Pat's Schoolhouse

[Koolmama]

Hi Crystalbelle,


Actually I've been to visit the school a few times already

Guess what... I finally decided to enrol my younger one in Mt Emily!! My older one is graduating from Halifax end of this year so he won't have the chance to be in the same school as her, haha (even though he has been pestering me non-stop since Jan this year if his mei mei will be in the same school as him!! :lol: )

Logistics-wise, it'll save me a few hundred dollars a year since I won't have to pay ERP charges to send her to school and home But still have to pay when bringing DS home from Primary school

I really like the newly renovated look, so hope she'll enjoy school next year when she starts !! :lol:

Btw, the world is reeeeeallly small... When I went to register her at about 4+ in the afternoon, I bumped into this nice grandpa who was picking up his granddaughter from Squirrel Nutkin class... I asked him if he stayed around the area and he said, \"No, Serangoon!!\" I wonder if that could be your father/FIL?? Heheheh

And.... YES!! I am a great FAN of the no-uniform policy too... Before Pat's, my ds used to be in Eton House and although some pp think the uniform looks nice, it is a headache becos at that time i had no maid and had to HANDwash his uniforms (and THEN IRON) every other day!! Whereas with Pat's, you don't have to worry about having a fresh new clean set of uniforms to wear everyday - just wear whatever clothes they have in the wardrobe and do laundry every weekend!! So easy!! (Plus, I like dressing them up in different colours and designs everyday too - uniforms are SO BORING!!! Esp if you have to see your children wearing the same uniform everyday for almost 300 days in a year... kwim? )

Another benefit of not having uniforms is... When they are on full/extended day, after bathing they can change into a new set of clothes... Whereas with uniforms you'll have to buy at least 8 sets if you don't want to have to handwash and iron everyday (since one day need to use 2 or 3 sets rite?? :-b) ... If you don't have maid you'll appreciate the feeling lah!! Haha....

crystalbelle08:

Hi shiyunu,
Rest assured. Mt Emily's teachers speak perfect english. So definately better than LV

Hi augmum and koolmama,
Thanks for sharing! So, I made the right choice to put my kid in Pat's. :lol:
Now i understand why halifax has long waiting list! I'm impressed!

Koolmama, Why dont u check out Mt Emily and talk to the principal,Tanya.
She is a very friendly lady too. I suppose Halifax has individual classroom for different level?

So u intend to transfer your elder one to Mt Emily as well?
Gosh, $400 per month is per kid, so for 2 kids will be $800 per month for school bus?? :!:
then u might as well charterd a taxi!

[Koolmama]

Oh yes, I just realised that quite a number of mummies here are going to be with Pat's @ Mt Emily next year - some in PG which is the same as my dd too!! :lol:


-> Shiyunu, Crystalbelle, Preciousmoments... (DC Mummy not sure which branch you are at? ) We should form a mummies group and meet up for coffee or a playdate sometime next year.... heheh ;-D

[preciousmoments]

Am curious, any parents in mt Emily whose kids take the school bus back to Serangoon? I had wanted my boy to take the school bus back to my parents’ place in Serangoon bt the bus driver told me the journey would take 1.5 hours!

[smurfy]

DC Mummy:

smurfy:

crystallbelle

there's a slight jam
but most parents will drop the students at that stretch of the road.. and every day, there will be 2 \"on-duty\" teachers to hold the hands of the students and help the students cross the road and into the school compounds right to the temperature checking area.

raining days even better. the teachers with their umbrellas will shelter the students across the road and into the temperature checking area.

to add onz.. though a bit out of point.. for my #1 first excursion, all parents went along.. the daddy told me it rained when they reached back school... the admin staff n principal all came out of the office and took umbrellas to shelter the kids frm the rain.
good service hoR?

The first excursion was visit to Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, right? I was there too.... :celebrate:

yep yep.. the first excursion was JBCG..the daddy went.. the only daddy in his class..

crystal
i think DC mummy's post on traffic conditions in the moRnings r more accurate.. :P.. but the umbrellas r definitely there.. :P.

oh i think they oso went for national day heritage tour.. and a show (the magic ocean or another earlier show).... it's only the first excursion they roped in the parents' help for the playgrps.. subsequent visits.. parents errr.. no allowed?

[debpch]

preciousmoments,

1.5 hrs is too long… i think it might be better to opt for full day so that can send/pick-up before/after work…
think a lot of parents have the same problem… i have the same problem too…

[mtdt]

shiyunu:

How abt bottle feeding? My gal has a habit to drink milk from the milk bottle before she naps. She also refuses to drink milk from a cup. Heard from Tanya from Mt Emily that they don encourage bottle feeding which i agree. But i am worried that my gal can't get used to it when she naps in the sch. Dono wat to do...

I am sure they allow bottle feeding. but but... why not takes this chance to nip her bad habit. drink till sleep - bad for teeths leh.

u will be surprised... many times, habits tat are soooo die hard at home - are not so in sch! peer pressure or they know trs are not so easily bully like parents at home or wat... it just happen!

[mtdt]

crystalbelle08:

Hi mtdt,


I am planning to transfer to full day prog.
Pillow and bolster we have to supply ourselves?
So every week bring back to wash??

Toothbrush, toothpaste!
Good! Currently her group dont have the practice to brush the teeth.
I desperately need the school to start this routine as my DD simply hate to brush.
Will be great if the school can train her properly in terms of oral hygiene.

Hi debpch,
I also left a bottle of mosqito repellent with the school.
As for diaper, you may leave half a pack with the school, they will inform u once they run out of diaper.

Pillow/bloster/bedsheet/blanket - all up to u to bring. depends on what ur child needs. some kids dun need anything of such.. so can dun bring.

my tr did say can leave it in sch.. bring back on friday to wash. but i rather he brings home daily and i change the cover daily.

mosqito repellent - i put a stack of those stickers in his bag. as and when they go outdoors, will use.

[crystalbelle08]

Dear all,

Got a reply from Pat's.
The school is very firm about not having uniform as \"Dressing oneself is a way of expressing our personality and our love for colours, design, comfort, creativity and confidence\"

So non uniform supporters win!
Gotto spend more $$ on clothes for the next few years now..


Hi Preciousmoments,
I agree with debpch, 1.5hrs is too long.
In fact, the driver told me mine would be around 1 hour as he need to send those in orchard area home first.
1 hour is already very long to me.
For us, we dont have a choice as we are not able to pick her up on time.
Let's hope the school can have 1 more driver to cater to the north/north easteners

Currently they only have 2 driver for the morn- home to school route
As for the school to home route, there is
2 driver for the 12pm
1 or 2 driver for the 3pm
1 driver for the 5pm
Actually all in all, there is only 2 drivers. So they will come to and fro to pick kids from different sessions.

[smurfy]

crystal

some parents do dress their kids to the nines.. but some parents oso bor chap.. me? i oso bor chap.. something tat the boy will be comfortable w..

mtdt
u soooooooooooooo kisasu.. i never tot of the mosquitos patches.. hmmm.. let me think now.. kekeke

re. potty training.
once the kids settled down in a routine.. the teachers will want to work w the parents on potty changing.. n like wat some said.. peer pressure will get the kids to perform likewise my #1 was slow in tat.. the teachers always bring him to see how other kids in the class urine.. and always tell us not to let him wear diapers to school in the morning..

[crystalbelle08]

Hi Koolmama

Welcome to Mt Emily!
Good to see more and more mummies from KSP sending their kids to Mt Emily.
Mt Emily was rarely mentioned previously as most of the parents there are non locals. So most of them were not as KS as us, sporeans!

Yes yes, we can have kopi or playdate some days!
We can also catchup when they organise excusions that allow parents to particpate.

Oh...my kid is currently at toddler's class. Will be promoted to Squirrel Nutkin (PG) class next year. So that grandpa you saw wasnt my dad. :oops:

Did Tanya tell you how many kids there are so far in PG next year?
Lets hope there is sufficient kids to split into 2 classes.