Issue No.1 2013 Contents Pg 2 Message from the Principal - Not Some But Everyone PSLE Results 2012 Accolades Pg 3 The Road To PSLE Pg 4 21st Century International Arts Festival 2012 Singapore RoboMasters Cup 2012 Pg 5 Niche Status For DANCE FEVER National Track and Field Championship School Activities Pg 6 Speech Day 2012 Pg 7 Primary One Orientation and Activities Pg 8 Ushering In The Year Of Snake Pg 9 Rivervale Welcomes Our Zonal Director CCA Fridays Pg 10 Sports Day International Friendship Day Pg 11 Primary Fours Go Camping Pg 12: Primary Twos Overnight Experience Primary Twos Speech and Drama Learning Journeys Editorial Team Pg 13: Primary Fours Visit Places of Worship Primary Ones Visit Marina Barrage Collaborations Pg 14: Prefects Investiture Mathematics Workshop For Parents Project Globalisation Pg 15: Primary Threes Visit Malacca Primary Fives Visit Perth Pg 16: Primary Fours Visit Surabaya Primary Fives Visit Japan Editors : Ms Nicole Marie De Souza, Ms Marlina, Mdm Wahidah Sub-Editors : Media Club Members Student Contributors : Chong Wei Ru, Swetha, Cheyenne Low, Lucian Ho, CT Mani Lakshimanan, Grace Chia, Dayanti, Estelle Chua, Sarah Mattea Lim En-Xuan, Shwetha Sigapi Narayanan, Steffin Teo, Leong Hui Eng, Kiran s/o Kasinathan, Haziq Aiman, Danial Toh, Kenneth Brian Pereira, Henry Yap, Vivian Chay, Alifah Liyana, Lim Yu Jie Raysen, Nicole Han, Isabel Wong, Amir Sufyan, Vicki Yeow Wei Ting, Reiko Koo Ker Ning, Eileen Ho, Irdina, Krithic, Yeo En Qi Angie, Mohd Ilhan, Chung Weng Ching, Lim Cai Ying, Charise Tang, Nanddika Adult Contributors : Mr Mah, Ms Brenda Ng, Mrs Linda De Souza, Ms Chong, Mdm Norasidah Murat, Mrs Oh Adult Photographers : Mr Budiman, Mdm Rhadiyah, Mrs Tan Li Min, Mrs Ler Jui Lin, Mdm Wahidah, Ms Nicole Marie De Souza, Mdm Norasidah Murat, Ms Nur Liyana Jawini, Mrs Janet Quek, Mrs Jamie Yeo, Ms Veronica Tan, Mr Loy Kah Tai, Mr Ho Kar Yan, Mr Jonathon Loh, Mdm Wong Wan Hui, Mrs Goh, Mr Mohd Khair, Mr Kumaran, Mdm Zubaidah, Mr Soh 80, Rivervale Drive, Singapore 545092 Tel : 63887450 Fax : 63887449 Website: http//www.rivervalepri.moe.edu.sg Email: rivervale_ps@moe.edu.sg
Principal s message Not Some But Everyone We offer our heartiest congratulations to our recent graduates who have attained excellent results at the 2012 PSLE. These wonderful Riverlites have exemplified the school value of being hardworking and they have made us very proud with their achievements. We would also like to thank all staff for their inspirational hard work and the strong partnerships we enjoyed with our parents. Our graduates have once again produced an upward trend in our PSLE results, with more pupils going to secondary schools, more pupils scoring above 250 and more promoted to the Express stream. A scan of our other accolades testifies the holistic education that Rivervale has delivered. At Rivervale Primary, we work towards our Vision of The Rivervale School of Excellence, Individuals of Character which is unpacked in our focus for 2012 and 2013. Our focus for 2013 remains as: Synergistic Partnership Culture of Innovation Servant Leadership The School Leaders and Staff strongly believe that the 5 values of the school, namely Positive Attitude, Hardworking, Caring, Loyalty and Teamwork will be manifested in these 2013 focus for our pupils: We would like to place on record the wonderful partners who have supported the school throughout the years. The Parent Support Group has been instrumental in providing feedback on school programmes, selecting the Student Care Centre Provider as well as recognising staff for their hard work. We also would like to thank our School Advisory Committee, led by Mr Jimmy Tay, for their generous and continual support. In addition, our deepest appreciation goes out to the Alumni members for their steadfast support and their generous sponsorship of the Alumni Scholarship. Last but not least, our deep and sustained collaborations with community partners have made learning richer for both the staff and pupils of Rivervale Primary. Leading Myself Serving Others Preparing for the Future To support these focus, time has been specially set aside to develop all pupils in Creativity, Financial Literacy as well as Media Literacy in the newly crafted Literacy 21 sessions as well as the School-wide Leadership and Public Speaking Series. We know that we can count on the unwavering support of the parents for our aspirations to come to fruition. Moving forward, we will work together towards Not Some but Everyone, our tagline for 2012 and 2013. Succeed and Excel! Mr Andrew Mah Principal PSLE Results 2012 Year 2010 2011 2012 Average T-Score 199.8 202 203 Pupils with an aggregate score of more than 250 at the recent PSLE 2012 1 CHEW JUN HAO, KEITH 2 CHIA YI XUAN, LARISSA 3 CHLOE KANG YUN HUI 4 CHONG WEI RU 5 CLAIRE SIM QIU YAN 6 COLMAN LOW HAO EN 7 DANISH UZAIR B ABDUL HAMID K S 8 ERIC HO CHI KIAT 9 FAN YUXUAN 10 FOO JI HUI 11 FOO XIN YUE 12 JEROME LEE JIAN LE 13 JOHN CHIA HENG KIT 14 KENJI TOH IAN YI 15 KEVIN JOSEPH PEREIRA 16 KOH CHIN QI REINALD 17 LAKSHAYA KARTHIKEYAN 18 LEE CHENG DA 19 LIM ZI YU 20 LOO YU HAO 21 LUKESH S/O SANDRAMOGAN 22 MUHAMMAD HARITS ZHARIF B AKBAR 23 NAH DAMIEN 24 NATHAN HO LI RUI 25 NEO JIE YUN JAMIE 26 NEO XIN YI JAMIE 27 NG SE HNG WAYNE 28 NG SE KIT ETHAN 29 NG WAN QING, ADELE 30 SEAN MICHAEL KOH 31 SHI JIAYI, JOEY 32 SRIDHARAN SWETHA 33 TANG ZHEN EN 34 WANG LI RONG 35 XUAN WU QI 36 YAP YI XUAN 2
Accolades The Road To PSLE I would like to use this opportunity to thank my Primary 6 Form Teacher, Mr Julian and my Mother Tongue Teacher, Mdm Sivakamy, as they have played a great role in helping me achieve my good score for the PSLE. Mr. Julian taught us to visualize doing well for PSLE, goal setting and to manage our time wisely. We were taught to do some Mathematics sums mentally to score high marks and to increase our speed in computing which led me to get an A*. For English, we were paired up to improve our oral communication and learnt how to summarise texts for easier comprehension. To avoid confusion when approaching Science multiple choice questions, he taught us to identify the scientific concepts and applying it helped me to get A* in Science as well. He constantly encouraged, motivated and spent his valuable time with us. Mdm Sivakamy also motivated me to do well for my PSLE. When she learnt that I wanted to drop Higher Tamil Language (HTL), she advised me not to give it up and motivated me to continue taking HTL. That led me to receive a Distinction in HTL. She also gave us many model compositions and good phrases to use in our compositions. She spent time addressing our doubts. Moreover, she recommended good Mother Tongue books and constantly gave us examination papers for revision. In preparation for my PSLE, I read newspapers and books to improve on my grammar and vocabulary skills. I also jotted down notes during lessons and referred to them when I was doing my homework or revision. Doing different schools examination papers really exposed me to different kinds of questions and the various schools standards. By doing many exercises, I was able to identify my weak areas and I could focus on doing more assessments on the topics I was weak in. When the PSLE was nearing, I felt very nervous as it was my first time taking a national examination. When I was stressed, I listened to music or read books. I would also visualise how it would be like on the day of the examination. This visualisation helped me a lot as on the actual day of the PSLE, I seemed to feel more relaxed as though I had taken the examination before. Lastly, I would like to wish all the P6 students good luck for their upcoming PSLE! Good luck Riverlites, you can do it! Chong Wei Ru 6B 2012 Nan Chiau High School 2013 I would like to thank Mr Mah for organising the motivation camp to make us understand the importance of the PSLE. I am very grateful to Rivervale for helping me to achieve good results which enabled me to be accepted into my dream secondary school. Swetha 6B 2012 National Junior College 2013 3
Accolades 21 st Century International Arts Festival Chinese Dance Wins Gold With Honours It was the morning of 26 November 2012. I got up early in the morning for my trip to Genting Highlands, Malaysia. The trip was specially organized for the Chinese dancers as we were performing at the 21st Century International Arts Festival. It was also a reward for us as we were awarded Gold with Honours at the Singapore Youth Festival in the Chinese Dance category. was announced that we were awarded Gold with Honours, all of us jumped for joy and many of us burst into tears. We could not believe that we were awarded the highest possible award twice in a year! After the competition, we went to the theme park and sat on as many rides as we could. Then, we left Genting Highlands and headed to Kuala Lumpur. We gathered at the canteen for the final briefing, after which, Mr Mah and Ms Chong bade us farewell and expressed their well wishes. We bid farewell to them and our parents and boarded the bus with excitement. On our second day, it was time for us to work. We had an early breakfast and then proceeded to the Grand Ballroom at the First World Hotel for our rehearsal. We were a bundle of nerves on the day of the competition but when we were on stage, we gave our very best performance. When it We stopped at an orphanage in Kuala Lumpur and had a lot of fun playing with the children. After that, we headed to Berjaya Times Square where we stayed and shopped at the big mall. Before we knew it, it was the day of our departure to head back home. We are extremely proud of our achievement and it would not have been possible without the help and support of our instructor, teachers and the school. Cheyenne Low 5C Singapore RoboMasters Cup 2012 Robotics Team Triumphs 4 On 26 November, our Robotics team took part in one of the major competitions of the year, the Singapore Robotics Masters Cup. That day, our four teams boarded the bus in high spirits, looking forward to the competition. After a long and bumpy ride, we finally reached the megamall, JCube. We got off the bus excitedly and took the lift up to the garden, where the competition was held. Preet! The competition began. 30 teams from all over Singapore were battling for the championship trophy. After a few battles, we managed to take the lead. A few tiring battles later, all four teams from Rivervale made it into the quarter finals! It dawned on me that this would be the hardest battle of all for two reasons. Firstly, it was the quarter-finals and secondly, we had to battle our own schoolmates and friends. However, our strong Riverlites stood their ground and fought to the end. In the end, my partner, Christopher Yong (6A) and I placed first after a five minute long challenge. The fearsome Benny (6A) and Akash (6F) were second and the awesome Daryls, Daryl Teo (6A) and Daryl Lee (6C) emerged as second runner-ups. We were so thankful that we seized the moment and became the champions! Carpe Diem! Lucian Ho 6B
accolades NICHE STATUS FOR DANCE FEVER Recently, Rivervale was awarded niche status for DANCE FEVER programme (Dance Aces Nurturing Cultural Expression For EVEry Riverlite) which supports 21st Century Student Outcomes through the performing arts. In this programme, every Riverlite goes through a 10-week module of an hour weekly of dance lessons. At the end of the dance modules, pupils put up class performances to showcase to their level. Furthermore, selected classes are given opportunities to put up their class performances at school-based concerts such as Teachers Day and Speech Day. Such arrangements provided the necessary platforms for the development of the pupils confidence and creativity. Pupils who demonstrate outstanding potential in the dance curriculum are identified and invited to join the CCA dance groups where they undergo more structured and intensive training for SYF, competitions and performances beyond Singapore. The school is also implementing a structured system of helping pupils keen on pursuing the passion in dance beyond primary school via the DSA through a Dance Talent Programme (DT-Pro) for talented dancers where the focus is on learning higher level dance skills for accreditation. In addition to the dance lessons and CCAs, pupils experience other opportunities to engage in the artistic processes of dance throughout the year via school-wide platforms such as DANCE FEVER mass dances at ACES Day and Children s Day. Besides being physically engaged in dance, Riverlites are also engaged in the affective and reflective domains through the reflection of dance performances that is structured, at assembly programmes and NE events throughout the year. These experiences provide Riverlites the opportunities to tap on their dance experience to make informed appreciation of the dance performances that they are watching. It is believed that DANCE FEVER will accelerate our pupils capacity to grow holistically and they will be ready with the skills and competencies to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. Ms Brenda Ng 54 th National Primary School Track and Field Championship I was thrilled to be the gold medalist for 200m D Division Boys in the 54th National Track and Field competition for primary schools. It was an experience that I will never forget. I am a member of Rivervale school soccer team and Athletics is my second Co- Curricular Activity. I love to run and my brother, Arasu, has inspired me to run competitively for this national championship competition. My brother was a silver medalist for 200m B Division Boy race and we like to run together during weekends. I have been training with the Rivervale Athletics team every Monday afternoon since the beginning of the year. Mr Augustine has been our coach and the training sessions had conditioned me in preparation for the competition. This competition was very tough as many athletes from other schools were fast runners. I am glad that I was able to overcome difficulties to emerge as the winner with self-discipline and a positive attitude. I also like to thank my parents for supporting me in my passion for running. My mother would go to Bishan stadium to watch me run in my events and my father would run together with me during weekends. In the next National Track and Field, I would like to break the record for the 200m event. I hope to win more medals and bring glory to the school. CT Mani Lakshimanan P4C 5
School Activities SPEECH DAY 2012 Before Speech Day, all the Primary Sixes had to learn the famous, worldwide dance hit, Gangnam Style. Initially we were not so enthusiastic about it but after many lessons we got the hang of it and realised that we should put in all our effort as it would be the last thing we would do as Riverlites. After our instructors made their final selections, I was one of those lucky enough to be chosen to perform the dance for Speech Day. The excitement and joy I felt when my teacher told me that I was top in the Primary 5 level and won best in all subjects still remains etched in my mind. The moment of glory I felt when I walked up on stage could not be described in words. The thunderous applause put me on cloud nine and it s all thanks to my wonderful teachers. I managed to achieve this success by listening attentively to my teachers. I revised my work regularly so that I did not have to burn the midnight oil during the examination period. Instead, I would relax, do some light exercises and sleep early before my examinations. These helped me to relax my mind and to do well for my examinations. Grace Chia 6A We had many rehearsals and before we knew it, Speech Day had arrived. All of us came to school early in the morning to do our make-up and have a final rehearsal. We were all so nervous yet excited as we waited backstage. Once Mr Zakir introduced our item, we went on stage and were greeted by a thunderous applause from the audience. The music started and we danced our hearts out. As the dance came to an end, I suddenly remembered all of my sweet memories in Rivervale. When Speech Day came to a close, I realised that I was going to miss everyone in the school including the cleaners and security guards. This truly the best primary school to be in and I will treasure all the memories forever. Dayanti 6G1 2012 Yio Chu Kang Secondary School 2013 6
The three days Induction Programme helped to inform the Primary One parents about what to expect and how to cope with the up-coming challenges which their children may encounter in Rivervale. School Activities Primary One Orientation and Activities teacher, Mrs Chan, who helped the Primary 1E s parents to feel and to experience the many beautiful moments our children would be experiencing while learning, playing, interacting and studying together with their classmates and teachers in the classroom. Parents were not only informed about how Rivervale functions daily but we were also shown the comprehensive curriculum framework as set by MOE. These helped to ease the anxiety that many parents may have when placing their children in a brand new environment. Having such knowledge would subsequently pave the way for an open and more trusting relationship between school and parents as we work closely in ensuring that our children have a healthy and purposeful life in school every day. It was also an opportunity to meet the Form Teachers in the classroom. I had an enjoyable session meeting my son s form My son, Paul, is very happy to be in Rivervale. He was proud to have his older brother as his buddy to take care of him and to see to his needs during the three days of orientation. Having a Full Time School Counsellor is good as many distressed children will have an avenue to turn to when in crisis!. They can have the assurance that someone is there to lend a listening ear and give comfort in days of trouble. Overall, we felt the programme was well organised, supportive and informative. Thank you for a wonderful programme! Mrs Linda De Souza mother of Paul De Souza 1E My First Day of School My first day in school was an exciting experience for me. My parents and I walked to school together. Friendly students and teachers greeted us and told us to go to the hall for assembly. A cheerful man went up the stage. He said he was Mr Andrew Mah, the school principal and the father of Rivervale Primary School. We sang the National Anthem and recited the pledge. Then, the prefects brought us to our classroom. Our classroom had many colourful tables and chairs. A pretty lady came in and told us she was Ms Aishah, the Form Teacher of Primary 1A. Ms Aishah told us to sit down and read to us a storybook titled, The Farm Concert. Later, we learned to sing the Washy Washy Clean song and we learnt how to do the silent clap. During recess, the Primary 3 students came to our class. A girl named, Riko, was my buddy. She was very nice. She held my hand and we walked to the canteen. The canteen had eight stalls selling different types of food. Riko helped to carry my food to the table. After eating, Riko brought me up to the hall and I sat quietly while waiting for Ms Aishah to bring us back to class. When school ended, Ms Aishah led us to the gate. I was very happy to see my mother waiting for me at the school gate. On my way home, I shared with my mother the things I did on the first day of school. 2nd January was my first day of school. On my way to Rivervale Primary School, I was very nervous but excited. Rivervale Primary School is a very big school! I walked up to the hall with the rest of the pupils. In the hall, I was very happy to see my form teacher, Ms Aishah, who led us to our class. I love my classroom. There are many colourful tables and chairs! I learned to make friends in class. We told each other our names and played some games. We also learned to wash our hands the right way. It was so fun! Soon, it was recess. The big brothers and sisters from Primary 3 came to our class. My buddy was Brenda. She was very friendly and nice. She helped to carry my food during recess. She then showed me the parade square. She promised to play with me after I had finished eating. After recess, we went back to the hall. I suddenly felt scared because I could not find my class. Luckily, Brenda showed me the way. I saw my other 1A friends. By the end of the day, I could not wait to tell my parents about my first day of school. I thought it would be a scary day in school. Instead, I had fun learning and making new friends. I love school very much! Estelle Chua 1A Lim En-Xuan, Sarah Mattea 1A 7
School Activities Ushering In the year of the snake I was the emcee for the Chinese New Year concert. My friends and I, who were the emcees, had two trainings for the Chinese New Year concert. I had a difficult time pronouncing Cai Shen Ye. On the actual day, we were extremely excited. While waiting backstage, we saw Mr Zakir dressed up as the King in the Zodiac skit. The dragon dance was excellent and Colonel Swee and Mr Mah painted the eye on the dragon. Ms Janaki prompted us when it was our turn to be on stage. During one part of the concert, the Red Cross members collected donations for the less fortunate. Mr Mah also gave a speech about the year of the snake. One of the most memorable parts of the concert was when the Cai Shen Ye mascots danced on stage. They were really adorable. The Chinese dancers also performed a wonderful performance called Mei La Gou Mei. Some Primary 2 pupils who were dressed as the 12 Zodiac animals danced with the Fusion dancers. They looked very cute in their costumes. The concert ended with Mr Mah presenting the oranges to the staff. It was truly an enjoyable concert and I hope you enjoyed it too. Shwetha Sigapi Narayanan 5C It was Chinese New Year! This was my favourite part of the year whereby we received hong baos from relatives whom we visited. I was a bundle of nerves as I was going to put up a dance performance at the Chinese New Year concert. I was part of the Fusion dancers who were to perform with the Primary 2 pupils who were dressed as the Zodiac Animals. The emcee welcomed us up on stage and we danced to the music. Within a minute, our dance ended. I was glad that we made no mistakes. We quickly rushed to the change out of our costumes so that we could be in time for the Lo Hei which was specially organised for the Primary Six pupils. I was very happy to be able to Lo Hei with my friends. We received mandarin oranges from the Guest of Honour. I will definitely remember this Chinese New Year once I leave the school. Steffin Teo 6B 8
Rivervale welcomes our zonal director School Activities CCA Fridays Co-curricular Activities (CCAs) form an integral part of Rivervale s vision in building Individuals of Character. To ensure that every Riverlite receives the opportunity to develop his or her potential via CCAs, the school embarked on a common CCA timing during curriculum hours at the beginning of this year. Every child would participate in a CCA on every Friday morning. To meet the diverse interest of the whole school, more CCAs were formed. A new addition to the Sports family is Basketball. The team was formed to provide opportunities for aspiring players to sharpen their skills and to cultivate values such as sportsmanship, teamwork and leadership. On 12 March, Rivervale Primary was honoured with the presence of Zonal Director Schools North (ZDSN), Mrs Lim Thian Loke, who visited the school together with N1 Cluster Superintendent, Mr William Pushpam and 3 project officers. After a warm welcome by the school leaders, Mrs Lim was led on a school tour where she stopped by the school canteen to learn more about our Healthy Eating in Schools Programme from our pupil ambassadors. These ambassadors eagerly shared their knowledge of healthy living and healthier food choices with Mrs Lim; much to her delight. After that, she witnessed a dance lesson in the school hall to better understand the school s niche programme, D.A.N.C.E Fever. At the Sky Garden, she observed how a class of passionate and enthusiastic Riverlites made use of technology and experiential learning to better appreciate and apply science concepts. New clubs were also formed. One of which is the Financial Literacy Club, which aims to promote financial management through imparting the virtues of saving and budgeting and making informed choices. Some other clubs such as the Chess Club and Scrabble and Board Games Club were formed to provide opportunities for members to develop cognitive and intellectual skills in an interactive and stimulating environment. The Debating Circle was formed to develop pupils intellectually and to train them to be eloquent and confident speakers. Another interesting addition was the Culinary Club, which aims to provide enriching experiences in the kitchen while promoting healthy and nutritious food. To keep up with the ever-changing technological landscape, Digital Art was introduced to incorporate the use of technology in the production of art while Media Club aims to introduce pupils to the world of Mass Communication by learning different media tools. The diverse CCAs give pupils more opportunities to pursue their interest in various areas, be it sports, performing arts, uniformed groups or clubs and societies. Mdm Norasidah Murat CCA Teacher-in-charge In the library, a group of charming Primary Two pupils proudly talked about their learning as they prepared for their musical based on the popular children s tale, Charlotte s Web. They even shared their own secret tips to overcome stage fright with Mrs Lim. Besides gaining confidence in public performances, these pupils showed how arts provided an excellent platform for character development and values inculcation with their exemplary behaviour and mannerisms. The last stop for Mrs Lim was the PAL room. The School Leaders took turns to present an overview of the school and our main programmes. After the presentations, Mrs Lim had a wonderful dialogue session with our teachers on various Ministry of Education initiatives. Candid and friendly, she took time to get to know every teacher and listen attentively to all views before responding to them. Teachers who were present at the dialogue session felt privileged to have the opportunity to hear views directly from Senior Management. The whole event was a short yet memorable one. Ms Chong Vice Principal 9
School Activities sports day The day had come, it was finally Sports Day! The basketball court was packed with hordes of eager students. The teachers made an announcement for participants taking part in the different events. After that, we assembled according to our houses. I am from Ubin House and there were 3 other houses, Coney, Tekong and Seletar. Once we were in our groups, we went to play the mini games. All of the games were fun but some were very challenging. After the mini games, we proceeded to have our snacks in the canteen. All of us gobbled down our food very quickly. After resting, we played Captain s Ball against Coney House. My team was very determined to win. We encouraged each other and won the game! Our House moved on to compete against Seletar and Tekong. We were very focused and our hard work paid off because we won the game! The final score was 8-0! We were the overall champion! We held our breaths as the winners were announced. The Guest-of-Honour presented us with gold medals and congratulated us. The overall champion this year went to Ubin House for the third consecutive year! The spectators cheered and applauded. It was a splendid day and all of us enjoyed ourselves. Leong Hui Eng 4A Sports Day 2013 was slightly different this year. For the first time, this event was held in our school as we had many new facilities like two large basketball courts and a revamped school field. There were many sports events this year including captain s ball, football, basketball, record breakers and mini games. This year s idea of having every Riverlite to participate corresponds very closely with our school tagline, Not Some, But Everyone. Students from various levels took part in the respective sports segments and we had a lot of fun playing and competing against our friends. From this event, we learnt that winning or losing is not important. We enjoyed the experience and time spent with our friends. We showed great sportsmanship by giving our best and encouraging each other to do better in future. Haziq Aiman 6F Kiran s/o Kasinathan 4A international friendship day International Friendship Day is celebrated to show appreciation to our friends and their different cultures. On this day, we played different types of games from all around the world such as sepak takraw, hola-hoops, paper-ball and marbles. On 12 April 2013, Friday, the primary threes and fours celebrated International Friendship Day in school. Taking part in this special day has helped me to learn more about the diverse cultures of Singapore. The teachers and parent volunteers had set up various game stations in the parade square. My friends and I played different types of traditional games like sepak takraw, paper-ball, marbles, hola-hoops and sportstacking. I enjoyed sport-stacking the most. In this game, the players had to stack cups in a 3-6-3 manner from the left to right within a given time. This game trains me to be very systematic when stacking my formation. I managed to stack well after a few attempts. The games originated from different countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Hawaii. We played and enjoyed the games very much. I liked the sports-stacking game the most. This event was a memorable experience for my friends and I. We had fun but most importantly, we learnt to appreciate the many cultures which are different from ours. Kenneth Brian Pereira P4A The event ended with a prize-giving ceremony. I was convinced that Seletar House would win the grand trophy but it went to Ubin House instead. My friends and I were disappointed but we were determined to work harder and win next year. 10 IFD Danial Toh 3A1
School Activities Primary Fours Go camping On the 5th and 6th April, we had our Primary 4 Camp. I was whirling with excitement before the camp. At the campsite, the facilitators introduced themselves. They were so friendly and funny! After lunch, my group did Abseiling and Rock Climbing. Both activities were very fun but quite scary because of the height. We did Orienteering where we learned to use a compass and to pace our steps. After dinner, we went on the Blind Man Trail. It was an activity packed day! The next day, after breakfast, my group did outdoor cooking. The orange with egg was delicious and I wanted more of it! Then, we went to the Burma Bridge and Single Log. These high elements were petrifying as they were so high! We did the low elements before going back to school for our Campfire Night. We cheered and danced at our Campfire Night and entertained our parents. From this camp, I have learned how to work as a team and appreciate the comforts I have now. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Henry Yap 4A The Primary Four camp was finally here! I was so excited to go to the campsite. When we reached the campsite, the facilitators taught us many cheers such as the makan cheers and the group cheers. Our groups were named Borneo, Marquesas, Vanuatu, Palau, Guatemala, Panama and Fiji, after the islands of the reality television show, Survivor. On the first day at the campsite, my group did the Rockwall, Abseiling and Orienteering activities. The Rockwall and Abseiling were fun but these obstacles were very tall and I was hesitant to try them as I am afraid of heights. However, since all my group mates tried them, I decided to pluck up my courage to overcome the 3-storey tall obstacles. I am glad I tried them as it was extremely fun! On the first day of the Primary Four Camp, I felt very happy as it was my first time attending a school camp. It was a sunny day and we had to hydrate ourselves frequently. All the primary four pupils assembled at the basketball court and the teachers gave us some instructions before boarding the bus to the campsite. When we reached the campsite, we were divided into our groups. We met our camp facilitators. My group s facilitator was Aliff. He was kind and we had a lot of fun together. After putting down our backpacks, we had to bring our daypack for lunch. We had rice with chicken for lunch. After lunch, we went back to the dormitory to prepare for our next activity. My group did the high elements such as Rock Climbing and Abseiling. They were extremely fun but scary. If I had the chance, I would like to try them again. After all the activities, we had curry puffs and hot Milo for supper. The next day, we had Bee Hoon for breakfast. After that, we did the low elements and the Burma Bridge. After that, we went back to our dormitory to pack our things and got ready to go back to school. We changed to our Camp T-shirts in school to get ready for our Campfire Night. I enjoyed my Primary 4 Camp very much! Alifah Liyana 4E After dinner, we had night activities. We were blindfolded and led by the facilitators. It was exciting but scary at the same time as the facilitators said that we might be brought to the forest. On the second day, my group did the Backwoods Man, Low Elements and Single Log/Burma Bridge activities. The Single Log activity was fun while the Backwoods Man activity taught us how to cook. In the evening, we returned back to school where the alumni members gave us our Camp T-shirts. They also taught us the performance for our Campfire Night. During the Campfire Night, we sang campfire songs and did our group performances. It was a fun and unforgettable Primary 4 Camp! I wish that I can attend another camp again! Vivian Chay 4E1 11
School Activities PRIMARY TWOs - Overnight Experience The long awaited PrimaryTwo night excursion finally arrived. As promised, Primary Two Riverlites would be going to the Singapore Night Safari, followed by a one night stay in the school. On that cool Thursday evening, I arrived in school with butterflies in my stomach. Although it was not my first time visiting the Singapore Night Safari, it was definitely my first night outing without the company of my family. However, despite all my anxieties, I knew that I would definitely gain some new experiences from this trip. After a head count by the teachers-in-charge, we boarded a chartered bus and proceeded on our journey to the Singapore Night Safari. Soon, we arrived at the beautiful and mysterious destination. We were given a guided tram tour and the opportunity to watch the Creatures of the Night show. Throughout the evening, there was a lot of laughter. All too soon, it was time to leave. The teacher did a head count to make sure that no one was left behind before we headed back to school. It was almost 11 pm when we arrived in school. We were given supper after a short debrief by our teachers. Knowing that we were supposed to be up early next day, most of us were fast asleep before midnight. On Thursday, the 25th of April, the Primary Two pupils in my school had our first overnight experience. That day, we arrived in the school hall by 6.30 pm. Everyone had big smiles on their faces. Mrs Quek told us to put our camping bags in the school hall. After that, we boarded the bus to begin the long journey to the Night Safari. When we got to our destination, we alighted from the bus and walked towards the entrance of Night Safari. From there, we went to the amphitheatre to watch a night time animal show with nocturnal animals performing. After that, we went for the tram ride and saw many animals. It was dark but we were not scared because we had our friends, teachers and parent volunteers with us. The tram ride was indeed very thrilling. The ride lasted about 45 minutes. I saw lions, hyenas, foxes, tapirs, elephants, flamingoes and many others. I was hoping that we could go to the Fishing Cat trail but it was time to board the bus back to school. Back in school, we had buns and milo for supper. After that, we took our bags to the Indoor Sports Hall and laid our sleeping bags on the floor. Then, we brushed our teeth and talked to one another for a short while. Soon, the lights were switched off. We lay snugly in our sleeping bags while doing a quiet reflection. We then slept soundly. By 8 a.m. next morning, all of us had already woken up. After a delicious breakfast and light exercise, we started to pack up. A self reflection session was conducted and I felt that most of us had a wonderful experience. I personally enjoyed this experience very much and learned a lot new things which were not taught in the classroom. It was a short experience but I became more confident. Most importantly, I gained the trust of my parents that I am able to take care of myself. I look forward to more of these experiential learning in the near future. Lim Yu Jie Raysen 2F The next day, the lights were switched on and we woke up from our sleep. We brushed our teeth and took out our cups and plates from our bags. After that, we went to the canteen to make our own breakfast. There were bread, blueberry jam, scrambled eggs and butter for the pupils. We then returned to the Indoor Sports Hall and Mrs Foong taught us some campfire songs. Following that, we packed our bags and went home. It was a wonderful, exciting and thrilling overnight experience! primary twos - Speech and drama Nicole Han 2E Isabel Wong 2E These lovely Primary Two pupils put up a dazzling and colourful musical adapted from the famous story of Charlotte s Web on 29 April 2013 to celebrate their learning. They brought the story alive with their songs, dance and music. With each class anchoring a different scene from the story, every pupil had an opportunity to perform. 12 To promote a holistic education with an emphasis on creativity, innovation and effective communication, all our Primary Two Riverlites took part in Speech and Drama lessons as their enrichment programme in Term 1. The audience, which comprised 200 proud parents, showed their appreciation for their children s performances with a thunderous applause. Besides having great fun in learning and acting, our pupils also learnt values such as teamwork, resilience, perseverance and friendship in the process of preparing for this performance. These values will definitely stand them in good stead for the future. Mrs Janet Quek HOD EL (Covering)
School Activities Primary Fours visit Places of Worship Primary Four pupils went on a learning journey to the various places of worship and my class was given the opportunity to visit Chong Ghee Temple. Being a Muslim, I have not been to a temple before thus I was very excited when I heard about this trip. This was an experience that I did not want to miss. I looked forward to learn more about the temple and the religion. During the trip, I learnt about the significance of the different statues, why joss sticks were used and proper mannerism within the temple. There was also a wishing box in the temple. Taoists believed that one s wishes would be granted if he or she could hit a hanging bell with a coin at the temple. There were also different deities that were responsible for the various aspects of a person s well-being such as wealth and prosperity. From the learning journey, I realised the importance of respecting and accepting other religions. By doing so, we are able to live harmoniously in multi-cultural Singapore. Amir Sufyan 4A Primary Ones visit Marina Barrage In Term 2, my class went on a learning journey to Marina Barrage. I enjoyed reading interesting information during the Gallery Tour and I have learnt that Marina Barrage is Singapore s fifteenth reservoir. It provides water storage, flood control and is also a recreational place for the public. This learning journey has helped me to understand that water is precious and I should not waste it. Vicki Yeow Wei Ting 1D I loved going to Marina Barrage with my classmates because I was able to play different types of traditional games such as paper ball, chapteh and five stones. It was fun playing with them and we took many photographs together. The parent volunteers took good care of us during the entire trip. This learning journey has taught me that it is important to display teamwork not only in the classroom but also when we are playing together in the outdoors. Reiko Koo Ker Ning 1D 13
CollAborations Prefects Investiture The Prefects Investiture is a formal ceremony where new prefects are appointed and given new duties. It is also where we prefects remind ourselves to serve and lead others with integrity and kindness. We also pledge to uphold the school s five core values of positive attitude, hardworking, caring, loyalty and teamwork, as well as the school s motto, Succeed and Excel. Weeks before the ceremony, the Head Prefect, the Vice Head Prefects and the Prefectorial Board were nominated, interviewed and selected. I was selected as the Head Prefect and the Vice Head Prefects were Nanddika (5B1) and Irdina (5C). Our Prefects Investiture was held on 27 May. After Mr. Mah gave his speech, the 2012-2013 Head Prefect, Kishen, gave a speech. The prefects then received their badges and I led them in taking the Prefects Pledge. After that, I gave a speech to thank the teachers and parents who have guided us and shaped us into independent and responsible people. Being a prefect is a small step for us to become more caring and world-ready citizens, creative and adaptive thinkers and confident and skilled communicators in the future. Besides that, being a prefect is a serious responsibility and we, prefects, have to be good role models and lead by serving. Eileen Ho 5A Head Prefect Monday, 27 May, was a special day for the prefects of Rivervale Primary School as it was our Prefects Investiture. It was my first time having to give a speech during the Prefects Investiture. My heart was throbbing wildly as I waited for my turn to give my speech. It was really a fun and exciting experience. When my name was called, I walked up the stage and took the prefects pledge. After the pledge, Nanddika, the other Vice Head Prefect, and I waited patiently backstage. When it was my turn, I hurried to the centre of the stage. It was a great experience as my speech was much better than what I had practised at home. I really hope that I can lead the school well. Irdina 5C Vice Head Prefect Mathematics Workshop For Parents I attended the Mathematics Workshop which was organised for the Primary Four to Primary Six parents on 19 April. I felt that the workshop was very helpful as the teachers taught us useful techniques which were easy to understand. I could relate to some of the scenarios given by the teachers as they actually happened to my own children during their school tests and examinations. Now I would definitely be able to deal with it when a similar problem arises. During the Question and Answer Session, the teachers were very approachable and knowledgeable and they could answer all the parents queries. The workshop lasted for slightly over an hour and it benefitted me greatly as I am able to apply what I have learned to help my own children. I hope that more of these workshops can be organised for parents so that more parents are able to learn how to guide their own children at home. Mrs Oh mother of Oh Xin Hui 4C 14
Primary Threes VISIT Malacca We were so excited for the Malacca Trip that we could hardly sleep the night before. After the instructions and briefing by the teachers in charge, we set off happily to Malacca. After the long bus journey, we were extremely hungry! Therefore, we had a hearty meal at the Orna Country Club. After which, we visited the heritage museum, which is a traditional Peranakan town house. I learnt about the Babas and Nyonya, the Chinese descendants who have adopted much of Malay culture. We also visited many historical places such as the St Paul s Church and St Francis Xavier s tomb. I also learnt the history of Malacca too. I am so proud that I managed to stay overnight without my parents, something which I never thought I would be able to. Krithic 3A2 project globalisation I totally enjoyed the Malacca experience! We visited places such as The Stadthuys, which is famous for the red building, A Farmosa Fortress built by Portugese and St. Paul s Church built on top of St. Paul s hill. I was totally amazed by the story of the missing arm. We also visited the Malacca Local Primary School (SK Convent Infant Jesus). This was a different experience for us too. The pupils there were very friendly and we exchanged our gifts happily. I also learnt a lot about keeping myself safe. I also learnt to be very independent. I would like to thank Mr Mah and all teachers involved for giving us the wonderful opportunity. I hope to go for more of such trips. Yeo En Qi, Angie 3C I never knew that Malacca had such a rich culture and history! It was an enriching experience listening to the tour guide who explained the various facts about Malacca. A visit to A Famosa fortress was a very memorable moment for me. I learnt that the fortress was built by the Dutch in 1511 and the British had set to destroy it. Luckily, timely intervention by Sir Stamford Raffles saved what remained as A Famosa today. We watched a performance by pupils of SK convent infant Jesus school. We also enjoyed interacting and playing games with them. It was a fun-filled experience for me! MOHD ILHAN 3B Primary Fives visit perth We had an enjoyable time visiting Perth with my classmates and teachers. We were very thankful for the opportunity to visit a foreign country and to experience many new things. On the first day, we visited the Swan Bell Tower. Each of us was given a chance to pull the bell. After that, we went to Fremantle s Fishing Boat Harbour to have our lunch. We had fish and chips, We were delighted as it is one of our favourite dishes. After lunch, we walked to the nearby beach to take a group photo. The following day, we went to Rockingham Environment Regional Centre to experience paper-making using pulps. Our hands were freezing in the icy-cold water but we still had a lot of fun trying it out. That afternoon, we proceeded to Springhill s Farm where we stayed for one night. We hopped on the truck and toured around the farm. We also fed the animals at the farm. Eileen Ho 5A Next on the itinerary was Freemantle s Market. This attraction is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and it was very crowded. We spent some time shopping for souvenirs to bring back to Singapore and give to our family members. Overall, the trip was enriching and we learnt a lot about environmental friendliness. Lim Cai Ying 5A The trip to Perth has been very memorable for me. The activity I enjoyed the most was the farm tour. My friends and I hopped on the truck and we got to see many farm animals like cows, sheep, goats and dogs during the ride. The weather was so cold, our teeth were chattering. During the tour, we stopped by a barn with stacks of hay. We climbed up the stacks of hay and someone suggested having a hay fight. We started to play with the hay and had so much fun! The teachers were very amused and joined us too. After playing, we stacked the hay nicely so that it looked neat. The dinner spread was spectacular; we indulged in all the yummy food. I loved dessert the most. We had ice-cream and plum crumble. After dinner, we went star gazing hoping to see the Milky Way. I hope to visit Perth again in future! Charise Tang 5A 15
Primary Four visit s Primary Fours visit SURABAYA ura baya project globalisation The first day of the trip was a tiring day as I had woken up at 4.55am to get to the airport on time. The plane ride was fun. When we arrived at the Guanda Airport, we boarded the bus and headed to Gresik for lunch, I was quite surprised as there were no chair for us to sit on. We had to sit on the floor and the food was delicious. Our first school visit was to SDN Dooro Gresik and I gave those children over there some pencils, sharpeners, stickers, rulers and book marks. The highlight of the trip was when we went farming. At first, I was very scared as I never stepped into mud before. My friends encouraged me and I finally had enough confidence to go in. It was so watery and muddy that my pants and shirt got all dirty. To our pleasant surprise, there was free laundry service! I then realised that we should not waste rice as it was all thanks to the farmer s hard work that we get the rice. During the trip, we got to make pizza, visit a waterfall and museum, pluck fruits, go horseback riding and fishing. I was also impressed with the Batu Secret Zoo. There were a lot of animals that I had never seen before. On our last day, we went to SNA, we had lots of activities like solving puzzles with our buddy. My buddy gave me many presents. After that we had lunch with our buddy and I gave my name card to her. I was touched because when I got home, I received her email. We also had the opportunity to attend and performed at their Primary 6 graduation. I was so afraid that I missed my step. The last activity before we got home was shopping. I bought lots of gifts to give to my family whom I missed so much. Chung Weng Chin 4D Konichiwa! was the first word I heard when I boarded the plane to Japan. 14 students and 3 teachers from Rivervale went on a learning journey to Nagasaki and Awaji Island Japan. Upon arrival in Nagasaki, we went for a scrumptious Japanese lunch. After lunch, we proceeded to Peace Park to observe a minute of silence for those who perished in the atomic bombings. The next day we visited Yamazato elementary school. We interacted with the students, had lots of fun and performed for them. After that, we boarded the ferry to Awaji Island and arrived in Kobe City, the next day. Over there, we visited the Shinto Shrine and were privileged to have the opportunity to meet and interact with the Deputy Mayor of Awaji Island. Primary fives visit japan We stayed with our host families who took good care of us. The fun-filled activities continued with padi planting, dragnet fishing and learning the traditional, Sola dance. To top it all off, on our last day, we went to Universal Studios Japan. Needless to say, there was a lot of screaming and laughter throughout all the rides. This is the best learning journey I ve experienced so far. I learnt to appreciate the simple Japanese life in Awaji and learnt more about their beautiful culture. I will never forget the experience I had in Japan. Singaravelan Nanddika 5B1