Celebrating Panaga School with people from our local, national and international communities
sets of memories Panaga School Magazine, 50th Edition May 2015
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
CONTENTS: 3. Message from the Deputy Head Teacher of Teraja 4., 5. and 6. Voices of Panaga and our communities celebrate the 50th Magazine Edition 7. Mastery Learning Program - a towering success already 8. Nursery Animals 9. P1 market visit 10. IP3JT use their senses 11. PTA news 12. Road Safety Day Panaga School HRF/4 Brunei Shell Petroleum Sdn Bhd Jalan Utara Seria, KB 3534 Negara Brunei Darussalam (+673) 3375728/3372138 (Teraja) 3372694 (Rampayoh & Mendaram) Principal: Tim Robinson tim.robinson@shell.com
13. Numeracy workshop for local teachers 14. Sekolah Rendah Panaga visits IP2 15. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien School visits IP2 16. Penan Helping Hands says, ‘Thank You’ 17. To Nepal with love
Head Teacher, Teraja: Andy Ryan andrewryan@panagaschool.com Head Teacher, Rampayoh & Mendaram: Cindy Bin Tahal cindybintahal@panagaschool.com Senior Admin: Jalinah Bte Ali jalinah.ali@shell.com Admin Support, Rampayoh & Mendaram: Hasmah Bte Hj Salleh: hasmah.salleh@shell.com
18. Student Council Workshop 19. Voices Around the World 20. Supporting Phonics and Reading in local schools 21. Enhancing Phonics and Reading with St John’s School 22. What’s happening at St Johns? 23. Netball at Sekolah Rendah Panaga
Assistant Editor and Community Leader for Learning: Rachel Marsden rachelmarsden@panagaschool.com
24. Technology ASA’s fresh cohort of recruits
Panaga School Magazine Designed and Edited by: Damian Brady damianbrady@panagaschool.com
26. Rampayoh Sports Days
25. Nursery Sports Day
27. Teraja Sports Day
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Message from the Deputy Head Teacher of Teraja, Perminder Sanghera As we draw closer to the end of the academic year, we can all take the time to reflect on the many wonderful learning opportunities that have been on offer. April and May have seen the children of P6 and P8 embark on their annual residential trips. As children await the famed trips that they’ve heard their older peers talk about so enthusiastically, parents anxiously contemplate whether they are ready to cut the cord. But if we think back to our own childhood, I’m sure every one of us remembers our residential school trip like it was yesterday. Away from home, perhaps for the first time for some children, they form an important part of growing up and are a valuable learning experience. One of the main goals of a residential visit is to provide pupils with new and challenging experiences in a safe and professional environment. Our residential visits are planned with a dynamic environment in mind that will provide a learning venue to match young enquiring minds. They engage children on a variety of different levels and most importantly they allow individuals to grow and blossom outside the restrictions of a structured classroom environment. For many children, the positive impact of such an experience can raise their confidence level and selfesteem significantly, which often leads to improved performances and relationships back in the school environment. They are a wonderful opportunity for personal development, inspiring improved interpersonal skills and a better dynamic between students and also teachers. During the recent P6 trip, for example, we saw the children develop their skills in many of the following areas: teamwork specific physical outdoor activity skills environmental awareness communication problem-solving motivation a healthy outlook personal confidence and self-esteem independence Above all, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and have further enhanced their confidence, adventurousness and responsibility as citizens. - Perminder
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Voices of Panaga and our communities celebrate the 50th Magazine Edition Panaga School would like to thank all of its children, teachers and parents for their commitment to supporting local, national and global community activities and learning projects. We are proud to be a ‘World united in learning’, so rich in diversity, creativity and talent. We have empathy for those around us and are dedicated to learning about and with our neighbours. To celebrate the 50th Edition of the Panaga School Magazine, a proud showcase of community partnerships, who better to talk to than some very special local, national and international friends (just a few of many) who have contributed greatly to the success and community enrichment of Panaga School, Brunei Darussalam. As we celebrate the 50th Edition of the Panaga School Magazine, it is interesting to reflect on the changing nature of the school and the diversity that now exists in our publication. Alongside the ever-present school learning activities and events, we can now see the growing element of community engagement and how as a school we work with a myriad of local schools and organisations. The contributions of our students as young journalists are also growing and are a positive feature of the magazine. The opportunity for our students to write for a real audience is a powerful and rewarding learning experience. The magazine has received many plaudits over the last seven years and this is my opportunity to thank all for their contributions - children, teachers and other school staff. Finally, many thanks to Damian Brady; as Editor of the school magazine, he has driven the expansion and diversity of the magazine from the beginning. The number of positive comments from external groups are a validation of Damian’s own drive and passion to create and document the history of Panaga School. Many thanks! Tim Robinson, Principal
It is an honour to write a short message for the 50th Edition of the Panaga School Magazine on behalf of St John’s School, Kuala Belait. St John’s School will be celebrating its 85th Anniversary this year. I would like to highlight that in our school’s 85 year history, while we enjoy some collaboration with other schools especially those in the Belait District, Panaga School stands out as ‘The School’ we have the most collaborative undertakings with. There are many occasions teachers from both schools meet to share ideas and teaching strategies. St John’s School teachers have benefited from the numerous professional development workshops organised by Panaga School. Plus, our students derive much pleasure from reading the books donated by the Panaga School children. Panaga School pupils participated in a St John’s School music event in 2014, The Celebration of Music, which won much acclaim from the local community. The Panaga Football Tournament is an annual event which our students enjoy tremendously too. These events are well covered in the Panaga School Magazine which not only showcases activities within Panaga School but news from local schools as well. Indeed, I would like to congratulate the Panaga School Magazine Committee for doing an excellent job of disseminating information to the community. I shall look forward to more alliances to further strengthen the friendship of both schools. Dr Teh Keng Watt, Principal, St John’s School, Kuala Belait As Panaga School’s Community Leader for Learning, I have been privileged to be at the school during such an exciting year for community engagement. I have been particularly impressed and inspired by my colleagues’ enthusiasm to provide the best possible learning environment for our children and extend this to building meaningful partnerships with the many communities within which the school belongs. I am especially proud to have been a part of the achievements we, as a school, have made with other local schools and organisations. Children’s learning has been enriched by shared teaching and learning activities through IPC and local school visits. Additionally, teachers from both Panaga School and local Bruneian schools have shared their professional knowledge and skills through workshops, teacher training and individual contact. Children have been able to actively demonstrate their values and thoughtfulness through the Penan Shoebox and Nepal Appeals. As the Panaga School Magazine celebrates its 50th Edition, I am overwhelmed by the contributions by all staff to a community truly ‘united in learning’. The magazine has been significant in bringing people and projects together in celebration. I am looking forward to the future and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead, to build and deepen relationships both within and outside of school. Rachel Marsden, Panaga School Community Leader for Learning
Click here to view the first ever Panaga School Magazine, published in October 2008
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
At the outset, I would like to congratulate Mr Damian and his team on this occasion of the release of the 50th Edition of the Panaga School Magazine. I always look forward to every issue of the magazine. It is so colourful and with its beautifully written updates on the ongoing school activities, it always a puts a smile on our faces. The Panaga School experience is so rich and varied. Children get a wonderful exposure to so many activities with a lot of international flavour. This molds them to respect, if not effortlessly integrate into, the international community at large. They emerge as global citizens. I would be failing if I do not mention the amazing teachers at the school. Teachers clearly go beyond their call of duty and put in immense effort to make learning comprehensive and enjoyable. Makes me want to go to school again! Not any school…, Panaga School. Dr Padma Muppidi, Dental Surgeon and Prosthodontist, Panaga Health Centre As I celebrate my 25th year at Brunei Shell Petroleum, I would like to comment on how much I enjoy working at Panaga School. The Panaga School Magazine I think successfully highlights all of the amazing events that happen at school. I am delighted to see that Panaga now works even more closely with local schools; this has been a real positive point of the school recently. As a Bruneian, it has also been pleasing to see children and staff gain a further appreciation of where they live through an increased engagement with the local community. Also as a Bruneian, I feel very proud to be part of a school that supports all children and employees so well. I look forward to seeing the 100th Edition! Jalinah Ali, Senior Admin Support, Panaga School I have had the privilege of working at Panaga School for the past 7 years and during this time, I have enjoyed meeting new people, learning from and with many colleagues and children and have also enjoyed teaching students of many different age groups and nationalities. The Panaga School Magazine is a colourful, informative and educational publication I am pleased to be a part of. It is great to see how it captures children having so much fun in their learning. This learning has been shared a lot more recently with our local schools. I really enjoy seeing the interactions between students from two or more different worlds, both in and out of the classroom. Our international teachers have a high degree of professionalism, however, they also enjoy a good sense of humour. I am grateful to be working at Panaga School and hope to inspire and be inspired by Panaga children for many more years to come. Melissa Sim, Learning Support Assistant, IP2R The Panaga School Magazine really helps explain to our parents and friends from other schools what is happening at our school. It also helps us review what we have done over the years. I remember the publication’s success as far back as 2009, when I was in P2. Back then, Mr Damian, the magazine’s Editor and now also Rampayoh’s Digital Education Specialist teacher, used to teach my class’s Numeracy and Literacy lessons after Swimming.
With better facilities implemented over the years at Panaga, the school has improved and gone far to encourage more enthusiastic learning. This is my final year here and I will definitely remember and miss the school. However, I will always feel close to it again by reading future magazine issues when I am in Korea; so I’ll always know what’s up at Panaga School. Prasidh Venkataraman, IP7SG
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
From the days of the Chit Chat to today During the days I worked at Panaga School, the news magazine published by the school back then was called the Chit Chat. You cannot compare the quality of the current magazine to the quality of the Chit Chat, but during those days, the Chit Chat was still an important way of communicating between the school and its stakeholders. Let me share some memories about our time in Brunei. When I arrived with my family in Panaga in August 1998, Celia Lloyd was the Head of School and I was replacing Roland Kuipers, who was the Head of the Dutch Stream and the Deputy Head Teacher. Shell or Shell Affiliated Schools during those days used to have a Head of the English Language Stream and a Head of the Dutch Stream. The school had a total number of around 480 children; 140 of them were in the Dutch Stream. The school was operated over 2 sites; they were called the main building and the annex. Haji Hamidon was the BSP HR Manager, responsible for the school at the end of last century. Our son was only one year old when we arrived in Brunei and our daughter was 5. After living for 4 years in the city of Cairo, we were looking forward to some fresh air. The green of Brunei was almost overwhelming after all of the sand and concrete in Egypt! One of the most exciting parts of onboarding in Panaga was the process of being allocated a house. We were primarily offered a house in a very low lying part of F2. Within one week after moving into the house from our temporary accommodation, our new house flooded after heavy torrential rain. The garden looked like a lake and our daughter even spotted crocodiles in the lake; which later appeared to be large monitor lizards. So, after several visits to HR’s housing department, we were allowed to move house again and ended up in a higher part of the Camp with a lower risk of being drowned in the garden. In F7, we lived happily until the moment we left Brunei. One of the most fascinating events of my career was the development of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). The first pilots of it were taking place while I was at Panaga School at the start of this century. I remember very well trialing the unit called “The Olympics” with the children of P6. It had a very positive impact on children’s learning; the children simply loved it. After a few weeks into the pilot, I was already convinced that the IPC was an excellent way of learning compared to how children had been learning traditionally in Shell Schools. We closed the Olympics unit after 6 weeks with a real sports event, organised by the Shell School in Bintulu. All three of Borneo’s Shell Schools: Miri, Brunei and Bintulu participated; plus, some local schools were invited as well. The tournament was organised in the spirit of the Olympics and the children enjoyed it very much. I remember driving back to Brunei as a very proud father because my 7 year old daughter had won 4 Gold Medals! In one of the old Chit Chats, one should be able to read about this sports event. Panaga School in those days was running well and inspection reports provided evidence of good quality education and happy stakeholders. Celia Lloyd left before the turn of the century and was replaced by Mary van der Heijden. Haji Hamidon left and was replaced by Haji Zaini, who is still a good friend to this day! Sometimes things like ‘the haze’, foot and mouth disease and flooding disturbed school life, but besides all of that, everything else went well. Having the pleasure of still visiting Panaga School on a regular basis, I am happy to conclude that the school has kept abreast very well with all educational developments in the world. Children’s learning is of a high standard and the school plays a vital role in both the expat and the local community - in and around Panaga. Therefore, in many ways, things are still the same compared to twelve years ago when we left Panaga. The school magazine today is much more professional looking than it used to be. I always look forward to its arrival. I would like to compliment the school and the makers of the magazine on the good work they have been doing for the last 7 years. Also, a big congratulations on the 50th issue! Henk van Hout, Head of Shell Education Services, The Hague
Henk and his family at their home in The Hague
“Over the years, Panaga School has always been an attraction to wildlife!” - Henk van Hout
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Mastery Learning Program - a ‘towering’ success already Term 3’s ASAs got off to a ‘towering’ start with the introduction of the Mastery Learning Program (MLP). Students were posed the following engineering conundrum: What is the tallest free-standing tower your group can build with only one box of aluminum foil? This project and the many others also completed in recent weeks is from a branch of student learning known as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Education. The MLP ASA focuses on these areas together, not only because the skills and knowledge in each discipline are essential for student success, but also because these fields are deeply intertwined in the real world and in how students learn most effectively. STEM is an interdisciplinary and applied approach that is coupled with hands-on, problembased learning.
Aravindhan, Charles, Alonzo and Patrick planned the design of their tower. Personal Goals of cooperation, enquiry and resilience contributed greatly to overcoming problem solving difficulties.
Chizoba, Aaliyah and Phine used some of the strategies that P7 trialed in class during the constructions of geodesic designs; as a part of the ‘Building a Village’ IPC topic.
Week two of the MLP ASA involved a research element where cylinders were explored. We attempted to crush aluminum cans by pushing on their ends to test the strength of the shape and material. Finally, with great resilience shown by all members, we built a ‘towering’ tower ! By Mr Rorie and Miss Jackie
Sashini, Aoife and Sarah used their knowledge of materials and properties of design to make the tallest free standing tower they could possibly achieve.
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
All about animals This term, we have been learning about animals. Here is just some of the things we have learnt so far... This is how a giraffe drinks water. Once upon a time, there was a little tiger who was having tea with her mummy. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, it was a flower, a bad flower. The flower ate all the food on the table and all the food in the fridge. After that, an insect bug came and ate all the food. Then mummy went to buy more food, big plants and some bug food.
My own story based on ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’.
Eliza May’s facts about giraffes:
My picture of a hornbill.
Eva’s facts about lions….
Mummy lion picks up her cubs with her mouth.
Father lion has a lot of hair around his face. It is called a main.
The lion cubs like to play.
Lions go hunting together in a group.
By the Nursery Children
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
P1 visit Seria Market On Friday 15th May, P1 visited Seria Market. We had prepared ourselves first by writing a list, so we knew what to get. We had a great day out! Some of the children wrote about our visit:
“I bought a banana. I bought an orange. I had fun.” - Aya IP1JW “I bought oranges. I bought flowers. Mum liked my flower.” - Aqil IP1JV “I found grapes. I found bananas. I bought five potatoes. I had lots of fun.” - Vin IP1JW “I went to the market. I bought a banana. I had fun.” - Joshua IP1C “I went to the market. I bought an apple, it was yummy. I bought a banana too.” - Damia IP1JV
By Carolyn Stennard
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Our topic for IPC this term was ‘Senses’. For ‘taste’, we made unusual sandwiches. First, we planned our ingredients in our IPC books. Then, we chose the bread we would use. After that, we chose our fillings. Finally, we put on the top slice and then tasted it. Most people thought their sandwich was delicious.
We used different parts of our tongue to taste sweet, sour, salty and bitter flavours. The textures in our mouth were crunchy, smooth and sticky! The tastes were: salty, sweet, bitter and sour. Most sandwiches were delicious, even though some of the fillings were strange, such as, marshmallows, Oreos and carrots!
Written by: Jack, Natalia, Hope, Chloe and Ruba, IP3JT
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) news A successful year so far for the PTA The PTA can look back on a successful year so far. After 9 new team members joined the PTA in 2014, we were able to organise 2 big events earlier this academic year. In December, we held the School Disco. Over 200 children attended and we all had a great evening. In March, the PTA organised the Art Fair, where more then 225 drawings were sold. During the Art Fair, we also sold more than 500 class pictures. These events were not only financially successful, but were a great collaboration between parents, teachers, and last but not least, the children. Is the money raised by the PTA well spent? After the rebuild of the school, there were not too many ‘big’ things left that needed purchasing. But still, financial support from the PTA was welcome on a few items. Not only could we arrange some things on short notice, we were also able to support projects that didn’t fit into the school budget. Already this year, we supported the Bike Safety training programme. Soon, we will provide funds for a new sound system and the ‘Walk through’ reading project on Rampayoh. Upcoming projects also include: a mural for the Nursery, raised garden beds for a gardening project on Mendaram and Rampayoh and a steady supply of sand for the play areas. Finally, we would like to thank the volunteers who have helped us organise events so far this school year. We would like to also invite more parents to be involved in future PTA projects. It may be on a regular basis, or it may be just for one-off events. All parents are welcome to join us at any time. By Sander Suk, PTA Member
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
Road Safety Day at Panaga School
On Thursday 7th May, HSSE staff from BSP came to Panaga School to help children, parents and teachers understand further the importance of cycling safely and wearing seatbelts whilst travelling in vehicles. There was a Cycle Safety exhibit and quiz for the children. Dan Smith, Dan Joinson, Nicola Marden and some of our Panaga School teachers began the morning by greeting children and their families as they arrived at school with information on how to cycle safely around Panaga Camp. Congratulations to Ethan, IP1JV, and Zaki, IP4J, both recipients of a $10 Nanyang’s voucher for winning the Cycle Safety quiz.
As mentioned, the BSP staff were also on hand to demonstrate the importance of wearing seatbelts in vehicles. More than 200 children watched on as teachers, parents and even the school bus driver took part in demonstrations that displayed how seatbelts can prevent people from suffering serious injuries during accidents - even ones at low speed. By Rachel Marsden, Community Leader for Learning
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
Nursery workshops for local teachers In April and May, sixteen teachers from three local schools visited the Nursery to attend workshops on Mathematics. The workshops focused on the Early Years Curriculum, the use of questioning to promote learning and making observations to assess children and determine next steps for their learning. The teachers were also given a range of fun activity ideas that they could share with parents. All teachers were then invited to try a range of activities used to support children’s mathematical development. On Friday 8th May, two teachers and four teaching assistants from Sekolah Rendah Panaga also visited the Nursery. The teaching assistants observed lessons and spent time talking to teachers and teaching assistants, discussing different aspects of their work. The visiting teachers were keen to learn about the activities the Nursery children take part in and how transitions between lessons and activities are managed. They aim to return to the Nursery next academic year for further discussions. By Miss Georgina
Apr-May 2015
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
IP2 meet new friends from Sekolah Rendah Panaga On 7th May, the IP2 classes hosted an exciting learning opportunity with a local Bruneian school, Sekolah Rendah Panaga. A fun-filled morning was packed with exciting learning opportunities, all based upon the P2’s current IPC unit, ‘Our World’.
The children collaborated with their new-found Bruneian friends through a variety of art activities throughout the morning. Based around the work of the environmental artist, Andy Goldsworthy, the children created their own temporary environmental art using natural objects such as twigs, leaves and flowers. They also produced a joint environmental collage with their friend. It was a wonderful experience for all of the children involved; one that we are already planning to repeat in the future. By Mr Dave and Mr Martin, IP2 teachers
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien School visits IP2 On Tuesday 19th May, the children and teachers of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien School joined Primary 2 for a fun - filled morning. At the beginning of the morning, we found out a little bit about each other by talking and filling in a short booklet. We were surprised by how many things we had in common. After that, we looked at the artwork of the Bruneian artist, Hj Padzil. In partners, the children collaborated to make a section of one of his paintings. Each section was stuck together to recreate the finished piece. Before our new friends returned to their school, we performed songs to each other about the environment. All of the children enjoyed making new friends and we hope to see them again soon.
By Miss Rachel C and Miss Nicci, IP2 teachers
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning To staff and students for your kind and generous donations that have been distributed to various Penan settlements in Ulu Limbang and Ulu Baram and elsewhere, Penan Helping Hands says, `THANK YOU!’
Lg Bedian School, Ulu Baram
Noah’s Ark Kindergarten, Miri
At the Highland Games recently, I had the pleasure of bumping into Miss Violette Tan who, on behalf of Penan Helping Hands, expressed deep appreciation to Panaga School and the Community for contributing so generously to - and facilitating the delivery of our December 2014 Shoebox Appeal. Well Done, Everyone! - Mr Dermot
Kampung Medamit, Limbang
Medamit Secondary School
Lg Atip Village, Ulu Baram
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
To Nepal with love During our IPC topic, we were extremely shocked and upset to hear about the tragic earthquake in Nepal. We wanted to help the people of Nepal as we knew that many people had lost their homes and many were injured. After hearing about the BSJV Donation Drive at Panaga Club, we decided that we would like to help too. We designed a poster to give to our friends and family around Panaga and encouraged people to give blankets, tents and medical supplies. We all donated items to send to Nepal and we also used some money raised from the Student Council’s Popcorn Sale to buy blankets and tents. Thank you everyone for your support! By Miss Nicci, Miss Rochelle and IP2
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
Student Council Workshop with Sekolah Rendah Panaga On Tuesday 28th April, the Panaga School Student Council met up with the student leaders from Sekolah Rendah Panaga in the Teraja hall. The day was organised for us to learn about each other’s personalities and leadership styles through problem-solving challenges.
After this, we all gathered together again to discuss what we had learned during the day. We also exchanged school mementos with Heart of Borneo and between our two schools. Each person involved was awarded a certificate for participating in the We then moved onto team chal- workshop. lenges which included: stepping through a hoop while holding We finished the day with anhands, carrying a ball on strings, other team challenge involvleading one another blindfolded ing a huge inflatable globe. through a maze and turning over The challenge was very hard a sheet without stepping off it. because, as a team, we had These helped us develop our Per- to keep the ball in the air. This sonal Goals and leadership skills. game symbolised us as future leaders, attempting to keep control of the world. If the ball bounced on the floor, it would be the same as letting the world fall into pieces. We all had lots of fun and enjoyed the day immensely.
The day began with us introducing ourselves to the children from Sekolah Rendah Panaga. At 7:45am, we made our way to the dance and drama studio where the Head Teacher of Sekolah Rendah Panaga, Mrs Zurina, led us in a Zumba dance session. It was good fun and got everybody moving, allowing some of us to step out In the afternoon, local NGO, of our comfort zone. Heart of Borneo, visited. They Previously, we had taken a showed us a presentation on conpersonality survey that enabled serving the rainforest and we us to find out what type of were all given a bamboo woven leader we are. We gathered in pitcher plant to take home as a our ‘personality groups’ - horn- souvenir. They also put on an exbills, mouse deers, sun bears hibition showing photos of some and proboscis monkeys. In the endangered species of Borneo, groups, we discussed which items that Iban tribes use on a statements from certain ani- daily basis and various animal artefacts. mals suited us best.
By Phine (IP7SG), Vasumatihi (IP7M) and Miss Steph
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
The Teraja and St John’s School Choirs record ‘Listen To Us!’ On Saturday 25th April, 32 of Teraja’s singing superstars joined forces with 15 superstars from St John’s School to record ‘Listen To Us!’ by Howard Jones for the ‘Voices Around The World’ global choir project. After months of rehearsing, we were ready to record. Even at 7.30am on a Saturday morning, excitement bubbled at the radio station. We were finally here! St John’s School Choir being there too made it extra special. Studio technicians bustled around connecting cables, testing speakers and microphones, plugging in headphones and warming up the mixing desks. Video cameras were ready to film us on local television; we could here whispers of “We‘re going to be on television!” The radio presenters interviewed Jana (IP8L) and Eleanor (IP5R) and myself for their daily radio show, asking us questions about the project and our love of singing and music. In 3 groups, we recorded the parts of the song. The children got used to singing with headphones on and singing in a soundproof room. This is a challenging task, well done to the children for demonstrating such resilience. Stopping and starting dozens of times along with technical hitches and the moving around of microphones it took us nearly five hours of recording time to get it just right! Patience, adaptability and cooperation were all needed and the children were truly superstars. Everyone was full of energy and enthusiasm throughout those five long hours. All of the children sang with gusto and we had so much fun. The recordings were sent back to the UK to ‘Voices Around The World’, ready to be mixed with thousands of other recordings to create a huge global choir singing out: ‘Listen To Us!’ Proceeds from CD sales will be sent to Africa to help schools buy much needed resources and to offer the opportunity for more children in Africa to attend school. Well done to the Teraja and St John’s School Choirs - let’s hope the world “Listens To Us!” By Miss Sarah, Music Specialist Teacher, Teraja
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
WAWASAN 2035 Supporting Phonics and Reading in local schools In the first term, Mr Martin, Mr Dave and Miss Julie presented a workshop for parents about our school phonics program based on the UK’s ‘Letters and Sounds’ programme. It was very well received by parents and many found it a helpful way to support their children at home. We were later delighted to be approached to offer a more detailed training and an INSET to local Bruneian schools in our area who were also interested in developing the teaching of reading and writing in English in their schools. The response from our Bruneian colleagues was enthusiastic and we were able to reach out to many schools in the local area; 32 local teachers attended from 6 different schools. The training included practical teaching tips and phonics progression and pronunciation through the first 5 phases of Letters and Sounds. Teachers were also introduced to teaching methods and vocabulary for teaching phonics such as the meanings of the words ‘phoneme’ and ‘grapheme’ and how to segment and blend words for reading and writing. Feedback from teachers who attended the session indicated that it was extremely beneficial and would help to improve the practice of teaching phonics at their schools. Many teachers expressed an interest in further development and observing phonics lessons taught at Panaga School. We will continue to work to support local schools in the teaching of English reading and writing and look forward to continuing relationships with our Bruneian colleagues.
Some comments from local teachers in attendance: “Thank you! I would love to come for more techniques on teaching Reading for Beginners.” “Thanks. Very good.” “Interested in Part 2 of the Phonics Reading Session. Thank you very much!” “I am interested in more sessions like this. Thanks a lot. It’s a great help for us all.” By Miss Julie and Mr Martin
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
Enhancing Phonics and Reading with St John’s School It was a pleasure to work again with our local friends and colleagues of the Early Years Department at St John’s School. Following on from the Phonics and Reading training held at Panaga School on Friday 13th March for local Bruneian teachers, we were invited to spend a morning supporting the youngest children in the school with Phonics and Reading. The teachers in the Early Years classes at St John’s showed us how far they have implemented Phonics teaching so far and shared their aspirations for the children’s learning in the future. The children read eagerly, demonstrating what they have learned and how Phonics is helping them. They showed us their obvious love of learning and we all had lots of fun. As part of our ongoing collaboration with St John’s School, we look forward to meeting the children and teachers again to share ideas and good practice in the area of Early Years Phonics and Reading. By Miss Jackie and Miss Kath
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
News from our neighbours - St John’s School With Jack Ding Jok, Head of Media, St John’s School
St John’s School KG to Year 3’s Mini Sports Day Four Houses: Red, Yellow, Blue and Green competed in the St John’s Kuala Belait Primary School Mini Sports Day recently. The event saw young children competing amongst each other in different categories such as Parent-Child on Toes Race, Balloon Popping, Shopping Game, Scooping Relay, Reverse Reading Game, Back to School, Clothes Hanging, Blowing Bottle Cap, Can Stacking, Three-Legged Race, Shoelace, Rolling in the Deep and Sack Race. Present during the event were two of the school’s Board of Governors, Mr Lee and Mr Liew. Mr Lee had the honour of officially opening the Mini Sports Day. Also in attendance were the Deputy Principal, teachers and parents. The event started with a march by all Houses, led by Adik Afif Dzakirin Bin Saipul Bahari, who then went in front of all guests to utter the oath. Red House was the winning house of the day. Runners-up were Yellow House and third place went to the Blue House.
It was such a wonderful event; everyone was overwhelmed with the sheer number of parents supporting each game. The crowd, the music, the competition, the excitement of the games and the liveliness and spontaneous action of both parents and teachers were noteworthy. All contributing to the success of the event.
The School Board of Governors light the torch and then officiate the Mini Sports Day, with the Deputy Principal and Sport Master looking on. Adik Afif of Year 3 utters the sports oath in front of the Board of Governors and audience.
The competitors of the four Houses sing the National Anthem before the event.
The young excited cheerleaders of KG 1 to 3 perform in front of the audience.
KG 1’s Shopping Game, assisted by the students in charge.
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Community News Special Feature We are a school community united in learning
On Saturday mornings from 8:15am to 9:15am, a dedicated group of 18 girls from Sekolah Rendah Panaga practise netball. During our first week, we practised our passing and catching skills. The second week focused on positional play and utilising the different parts of the netball court. Finally, we worked on developing our guarding and defensive skills.
Each session began with a short warm up, drills to polish existing skills, an introduction to new skills and finally we end the mornings with a game of netball. The girls have shown dramatic improvement and are obviously honing their skills throughout the week, during their breaks at school. I have enjoyed coaching these girls so far. Their dedication to the sport has been impressive. The girls work hard in the heat and show a great deal of determination and resilience.
We will continue to develop our skills and are looking forward to holding a fun tournament with the Panaga School P4/5 team later this the calendar year.
By Carolyn Stennard
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Technology ASA’s fresh cohort of recruits Technology ASA welcomed a fresh cohort of budding car and airplane designers, and civil and mechanical engineers, allowing them to be creative and have fun in the process! Many Personal Goals, notably cooperation and resilience, have proven integral in the success of their projects so far. As can be seen from their constructions, the future is very bright. By Mr Dermot
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine Rampayoh Sports Days Milepost 1 On Tuesday 12th May, Milepost One participated in their annual Sports Day. Students were raring to go and were eager to do their best to earn as many points for their House. Congratulations to the Green House who emerged as eventual winners after an hour and twenty minutes of activities. The final places of the 2015 Milepost One Sports Day were as follows: Green House - 1st Red House - 2nd Blue House - 3rd Yellow House - 4th Well done to all of the children who took part on the day, demonstrating resilience and cooperation. Thank you to the P8s who assisted on the day as team leaders and activity assistants. By Andy Vele
IP1 On Thursday 14th of May, IP1 also held their Sports Day. This was only the second Challenge Day event the P1s have participated in, but all were excited about competing for their Houses. Congratulation to the Green House who were the winners too, completing the double for Rampayoh’s Sports Days. Thank you to the P7s who assisted on the day by running all the activities that the children participated in. By Andy Vele
Apr-May 2015
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Nursery Sports Morning - great fun for the young and well supported by our older students
We had a great time at the Nursery Sports Morning on Friday 15th May. Well done to all of the children who took part. Thank you to the parents who came to support their children. Also, special thanks to the P7 children for showing excellent leaderships skills by carefully explaining and guiding the Nursery children through each activity. Finally, thanks to staff from both the Nursery and P7 for supervising the event.
It was a wonderful morning had by young and (not so) old. By Miss Zoe
50th Edition
Panaga School Magazine
Apr-May 2015
Milepost 2 and 3 Sports Day
On 13th May, the students of Teraja took part in their Milepost 2 and 3 Sports Day. Some early rain meant cooler conditions in which to compete in. All students performed to the best of their ability.
Some of the events on show were the 60m Sprint, Tug-O-War, Standing Long Jump and Javelin.
The final results could not have been any tighter. In the end, the Challenge Day trophy was shared between Green and Yellow House - equal 1st place! Equal 1st: Green & Yellow 2486pts 3rd : Blue 2459pts 4th: Red 2414pts By Mr Nathan
Panaga School Magazine, 50th Edition May 2015