A belated “Selamat Hari Raya” to all our Muslim parents, and I hope that everyone had a relaxing break over the last three weeks.

As you will have seen from the recent announcement from the MoE, and from my email last week, much has changed in terms of the school operations due to COVID. Essentially now we only have face masks worn inside as an SoP. This is superb news to help the school get back to normal after over two years of disruption and constraints. These changes now allow the school to :
-Move tables in classrooms back to collaborative set-ups rather than having them in ‘exam style’
-Have face to face assemblies to reinforce the school ethos.
-Participate in competitive sports not only within the school but also against other schools. I know that the arrangements are now being made for sports tournaments and fixtures for the future. Please be aware that many of our inter school competitors are soon to finish their school year, but we do hope to start some friendlies soon.
-Have the cafeteria back to normal, with the food it is serving and also where students can eat this food.

I am really excited to see the school return to all the activities and experiences that it has become well known for. We will of course keep everyone informed of events and activities as they happen.

While these changes to the SoPs are allowing us to give students the experiences that will enhance their learning experiences, we do need to keep in mind that COVID is still around. I would like to remind all parents to speak to their children about the use of the face mask, and the regular washing of hands. These two simple factors have proven to reduce the spread of diseases and viruses, and will be invaluable in the coming weeks to keep everyone safe. We should not forget the very good practices that have been in use during the last two years to reduce illness.

In light of the changes to the SoPs, we will stop the formal self testing at the start of each week. Students do not need to bring a negative self test to school on Tuesday. I would however encourage you to keep checking your children and yourself for any symptoms and if in doubt, please take a self test.

We can now look forward to an exciting term 2, with the above changes, the reintroduction of ECAs and numerous activities and events that will be possible. I can already hear from the constructive and positive noises around school that students and teachers are welcoming these changes.

Please remember that Monday is a public holiday and so the school week starts on Tuesday.

Peter Wells