Maris Stella High

[24hr-mum]

what is PAL?

[bigfoot]

Honey:

Traffic is ok if you can try to reach the school before 7am or latest by 7am. The turning into the school lane is a bit of a problem. What you can do is after a while when your son is more settled down, you may alight your son outside the gate (just behind the bus stop) & let him walk in so you skip the congested lane leading into the school.


And if you have no choice but let your son take the school bus home, just be open-minded about it. It isn't as bad. Tell your son to try to sit nearer to the bus aunty or bus uncle so they can keep watch on him (you can even have a word with the bus uncle/aunty about him).

I am quite sure I will reach the school before 7am. Just hope traffic is good as I need to travel all the way to Jurong by 7.45am or 8am. Yes, most likely I will settle for him to take schoolbus home until we find a place near the school. Thanks for your advise.

[bigfoot]

smurf:

Im not keen in school bus also. But there are no choice for me, as I simply hate the idea of moving. My boy also has to take school bus, worse, the distance is longer.


:stupid:

Unless I can afford to buy another car.



Nearby Maris Stella, there aren't a lot of flats (unless u want serangoon central which is not very near also). The nearest flats, you gotta walk 500-600m also. And the roads are quite quiet in the evening.

Why dun u check with the bus vendor, see what are the charges, and whether the distance is long? Do they pick up your boy first and last to drop? If they pick up your boy last and first to drop, then I think the amount of time he spends in the bus will be short.maybe less than 30 mins.

I checked with the bus company today. He told me most likely my son will be the first to be picked up. He mentioned around 6am. Wow! That is like so early. The sky is not even bright yet! Furthermore, he also mentioned that he will most probably be the last to be dropped off. I signed up anyway. Cos he told me I can still cancel the booking once he confirm the timing.

Yes, I am looking at Serangoon Ave 1 or Serangoon Central. I quite like the area. Was driving past all the flats today. Saw the soon to be opened NEX Shopping Centre. Quite big. Those blocks number 40# looks like a good investment even if I decided to sell or rent out in future. MRT nearby as well. Son can take MRT when he is older.

Just a thought...

[bigfoot]

cherrygal:

Hi Bigfoot!

Long time no see...if you wanna move, try Toa Payoh or Braddell. Just take Braddell Rd up to Bartley flyover. Very direct. I am also thinking of moving there soon.

We are also gonna drive our kid to school every morning but thinking of having him take a schoolbus home 1-way. Will find out the costs tomorrow.

I will definitely be catering the food for him coz I don't want him to eat cold food from home. I also dun want to wake up at 6am to prepare the food!

Hi Cherrygal,

So is your boy in 1F as well? Hope our boys can be classmate.

I din consider TPY or Braddell. Is it really direct? I know there is a U-turn to make right? I hate U-turn when the traffic is bad. Maybe I should see for myself the traffic situation before deciding where to buy. I heard now we must stay in the HDB for min of 5 years before we can sell. 5 years is like very long to me...

I am used to waiting up at 6am but definitely won't have the energy to make breakfast and I won't ask my maid to do it ether. Too much hassle. Must train him to eat whatever is given to him.

[bigfoot]

Namie:

$20 into the drain. Came home, checked the box of books and stationaries and found the crayons and color pencils all not in there.


My son said the school building looks like a Chinese temple. He asked how is he going to play at recess time there are so many boys around, some may push him into the pond, off the bridge or refuse to let him use the swing.

The ending at 3.45pm, should be due to PAL?

Hi Namie,

Why dun u try calling the bookstore to see if u can get the stationery from them? I am sure such incident happen before to them.

Yes, I was thinking about the same thing too. Imagine P1 - P6 all having recess. The P1 all so small size. Hope the older boys will look after them.

PAl stands for Programme for Active Learning. During the briefing it was mentioned that PAL is not an enrichment but part of curriculum. Well, I din realise it is actually an extension of curriculum. To me, it is more like a compulsory enrichment build into curriculum. Dun get me wrong, I am not complaining..

[bigfoot]

So since most of us are in Phase 2B, any of your sons in Class 1F as well?

[smurf]

Serangoon central is good, but not many people sell. Think few mths only got 1 unit available. Since ur boy already got a place there, just take ur time.

[cherrygal]

Hi 24hr-mum,

We all got scared of the 9places this year and moved our target to MS. We didn’t need to move within 1km for MS coz for Phase2B, the chances are quite high that you will get in even if >2km. Just stay put in Bishan, measure your chances with CHS next year, and if like us the odds are against you, you can then decide to try for MS, with strong prayers.

If you try CHS for both phases and lose, there is no turning back and MS would not have any places at Phase 2C Supp. Your backup would then be Montfort or some other government school in Ang Mo Kio (datz wat some bishan mommies did).

I think at primary level, both CHS and MS are comparable. Both are SAP schools, boys only and Catholic. It’s just the distance that is different. Just hoping my boy will do me proud and get into RI (that’s everyone’s hope)!

[cherrygal]

Hi Bigfoot,

My son is not in 1F... I want to keep my identity confidential (coz principal and the teachers do read this thread) so I am not saying which class he got into (sorry!).

Does any seasoned parent here know how the kids are allocated their seats? Is it according to height or first-come-first-served? My son is really short and small so I hope he can sit in front.

I also checked with the school bus operator and the 1-way cost is only $10 cheaper than the 2-way cost. They also mentioned 6am - 6.15am pickup time (which means waking up at 5.30am! :faint: ). I didn't sign up yet.

I haven't bought the uniforms coz the queue was so long! DH and I decided to go to the warehouse at Pemimpin instead since it's near Bishan.

Glad my son overcame his shyness and managed to make 3 friends today. :lol:

[Namie]

bigfoot:

Namie:

$20 into the drain. Came home, checked the box of books and stationaries and found the crayons and color pencils all not in there.


My son said the school building looks like a Chinese temple. He asked how is he going to play at recess time there are so many boys around, some may push him into the pond, off the bridge or refuse to let him use the swing.

The ending at 3.45pm, should be due to PAL?

Hi Namie,

Why dun u try calling the bookstore to see if u can get the stationery from them? I am sure such incident happen before to them.

Yes, I was thinking about the same thing too. Imagine P1 - P6 all having recess. The P1 all so small size. Hope the older boys will look after them.

PAl stands for Programme for Active Learning. During the briefing it was mentioned that PAL is not an enrichment but part of curriculum. Well, I din realise it is actually an extension of curriculum. To me, it is more like a compulsory enrichment build into curriculum. Dun get me wrong, I am not complaining..

I sent them an email but I'll be calling them on Monday as well.

Not sure how it will work out. Feedback is that Singapore primary students are already very stressed and spending lots of time in school. With this PAL thing, however good the intention may be, they are spending even longer time in school.

At my workplace, every year end, we have to submit work plans on the reviews we will be conducting the following year (over and above our work). It is not our daily work that affect our career. It is the reviews because it reflects an officer's capability to come out with something and his thinking process. Review often results in new things get added on, without anything being taken away. I just hope this PAL thing is not the result of a scholar's review for his APA and career progression.