately drew a

chorus of agreement. The session was aptly closed with

the school song sung with giggles as some struggled to

remember the tune and which momentarily put us back

in our 'SAC days'.

Before the end of the evening, everyone gathered for

picture taking according to their respective classes back

in 1972. There were promises to meet again and as one

said, 'Do not wait till we are 70, let's do it earlier....'

Contact details were shared with a promise to keep

connected. Kudos to the organising team and our thanks

to them. It was a great evening

and a wonderful way to catch up

with friends.

- Martha Fernandez


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50 & Fabulous! The 81 Fab Bash is a regular party in celebration of friends at SAC done every 5 years. First held in 2005, these bashes attract around 100 from the batch of 1981. The Fab 50 was held in 2015 in Hotel Jen, Tanglin to celebrate turning “Gold”. There was good food, nice wine, live-band, dancing, gifts, games and photo-booth. The highlight was definitely the cake cutting and the school song (always sung more than once!) Best of all – the catch up, memories and laughter; but never enough time.

These ‘Fab Bashes’ have evolved over the last 3 parties – 40th, 45th and 50th, and classmates living abroad were invited into the celebration virtually with laptops hooked up for video streaming. For 2020, fly-ins are expected from UK, USA, Canada, Hong Kong and various parts of Australia. Those who can’t come will still be able to join us in their pajamas singing the school song from half way around the world, via Skype. The wonders of technology! Many memories though faded, are not forgotten. Reminiscing teachers and their idiosyncrasies, punishments and detentions, torturous PE lessons, SJI boys, Red house chicken pies, Blue house Indian rojak, Shanghai Bookstore, St John’s Island camps, toilets that were assigned to classes – and not forgetting yelling for ‘pads’ failing which, they would run to the school office to buy "Kotex”. Having graduated 35 years ago, we are writing a new chapter of our lives with a very special group of people. People we grew up with. Many of us have been pillars for each other as we journeyed through life. Taught to be women of integrity, compassion and resilience - our core values. Our common foundation. We laugh, cry, sing, eat, run and rant together. We celebrate friends for life. We celebrate being Canossians.

– Veronica Tan


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This year’s annual visit to St Joseph’s Home was held on 2 May, when about 15 Alumni members and friends came together for a morning of activities. Joined by a merry group of ladies from the church of St Ignatius who were also doing their regular visitation, the day began with an energetic round of warm-up exercises performed to the tune of ‘If You’re Happy And You Know it’ set the tone for helpers and residents to interact, followed by a sing-along to familiar songs with an enthusiastic Uncle taking the mike for his solo spot. The craftwork for the day was plate-decorating, with the helpers encouraging the residents to use colourful markers and stickers to create works of art, which were then mounted on wooden sticks for display.

The perennial favourite, Bingo provided for an exciting time, as one and all got caught up in looking out for the numbers flashed on the screen with our dynamic emcee, Veronica announcing them. Elated shouts and disappointed groans punctuated the hall as the Bingo cards were rapidly filled up, with the eventual winners

getting their prizes. We were also fortunate to have the winner of the recent Mediacorp Golden Age Talentime, Ms Tan Jong Lee with us to enthrall us with her renditions of classics such as Teresa Teng’s ‘The Moon Represents My Heart’ and the iconic theme from ‘The Bund’.

Lunch was a simple but hearty buffet as the helpers assisted the residents with their meal, singing crowd favourites such as ‘Pass It On’ and ‘Rhythm of the Rain’ to provide for a cheery atmosphere all through till noon.

- Janelene Leong

Happenings


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Canossian Heritage Race for Fund Our Canossian’s Connect, took on a different form this year. The Canossian Heritage Race for Fund, fashioned after an amazing race around the Civic district – took place early Saturday morning, 9th July, 2016. Proceeds from participation fee was to contribute to the upgrading of the Canossa Heritage Gallery situated at Canossa Convent at 1 Sallim Road. The gallery will be officially opened in August 2016.

Teams were made up of grads from 1972 to 2015, and those from different generations earned bonus points. A nun’s team was also fielded in, and led by Sr Louisa Lim.

.

To win, teams needed to get to 10 different locations within a 2km vicinity of the old SAC, doing tasks

assigned to them in less than 3 hours. They were given challenges to jump over rubber-bands ala “Zero Point” (also known as ‘Yay Yay’), kick chaptek - games they played during their school days - and sing the school song in public. For The organizing sub-committee, helmed by Aileen Tan and Susan Tham, both Canossian Alumni and Educators, roped in a dozen of CAA’s Youth Members planned and plotted the race using the advantages of technology. Hints were executed through QR codes, video streaming and online reporting system.

Happenings

The flag off was done by Sr Christina Yeo

Canossian 3-some singing the school song outside Victoria Theatre. United in Common melody.

1121 Playing Yay Yay.

Sr Louisa's team – ‘Look Look See See’ doing their Bollywood with their tattoos in Little India.

Thank you to the following sponsors for your kind generosity :


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Emerging the winning team was “Intergeneration” (left) – led by Georgina Chay, who participated with her daughter and two other schoolmates from different years. 1st runner up team was led by CAA Vice President Teo Li Sian, 10cents fish cake. Team 1121, led by Janelene Leong, emerged 2nd runner up.

These former students not only had a good time but floods of reflection swept through these few hours. Wong Yin Leng from grad year 1995 said “The race brought back memories of being in SAC and left me warmed. I’m sure I would want my daughter educated through the Canossian way as I did!” Nur Amirah, grad of 2014, said that she learnt a lot about Singapore’s heritage as she was running around and having fun, in addition, she recalled memories and felt a sense of belonging.

39th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING DATE : 3RD SEPTEMBER 2016, 3pm– 4.30pm (registration at 2.30pm) VENUE : CROSSINGS CAFÉ, Cana Catholic Centre. 55 Waterloo Street. COMMISSIONING MASS : 5.30pm, Sts Peter & Paul’s Church. FEE : $15 for Youth & Ordinary Members, $25* for non-members. (*) Rebate applicable for membership application on the same day.

This year’s AGM marks the end of a 2-year term for the current Exco and includes a nomination of the Executive Committee to serve in the next term for 2017/19. There also be a commissioning mass for the newly elected Exco at the evening mass in Sts Peter’s and Paul’s Church. There are visions and plans to move things forward. We will be happy to receive recommendations and nominations for Committee Members who have diverse talents, passion and love to contribute to the CAA.

Register your attendance on the website after 1st

August, 2016.

Upcoming Events

The junior team with their creative shot at the Civil War Memorial

The Group We-fie to close the Race.

The Champions

Documents

CANOSSIANS’ CONNECTION · ANOSSIANS’ ONNETION May – Aug, 2016 Canossians’ Connection – the Official Newsletter of the Canossian Alumni Association (2016) FOR EXCLUSIVE AND