Maris Stella High

[leia_sgm]

Based on the email from the teacher, P1 Chinese Test is in the week of 25/2-1/3. Test can be on any random day. They won’t tell you which.

[leia_sgm]

Namie:

I am more concern about the drinks sold at canteen. I long suspected my son is buying drinks from the canteen as I caught him a few times when he was in P1. Though he promised not to do so anymore, I don't believe him. I have to remind him every day not to buy sugared drinks during recess. He is P3 this year. Just now my maid told me my son drinks a can/bottle of isotonic drink a day cos he brought back the bottle. I am very furious with my son and I also think the school should audit the kind of stuff that is sold.

My boy came back and told me he drank a can of H2O one day and I told him it's not healthy (did not elaborate why lah). He said it's H2O (water) and the can says \"new improved healthy formula\"! Faint! All these marketing gimmicks!

Anyway, I told him it's best if he spends just on food and save the rest of his pocket money so that he can buy books/toys. If he wants sugared drinks, come home and drink FOC Ribena which he need not pay money. Guess it was a good enough proposition to him so he doesn't seem to be buying sugared drinks in school anymore.

[leia_sgm]

Parents of P1 kids - Any thoughts about the Youth Development Program (YDP). Worthwhile to go for it?


Parents of P2-6 kids on YDP - What happens if the kids eventually don’t get selected for school team? They just "drop out" and choose some other CCA? Selection for school team is done in P2? P3?

[cherrygal]

Re this YDP, esp Badminton, they encourage P1s to join (if they pass the selection trials) coz it would be hard to join in later unless you have private coaching. The coach will choose the school team members from this group of students in P4. Those who did not get into the school team will just play the sport as a CCA. No need to drop out.


Word of warning though, badminton CCA practices are 2 days (1 wkday 1 sat) for P2s, and 3 days (3 wkdays) for P3s. And this is non school team. Hence some kids drop out of the program due to schedule clashes.

[bbyy]

cherrygal:

Re this YDP, esp Badminton, they encourage P1s to join (if they pass the selection trials) coz it would be hard to join in later unless you have private coaching. The coach will choose the school team members from this group of students in P4. Those who did not get into the school team will just play the sport as a CCA. No need to drop out.


Word of warning though, badminton CCA practices are 2 days (1 wkday 1 sat) for P2s, and 3 days (3 wkdays) for P3s. And this is non school team. Hence some kids drop out of the program due to schedule clashes.

Thank you for the information....

[valaiggy]

My P1 son was "selected" for all 3 sports! Though I myself, as a multi sport enthusiast, don’t see much talent for him in badminton or table tennis!


Any of your kids got any "non-selected" sport?

And we have to pay for these so-called CCA (co-curriculum activity?), granted that they say it’s not compulsory. But …

[ninenine]

Just wondering, are all the kids given the chance to select the CCA at P1 even of the trial election?


What is the fee of the for CCA of badminton , table tennis and wu shu?

[cherrygal]

Badminton CCA is $8 per hour, but since it is so often, it can cost between $120 - $200+ per month depending on which level and which month. May and Oct will cost less due to exam period. Dec will cost even more coz they do intensive training. It is free if you get into the school team in P4.


All children are invited to the trials but you can only join the CCA if you pass the trials.

[cherlyn81_77]

cherrygal:

Badminton CCA is $8 per hour, but since it is so often, it can cost between $120 - $200+ per month depending on which level and which month. May and Oct will cost less due to exam period. Dec will cost even more coz they do intensive training. It is free if you get into the school team in P4.


All children are invited to the trials but you can only join the CCA if you pass the trials.

Is there any intake in P2? Any idea who I should look for?
Thx!

[leia_sgm]

Thanks, cherrygal for the invaluable info.


Up to 3 weekdays/week for non-school team sounds like hell a lot of commitment!!! Really wonder if it’s worth the amount of time/sacrifice when after 3 years/X hours of grounding, the kid doesn’t get into the school team for whatever reasons.

I mean, I can understand that not every kid has the talent in the sport. And I am quite sure that the selection criteria for the trial is super lax (like mine got selected for all 3 too and it sounded like a big fat "kelong" to me cos I know my boy!). As I understand from my boy, the stuff that they were asked to do at the trials were nothing overly technical.

I’m feeling very skeptical about the whole YDP thingy now. The big sounding name is but another marketing gimmick! Yes, it does sound like big deal to be in a "youth development program". But at the end of the day, knowing that you and not the school are paying the training fee and investing so much time which may reap little benefits, is it worth it?

Back in my schooling days, they have differentiated training for school team vs non-school team. Non-school team is once a week. School team has a heavier commitment for obvious reasons. If everyone trains as hard but one group is school team and the other is not, for the amount of effort put in, it’s super bo hua for the non-school team.

Just my 2cts…