Pace Program - meeting the mentors the 2nd time

Today is just the second day of school after the 2 week Raya holidays for us in school.         However I saw how eagerly Lae-Hoon Tan from Ernst and Young  scheduled and planned this 2nd visit for the EY mentors to our school. It had been almost a month  since it was quite difficult for the girls to meet with the mentors during the fasting season. The 15 mentors from Ernst & Young led by Lae-Hoon Tan wasted no time and quickly started interacting  with our girls. 

This  2nd time around  was much easier and EY mentors came well prepared with a nice word puzzle activity to help my girls warm up.

It is very good to see my girls grow in confidence and skills. A lot of that is because they experienced the love and care of many in the PACE program. Among those who showered them with care for their mentors from Ernst and Young. I watched animated group discussion take place between mentor and mentees.

Working through the activity sheet - the word puzzle  help the girls search out words on careers and places of work.  This makes the girls focus on what and where they would like to work in the future. Now they could consider various careers. I could really see the EY team came well prepared to help my girls consider various careers possibilities in the future.

It was good to see my girls in very relaxed poses talking in small groups with their mentors. We at SMK Convent Sentul are blessed by the  mentors in Ernst and Young who have taken precious time off their busy corporate work schedule to interact with my girls. Thank you.

Visit to Valley of Hope, Sungei Buloh.

Indian girls singing Mandarin songs? This was our challenge when we discovered that most of the recovered patients at the Valley of Hope's Leprosarium were Chinese and most of our girls were Indian. Oh ..oh......... A very interesting problem indeed. How did we solve it? Read on...!

3rd August 2013 was our 2nd enrichment activity for the North Soil and Chinese girls for the year. My girls were scheduled to visit the Valley of Hope and bring cheer to the residents through gifts and songs. The girls decided to give RM 700/- to purchase adult diapers, new  toiletries and Tupperware for the residents. I was much encouraged when some girls shared about this CSR visit to the Interact Club. It was then I realized my girls did not see the trip as a burden but saw it as an opportunity to bless. Soon Shubiny from the Interact Club approached me to see if the Interact Club could join this CSR trip. The Interactors gave another RM 300/- for the residents.  About 14 Interactors joined this trip.

CS girls with TOD youth at the Valley of Hope

Back to our Chinese songs dilemma - both for the Indian girls,  for the banana Chinese girls and also the banana school principal. The youth from Tabernacle of David, coordinated by Avis Ng printed for us the lyrics of several songs, complete with Chinese characters and Han Yi Pin Yin. We decided wisely to shortlist the song list to one famous popular Mandarin love song - Yue liang dai biao wo de xin ( the moon represents my heart ) and two English songs. We also went to the TOD Valley of Hope FB page and downloaded the YouTube movies. We practiced singing several songs using printed song scripts and everything ICT.

The song learning sessions turned out to be very interactive and fun and not as daunting as we thought it would be. Our girls were very open to cross cultural connections. Many questions about the words and pronunciation  were asked. Soon the Mandarin speaking girls decided they had to help us. Sor Wei Ning and Ng Jia En displayed their leadership in leading us to read the script properly. We read sentence by sentence to enunciate each character properly. Eventually we learnt the meaning of the characters, accompanied by much scribbling on the song scripts. Of course the famous wo ai ni ( I love you )was quickly identified and learnt.

Indian girls singing the Mandarin song from the song script
 while Shubiny enhances her script by writing down
what she hears and understand

The girls had fun learning through the songs. Even girls who were not going for the CSR trip came to learn the songs. The beauty of this learning session for me personally was that finally I learnt the whole song. I have always been an extreme banana Chinese and though I knew the tune of Yue liang dai biao wo de xin, I did not know the meaning of each character and had never been able to sing the song.  I now can sing this song from memory without referring to any script. I do hope this learning is permanent.

I heard my girls did Convent Sentul proud at the Valley of Hope. Several Interactors dressed in their Interact T shirt. I also heard they sang other songs - like Rasa Sayang upon the request of the residents. I also heard they met Indian residents and the Indian residents were very cheered to have conversation with my girls. The 1Malaysia spirit is well and alive in Convent Sentul!

Selamat Hari Raya dan selamat bercuti

To all Muslim teachers, staff and students,
Selamat Hari Raya Puasa.
















To all teachers, staff and students selamat bercuti - happy holidays

To all SPM and PMR students, use the 2 week break fruitfully to celebrate and also to revise.

God bless all of you

Regards

Pn Tan Tee Hwa

School is open on the 25 June 2013

Dear all students, teachers, parents and stakeholders,

School will re-open tomorrow 25 June 2013. Please refer to the sms from Haji Juahir who is the Vice President of the School Principals association. ( NYDP Majlis Pengetua KL)

I hope this clears the air for all of us who were confused by earlier announcements. We also pray the air clear physically. Please come to school with masks. See you tomorrow.

Regards

Pn Tan

Dear all students, teachers, parents and stakeholders of SMK Convent Sentul,

According to the Star on Line, all schools in KL and PJ will be closed tomorrow due to the worsening haze situation.

The school office will be opened at office hours. For subsequent days, kindly follow the news on TV.

Thank you. Have a good holiday.

Pn Tan

The LEE GEOK AI Computer Lab  was officially opened on 20 April 2013. We, in of SMK Convent Sentul accord this honor of renaming the computer lab. the Makmal Komputer LEE GEOK AI  in view of Mr Lee's many many contributions to our school. His sterling leadership as the Chairman of the Board of Governors, particularly in spearheading the solicitation of funds for the school computer lab was the main reason  for the set-up of  the new computer lab. Mr Lee Geok Ai has been re-elected Chairman of the Board of Governors  for the third term running.

We also had the honor of meeting many generous sponsors of SMK Convent Sentul for the first time when they came to celebrate this auspicious event together with us.

The first 23 sponsors as of 9 July 2011

but the final target was reached in September 2011

Ms Anne escorting in our much awaited guests -
 Mr Lee Geok Ai, Chairman of the Board of Governors,
Mr Teo and Mr Paul Lim of Inta Bina.

Standing left to right
Mr Yap, Mr Steven Gan, Mr Jeremy, Mr Terence, Mr Teo, Mr KC Tang, Mr Paul Lim
Seated left to right: Pn Tan, Pn Rose, Mr Lee, Sister Luke, Pn Zaini

The corsage being pinned on Mr Teo

The corsage being pinned on Mr Yap Kok Keong

Pang Jin Ling meeting Mr Paul Lim of Inta Bina

Mr Yap Kok Keong signing the guest book.

Pn Rose Ismail , YDP PIBG and guests witnessed
the unveiling of the marble plaque

Guests clapping as the gimmick is launched

Students waiting to show their ICT skills

We were delighted with the students' creative ICT skills. We viewed lovely and encouraging movies made by our students under the supervision of teachers. The students showed the computer animation games they had developed. Some showed how they maintained blogs. Some showed how they used ICT for lessons.

Below are some snippets of the movies done by the students. I am unable to upload them currently as they are quite heavy. The first section of the snippets are from the movie produced by the students under the supervision of Pn Fitri and Pn Harnida.

The credit for the movie for Hari Anugerah Cemerlang 2013
which showed the highlights of 2012 goes to ......

Happy in work and play

The heart of education is the education of the heart.

The following snippets are from the movie GlimpseofCS.wmv done by JazLyn Tan and Diana from 5 Bakawali 2013. They went around the school,  took photos and videos and interviewed a wide spectrum of students and  teachers.

Happy CS girls in co-curricular uniform.

Happy teachers in the canteen
Pn Hasnta, Cik Arpannah, Pn Raudah, Pn Wan Hasnorain

Happy CS students

Principal Tan Tee Hwa

I wish to thank all the teachers and students who have worked very hard to make this event a great success. Pn Harnida, Pn Sarah, Pn Fitri and the computer teachers were very passionate in training the students and developing their computer skills. Of special mention is Pn Vasantha who came up with the brilliant idea of honoring Mr Lee by renaming the computer lab the Makmal Komputer Lee Geok Ai.  Another teacher of special mention is Pn Wang Jok Kheng who persuaded her husband Mr Chew Hwa to generously donate the beautiful shiny black marble plaque used to officially name the lab. All the teachers and students worked very hard to make two major events on the 20th April 2013  - the Hari Anugerah Cemerlang 2013 and the official opening of the Makmal Komputer great successes. Thank you!!!

Colourful shoes in Convent Sentul during PACE .

The Edge Education Foundation, Ernst & Young and Taylor's University signed an MOU on the 22 Feb 2013 in Taylor's University Lakeside Campus to launch a pilot project under PACE (Programme for After Class Enrichment). SMK Convent Sentul is one of the schools in this pilot project. In this PACE programme, 15 Taylor's Business School students and their lecturers come to our school on gazetted Tuesday and Thursday from April to November 2013 to help  22 selected Form 1 students acquire skills in Mathematics and English.They will conduct activities to help students understand the teachers' lessons.

The colourful shoes of the Taylor's Business School 
students and lecturers arranged neatly outside 
the SAL room in SMK Convent Sentul.

Lecturer Chandra supervising 
his Taylor's students helping our girls.

PACE officially began on 23rd April 2013 in the SAL room. Our students revel in the attention given to them to help them understand and catch up on their studies. The school selected 3 teachers to provide tuition in B. Melayu, English and Mathematics on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The tuition and lunch for PACE students are sponsored by Kuala Lumpur Kepong. We are truly blessed to be selected to participate in this pilot intervention program! Thank you Kuala Lumpur Kepong for the generous sponsorship. 

Prior to the  actual activities starting in the SAL room, our students and their parents were taken to Ernst and Young's posh office in Damansara on the 12 April for their first briefing and an eye opening tour of the E&Y office! Our students and their parents, 3 teachers and I attended the event and were treated to a great meal and given goodie bags to bring home! This wonderful visit cum briefing was made a happy success by Lae Hoon Tan and Dorothy Teoh's careful and fast paced coordination. Thank you Lae Hoon and Dorothy!!!

Dorothy from the Edge Education Foundation

This week, our students enjoyed another treat. Kuala Lumpur Kepong sponsored students and chaperoning teachers to watch a play at KL PAC. Each ticket cost RM 125/- each! Wow! All in all for two nights 37 students and teachers enjoyed this treat. We truly appreciate this!

The girls will also be taken on an educational visit to an oil palm plantation and plant owned by the sponsor KLK in the months to come. The school and I look forward to the positive impact that PACE will have on SMK Convent Sentul Form 1 students.

Eventful April 2013

As I draw to the end of April and reflect how eventful March and April have been, I am thankful for the support of my wonderful teachers, responsible students, caring parents and active PIBG, Alumni and caring generous members of the Board of Governors and public stakeholders of the school.

In the midst of  many events in April, we competed and emerged Debate Champions for Zone Sentul for the first time. Our young girls in Form 1 and Form 2 also clinched 3rd place in Choral Speaking for Zone Sentul for the 2nd consecutive year. We had good wins in the chess competitions. And Parveen Kaur, our headgirl made us proud by becoming Johan Nilam for Kuala Lumpur. She went on to receive the 4th placing in the Nilam National Competition in the Bahasa Melayu category. Wow!

On April 2, we had for the first time the Sarana Ibubapa PMR 2013. This is the first time we have organized the event. Parents of  Form 3 students were invited to listen to how they could access the SAPS system to check on their children's marks. We also showed what the students had to produce in terms of PBS - school based system. I was encouraged by the large turnout of parents. The parents who came told me they found the event helpful.

On April 6, we had a wonderful and very fun Cross Country in Titwangsa Park. The invited aerobics coach who was very skilled had all of us warm up by doing many moves - from Gangnam to Bollywood to ...We were also blessed to have refreshingly cold Milo drinks courtesy of Prema who is the caring mother of one of our students.

On April 12, we took the PACE students and their parents to for their first official  briefing at Ernst and Young Office in Damansara. Our young girls were very excited to go on the outing especially when they saw the  MBS Sentul PACE boys coming on the trip. Many smiles lighted up the faces of  students, parents and teachers  during this outing.

On April 16, we had Sarana SPM which was an improved version of the Sarana PMR. Teachers showed interesting and colorful folio and samples of students' course work to the parents. Pn Fitri also showed videos of the students doing Peka Science.

Then during the morning of  April 20, we celebrated our students and teachers' successes at the Speech Day. Sister Luke Morales, the church representative from the Board of Governors graced the happy occasion as our esteemed guest of honor. Mr Lee Geok Ai, the chairman of the Board gave generously a sum of RM 6625/- to the top SPM students. Mr. Stanilaus, a parent also helped the school receive funds from the Youth Association a sum of RM 3,100/- for the 24 all A's PMR and 7 all As SPM students. Our grateful thanks to generous benefactors!

On the 20th of April at 12.30 pm, we received honored guests for the official opening of the Lee Geok Ai Computer Lab. Some of our girls who were sponsored RM 100/- per month met their sponsors for the first time on this occasion. Mr Lee Geok Ai, the Chairman of the Board of Governors unveiled the plaque to the lab and cut the red ribbon to enter the lab  to happy applause. Mr Lee Geok Ai  has spearheaded the sponsorship of the computers in the ICT lab and it is befitting for him to have the honor of the ICT lab named after him. I shall write more about this in another separate post.

On April 26-28, two busloads of excited campers from SMK Convent Sentul escorted by several carloads of teachers went up to Kuala Kubu Baru to have the "Kem Badan Beruniform". The girls had a very adventurous time - 76 girls went and completed their jungle trekking. All campers also completed the challenging obstacle race. 

What a busy month! Yet I see happy faces. We look forward to Labour Day and a much much needed rest. Rest, my dedicated teachers, rest and regain your strength.

SPM 2012 results and behind the scenes

SMK Convent Sentul announced the SPM 2012 results in the hall  on the 21st March 2013 to excited , students, teachers and parents. We are very happy to note a healthy improvement in the grade purata and the pass rate. What delighted us was the seven fold increase of the straight A's students!

Proud and happy parents, teachers and Pn Rose, YDP PIBG
with the straight A's SPM 2012 students.

Star write up on SPM results.

I heard on the news that there was an increase in the percentage of straight A for SPM 2012 so I thought our improvement would roughly correlate to that. However when I read the actual report and did some calculation, I had a pleasant surprise. I was delighted  to discover that the increase in all A's nation wide was about 3.44% but SMK Convent Sentul's increase was about a seven fold increase. Whoa!

I want to offer my congratulations and grateful thanks to all the teachers who worked very hard with our girls  to achieve the wonderful results. Eleven subjects showed improvement in grade average. These subjects are B. Inggeris, Pend. Islam, Pend. Moral, Mathematics, Ekonomi Asas, Add. Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology,Kesusateraan Tamil and B. Punjabi. Two subjects showed very marked improvement -  namely Ekonomi Asas from a grade average  of 4.57 improved to 2.85 and Physics from 5.02 improved to 3.83. Nine subjects recorded 100% passes.

Often students and parents see the happiness associated with good results but teachers know full well the hard work they have put in behind the scenes. The pic below shows the teachers hard at work even on SPM exam results day.

Teachers and YDP PIBG Pn Rose happy with the results.

Pn Wang ecstatic over the great improvement in Ekonomi Asas

Mr Lim and Pn Sarimah intently checking out
the wonderful Add. Maths and Maths results!!

Our happy all A's students with teachers, parent and Pn Rose

This year we have three 10 As students, Divyeruthra, Teoh Wei Yee ( our head girl ) and Dharshyini. We also have seven 9As students. Mr. Lee Geok Ai, the chairman of our Board of governors has promised me over RM 6K in cash prizes for girls with results over 5As to be given on our annual Speech Day on 20 April 2013. We hope this will be an inspiration for the students to work hard and to achieve even better results for 2013.

Much hard work has been put in by students, teachers, parents and supporters of the school to achieve the good results we had. Often the hard work is unseen but it is clearly there, behind the scenes. I am reminded of this by a special flower that bloomed this week near our fish pond.

Pink lined white lily from Amsterdam
in its 3rd blooming in SMK Convent Sentul
in  2 years.

This plant is special to me. I bought the lily bulb for 7 euro from Keukenhoff Gardens, Amsterdam, Holland  in late April 2012. Maran our gardener planted it and it bloomed beautifully, twice last year sporting about 9 blooms. Then it lay dormant for almost a year. Only leaves sprouted. Suddenly this week on Monday morning, I spotted this beautiful blossom. To me, this beautiful bloom was a prophetic symbol of the beautiful results that was to come on Thursday and believe me, on Wednesday  night, I was not at all anxious.

Little flower bulbs waiting to blossom

This time, it is not just one blossom but you can see the rest of the flower buds waiting to bloom. Again, the many little buds speak prophetically to me that we will not just have one beautiful moment of results but many  more, unusual, unexpected beautiful moments. 

Students and teachers and stakeholders of SMK Convent Sentul, I want to remind you that when a flower blooms, it speaks of the unseen work below the ground at the roots. It speak of the hard work behind the scenes, below the ground, at the roots level. So .. girls and teachers .., don't ever give up working in the very place where it counts - in the classroom - learning and teaching, marking scripts and books and doing corrections etc. Learn to work hard diligently and quietly below ground level.

One day,  your beautiful flower will bloom and  bring pleasure to all the world.