80, Rivervale Drive, Singapore 545092 Tel : 63887450 Fax : 63887449 Website: http://www.rivervalepri.moe.edu.sg Email: rivervale_ps@moe.edu.sg

Editorial Team:Advisors :MrMah,MdmMaria,MsChongEditors :MrJulianVictor,MsNicoleMarieDeSouza,MdmAzilahSub-editor :MrsPaulineFoongStudentContributors :DesireeChoo,UmarAttarmidzi,Shaheer,ElliseGozo,LuannaPeh,JanaardanJoshua,NicholasKoh,NeoKaiWei, TanSiWei,Kaisah,Ellysa,Kishen,MohammedNawfil,LimCaiYing,Qaisara,LeroiJune,DanielHadi,DarylHo,SwethaAdultContributors : MsChong,MdmNurHajar,MrsJamieYeo,MdmHamimahAdultPhotographers : MrBudiman,MsNicoleMarieDeSouza,MdmAlizLim,MsJanaki,MrKhair,MrsChoo,MdmNicoleTan

IssueNo. 42012

ContentsPg 2 Rivervale Welcomes – Vice-Principal Ms Chong

AccoladesPg 2 ‘The Write Way!’ Writing Competition School’s Green Audit Award - Lotus Sustained Achievement Award 2012

School ActivitiesPg 3 Lantern Festival Pg 4 Math and Science Fair Teachers’ Day CelebrationPg 5 Children’s Day Celebration Primary Five Cultural CampPg 6 Primary One Registration Exercise National Day cum Lower Primary Games DayPg 7 Health Promoting School Canteen (HPSC) Primary Two Science Fair

CollaborationPg 8 Visitors from Surabaya Visitors from Sekolah Convent Taiping

M y posting to Rivervale Primary as the Vice-Principal opens a new chapter in my education journey. I began my teaching career at the then Chinese High School and Dunman High School teaching gifted pupils. Subsequently, I was posted to MOE Headquarters. Then I did my Masters in Curriculum and Teaching on an MOE scholarship. Prior to Rivervale Primary School, I was the Vice-Principal

of Tampines Junior College and Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School.

It is indeed a great privilege to join this big, happy family at Rivervale Primary School. Although I am relatively new to the school, I already feel immersed in the strong culture of care and learning. This is a wonderful school with excellent teachers and lovely children. I look forward to working closely with the Principal, Vice-Principal, all staff members, parents and stakeholders to bring the school to greater heights.

Ms Chong Siew FongVice-Principal

R i v e r v a l e We l c o m e s – V i c e - P r i n c i p a l M s C h o n g

Accolades

‘ T h e Wr i t e Way ! ’ Wr i t i n g Co m p e t i t i o n

Green Audit Award - Lotus Award (SSA) 2012

R ivervale Primary was recently awarded the Lotus Sustained Achievement Award by the Singapore Environment Council. This is the third time the school has won the award

and it affirms the good work of all Riverlites in their continuous efforts to conserve and improve the environment.

The pupils are fully immersed in the Green Culture through a myriad of school and co-curricular activities. These activities consist of projects pertaining to waste minimisation and resource conservation and are seamlessly integrated into the curriculum. The school also celebrates Earth Hour, Earth Day and Green Week annually. As a result of such comprehensive and holistic activities, the pupils’ awareness, involvement and interest in the Green Movement has become a part of the school’s culture. Let us continue to do our part to conserve the environment. Remember ‘One Earth. Live Earth. Love Earth.’

Mdm Nur Hajar

G etting into the finals for the ‘Write Way’ Competition was a dream come true! I submitted

my writing to my teacher and did not think about it further. Imagine my surprise, when the organisers emailed my father to tell him that I had made it to the finals. I was both nervous and excited as I made my way to Jurong Point Shopping Centre. There, I was given an envelope and thirty minutes to complete a passage. From the time I finished writing to the time the results were announced, I was a bundle of nerves. When they announced that I had won the fourth prize, I jumped with joy and went up the stage to collect my plaque. I would like to thank my teachers, Mrs Tan Li Min, Mdm Tan and my friends for their support and encouragement.

Desiree Choo (3A)

2

School Activities

I look forward to the Lantern Festival every year as I get to visit the school at night and see it in a different light. With lanterns and spotlights hung

around the school, it looks and feels different too - almost magical. However, this year was extra special as I was chosen to be the emcee for the concert. It was unexpected but I felt that I was up for the challenge! It was quite nerve wrecking to prepare for the big day as I kept fumbling over the pronunciations of the words. As the day approached, I kept telling myself that I could do it as I had done it before. The concert went on without a hitch and I was relieved! Though I did not have the time to truly enjoy the concert, I could see that the crowd was really enjoying the performances, playing at the game stalls and tasting the different flavoured mooncakes. After I had done my duty, I played at the different game stalls and Spooky House and I even won a prize at one of the stalls. What an enjoyable day!

Umar Attarmidzi (4A)

L a n t e r n Fe s t i v a l

3

O n 31 August, we celebrated Teachers’ Day. It was a memorable day as we had the opportunity to show our appreciation to

our teachers. The atmosphere was festive as the pupils waited eagerly to watch their peers perform in the concert. The concert was led and coordinated by the Prefects’ Executive Committee.

The concert included vibrant performances and interesting games. This year, we had a special performance put up by our Parent Volunteers and a thank you speech by an ex-Riverlite who is presently

training to be a teacher at National Institute of Education. The teachers also received gifts from our Parent Volunteers and an Innovation and Enterprise booklet which was a compilation of innovative ideas by the pupils to enhance teaching and learning. After the concert, the pupils headed back to class for a class party. During the party, we got to know our teachers better and gave presents to them as well. The day was indeed enjoyable and we hope the teachers enjoyed themselves too. Thank you teachers for all your dedication and hard work to enable us to reach our fullest potential.

Luanna Peh and Janaardan Joshua (5E)

School Activities

Te a c h e r s ’ Day Ce l e b rat i o n

T he Math and Science Fair is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the subjects and their use in our daily lives. All the classes in Primary Four and Five set up booths

to display Science experiments. My class experiment was a very simple one. It was to blow into straws of different lengths and listen to the sound produced. What we discovered while preparing for the fair was that a longer straw made a low pitched sound and a shorter straw made a high pitched sound. During the fair, we had the chance to view experiments set up by the other classes. The ‘Solid or Liquid’ booth was fascinating. The substance was like

nothing we had ever seen or touched before. When a lot of force was used, our hands did not pass through the substance which had a dough-like consistency. But when less force was used, our hands passed through the substance easily! The balloon-propelled car was also very interesting. There were many Math posters on display too. In the end, we had the chance to vote for our favourite experiment! It was a fun day for everyone! This fair taught us many Math and Science concepts in a fun manner and we would love to participate in it again!

Shaheer and Ellise M. Gozo (5G1)

M at h a n d S c i e n c e Fa i r

4

School Activities

D uring Children’s Day, we were very excited as Mdm Azilah said that we were going to make our own masks. We made our masks in the classroom while enjoying the food that was available for the class party. We also listened to music while making the

masks. Everyone had so much fun! Then, we went to the hall to watch the concert. The HL Milk performance was very informative as we learnt the benefits of drinking milk regularly. The cow was also very cute as “he” pranced on stage. There were a number of performances put up by the teachers of the various levels but the most exciting dance performance was by the Primary Six teachers. They performed tricks using a football and danced on stage! We had such great fun on that day and hopefully next year’s celebration will be even more exciting.

Nicholas Koh and Neo Kai Wei (4A)

O n 3 September, we gathered in school to attend a Chinese Cultural Camp. During the camp, we learnt

many interesting facts about Chinese history and culture. In one of the activities, we learnt how the actors change their appearances during an opera performance. It was fascinating to watch the speed at which the changes were done. We also learnt about the characters found in the book - ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’. After we learnt to make kites, we played some traditional games like Chapteh. We learnt how to tie Chinese knots too. Though the knots looked deceptively simple, I only managed to master it after making a lot of mistakes and through sheer perseverance. Although it was a tiring day, the memory of the day is still etched deeply in my mind.

Tan Si Wei (5A)

D uring the September holidays, the Tamil pupils attended a Tamil Cultural Camp. We had a lot of fun learning

about the Indian culture and playing traditional games. I particularly enjoyed the traditional game called “Uri Adithal”. This game involves a blindfolded person using a bamboo stick to hit a clay pot filled with water. However, our game was modified and we used water bombs instead. Then we had lunch which was served on banana leaves. We were also taught how to fold the leaves and discard them and the significance of doing it right. We also learnt a traditional dance called “Oyilaattam” which involved brightly coloured cloths. We really enjoyed the camp as it was both enjoyable and enriching. We look forward to more of such camps in future!

Kishen (5A) and Mohamed Nawfil (5B)

T he Primary Five Malay pupils attended a Malay Cultural Camp during the September holidays.

The objective of the camp was to impart to us knowledge about our culture and art. A lot of the activities were centred on a wedding theme. We learnt about the ancient Malay martial art, Silat, and its significance at a wedding ceremony. We also learnt how to make the Bunga Mangga and play the kompang. It was my first time playing the kompang and executing the Silat moves. We enjoyed the activities of the day and ended the day on a high by having nasi briyani for lunch.

Kaisah (5E) and Ellysa (5F)

P r i m a r y F i v e Cu lt u ra l C a m p

C h i l d r e n ’s Day Ce l e b rat i o n

5

School Activities

N at i o n a l Day c u m L o w e r P r i m a r y G a m e s DayT his year’s National Day celebration, as in previous years,

was awash in a sea of red. Everyone came dressed in red and white which lent a festive atmosphere to the whole

proceedings. My favourite part was the formal ceremony in the parade square and the community singing. As the music played in the background, the Scouts and Red Cross members marched in with the flag. This always forms a lump in my throat. The songs and the recollection heard and sung once a year makes me feel warm and proud to be a Singaporean. I was involved in one of the items during the concert. I had to read the prize-winning essay I had written for a competition in conjunction with our country’s 47th National Day. I was nervous before I went on stage but filled with pride as I read my essay aloud. The essay was inspired by my Social Studies teacher, Mrs Poon. During her lessons, she told us many wonderful stories about Singapore and its strengths. Mrs Poon’s stories were not only interesting but filled with nuggets of information. I am very proud to be a Singaporean!

Lim Cai Ying (4A)

D uring the Lower Primary Games Day, we had fun playing many games. One of the games that we played was throwing bean bags into hula hoops. It was stressful but fun because

not only were we trying to help our house win the championship but our parents and classmates were also there to support and cheer us on. The floorball competition was challenging as the ball refused to stay on course and rolled all over the parade square. It was frustrating at times but rewarding when we managed to bring the ball back to our team. My favourite game was the skipping game. We skipped energetically and managed to win the first prize. In the end, after all the cheering, shouting and screaming, Seletar emerged as the Champion house!

Qaisara (1F)

T he Primary One Registration Exercise was carried out from 3 July to 31 August 2012. Our school had 240 Primary One vacancies for the year 2013. After the initial phases, there were 71 vacancies for Phase 2C. The total number of applicants for this phase was 147. As the total

number of applicants for this phase exceeded the number of vacancies, balloting was conducted on 7 Aug for applicants who are Singapore Citizens living within one kilometre of the school. Parents who were successful were joyous while the unsuccessful applicants were informed of their next course of action. This is the 12th year since 1999 that the school has conducted balloting for Phase 2C. Congratulations to all the successful applicants and see you in 2013!

Mrs Jamie YeoHead of Dept. Science

P r i m a r y O n e Re g i s t rat i o n E xe r c i s e

6

School Activities

O n 10 September, the school embarked on a ‘Health Promoting School’ (HPSC) programme to introduce our Riverlites to healthy, well-balanced meals. Through this

programme, the school hopes to expose Riverlites to set meals that are well balanced. These healthy set meals, with the right portion of fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates and protein, are prepared by the school’s canteen vendors and served on new colourful plates. This programme also aims to develop healthy lifestyle habits in our Riverlites that will stand them in good stead for the future.

The school canteen was also redecorated with colourful murals incorporating holistic health messages that promote a healthy lifestyle, good mental health, financial literacy, good eye care and safety habits.

M y classmates and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the Science Fair where we learnt about electrical circuits, how to make roto copters fly faster and the sounds produced when air is blown into straws, among other things.

To prepare for the fair, we brainstormed for ideas. After considering all the ideas, we decided to make levers. We made the levers using recycled materials like plastic, cardboard and fasteners. Through trial and error, we successfully made levers which were strong enough to grip and lift a paper cup! We learned a lot about how things work during the Science Fair!

Leroi June and Daniel Hadi (2D)

H e a lt h P r o m o t i n g S c h o o l C a n t e e n

P r i m a r y Tw o S c i e n c e Fa i r

Moving forward, the school aims to form partnerships with organisations and individuals who promote healthy living. This is in line with MOE’s Holistic Health Framework and the World Health Organisation’s Global School Initiative to encourage everyone to eat and live healthily.

Mdm HamimahSubject Head Pupil Well-Being

7

Collaboration

v isitors from Surabaya joined us in Rivervale Primary for a total of three days. Some of us were chosen to buddy with these pupils and I was one of them. They stayed in our class and

took part in all our class and school activities. They were friendly and kind and I enjoyed their company very much. I enjoyed bringing them around the school and exploring the different corners of the school. Over the three days, we visited Snow City, Science Centre and the Zoo. We had a digital art lesson with them too in which we designed many wonderful images. There was no limit to our creativity. I played games with my buddy during recess and got to know him better during mealtimes. On the last day, we performed for them and exchanged gifts. We also took lots of photographs to document the time spent together. When they left, we were sad but I had a fun time and hope they had fun too.

Daryl Ho (4C)

O n the day the visitors from Sekolah Convent Taiping arrived, we were very excited. To get ready for their arrival, we had an early recess and were told to be

back in the hall by 9.25am. They joined us for our Spelling Bee Competition and that put a little more pressure on us to do our class and school proud. They arrived punctually and it was then we realised that it was a girls’ school. It was interesting to note that they wore different types of uniforms, such as the baju kurung and pinafore, but the uniforms were all of the same colour. They entertained us with some performances and I was really impressed by their choral reading. They read with so much expression! We interacted with them for a while and though they were shy initially, they soon warmed up and everyone had fun. I enjoyed the event very much.

Swetha (4E)

V i s i t o r s f r o m S u ra b ay a

V i s i to r s f r o m S e ko l a h Co nve n t Ta i p i n g

8