Principal's Message for 2024

Pioneers of the Future, School of LIGHT

We never waste a crisis.

It was in the thick of a pandemic that we, as a school community, clarified and deepened our understanding and purpose of 21st Century education.

How we did it was a calibrated and considered approach of explorations and improvisations, of gumption and sensibility, and rounds of iteration. It was anchored on a simple philosophy of honouring our past, appreciating the present and taking concrete, confident strides into our future.

We piloted what it could look like ‘pioneering’ educative efforts towards an aspirational goal of nurturing students who are future-ready, who possess a bold and trailblazing outlook. The school road-tested it with a down-to-earth and pragmatic approach by undergirding it with our vision statement. We implemented our plans by focusing on a tenet of our vision statement – one year at a time. We simplified the theme with an accessible and meaningful phrase for our students to understand and apply. On the staff professional development front, it had, similarly, been a gratifying journey of growth. As a professional learning community, we adopted new instructional strategies, committed to cycles of classroom inquiry and tirelessly acquainted ourselves with ed-tech platforms. It was also during this implementation period that we forged a number of key partnerships, which yielded fruitful outcomes for our programmes.

Through it all, what was particularly laudable was that our staff embraced the school’s directions with resonance and commitment, the kind of esprit de corps that has never failed to encourage and amaze me.

We were relentless in nurturing our students to be children with good character and values. We foregrounded the symbolism of Anderson Primary School as a School of LIGHT. Along the way, in an unexpected and delightful manner, we found our school mascot – the Anderson Sunbird in 2021. Since then, we have started naming our partnership awards and student programmes after this beautiful feathery friend of ours. At the end of 2023, our foray into POTF endeavours culminated in a rousing post-Covid celebration when members of this school community re-connected and celebrated our Family Day on 17 Nov 2023.

So, at the threshold of a new year, what’s next?

Considering the Future of Learning (FoL) Vision and the EdTech Masterplan announcements, the Key Personnel (KP) reviewed our school VMV at the End-Of-Year KP Retreat 2023. Moving forward to 2024, the school will adopt Pioneers of the Future as our Vision, the School of LIGHT as our Values statement and our existing Vision will continue to guide us as our refreshed Mission. Our G.P.S. strategic thrusts will be extended, from 2024 to 2026.

The school has been on the right track. The school will press on with the same indomitable spirit of shaping the future of learning for our Andersonians.

Delia Hoo (Mdm)
Principal
Dec 2023