Parent Support Group

PARENT SUPPORT GROUP

HEAR FROM OUR MEMBERS…

Name of parent: Madam Nur Aidila
Names of children: Mikhail Fitri & Israfil Fitri
Class: 2T5 [Year 2020]

I am the proud mother of twins, Mikhail and Israfil who are currently in their second year in Northlight School (NLS). Both my sons have struggled to keep up with their studies in their primary school and as far back as I can remember, their examination results have always been below average. Consequently, they both failed their PSLE very badly and enrolled in NLS.

During their first year in NLS, I was quite worried if they would continue to struggle in their studies and how they would cope with new demands in a new school environment. There were a lot of questions on my mind when the twins initially began their life in NLS. They had to put up with daily enquiries from me; on their school day, were their teachers helpful and patient with them and more importantly could they cope with the school curriculum. To my pleasant surprise, their responses were always positive! The change from their primary school demeanour was remarkable! Where previously I would have to drag them to wake up for school, now it was evident that they always looked forward to going to school and would always update me on their daily progress in school.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Mikhail and Israfil’s form teachers Ms Theresa and Mr Ramesh for the work they have done with my boys and the class in general. Ms Theresa is always on hand to accede to any requests that I might have and to update me on the performance of the twins in school. Mr Ramesh has always been a steady presence in building rapport with the class and never fails to check in on my boys on a regular basis. For that, I am most grateful.

When the results of the twins’ first year results were released, I was in tears. For the first time in their schooling years they had registered passes in all their academic subjects. Despite my initial misgivings, NLS had made these amazing results possible by inculcating a love for learning in my boys and help build up their confidence and self-esteem. The icing on the cake was when the twins received bursary awards for good academic performance during their first year in NLS!

I am so thankful to all the teachers in NLS that have helped and given encouragement to my boys in their journey so far. The school really lives up to its ethos of “NEVER GIVE UP” in helping all its students. My children is proof that NLS teachers will really go the extra miles to assist any student under their care and build them up for the future by inculcating good character values and providing a viable education for life. Their efforts have created hope for their students where there might have been none and I’m sure that there are a whole host of thankful NLS parents out there. Good job teachers!

With regards to the future, I hope that my boys can achieve their goals in life and continue their journey to ITE and enrol in courses of their choice after they graduate from NLS. I know my boys will never forget their time in NLS and what the school has done for them. Thank you NLS!

Name of parent: Madam Rafiah Bte Md. Ali
Name of child: Muhammad Aide Iswandi Bin Afwindi
Class: 4MS2 [Year 2020]

Aide had a weak foundation in Mathematics when he was in Primary School. He faced many struggles and challenges in Mathematics with formulas proving to be a particular area of difficulty as he could not understand or conceptualise the idea of using them in problem-solving. His struggles in Mathematics led him to be demoralised and disenchanted with academics as a whole.

Following his enrolment in Northlight School (NLS), Aide did not immediately show improvement in the beginning. However as he progressed through the years in the school, it became evident that Aide was beginning to enjoy school bit by bit.

Madam Rafiah attributes this to the school designing tasks that were more kinaesthetic or hands-on in nature where Aide could explore and experiment and achieve tangible successes. As a natural progression for his interests, Aide applied for and was accepted to do Mechanical Services in his upper years in Northlight School where he continues to do well. Madam Rafiah noticed a new-found confidence and maturity in her son as Aide became more independent and self-directed especially pertaining to school matters.

As Aide is on the cusp of finishing his education in NLS, Madam Rafiah is thankful to the school for building Aide up into an independent and mature young man. She hopes that he can continue to ride on this wave of self-confidence and independence and pursue his dreams for the future.

Name of parent: Madam Christina Ng
Name of child: Calista Koh Li En
Class: 3HS2 [Year 2020]

When Calista was in Primary School, she was diagnosed with a learning deficiency. Despite her best efforts in the PSLE, she scraped through for her English and Science but Mathematics was to prove a particular challenge for her. Consequently Calista enrolled into Northlight School for the academic year of 2018.

In her initial years in NLS, Calista was able to develop her confidence and to overcome her shyness and through her experience in the Red Cross Co-Curricular Activity which helped to accentuate a natural inclination and generous spirit to help and serve those around her. A newly confident Calista was able to get along well with her teachers and classmates and as her form teacher in 2019 observed: “Calista is a self-motivated learner and responds positively to feedback. She is proactive and takes steps to improve herself. Reliable and helpful, she is able to take on various responsibilities and requires little supervision.” In recognition of her heart for service and her proven capacity as a responsible student, Calista was formally appointed as a Student Councillor in the same year.

Madam Ng is glad that Calista continues to remain positive and helpful in school and is currently enrolled in a Year 3 Hospitality Course. She is happy that NLS has been able to provide an environment where her daughter continues to thrive. She cited the example when Calista performed very well in the “International Computer Driving License Assessment for MS WORD 2010” and the time when she was presented with the S.H.I.N.E. award for an act of honesty earlier in the year which told her that Calista was indeed on the right path in terms of academic progress and character development.

Madam Ng hopes that Calista will be able to graduate from NLS and progress to ITE where she can continue to build a better future for herself.

Name of parent: Madam Rohayah
Name of child: Riz U'mairah
Class: 3HS1 [Year 2020]

As a child, U'mairah was diagnosed with Dyslexia for which she continues to receive remediation from the Dyslexia Association of Singapore. As a parent, Madam Rohayah was disturbed by the struggles that U'mairah faced when in Primary School especially during language lessons which required reading aloud, word interpretation and spelling. These difficulties manifested itself in tantrums which was compounded by U’mairah’s hyperactivity.

Since enrolling in NLS, Madam Rohayah has noticed a change in her daughter’s demeanour and confidence levels. U'mairah has made great progress in her schooling and it is evident that she has a more positive attitude now than before. For that Madam Rohayah is truly grateful to the school for creating a climate of positivity for her daughter and for her teachers who have always been encouraging. Another area Madam Rohayah noted was U’mairah’s resilience and a newfound “Can-do” attitude which was a pleasant surprise to her. Following from her second-year subject option exercise, U'mairah had initially set her heart on enrolling in “Retail Services” but was posted to “Hospitality Services”. Instead of being disappointed in the outcome, U'mairah adapted to her new reality and by all accounts is doing fine in class.

Madam Rohayah has hopes for her child and is appreciative that NLS continues to be a place where her daughter can continue to learn skills in a safe and conducive environment and develop her independence so that she can be more self-reliant in future.

Name of parent: Mr Jeffrey Lee
Name of child: Grace Lee
Class: 2T1 [2020]

Grace was not the physically healthiest of children in Primary school according to her father Mr Jeffrey Lee. To make matters worse, she was often bullied in school from Primary Four to Six and Mr Lee remembers that these were some of the contributory factors to Grace not sitting for some of her PSLE papers in Primary Six. Consequently she was enrolled in NLS.

Despite his initial misgivings about NLS, Mr Lee began to notice the difference in his daughter as she started her post-Primary education. For one, he now noticed that Grace appeared to be happier and confident in his interactions with her. He also noted that unlike in her Primary school, Grace was no longer inundated with homework or assessments which gave her an outlet to pursue other interests and reduce stress. He was also pleasantly surprised at the eagerness Grace had for wanting to attend school every single day; a far cry from her Primary school days.

According to Mr Lee, Grace has shown a great deal of interest and aptitude in the area of Info-Comm Technology (ICT) in school. She has expressed interest in pursuing ICT in ITE eventually and beyond. Mr Lee credits the NLS teachers for being helpful, supportive and more importantly inculcating a love for learning his daughter for which he is grateful. He is also considering enrolling Grace in external ICT courses to continue to fuel her passion and learning in this area.

While he is not sure what the future might bring, Mr Lee believes that Grace has aspirations beyond NLS which is to enrol in ITE and from there to gain admission to a Polytechnic to pursue her further studies. For now he is taking it day by day and grateful for the gains Grace has made in her time in NLS so far. According to Mr Lee, it is his hope that Grace will one day in the not too distant future return to NLS as an alumnus to share how NLS has helped her to succeed in life.

Name of parent: Madam Michelle Koh
Name of child: Kelly Koh
Class: 3HS2 [2020]

Madam Koh remembers vividly the day when her daughter Kelly collected her PSLE results in 2017. It was a sad and disappointing time for her as it was revealed by Kelly’s co-form teacher that Kelly had failed her PSLE. She remembered being presented with the option of enrolling Kelly in NLS or in Assumption Pathway School by the same teacher with the advice that it would be unwise for Kelly to repeat her Primary Six again. Despite her husband’s wish for Kelly to attempt the PSLE again, Madam Koh brought Kelly to the NLS Open House to explore her options. She was pleasantly surprised when Kelly exercised her independence and made her own decision by insisting on joining NLS and not to repeat.

Upon Kelly’s enrolment in NLS, both parents noticed a gradual change in Kelly’s behaviour and attitude towards school. For starters, in her first year, both parents were amazed at how much enthusiasm Kelly had for school. Madam Koh recounts that Kelly would always insist on coming to school regardless and even when she was unwell, would be reluctant to obtain a medical certificate that would cause her to be absent from school. Madam Koh also began to notice a discernible improvement in her confidence levels when it came to her studies. Mathematics had always been a major obstacle for Kelly during Primary school which was reflected in her lack of interest in the subject and her subsequent performance in the PSLE. In NLS, Kelly put that all behind her and happily confided to Madam Koh that she was able to understand what her Mathematics teachers were teaching in class and she subsequently passed her Mathematics Examination.

Madam Koh and her husband are grateful and appreciative to NLS and the teachers in the school for being helpful and supportive of Kelly. They can see that Kelly really enjoy her studies in school and her confidence levels have certainly risen. This was further affirmed when Kelly was formally appointed as a Student Councillor in 2019 and is currently enrolled in the Hospitality course for her third year which she appears to be thriving. They are grateful and appreciative of the support structures in place to scaffold their daughter’s learning and the opportunities afforded to her as a student leader. More importantly, they have no regrets in having made the decision for Kelly to continue her studies in NLS.

Name of parent: Mr Lau Hui Cheng
Name of child: Lau En Cheng
Class: 2T1 [2020]

En Cheng had been diagnosed with a mild intellectual disability growing up and Mr Lau recounted some of the problems his son faced during his Primary School days. One was a susceptibility to unhealthy or negative peer pressure which often led to behavioural issues. En Cheng also encountered a lot of emotional stress due to his academic struggles and lacked self-confidence. Following his performance in the PSLE, En Cheng enrolled in NLS in 2019.

When En Cheng was a first year student in NLS, Ms Pauline Soh was assigned as his Form-Teacher in a designated class for students with Special Education Needs (SEN). Mr Lau is grateful that En Cheng had such a caring and responsible form teacher. From the time En Cheng started his education in NLS, Mr Lau remembers Ms Soh faithfully documenting En Cheng’s journey in NLS so far with her hand phone and sharing these “priceless moments” with his parents. He is thankful and to Ms Soh for her constant updates on En Cheng’s progress and the constant efforts she undertakes to counsel him when he faced challenges in school.

Mr Lau is also appreciative for how the learning is structured in NLS to help students like En Cheng. He is glad that there are no major national examinations which could prove stressful to him. He lauded the school programmes for being diversified in catering to a wide range of abilities, suitable and age-appropriate and practical and useful in nature. Mr Lau was also impressed that all the teachers in NLS were caring and supportive of their students under their charge and were true to the mission of the school.

En Cheng has some ways to go yet in NLS but Mr Lau is encouraged by what he has seen in his son’s development so far. He hopes the school will continue to cultivate his character and develop his strengths to become a socially responsible individual who will contribute his part to society in the future. For now, he hopes that En Cheng can continue to learn as much as he can in NLS to the best of his abilities and try his best to enter into ITE after graduation.

Name of parent: Madam Siti Zubaidah
Name of children: Qistina and Qarina
Class: 3HS2 and 3RS1 [2020]

Madam Zubaidah has two twin daughters enrolled in NLS who are currently in their third year of study. Qistina is in the Hospitality Services course while Qarina is in the Retail Services course. Madam Zubaidah recounts that following a transfer of Primary Schools in their early years, both sisters’ studies began to decline and both similarly exhibited a negative attitude towards learning and attending school.

Following the disappointment from the twins’ PSLE results, Madam Zubaidah decided to enrol both of them in NLS as she had heard good things about the school from her brother-in-law whose son had attended the school. It would prove to be a good decision.

As the twins went about their daily routine of attending NLS, Madma Zubaidah and her husband began to notice a positive change in their daughters’ attitude towards school. For starters, both girls were enthusiastic about wanting to attend school. They also slowly saw an improvement in their academic performance and both girls displayed increased levels of self-confidence in their demeanour and interactions with others. Both girls have indeed blossomed in NLS and despite occasional behavioural issues, they have done generally well to being students of NLS. Qarina is currently a Student Counsellor after being formally appointed in 2019 and Qistina was called up to join the National Youth Soccer set-up for girls in her age group after outstanding performances as a goalkeeper in the National School Games.

Both Madam Zubaidah and her husband are grateful to NLS for looking after their daughters and in helping to build their character. They are also appreciative for their participation in the Parent Support Group which gives them the opportunity to bond with their daughters and other members of their family as well as to network with other parents. They hope that both Qarina and Qistina can continue to concentrate on their studies in their upper years at NLS and achieve good results. They remain hopeful and optimistic that both girls can go on to further their studies in ITE and beyond.

Name of parent: Madam Lynn Tan
Name of child: Loke Jing Hui Lecea
Class: 1S1 [2020]

Madam Tan is philosophical when she talks about her daughter Lecea’s enrolment into NLS and accepts that if Lecea had not struggled academically in Primary School she would not be in the school. That said, she is glad that the struggles that her daughter encountered in Primary School is over and is keen for NLS to impart fundamental life skills to her daughter as well as to continue to teach and reinforce positive character values.

Lecea is still a relatively new student in NLS given that it’s been just over half a year of her time in NLS of which a sizable chunk was devoted to a Home-Based Learning schedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Madam Tan has noted certain positive differences in NLS from mainstream secondary schools which she is hopeful will bode well for Lecea’s continued development. For starters, she is glad that the school has done away with some of the heavier components of Math and English which she felt would be a struggle for weaker students. She is pleased that the school’s approach leans on a variety of non-academic curriculum and cited the example of the “EQUAL” programme which helped build Lecea’s love for horses and gave her something to look forward to for the week. It was somewhat unfortunate that the programme had to be curtailed due to the ongoing pandemic.

NLS relatively small class size was highlighted by Madam Tan as a positive way of allowing teachers to get to know their students better and be in a better position to facilitate learning as well as to address social-emotional issues. She was also appreciative at the school’s efforts to create a sense of connection with the school for its students. For instance, the gift of a soft toy bear (wearing the NLS uniform) to students as well as the cardboard cut-out of students in NLS uniform (for the first year students to assemble) were good ways to build a school identity and inculcate feelings for the school. In addition, Madam Tan recalled in particular the gift from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Madam Ho Ching during Chinese New Year brought a lot of joy to Lecea.

Following from Lecea’s time in NLS so far, Madam Tan has noticed some changes in her daughter’s demeanour as well as her academic performance. For one Lecea is more confident and outspoken now which Madam Tan attributes to her ability to mingle with her classmates who are of the same level as her. She remains a happy and bubbly girl both in and out of school. Academically, Madam Tan has noted an improvement in Lecea’s written English for which she is grateful to the teachers of the class.

Moving forward, Madam Tan hopes that NLS can continue to instil and reinforce good values in her daughter in areas of self-responsibility, respect for teachers and to develop a sense of compassion for those around her. She firmly believes that with the instilling of right values allied with a cultivation of a positive learning attitude for continual improvement will ensure that children go into an uncertain future with the right approach and necessary life skills. She hopes that Lecea can develop emotional resilience in NLS and find an area of interest in the “Taster” modules offered in NLS and progress to the ITE after graduation.

Name of parent: Madam Michelle Seah
Name of child: Pedro Keith Kwa
Class: 2T4 [2020]

Madam Seah recounted that Pedro struggled in Primary School and was behind his peers in most areas academically. This resulted in a loss of confidence but more detrimentally led Pedro to lose interest in his studies. Despite his academic setbacks, Madam Seah recalled that Pedro showed great enthusiasm for being a Scout which was his chosen CCA. He was able to carry out and complete all his assigned tasks in a responsible manner and was always proud to share his achievements with her and her husband.

Following on from Pedro’s enrolment in NLS, Madam Seah became an astute observer of his development through his feedback on school life as well as her own personal interactions with Pedro’s teachers in NLS. Madam Seah is grateful that teachers in NLS are generally very patient and always willing to lend a listening ear to students regardless of their backgrounds, character dispositions or academic performance in schools. She believes that the school has the best interests of its students at heart and lauds the school for going the extra mile to give attention and understanding to its students, much of which might be lacking in their own home environments. She is especially grateful to NLS for nominating Pedro to attend the Cultural Immersion and Exchange Programme in Shanghai during his first year in NLS which she felt was important in boosting his morale and confidence levels greatly.

Madam Seah is pleased by Pedro’s development in NLS so far and remains hopeful that her son will be able to pick up a skill (from the variety of taster programmes offered by the school) that he can develop and build an interest and passion for which could possibly open doors for further studies after his graduation.

Name of parent: Ms Yong Leong Ying*
Name of child: Phan Qin Jie, Mikey(Graduated in 2019)

As a parent, the journey with my son Mikey was a very challenging one. Throughout his six years in the primary school, I was anxious and worried as teachers did not seem to be able to manage him in his studies, misunderstood him and I was afraid that he would get bullied. I knew Mikey’s ability to learn would be hampered due to his learning needs.

Every year, Mikey’s Primary School teachers would inform me that he would not be suited for the mainstream school system and its curriculum. Throughout his primary school years, despite my working very closely with the teachers to support him, Mikey failed his exams each year. When he was in P4, I remembered him asking me “What is wrong with me? I always fail my exams” and burst into tears. It was a very painful experiences for both of us and Mikey continued to struggle in Primary School despite working hard.

When he was in P5, I made a conscious decision to explore options beyond PSLE. It was then that I found out about Northlight School (NLS) and attended their orientation. I knew instinctively this was the School I wanted Mikey to enrol in. A school which did not just focus solely on academic learning but which would instil good values, attitudes and teach life skills that could help develop Mikey into a capable and confident young man. During the visit, the teachers were very passionate and the students appeared to be confident, with good communication skills and had initiative to guide me around the campus. I felt confident that my son would be in good hands should he decide to enrol in NLS. Looking back, I was actually relieved when Mikey was in P6, doing his PSLE because I knew that there would a good school waiting for him if he did not qualify for a mainstream secondary school.

The experiences in NLS through Mikey’s time there certainly opened up my worldview on “Education” and redefined the meaning of success for my son. In NLS, the teachers constantly looked out for the positives and potential in my son, providing him with guidance and advice to improve his self-esteem, confidence and self-worth. In NLS, Mikey far exceeded the expectations I had place on him as he started his post-Primary school journey and I fondly remember the time that he was even confident enough to engage the Principal on the possibility of starting a new CCA in school!

Mikey was very happy student in his time at NLS. He was comfortable in opening up to his teachers, learned to take responsibility and to take care of his classmates. He became more confident in trying new things and was able to come out of his own personal comfort zone. It certainly helped that the teachers continued to be very encouraging, caring and kind. One highlight for me was Mikey’s participation in Chingay 2017/ 2018. In the course of the numerous rehearsals and training sessions, NLS teachers taught him to be independent, committed and to understand the importance of teamwork. They had so much belief in him and were even able to convince me, an anxious parent, of his abilities! Mikey benefitted immensely from his participation in the Chingay parade. He developed confidence that he could perform and engage with a public audience and the experience went a long way in unleashing his love for performing and helped him overcome his shyness and self-imposed limitations. On a day-to-day basis, class engagements in NLS, community work involvement and his CCA (Horse Management) made Mikey more aware of his role as a member of society and also helped develop concern for the less fortunate in the community as well as cultivated his love for animals.

As a concerned parent, the school taught me that I could appreciate and be open to my son’s learning abilities and potential beyond mine and his perceived limitations. The values, work ethic and positive attitudes instilled by NLS would certainly stand Mikey in good stead for life. I also came to realize through my work in the Parent Support Group (PSG) of NLS that I would never be alone on this journey with my son in the school. Together with other like-minded parents, working alongside the teachers and staff of NLS, we are committed to bring out the best in every child!

*Ms Yong is the current chairperson of the NLS PSG. A post she has served with distinction for many years.

Victor Foo
Parent to Andy Foo (Year 2, 2015 cohort)

My son started off as a quiet and reserved Year 1 student. Fortunately, throughout last year, he had built his confidence and made more friends than he had in primary school. Today, he is much happier and more assured of himself. His confidence level has improved tremendously through the EQUAL programme.

I am happy that I made a good choice for my son. Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Principal and all the staffs for their dedication. Thank you for making NorthLight School (NLS) a unique place that my son enjoys to study in.

Mary Wong
Parent to Yeo Hwee Teng (Year 5, 2015 cohort) and Yeo Ying Jie (Year 4, 2014 cohort)

Both my daughters studied in NorthLight School (NLS), and will be furthering their Year 5 education in NorthLight Academy (NLA) in January 2015. During their primary school education, both my daughters had never passed a single examination. When they received their discouraging PSLE results back then, my husband and I did not hesitate to enroll them in NLS, despite the opposition from our family.Thankfully, we persisted and we do see encouraging results. They have improved tremendously and showed much keen interest in their studies. The school also instilled good character values known as S.H.I.N.E., and encouraged teamwork and volunteerism in them. As a result, my daughters have grown to be well-adjusted individuals.

As a concerned parent, I support my children by being a Parent Support Group (PSG) member. Through the activities organized by the PSG team, I communicate better with my children in a social setting and this strengthen our parent-child bonding as well. We are thankful for the dedication of all the staff and for the ample opportunities given to us.

Nancy Chan
Parent to Quek Kah Kee (Year 3, 2015 cohort) and Quek Kah Seng (Year 4, 2015 cohort)

我想分享我的孩子在這兩年以來的轉變很大. 我舉個例子: 他很文靜的一個小孩子又 不愛說話的孩子. 在老師的陪伴下他建立了自己的信心，因為學校有很多課程在 學習當中找到他自己的自信 例如，騎馬機械電器等等. 他的改變不是完全是靠自己而是 而是這裡有富有經驗的老師的教導，最重要的一點還是父母的支持孩子才會開心更有自信 能夠掌握自己的學習能力，而不用父母的操心. 謝謝大家.

Zalifah Ibrahim
Sibling to Mohd Azlan Bin Abdullah Lim (Year 4, 2015 cohort)

I did not regret joining the Parent Support Group (PSG), despite my brother’s initial reluctance. I am glad that I persevered and insisted on being a part of his schooling journey in NorthLight School (NLS). During the PSG activities, especially the annual Family Camps, I noticed positive behavioral changes in him that would normally eluded me in typical family settings. He is a much confident and sociable child, compared during his primary school days.

My brother is the youngest in the family, and we had been overprotective and likely smothered him at times. He commented previously that he is obligated to follow my lead, simply because I am the adult. It was definitely a wake-up call for me. By attending PSG activities, it opened my eyes and made me see him as an individual, and not someone whom I could mold according to my expectations. I would say that joining the PSG is beneficial for us to improve and strengthen our family bonding.

Thilagavathy Sevapragasam
Parent to Pranav s/o C. Balu (Year 3, 2015 cohort)

My son suffers from hemiplegia; simply put, he is partially paralyzed on one side of his body due to injury to the motor centre of his brain.

In primary school, he did badly in his studies and had zero confidence. His teachers would call and complain that he was slow and had poor understanding of the topics taught. They neglected to understand him and his health situation, and I had a challenging time explaining to his teachers. When he received his discouraging PSLE results back then and was asked to re-sit, I was taken aback and contemplated what would be the best path for him. Fortunately, my husband suggested enrolling him in NorthLight School (NLS) due to an optimistic, informational session with an acquaintance.

Initially, I was worried and skeptical when I met his classmates for the first time. However, after the pep talk by the Principal and Discipline Master, I was convinced that my son is in good hands, and I had positive feelings about the school and its system. I am proud of my son’s achievements; he received second prizes for both Language and Literacy, and NorthLight Programme last year.

My husband and I are thankful and appreciative of NLS teachers for their relentless dedication and understanding towards my son. Due to their positive and optimistic outlook, my son gained strength, confidence, courage and patience towards his studies and life in general. They made a huge difference to his life and he looks upon them as role models. No words are good enough to express our deepest gratitude to them. To us, they are like candles brightening my son’s life.

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