NBrSS 15th Anniversary Magazine 2015

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Celebrate!

Celebrate!

15th 15th Anniversary Anniversary Special Special Edition Edition Northbrooks NorthbrooksSecondary SecondarySchool School

CONTENTS 01

Introduction

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Foreword

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Chairman’s Message

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The Northbrooks Experience

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Cognitive

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Physical

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Aesthetics / Inviting School Environment

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Character & Leadership

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Partners in Education

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A Professional Learning Community

Vision Every Brooksian A Champion, Impacting the Community.

MISSION To empower Brooksians to develop a passion for learning, strong moral values and a keen sense of duty and community.

Values (GIFTED) • • • • • •

Graciousness Integrity Fortitude Teamwork Empathy Discipline

Brooksian Anthem With Brooksian fervour Lift up our voices Each day a new beginning Let hearts be open With hopes arising Our promise don’t deny.

We’re friends who offer compassion Whatever the circumstance With fortitude we will overcome Be strong, be true, be free!

Reach for tomorrow Take hold our future Let’s building a brighter new day We’re soaring, yet rooted Take flight And see our hopes and dreams come true Our fears to conquer Stand tall Discover who we are and more Making champions of us all Volatilis tamen radicalis O see our dreams come true Our fears to conquer Stand tall Discover who we are and more Making champions of us all Making champions for us all!

Music composed by Miss Chan Young Young Lyrics by Miss Wendy Tan Swee Tee

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the Brooksian crest

Just as WATER is the basis of life, the school provides a nurturing and challenging environment to inspire all Brooksians to learn and grow.

Just as TREES like Aspens and Giant Redwoods grow in groves supporting one another with their roots intertwined, people too are connected by a system of roots (our family and friends).

When pounded by the storms of life, we need to hold one another up; like the Oaks with their deep, penetrating roots, the school will build a strong foundation of moral values in all Brooksians so that they will have the moral courage to make the right choices in life; like the Oaks spreading their branches to provide shelter and nesting places for birds, the school will provide opportunities for Brooksians to develop their talents and abilities to the fullest, so that they in turn can reach out to touch the lives of others.

GOLD Background With a firm foundation in moral values to guide their thinking, Brooksians will have the confidence to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. They will be well-balanced individuals, anchored by strong roots and equipped with wings to soar to great heights to achieve their dreams with integrity; they will become people with values, of value to their community and to the nation.

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Northbrooks’ story

思源 The Beginning Northbrooks Secondary School started at the dawn of a new millennium on 2 January 2000 with eight Secondary 1 classes. Built at a cost of over $23 million, the school is fully-equipped with IT facilities and is set amidst the beautiful natural surroundings of Yishun Park.

The school is united in its desire to do its very best for its students and to prepare them for the future knowledge-based workplace. Besides developing their capacity to learn, the School also focuses on building the character of its students and helping them to develop compassion for others.

The name Northbrooks is derived from the Yuan Dynasty proverb 饮水思源. This is one of the core moral values inculcated in all Brooksians: To always remember their roots and to be grateful to their family, teachers, friends and country for the success they achieve in life.

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Message by Principal, Mrs Helen Chong Northbrooks Secondary School is in its fifteenth year of molding young lives. The last fourteen years in the school’s journey as well as the requirement that we must strategically prepare Brooksians for future success, have had a decisive influence on the way we wish to move forward from this point on. Against this background, the school developed a new vision in 2011, “Every Brooksian a Champion, Impacting the Community”. We define a Brooksian champion as one who possesses a champion mind-set, characterised by a strong willingness to embrace one’s mistakes and confront one’s deficiencies in a desire to learn, in order to be best for the community.

In our belief that every child can be a champion, we have built into our curriculum, programmes and practices which are aligned to the Brooksian core values of Graciousness, Integrity, Fortitude, Teamwork, Empathy and Discipline (GIFTED).

Not content to rest on past achievements, the Brooksian team of educators works continuously to review and refine the academic programme for relevance and currency in order to design and deliver a curriculum which will equip our students with 21st century skills. Given the importance of a strong foundation in English for academic success, the school decided to adopt the Whole-School Approach to Effective Communication, in partnership with MOE’s English Language Institute of Singapore. Academic departments customise pedagogical approaches to meet their specific requirements, for example, Concept-Rich Instruction for Mathematics and Inquiry-based Learning for Science and the Humanities.

In 2014, Northbrooks was accorded niche status for Aerospace, in recognition of our pervasive applied learning programme in flight science and our sterling track record in national and inter-school aerospace and aero-modelling competitions. In 2015, the Northbrooks Aerospace Programme was expanded and re-positioned as the school’s distinctive Applied Learning Programme. This programme aims to shape students’ attitudes regarding Science and Mathematics and allow them to connect what they learn in these subject disciplines to real-life applications in Aerospace, with a view to encourage them to consider Science-, Mathematics- and Designrelated fields for further education and a future career. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the Singapore Science Centre, the Singapore Youth Flying Club and the Polytechnics count among our key partners for the design and delivery of our Aerospace curriculum.

Northbrooks’ Learning for Life Programme in the domain of Outdoor Education, Leadership & Social Emotional Learning, was rolled out in 2015, with the objective 6

of developing in Brooksians the skills and attitude of lifelong learning in an outdoor environment. Infused into the school’s PE, Science, Humanities and Mother Tongue Languages curricula, this programme provides a platform for character-building, values education, inculcating leadership skills and raising global awareness. To this end, the school works in partnership with post-secondary institutions as well as industrial and community organisations.

Holistic development of the Brooksian champion is key. The various facets of Brooksian school life are made vibrant by the spread of enrichment and co-curricular programmes and events: Stained Glass Art, Level Camps, Sports Carnival, Brooksian Talent Showcase, Visual Arts Exhibition, Student Work Attachment, Leadership Training and Overseas Learning Journeys, to name a few. With the objective of developing social conscience in Brooksian champions, we provide our students with opportunities to impact the community in different ways. Collaborations with our long-term community partners in Arts Outreach projects and in our Valuesin-Action programmes seek to meet the needs of beneficiaries in our ServiceLearning endeavours. The Brooksian educational experience offers our students opportunities to soar, take flight, conquer their fears to stand tall and discover the champion within themselves. In CCAs, our students have soared, some even setting the standard for national and inter-school competitions We would be nothing if not for our dedicated staff who work in close partnership with parents and the community in striving to provide a quality programme and experience for Brooksians. Team Northbrooks, comprising academic, administrative and support staff, is a team with clear purpose and a big heart for our students. The fundamental belief of this team is that character education matters just as much as academic learning.

Our Champion Teachers continuously learn and hone their craft to impact the student community. While we pride ourselves on our strong culture of professional development, we approach learning always with humility, taking every opportunity to learn from three sources – from oneself, from others and with others – in our quest to become skilful champion teachers. Learning from Self: As reflective practitioners, our teachers have a practice of looking back on the week’s lessons and writing reflections on what had worked for them in class and what they could have done better. Learning from Others: Our teachers observe each other’s lessons, not only to learn from the practices of their peers but also to provide feedback which serves to inform the future practices of their peers in the classroom.

Learning with Others: To improve the quality of instructional programmes, the school takes the Professional Learning Community approach, where teaching staff collaborate to form pedagogical research project teams to experiment with or pilot pedagogical innovations.

❝ Here in this place, we grow champions. ❞

Here in this place, we grow champions. May we never stop believing that in each person lies a potential champion to be nurtured. May each one of us, staff or student, never stop aspiring and striving to be best for the community, indeed, for the nation.

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Message by Chairman of School Advisory Committee, Dr T. Chandroo Congratulations to Northbrooks Secondary School on its 15th Anniversary!

On behalf of the School Advisory Committee, I would like to convey my heartiest well-wishes to all members of the school on this joyous occasion. It ticks off the pinnacle of the countless years of arduous work and dedication that you have put in to achieve excellence for the school. You are the personification of the Northbrooks’ spirit, an inspiration to other schools!

Northbrooks Secondary is steadfast in its belief that every student deserves the best opportunities in education. They have been nurturing budding talents with knowledge and skills, through initiatives like the aerospace programme. The programme is an excellent platform to pique the interest of Lower Secondary students in the rapidly growing aerospace industry in Singapore.

Northbrooks Secondary has partnered with key industry players such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Republic Polytechnic (RP), Temasek Polytechnic (TP), ITEs and leading aerospace companies such as Rolls Royce. Through practical learning opportunities, students are taught basic concepts of physics in design and mathematical principles, which are pertinent to succeeding in the course. The aerospace programme keeps their dreams fuelling, as students venture on this exciting but surely rewarding journey.

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The dynamic forces behind the progress are the principals, past and present.

The sheer dedication and persistence of the Principals and teachers are another reason why students of Northbrooks Secondary will flourish. They have every step of the way, ensured the emotional, educational and social well-being of their students. The Principals and teachers have never given up on what they believe their students can achieve for their dreams.

I am confident that each pupil will be able to rise to the occasion and impress upon their future employers with the unique Northbrooks’ education they have been presented.

The students are the school’s testimony and without a doubt, they are our greatest asset; a new generation of young and confident Northbrooks’ ambassadors.

Today, I am pleased to wish the school another 15 years of excellence and success in its endeavours.

❝ The Principals and teachers have never given up on what they believe their students can achieve for their dreams. ❞

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THE NORTHBROOKS

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EXPERIENCE ...

The Northbrooks Experience – to develop Brooksians into Champions through • providing a broad-based and holistic education; • cultivating strong moral values and civic literacy; and • developing a keen sense of duty and community.

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COGNITIVE Brooksians developing into passionate and lifelong learners with a Champion Learning mindset.

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Mathematics

The Mathematics Department inspires the love for Mathematics through the department pedagogy, Concept-Rich Instruction (CRI), by Meir Ben-Hur. In CRI, teachers design learning experiences that provoke thoughtful discussions which lead to new mathematical concepts and prepare students to apply these concepts on their own. The department also embarked on three projects to explore alternative approaches to enrich students in the learning of Mathematics. For the Express stream, the department is collaborating with the N6 cluster of schools on a project, “Enhancing the Pedagogy of Mathematics Teachers to facilitate the development of 21st century competencies in their classrooms”, in collaboration with the National Institute of Education. For the N(A) stream, the department is involved in an MOE project, ICAN, “Improving Confidence and Numeracy”, to enable teachers to better engage students who are weak in Mathematics. For the N(T) stream, the department is partnering Spectra Secondary School in the “Flipped Classroom” and “Team-based Learning” projects. These projects seek to develop self-directed learners.

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The Science Department seeks to provide an authentic and engaging Science education to all Brooksians and develop them into passionate inquirers. Students’ interest and Science knowledge is developed not only through a variety of classroom activities and hands-on lessons but also by providing a range of experiences beyond the classrooms. This is done through learning journeys, exposure to Science competitions and interdisciplinary activities. These experiences nurture Brooksians into becoming critical thinkers who appreciate and understand Science better.

SCIENCE

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English Language and Literature

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The English Language and Literature Department’s curriculum and key programmes equip Brooksians with the ability to communicate proficiently in Standard English and nurture them into confident, gracious and disciplined champions.

Some of the department’s key programmes are Speak Good English activities and competitions, school-wide reading programme, projects for selfdirected learning, poetry writing, NLB’s National Story Challenge and Kids’ Lit Quiz boot camp. ICT-infused lessons are also an integral part of the curriculum, allowing students to become confident and effective users of technology for lifelong learning.

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Mother Tongue Languages Through the provision of a rich curriculum, the Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) Department is committed to nurture students to be proficient in the use of their Mother Tongue Languages and to appreciate and respect the cultures associated with these languages.

The Chinese Language Unit stretches students through differentiated activities that are learner centred, such as the MTL Fortnight Programme, Culture Camp, Chinese Student Guides Programme, Water Learning Programme, Festive Celebrations and competitions. These activities aim to mould students to be confident, independent and lifelong learners of Chinese Language and culture.

The Malay Language Unit carries out a series of interesting programmes and activities to inculcate an appreciation for Malay Language and expose students to the Malay culture. These include Speech & Drama Workshop, Malay Media Programme, Nasi Ambeng Experience, Batik Painting, Creative Writing Workshop and Traditional Games.

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Craft and Technology The Craft and Technology Department, which comprises Art & Design, Design and Technology (D&T ) and Food and Nutrition (F&N), envisions every Brooksian to be an innovative individual who demonstrates critical thinking skills in solving real life issues.

The D&T curriculum provides opportunities for Brooksians to develop a creative and innovative mind-set; while in the F&N classes, students acquire skills and knowledge in making good decisions so as to be responsible and smart consumers. The Art programme equips students with the skills to appreciate the relevance of art in their lives.

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Humanities

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The Humanities Department adopts the Inquiry Approach in the teaching of History, Geography and Social Studies.

All the programmes aim to help students understand the relevance of Humanities to the real world around them and to the issues that affect the socio-economic development and the future of Singapore. Gamebased learning, learning journeys and fieldwork are incorporated into lessons to engage students and develop their thinking and process skills that are essential for lifelong and independent learning. Brooksians develop a sense of shared destiny and national identity and become responsible citizens with a global perspective.

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Whole-School Approach to Effective Communication in English (WSA-EC) 26

WSA-EC is a key programme that aims to foster a culture which values effective communication as a critical 21st century skill. Students experience a range of speaking and writing activities that develop their competence and confidence in using Standard English.

It is heartening to see Brooksians actively engage in programmes such as inter-disciplinary WSA-EC projects, readers’ theatre, subject literacy reading programme, oratorical and story-telling competitions and presentations

by Brooksian News Champions.

They also have opportunities to attend live theatre performances and public speaking courses.

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applied learning in aerospace

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Northbrooks Aerospace Programme (Applied Learning in Aerospace) aims to help students to connect knowledge across disciplines, stretch their imagination and apply their academic lessons to authentic settings. Undoubtedly, solving real life challenges calls for an inter-disciplinary approach and innovation happens at the intersection of disciplines. The lessons are designed for directed or guided inquiry, using simple flying machines to illustrate basic activities in Mathematics and Physical Science. Thus, it provides opportunities for students to collect data and graph results, as well as participate in teams to analyse data and manipulate variables.

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PHYSICAL Brooksians with a love for the outdoors, staying fit and healthy for life.

Physical Education

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The aim of the Physical Education (PE) programme is to develop active and healthy individuals through regular physical activity and outdoor pursuits as well as to enable students to be competent and skilful in a variety of sports and games through active participation in PE lessons. The programme also focuses on character development to align with and focus on 4 of the school values: • Graciousness – Sportsmanship • Integrity – Fair play • Fortitude – Perseverance, Resilience and Ruggedness • Teamwork – Working together to achieve the best outcome.

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Learning for Life Programme (LLP): Northbrooks Outdoor Education and Leadership & Social Emotional Learning 34

Brooksians have opportunities to participate in a range of level wide programmes that expose them to various outdoor experiences, both locally and overseas.

At the end of the LLP, Brooksians should exhibit the following school values: • Develop fortitude through perseverance, and motivating self and others to strive to do one’s best with infusion of cross-cultural skills and global awareness.

• Demonstrate graciousness in managing personal challenges and understanding the importance of empathy in helping others to overcome obstacles and to deal with the trials of life.

• Demonstrate teamwork by harnessing the strengths of every team member, and managing cross-cultural differences through positive encouragement.

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AESTHETICS/ INVITING SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT Brooksians with an eye for the Arts and the Environment.

Arts Education (Stained Glass)

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Stained Glass Art has been a signature programme in the Northbrooks curriculum since 2008. Working with stained glass requires intricate skill and patience; students working in teams develop fortitude and resilience and learn to value each other’s strengths. As an art form, it provides an authentic platform for nurturing Habits of Mind such as “Persisting”, “Striving for Accuracy & Precision” and “Create, Imagine, Innovate”.

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Green Efforts

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Interact Green Club is a community of creative Green Ambassadors who care for society and the environment.

The members have contributed to various platforms such as the annual Green Living @ Nee Soon East event, the National Youth Business Challenge, as well as other environmental challenges.

The Green Ambassadors aim to promote environmentalfriendliness through innovative products and outreach activities. Every year, their passion for protecting the environment grows through art and craft, and entrepreneurial and community outreach projects which nurture active and mature contributors who desire to leave a positive impact on society.

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Visual Arts Display

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As you walk around the school, you will notice and be impressed with the many murals that create a vibrant environment and depict the rich learning experiences of alumni and current Brooksians.

Several murals were painted by the lower secondary students as part of the annual Arts Enrichment Programme (Elective). Their murals reflect the school values and activities in Northbrooks, such as the vision of ‘Every Brooksian a Champion, Impacting the Community’, as well as the serene natural environment.

The latest addition to the displays is a stained glass project, themed ‘Celebrate Northbrooks’. The design comprises work contributed by the staff, alumni, Parents Support Group, the School Advisory Committee and various external partners of the school to commemorate Northbrooks’ 15th Anniversary.

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CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP

Brooksians who lead and serve with care and integrity.

Student Leadership The Student Council body strives to nurture and empower student leaders practically and affectively.

The training programmes are built on the basic tenets of student leadership developed by Kouzes and Posner in order to develop students’ practical and affective leadership skills. The scope of responsibilities and studentled initiatives that the Student Council body take on to build up their practical leadership skills range from running meetings and internal camps to assisting the school in the administrative day-to-day operations.

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True to its mission and vision, the school has a structured VIA programme which provides platforms for Brooksians to contribute to the community.

These include the school’s annual Recyclatron, where students collect paper recyclables and clothing from Nee Soon residents, and Recyclart activities such as Project Carnation. Brooksians are also given the opportunity to be active contributors through their involvement in CCA-VIA Activities, the Secondary 3 Service-Learning Programme and in facilitating school events.

values-in-action (VIA) ACtivities

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CCA-VIA

The school embarked on the CCA-VIA journey in order to support Brooksians’ holistic development.

Annually, every CCA group organises VIA experiential programmes for their respective members.

Through these programmes, students reflect on their experiences, the values they had put into practice, and think about how they can continue to contribute meaningfully to the community.

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Service-Learning Programme The Service-Learning programme for Secondary 3 students provides them with the opportunity to work with a beneficiary of their choice. The programme is essentially student-centred with the planning, implementation and evaluation all done by the students, while teachers facilitate.

This programme allows Brooksians to develop their social and cross-cultural skills when they work with various community organisations supporting a range of beneficiaries such as the young, the senior citizens, the underprivileged and the environment.

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Level Camps

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Level Camps provide students with experiential learning platforms and outdoor activities that become increasingly challenging as they progress from Secondary 1 to Secondary 3. The students in Secondary 1, 2 and 3 have their camps in school, MOE Adventure Campsites and Bintan (Indonesia) respectively. The Secondary 4 camp also takes place in school and has a more academic focus on study skills and time management as students prepare for the year-end National Examinations. The camps aim to develop values, character, team bonding, class identity and social-emotional competencies.

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The Special Pull-Out and Reintegration (SOaR) programme focuses on values education which challenges Brooksians to soar to greater heights. The programmes aim to motivate them to excel, lead and serve. SOaR enables selected students to be exposed to an array of activities where they gain motivation and confidence in schooling, leadership qualities, and in the process acquire relevant skills and desirable values.

These students also apply their skills and values to serve the school and the community.

SOaR

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PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

Building quality partnerships to develop all Brooksians.

Parents support group

The school believes that home-school partnership is important to help the child develop holistically.

Partnership with parents began as a ‘Brooksian Parents Club” (BPC) where parents volunteered their services to the school. In 2012, the BPC was renamed the ‘Parent Support Group’ (PSG). Workshops and talks are organised regularly to support parents with knowledge and skills needed for parenting teenagers and opportunities to bond with their children. In addition, platforms such as dialogue sessions and invitation to school events are a regular feature to better engage parents.

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Alumni

The Alumni Association of Northbrooks was established in 2012 with the intent of providing a platform for ex-Brooksians to live out the school’s motto, “Soaring Yet Rooted”. They support school initiatives, major events and activities and network with each other as they progress in their own careers. To date, there is active involvement of alumni members in various CCAs, academic coaching programmes and school events such as Secondary One Orientation, Speech Day, Recyclatron and Career Day. The Association leverages social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and email (Northbrookalumni@hotmail.com.) to interact with alumni from the class of 2003 - 2014.

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Values Education through Partnerships

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Northbrooks’ partnership with Cape of Colours, a registered charity that offers financial aid, scholarships and free tuition, created opportunities for Brooksians to participate in its Yellowren Arts Festival. The school set up a booth to promote and sell Stained Glass Art. This project helped to raise funds for Northbrooks’ needy students.

‘Ration for the Poor and Needy Family’ Project is organised by Hock Huat Keng Temple, a non-profit organisation.

Every year, the temple provides rice and other food items to our needy students’ families. As part of values education, our students help in the packing and distribution of the food items.

Red Hill Food Distribution Drive is an annual event organised by our partner, Rotary Club of Pandan Valley. It is a goodwill project that encourages Brooksians to feel for the underprivileged and to care and share with them during the Lunar New Year Celebrations.

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Twinning Programme

With the signing of a memorandum of understanding in 2007, Northbrooks Secondary School and Nanya Middle School (Changsha, China) began a partnership that is into its 8th year in 2015. The main objective of this Twinning programme is to provide students with rich global, social and educational experiences during their one week stay in Changsha.

Students from both schools are exposed to different cultures and school systems and have opportunities to enhance their social skills and forge new friendships.

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A PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY A community of educators with a Champion Learning Mindset.

Staff Professional Development

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At Northbrooks, we recognise that teachers are the key to quality education. Hence, we share a common vision: ‘Every Brooksian Teacher, a Skilful Champion Teacher.’ Here, our teachers take ownership of their learning through platforms that develop them to be better at their craft. These platforms include peer lesson observations, mentoring, Action-Research and Lesson Study in their professional learning teams. Through these collaborations, teachers not only grow themselves but they also guide and develop their peers. With such collegiality, we believe that we will grow together to become Skilful Champion Teachers.

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AUTOGRAPHS

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SOARING YET ROOTED Northbrooks Secondary School 585 Yishun Ring Road. Singapore 768692 Tel: +65 6752 4311 | Fax: +65 6756 6110 Website: http://www.northbrookssec.moe.edu.sg