Saint Joseph's Institution International

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St. Joseph's Institution International
圣若瑟国际书院 (Shèng Ruò Sè Guó Jì Shū Yuàn)
Image:Sji logo.jpg
Motto Ora et Labora
Established 1852 (original school); 2007
Type International, Private, Mixed, Full day school
Principal Andrew Bennett
MOE Code N.A.
Colours Green, White
Locale Thomson Road, Singapore
Enrollment 330
Website SJI International
Ministry of Education
Flag of Singapore Republic of Singapore

Saint Joseph's Institution International (SJI International) is a Catholic international school owned by the De La Salle Brothers in Singapore. It is an arm of the SJI Family of schools comprising of SJI Junior, SJI Independent and SJI International.

SJI International is the third international school in Singapore which can accept Singaporean students without prior permission from the Ministry of Education (MOE), as in the case for ACS (International) and Hwa Chong International. Such international schools enjoy much more autonomy than government schools, in areas of curriculum, recruiting students and staff, and school fees. The school is also the only school in the SJI family to accept girls. The school still has to follow several policies of the MOE such as the bilingual policy and students having to sing the Singapore national anthem daily.

Since it's founding, SJI International has offered full high school education for Grade 7 to 10 students and expanded in 2008 offering elementary education for Grade 1s to 6s as well as the International Baccalaureate for Grade 11 and 12 students. SJI International is currently operating on three wings: SJI International Elementary, SJI International High School and SJI International IB.

Students at SJI International take the IGCSE examinations in Year 10, and the International Baccalaureate diploma in Year 12. However, the primary school section is unable to accept Singaporean students and is targeting foreign students. The SJI International Elementary has officially been opened on 31st March 2008.

The college prides itself on its international nature with students and tutors from all over the world. In the second year since its establishment, the college has students and tutors from United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Nigeria, Belgium, India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

Contents

[edit] History

Plans for an international school by SJI was conceived in April 2006, when the Economic Development Board invited SJI to start an international school. The school was proposed as its feeder school was unable to take in more foreign students due to limited places.[1] When proposals were finalised, the school planned to open in January if the proposal back then was successful. It was set up for those who wanted a non-Singaporean curriculum and those who are not comfortable in the Singaporean education system. The SJI board felt that starting up an international school will let them sink their roots into Singapore and eventually continue to work in Singapore. The school has collaborated with SJI Junior to start the Josephian programme.[2]

A Leadership Council was set up to provide support, advice and guidance for the new international school. It consists of some of SJI's most prominent old boys, including former deputy prime minister Tony Tan, Minister for National Development, Mah Bow Tan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, George Yeo and Minister for Defence, Teo Chee Hean as patrons. The chairman and leading founder is Philip Yeo who is the chairman of the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board, advisor on science and technology as well as economic development the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Prime Minister's Office respectively. The leadership council has pledged S$700,000 to the building of the school and offering 50 scholarships to help graduating SJI Independent students who are planning to take the International Baccalaureate diploma.[3]

SJI International was the only international school in the second round of proposals to be approved out of the nine proposals. The approval was given by the MOE on September 6 2006, and the approval was based on the strength of the management team, coherence of the curriculum offerings and the quality of education that the school could provide to their students.[4] SJI International and the Economic Development Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding on September 27 2006 at the Singapore Art Museum, the former campus of SJI Independent. Sponsors pledged more than S$3 million in additional funding of scholarships and is additional to the S$1 million pledged earlier by the Leadership Council. The sponsors come from Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is sponsoring five students from the region to study at the school under its Young Researchers Programme.[5][6] A S$5 million was donated in November 2006 by the late tycoon Khoo Teck Puat estate. The late tycoon was an old boy of Saint Joseph's Institution. After the donation from the estate, the fund set aside for scholarships have a total amount of S$9 million.[7]

[edit] Association with SJI

The realisation of the vision of SJI International has been a labour of love for a team of SJI Old Boys. Having benefited so profoundly from their own SJI education, they have sought a way to offer girls and more boys a similar life changing experience. This dedicated group comprises the Board of the new school. SJI International is driven by the same values as SJI Independent even though the practices differ in several respects, not least because of the coeducational, pre-university and international dimensions.

SJI is a Catholic school founded by the De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1852. It carries the tradition of St John Baptist de La Salle, the French priest who in 1680 started this order of religious Brothers to provide education for poor boys in France. It welcomes boys of all faiths to be part of its inclusive community. Like SJI International, its school mission states: ‘Enabling youth to learn how to learn, and to learn how to live, empowering them to become men of integrity and men for others.’

SJI has been notable over the years for its capacity to develop leaders of Singapore society, including members of the current government. Good discipline and strong student teacher relationships help to create a positive atmosphere and the rich range of co curricular activities ensure that the boys’ lives are enriched by constructive interests. SJI prides itself on the fact that no boy is ever turned away because he cannot pay the fees.

Underpinning the remarkable success of SJI has been the role played by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. They place a major emphasis on the need to give special care to each boy and are held in the highest possible esteem by generations of SJI old boys.

[edit] Vision, Mission and Values

Mission:
Enabling youth in a Lasallian community to learn how to learn, and to learn how to live, empowering them to become people of integrity and people for others.

Vision:
SJI: A world class Lasallian Institution

Lasallian Core Values:
Faith, Service and Community

Institutional Values:
Spirituality, Mutual Respect, Internationalism, Leadership, Experiences, Service

[edit] College Anthem

The college anthem of SJI International is the same as the college anthem of St. Joseph's Institution.

The School Rally

Verse 1:
All through our college
A voice is resounding
Promptly respond to your duty's sweet call
Harken you all for the trumpet is sounding
Your mater's proclaiming
Her watchwords to all

Chorus:
Forward her children dear
Ever with hearts sincere
Render with joy to your mater her due
All that is vile reject
Heaven will e'er protect
Heirs of St Joseph's
Valiant and True

Verse 2:
Onwards and upwards in life's earnest battle
Joyously bearing the brunt of the fight
Nobly forgiving for all that may pain you
And bravely defending the cause of the right

[edit] Key Staff of SJI International

Brother President

  • Bro Michael Broughton, FSC


Principal

  • Mr. Andrew Bennett


Principal of SJI International Elementary

  • Ms. Louise Grant


Vice Principals

  • Dr. John Underwood (Curriculum)
  • Mrs.Susi Teo (Pastoral)


IB Coordinator

  • Ms. Pam Carter


Head of Grade 11 and 12

  • Mr. Malcolm Wong


Pastoral Director (Grades 7 - 10)

  • Mr. Vincent Ananraj


Head of Departments

  • Mrs. Laura Hammond (English)
  • Mrs. Helen Maughan (IB English)
  • Ms. Chia Puay Leng (Asian Languages)
  • Mr. Jean Paul Heusdens (French)
  • Mdm. Goh Wei Kheng (IB Asian Languages)
  • Mr. Renato Rainone (Mathematics)
  • Dr. Jensen Hjorth (Science and Biology)
  • Mrs. Rachel Kitchener (Chemistry)
  • Mr. Jonathan Bowen (Physics)
  • Mr. Andrew Maclehose (Economics)
  • Ms. Michelle Curry (History)
  • Mr. Justin Toh (Physical Education)
  • Mr. John Veneables (Music)
  • Ms. Julia Goodchild (Art)

[edit] Campus and facilities

The school is housed on an eight hectare site along Thomson Road next to the SLF Building and MCYS Building. The school was housed in the holding campus on-site which will be used for their future primary school when it commences operations in 2008. Currently, the High School students (Grades 7 to 10) and International Baccalaureate students (Grades 11 & 12) are housed in the new campus which was completed in October 2007.[8] All facilities in the campus have been fitted with air-conditioning system to provide a more conducive environment for learning.

The current existing facilities of SJI International Ccampus are:

  • 6 Science Laboratories
  • 2 IT Centres
  • 2 Tennis Courts
  • 2 Basketball Courts
  • 1 Netball Court
  • Library
  • Chapel
  • 1 Canteen
  • 2 Music Rooms
  • 1 Art Room
  • 6 Practice Rooms
  • 1 Performing Arts Room
  • 1 Hall
  • Year 7-10 Centre
  • Year 11-12 Centre
  • 28 Classrooms

[edit] School Activities

SJI International students have a variety of external curriculum activities to take part in. The school prides in believing that no one individual should be deprived to take part in activities offered by the school due to lack of capability or skills. The activities offered by SJI International are:

Physical Activities:

  • Touch Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Rock Climbing
  • Tennis
  • Basketball
  • Netball
  • Running
  • Taekwando
  • Badminton
  • MuayThai


Arts:

  • Chorus Choir
  • Chapel Choir
  • Jazz Band
  • Orchestra
  • Gamelan
  • Philosophy Club
  • Chess Club
  • Newspaper
  • Yearbook
  • Debate
  • Dance


Science:

  • Chemistry Club


Service:

  • Scouts
  • Library
  • Chinese Library Service
  • SJI International Environmental Council

[edit] Social Service

All SJI International students are encouraged to take part in various service work and community projects. The institution aims to develop her students into people who will care for the community and help those in need, the last the lost and the least. SJI International IB Students as well as Grade 7s and 9s have compulsory once a week service as part of their curriculum.

SJI International has adopted the following centres for her students to carry out service work:

  • Assisi Hospice
  • Canossian School
  • Good Shepherd Student Care Centre
  • Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital
  • Gift of Love Home
  • Singapore Association for the Visually-handicapped (SAVH)
  • Singapore School for the Visually Handicapped (SSVH)


Apart from these venues, SJI International has also links with Global organisations such as the Gawad Kalinga in Philippines to send her students to Philippines to help build homes for the poor. The famous quotation in SJI International is for students 'not to do things for the people but to do things with the people'.

[edit] Uniform

The SJI International uniform is different from the SJI uniform.

Boys across all levels wear a white uniform with long green pants, while girls wear a white blouse with a green skirt. The school badge is worn on the top right hand corner of the shirt pocket (for boys) and on the left chest (for girls). Students should wear socks of ankle length and sports shoes (as close to white with minimum flashes or logos) are allowed. The SJI International PE Kit consists of a dri-fit white Polo T-shirt with the SJI crest on the left chest and, for boys, white and green shorts and the regular skirt for girls.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ St Joseph's plans to open international school, The Straits Times, 2006-04-08
  2. ^ Ng, Bao Ying. "SJI board plans for school offering International Baccalaureate programme", Channel NewsAsia, 2006-05-14. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. 
  3. ^ Majid, Hasnita A. "Old boys of Saint Joseph's Institution pledge support for SJI International", Channel NewsAsia, 2006-07-17. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. 
  4. ^ Approval given for the setting up of 3rd Privately-Funded School, Ministry of Education. Retrieved on 2007-09-06
  5. ^ Forss, Peral. "SJI International to hand out $3m worth of scholarships", Channel NewsAsia, 2006-09-28. Retrieved on 2006-09-28. 
  6. ^ $3m in scholarships for SJI International students, The Straits Times, 2006-09-28
  7. ^ SJI (International) gets $5m from tycoon’s estate, The Straits Times, 2006-11-08
  8. ^ SJI International planning primary school, The Straits Times, 2007-01-09

[edit] External links