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Director's message
6th Jan 2024
I have shared with you in the first assembly about the exploration to the Southern most point of the earth in 1911 by 2 teams of explorers - Norwegian Team as well as the English Team. The Norwegian Team followed a strict regime of walking a fixed distance regardless of the weather while the English Team walked more during good days and rested during bad days. In the end, which team arrived at the Southern most point first? It was the Norwegian Team.
These were the learning points from this event:
What we do EVERY day defines us!
Today’s progress is always compounded by yesterday’s effort, no matter how small.
And it all comes down to the power of consistent self-discipline.
Our mind and body both need to be exercised to gain strength in the long run. They need to be challenged, and they need to be worked consistently, to grow and develop over time.
As we start the new year, do reflect on what happened last year and learn from the experience to make this year a better year to be a better you!
This year I also challenge the consortium to come out with the Aphelion Song based on the Aphelion Model. The song should be short and catchy (about the length of the conduct song and let's be, 1 min long). If you are keen to try composing a song, we hope to hear from you! Our timeline is as follows:
Submission by end of Term 1
Voting of entries by Term 2
Learning the New Aphelion Song in Term 3
Have a great year ahead!
9th Jan 2024
The new year always starts with something to be grateful for. I have shared with you three things that have happened to me during the Dec. holiday and hope that my experience will help you prepared more mindfully for the new year.
Same, Same but Different - I had the privilege of visiting the same place (Seoul Tower) with my family and with my students this December at just 1 week apart. Starting the new year means so much to everyone: New Beginning, New People, New School, New Class but for others, it may be back to the same old routine, same classmates. Even when the physical things or routines do not change, we can still look forward to something new. Your role now may be different even in the same environment. Your responsibility may be different. Your goals and aspirations may have been different. All because you are more mature or simply you have decided to give yourself a new beginning, a new YOU. Adopt a growth mindset.
Painful Experience - While ordering a hot bowl of ban mian, I accidentally scalded myself even though I wasn't rushing. The accident happened because the serving counter was too high and the bowl of hot ban mian was placed off centred in the big serving tray. While you may have prepared everything and thought that things will go according to plan, accidents and incidents may happen that derail you and the unexpected may happen (in Chinese, it's called 事与愿违. It's important to pause, take stock and willingness to embrace the changes that happened. Believe that all will be worked out to be good.
Bald Experience - As you know, I am bald since almost 20 years ago. Although I didn't think much of my physical appearance, little would I realise that during the family trip to Korea, my baldness helped my wife to find and locate us as she was lost from the crowd! All of us may be born with different abilities and backgrounds. Believe that each of us has unique strengths which may not be appreciated by some yet but may be appreciated by others in time to come. Remember that things fall in place in their own times.
Have a blessed 2024
17th Jan 2023
With the ease of the SMM for COIVD-19, we will eventually have more pre-COVID events and experiences brought back to school as well as Aphelion. We look forward to welcoming 22 Korean Exchange students and 2 teachers from 27 Jan to 31 Jan who will experience home stay as well as lessons with our students.
We also look forward to having APMOPS Invitation Round be conducted after an absence of 3 years, where we will welcome Primary 6 students from local schools as well as schools from Asia Pacific Region.
Our students can eventually look forward to serving the communities via the various class-based CIP.
At the end of the year, our students will get a chance to experience home stay at Korea and attend lesson with the Korean students.
We look forward to moving back to normalcy!
21st Jan 2022
We look forward to welcoming the new Sec 1 students and their parents into the Aphelion consortium. This is the first batch of Sec. 1 using the new AL to enter HCI. While the entry point may be different from their seniors, we believe that the most important thing for them is the mindset that they possess that matters. Having a growth mindset to accept challenges and new experience in a new setting, always willing to lend a helping hand and also accept help from others when needed, will ensure that the transitions to HCI will be a smooth one.
For the Sec 3 coming in from other consortiums, we also welcome you to Aphelion. Though in a different consortium settings, we still are members of the school community following the school motto and mission. Sec. 3 is a challenging year with new changes and challenges both social, academic and in your CCAs. Having a growth mindset will also help you be more acceptance of others and yourself.
Sec 2 and Sec 4 are likewise, key transition years for you. Be mindful and practice acts of kindness to others and yourselves.
Wishing all a great start of the year!
6th Jan 2021
Dear Aphelionites,
2020 has been a very different time for all but we are thankful that Singapore has risen up to the occasion and the situation is looking good in Singapore.
In 2021, what is your resolution? What are you looking forward to?
No matter what has passed (the good and the bad) in 2020, it's history. Putting that behind and moving forward to the new year with new aspirations and motivation to receive the new challenges is more important.
We welcome the new 94 S1 students as well as 50 S3 students from Ortus, iSpark and ProEd to Aphelion! May your stay with us be fruitful and memorable.
To the rest of the S3 Aphelionites in other consortiums, "Once and Aphelionite, always an Aphelionite"!
We also wish our S4 2020 all the very best as they embark on their next stage in college.
Warmest regards
Dr. Chew
29th May 2020
Dear Aphelionites,
It must have been a very difficult and a very different year for all of us, teachers, students, parents, and the whole of Singapore because of the COVID - 19 pandemic.
Yet, we have heard, read and seen for ourselves many of the kind deeds that are done by many of the people around us; some whom we know, many we don't. May we continue to be uplifted and also extend our help to those around us - our families, friends and even strangers.
With the circuit breaker measures, we have taken school to a new level. Many of us were moving to uncharted areas of FHBL. The teachers learnt new ICT skills, shared with each other new and better ways of making online lessons more interesting and new features that were embedded in Google Classrooms, SLS, etc.
For students, it is also challenging to do homework online, frequent network lag, more onscreen time and less social interactions with each others.
The new term will start on 2nd June. I believe all of us are looking forward to meeting each other and greeting each other face to face, although it will be very different from the usual start of the term.
Do continue to stay safe, keep healthy and be kind to each other!
Warmest regards
Dr. Chew
4th Jan 2020
Dear Aphelionites,
Welcome back to school! 2020 marks the new decade for everyone. Wishing all a great start to the new decade!
The school has just celebrated its 100th Anniversary last year and we could see the school's standing together ensuring that the many of the celebration events were a success. We are all very blessed to be part of the centenary celebrations!
As we move forward to a new year, let's look at how we can be more caring, compassionate and joyful to others and ourselves as well as to our environment.
All the best for the new year!
Be a mindful Aphelionite!
"If we are not fully ourselves, truly in the present moment, we miss everything." - Thich Nhat Hanh
Blessed 2020!
Warmest regards always,
Dr. Chew Tyng Yong
Director
Aphelion Consortium
If you have any comments or feedback, please email to Dr. Chew at chewty@hci.edu.sg.
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