Maris Stella High School

[38daddy]

skyjuice:

How's everyone's boys finding school? My son today came back asking me to transfer him out again. He's very worried about the school rules. Like caning if late 3 times. He had irregular stomach upsets lately-- diarrhea and bloatedness. Due to last minute rush for toilet, he was almost late for school a couple of times. Had had a long talk to soothe him.


This thing about the school not accepting Letters of Excuse for absence and only MC... Does that mean if the boy has stomach ache also need to go see doctor for the MC? I don't know about you mums but I usually self medicate my boys for slight flu or cough... Such are symptoms that off-the-shelf medicine easily takes care of. But more often than not, cause drowsiness. So I guess running to the doctor is the only way if the child needs rest.

Hi my DS is in S4, he had been late a few times but never got cane! Never heard him saying that 3 times late got cannning. Something new?

[skyjuice]

MintLeaf:

Hi Skyjuice,

Is he stressed? Is something else bothering him? My son thinks he can tell the teacher if he has a stomach ache. MC is generally required when one is absent from school. The requirement is a MOE thing.

Yes, my son gets stressed easily lately due to the transition to sec 1. I had brought him to see the doctor, who also said it's probably because of anxiety, which commonly leads to stomacheache. It had happened on both Mondays and last Wed, when going camp. I hope things get better soon as he settles down. He didn't have these symptoms before.

In primary school, when he had diarrhea, for instance, I would let him stay home and self medicate. Then I write a letter of excuse for his form teacher. But I guess MS does not permit that.

[skyjuice]

38daddy:

Hi my DS is in S4, he had been late a few times but never got cane! Never heard him saying that 3 times late got cannning. Something new?

It's stated in the Marist Companion, I think. Tat's what my son told me. Though, yes, 3 times caning is too strict! Hope the rule is just there as a paper tiger.

[blitz]

Skyjuice, I think the teacher who spoke to your son(is it a female teacher?) isn’t the class teacher, coz my son said the form teacher isn’t back yet from reservist, and yesterday was a blur as he has no idea who are his teachers.


My boy so far has no complains - at least not yet until studies set in.

[MintLeaf]

skyjuice:

Yes, my son gets stressed easily lately due to the transition to sec 1. I had brought him to see the doctor, who also said it's probably because of anxiety, which commonly leads to stomacheache. It had happened on both Mondays and last Wed, when going camp. I hope things get better soon as he settles down. He didn't have these symptoms before.


In primary school, when he had diarrhea, for instance, I would let him stay home and self medicate. Then I write a letter of excuse for his form teacher. But I guess MS does not permit that.

It can be quite agonising for the family to go through this transition. Generally, Secondary School is quite a big thing for the kids. I hope your son enjoys the school soon. Perhaps tell him to make that his priority, that is, to be happy.

I just remembered a couple of my son's friends disappeared for holiday after exams but before the school holiday. They did not seem to run into any problems with MS. Another Indonesian guy went back home for a week during Chinese New Year. Maybe the school can be flexible after all.

If you have the time, take a look at the RI thread, starting from page 35 onwards.

[MintLeaf]

38daddy:

Hi my DS is in S4, he had been late a few times but never got cane! Never heard him saying that 3 times late got cannning. Something new?

How do you and your son feel about MS?

[blitz]

Any one’s son have problems with cashcard at the canteen? My son tried to use the cashcard(not flashpay) for the drink stall, but didnt’ work.


Now got to buy a flashpay card (although when I enquired thru the phone with the admin that the canteen uses cashcard, not flashpay) just in case I was given the wrong info.

[MintLeaf]

blitz:

Any one's son have problems with cashcard at the canteen? My son tried to use the cashcard(not flashpay) for the drink stall, but didnt' work.


Now got to buy a flashpay card (although when I enquired thru the phone with the admin that the canteen uses cashcard, not flashpay) just in case I was given the wrong info.

I bought a new cashcard for my son Feb/Mar 09. Before that, we were using the older version of the cashcard. Sometimes the canteen operator has to swipe a couple of times before the transaction can go through. But my main concern was the missing transactions on the cashcard. I have a reader and I use the reader to check my son's expenditure and savings. I was unable to tally the amounts a few times. One day, we raised a query with NETS and were told a couple of transactions were not recorded on the chip for some reasons, but they were able to fax me the missing records. That triggered the new cashcard purchase.

My son has yet to report a problem with the new cashcard and the transactions read by my reader have tallied with the card balance up to now. And yes, I understand the school is not using the new flash technology.

[38daddy]

MintLeaf:

38daddy:

Hi my DS is in S4, he had been late a few times but never got cane! Never heard him saying that 3 times late got cannning. Something new?

How do you and your son feel about MS?

I think other than the \"old\" school building, we have no complaints on the academic teaching and discipline. But i realise that the school set very high standard for their subjects especially sciences.

2009 GCE \"O\", L1R5 had improved from 13.8 to 12.4, the target for the current S4 cohort is to bring it down even further....

[von72]

skyjuice:

How's everyone's boys finding school? My son today came back asking me to transfer him out again. He's very worried about the school rules. Like caning if late 3 times. He had irregular stomach upsets lately-- diarrhea and bloatedness. Due to last minute rush for toilet, he was almost late for school a couple of times. Had had a long talk to soothe him.


This thing about the school not accepting Letters of Excuse for absence and only MC... Does that mean if the boy has stomach ache also need to go see doctor for the MC? I don't know about you mums but I usually self medicate my boys for slight flu or cough... Such are symptoms that off-the-shelf medicine easily takes care of. But more often than not, cause drowsiness. So I guess running to the doctor is the only way if the child needs rest.

Hi, my son in sec 1 too, never hear him mention abt canning for being late 3 times. For him, he is still trying to adapt to the cultural change. Still having his P6 teachers and friends in mind. Been talking him lots with assurance and re-assurrance much daily.

With regard to the reporting sick, i guess is more or less the same as workforce. Only valid MC are acceptable otherwise annual leave shall be deducted automatically. Could be that your son are feeling stress and \"primary school\" sick too.....guess they need time to get adjusted. Has he got new buddy yet?? Maybe that will help him too.