Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Mon, 14 Oct 2013 05:32:32 GMT

MMM — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 05:32:32 GMT

sinoboy:
Agree that the standard of the school is as good as the quality of the intake of students. This is out of the control of the principals. Good principals can probably maintain or improve the results slightly but may not be able to do wonders unless there is suddenly one or a few good hardworking student from elsewhere that join the heartland school. Then the principal may be able to grab the opportunity to focus on these students so that at least one of two of them can reach the front page of newspapers when results are out. (But now cannot name top students) The heartland school will then be famous and be able to attract gooder students and become top school. But aba then after getting good results and become top school P, the P will now have to be posted to heartland after that...

Don't flame me as I just want to share my frank views. :siam:

OK... I am guilty of looking at the profile of the new P and especially the track record of the school the new P is coming from.

I have to admit, I am not impressed as there are only a handful of students who scored 250 & above. The cca track records is also.....

But... I am trying to think positively... There is only so much that the new P can do as there is a entire team of current teachers who will still be there. So i doubt the new P is going to influence much especially in the short term (but my youngest is P2 this year...). ds also voiced concerns if their cca will be \"depriortise\", etc... but I doubt so. Told him, people in the right frame of mind should be building on the strength the school already have over the years and not the opposite....

So yes... I am the new P brings along with her the good vibes.

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Mon, 14 Oct 2013 04:48:05 GMT

sinoboy — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 04:48:05 GMT

kevkevkaf:
Last I heard, one of these principals are possibly going to quit.

Which principals are quitting? Those that got recognition as good principal and got posted to heartland to bring up their standard? Or incumbent principal of heartland school with new incoming principal who felt that didn't do a good job so got replaced? :scratchhead:

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Mon, 14 Oct 2013 02:28:23 GMT

kevkevkaf — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 02:28:23 GMT

Last I heard, one of these principals are possibly going to quit.

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Mon, 14 Oct 2013 01:50:43 GMT

sinoboy — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 01:50:43 GMT

slmkhoo:
My mother was a sec school principal, so I heard the story from the 'other side' too. First of all, results are a as much a function of the 'quality' of the students going into the school as the 'quality' of teachers and principal. If the students are weaker or have less support from home, there is only so much principal and teachers can do. Secondly, schools can be judged by different yardsticks - do you judge by the top score achieved? or by the no. of passes? or no. of 'A' grades? or the median grades? Because policies which maximise one measure may not maximise another measure. Some principals may focus on getting a high top score and focus on the best students, but in the process, the borderline students may not be given as much encouragement. Or a principal may try to increase the percentage of 'A' grades, which might mean that weaker students are not allowed to take subjects where they might only score 'C's. My mother said that she was often questioned by school inspectors, her own teachers and parents of students about her policies. She tried to allow as many NA students into Yr 5 (to do 'O' levels) as possible, getting her teachers to give them remedials etc to help them cope, but that meant that the 'O' level results were pulled down. She said that as a parent, she would want her child to be given the chance, so she did that even though it meant that her school's overall results were not so good. But would all principals see it that way? And would all parents want that? Everyone has a different idea of what is 'best'. Just some thoughts.

Agree that the standard of the school is as good as the quality of the intake of students. This is out of the control of the principals. Good principals can probably maintain or improve the results slightly but may not be able to do wonders unless there is suddenly one or a few good hardworking student from elsewhere that join the heartland school. Then the principal may be able to grab the opportunity to focus on these students so that at least one of two of them can reach the front page of newspapers when results are out. (But now cannot name top students) The heartland school will then be famous and be able to attract gooder students and become top school. But aba then after getting good results and become top school P, the P will now have to be posted to heartland after that...

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 17:06:20 GMT

Nebbermind — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 17:06:20 GMT

pirated:

no one was able to re-merge RJC into RI until this RGS alumni came along. Put to shame all the RI alumni principal who could not get it done, and the re-merger had to be done by the only woman principal in RI history. When MOE sent her to RI, the mission was clear.

But isn't that a matter of timing? Perhaps that happened coz of the shift to IP. Same for njc P who turned the jc into a IP school. With all due respect, we cannot ignore the push for IP over the last 10 yrs or so that created this opportunity.

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 16:19:45 GMT

HappyBlueBear — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 16:19:45 GMT

dimsum:
jetsetter:

If u move say HPPS Principal to head Edgefield Pr Sch or swop Jurong West Pr Sch Principal to be say Rosyth's Principal, then I'd agree there's a quantum leap...
Got lah. It happened last year. HPPS Principal went to Endeavour Pri Sch and White Sands Pr Sch Principal went to HPPS.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/files/2012/10/aacp-2012-annex-a.pdf

It's the other way round- Previous Endeavour P went to HPPS and previous HPPS P went to White Sands.

BTW previous Endeavour P was very much respected. All the kids, parents and teachers still miss him dearly since he left the school. Being the 1st principal of Endeavour, he can remember the kids by name and touch their lives personally.

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:58:20 GMT

sushi88 — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:58:20 GMT

slmkhoo:
My mother was a sec school principal, so I heard the story from the 'other side' too. First of all, results are a as much a function of the 'quality' of the students going into the school as the 'quality' of teachers and principal. If the students are weaker or have less support from home, there is only so much principal and teachers can do. Secondly, schools can be judged by different yardsticks - do you judge by the top score achieved? or by the no. of passes? or no. of 'A' grades? or the median grades? Because policies which maximise one measure may not maximise another measure. Some principals may focus on getting a high top score and focus on the best students, but in the process, the borderline students may not be given as much encouragement. Or a principal may try to increase the percentage of 'A' grades, which might mean that weaker students are not allowed to take subjects where they might only score 'C's. My mother said that she was often questioned by school inspectors, her own teachers and parents of students about her policies. She tried to allow as many NA students into Yr 5 (to do 'O' levels) as possible, getting her teachers to give them remedials etc to help them cope, but that meant that the 'O' level results were pulled down. She said that as a parent, she would want her child to be given the chance, so she did that even though it meant that her school's overall results were not so good. But would all principals see it that way? And would all parents want that? Everyone has a different idea of what is 'best'. Just some thoughts.

This is very good sharing of a P's view and I respect your mum as an educator for the direction she had taken. Reporting results is really a format only and this is something MOE can work on.

The school should be allowed to report the \"O\" level results of the Express students and the NA students separately. Also, an indication of more NA students doing \"O\" level year on year, is also a measurement of the hard work put in by the teachers and P to nurture these children.

If we truly believe every child has to learn at their own pace given that there are so many paths and options given to the children in the education journey, MOE should really re-look at the measurement of success of a school's reporting format to allow the school to focus on nurturing the different abilities children if a school is offering a few paths. Afterall, education is not about competition, it is about giving our best to the children to see them develop their potential to the maximum.

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:54:29 GMT

pirated — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:54:29 GMT

Nebbermind:
janet_lee88:
[quote=\"Dreamgear\"]RI principal stepping down...is this part of this exercise?

rotating principals may be MOE's way of making all schools 'good schools'. why is RI principal stepping down?

To set up Raffles Lab? :evil:[/quote]no one was able to re-merge RJC into RI until this RGS alumni came along. Put to shame all the RI alumni principal who could not get it done, and the re-merger had to be done by the only woman principal in RI history. When MOE sent her to RI, the mission was clear.

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:49:15 GMT

pirated — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:49:15 GMT

many decades ago, the Beatty Sec School P was sent to head NJC and replaced the Queen’s scholar P, and got booed by the students. respects need to be earned, even for the new P

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:47:22 GMT

tutormum — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:47:22 GMT

Doesn't mean that the P is good or better just cos he/she comes from branded schools. Understood from DS3 that his present P is not popular with the students and they are not happy with his policies. Their former P was so popular with the students cos he inspired them in many ways.

That said, I understand that after the P was changed in DS3's primary school, there was a significant improvement as he brought in new ideas and policies that worked so well that the rating of the school shot up.

So it all boils down to the individual.
:siam:

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:47:01 GMT

pirated — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:47:01 GMT

zbear:
This is wishful thinking. Why transfer VJC Principal to head RI? Why not appoint a Mainstream Heartland School Principal to head RI?

Is it becos Mainstream Heartland School Principals are not good enuf to head the ''best'' school in Singapore and MOE need to uphold the standard of RI?

why do you assumed and prejudge that a mainstream heartland school principal is no good ? these days MOE send the gooder ones to the hardland

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:44:44 GMT

pirated — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:44:44 GMT

staying on as P for 12 long years is rather unusual

each posting is usually 5 to 6 years

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:42:14 GMT

pirated — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:42:14 GMT

Nebbermind:
Do you think the P matters more or tuition? :evil:

without a visionary P, the teachers would also vomit blood

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:41:15 GMT

pirated — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:41:15 GMT

so many detractors and sour grape parents

like parents like children

you reap what you sow

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 06:26:49 GMT

jetsetter — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 06:26:49 GMT

janet_lee88:
jetsetter:
janet

i've been wanting to find out too...is there a correlation between teacher/P's own credentials with the 'kind of' schs they are posted to? The credentials of the outgoing RI P is very impressive. So is the VJC P who was an old Rafflesian. So only ex-scholar or ex-gifted Ps get to helm schools that produce future scholars?

If a top sch P could really turnaround the std & image of a neighbourhood sch within 5 years, I'd really say he/she deserves a darn good bonus!
honestly, how much can a popular principal do...especially if the principal is from a popular school and tuition would be part of most of the kids' lives.
how can a principal from a popular school bring up the standard of the heartland school? if he/she succeeds, then I must say GOOD JOB !!!

why put an ex-scholar or former gifted P to helm top school?

Maybe smart pupils must be led by smarter adults?

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 06:19:03 GMT

kiaaik — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 06:19:03 GMT

NJC head retires after 12 years

Virginia Cheng turned Singapore’s first JC into a school with students from Sec 1

By Jane Ng
Mrs Virginia Cheng hit the ground running and started planning for an integrated programme (IP) when she took over as principal of National Junior College (NJC) in December 2001.

In 12 years, she transformed Singapore’s first junior college, which now takes in students from Secondary 1 and has a boarding programme for all students.

The 64-year-old retires at the end of this year and will be succeeded by Mr Ang Pow Chew, a deputy director at the Education Ministry’s curriculum planning and development division, and former principal of Victoria School.

- Straits Times, 13.10.2013

New NJC principal, Ang Pow Chew, former principal of VS

New RI principal, Chan Poh Meng, present principal of VJC and former RI/RJC student

New VJC principal, Ek Soo Ben, former principal of River Valley High

Present principal of VS, Andrew Lim, former vice-principal of RI and former Dunman High student

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 06:07:35 GMT

Nebbermind — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 06:07:35 GMT

ACSP going to Siling…

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:54:27 GMT

jetsetter — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:54:27 GMT

dimsum:
jetsetter:

If u move say HPPS Principal to head Edgefield Pr Sch or swop Jurong West Pr Sch Principal to be say Rosyth's Principal, then I'd agree there's a quantum leap...
Got lah. It happened last year. HPPS Principal went to Endeavour Pri Sch and White Sands Pr Sch Principal went to HPPS.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/files/2012/10/aacp-2012-annex-a.pdf

Gasp! Noted w thks!

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:46:42 GMT

SAHM_TAN — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:46:42 GMT

I do not need a P with illustrious career. I do not need the P to put the school on the map.

I want a P who will not view the kids in the school as statistics and KPI.

I want a P who can motivate the teachers and students.

I want a P and teachers who know, and work with parents, that they preparing the kids for life beyond primary school and academic results. I think the attitude and frame of mind is different when the focus is entirely only on the PSLE outcome.

It warms my heart when I see teenagers visiting their primary schools on Teachers’ Day and on other occasions open to them.

It warms my heart when former students choose to become a tr and want to go back to their alma mater.

It warms my heart when kids can say their P is kind, even though kids know they will be disciplined if they are out of line, and teachers can comment he/she is a good person.

It is never too late for a child to achieve success (define in respect with the child’s abilities) But I think there are areas that if within 12 yos of a child’s life we do not set a sound foundation, it will be extremely difficult to inculcate and can cause much more heartache for parents and child.

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:37:29 GMT

jetsetter — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:37:29 GMT

dimsum:
jetsetter:

If u move say HPPS Principal to head Edgefield Pr Sch or swop Jurong West Pr Sch Principal to be say Rosyth's Principal, then I'd agree there's a quantum leap...
Got lah. It happened last year. HPPS Principal went to Endeavour Pri Sch and White Sands Pr Sch Principal went to HPPS.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/files/2012/10/aacp-2012-annex-a.pdf

Gasp! Noted w thks!

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:15:10 GMT

SAHM_TAN — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 05:15:10 GMT

Good post slmkhoo !!!

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 04:46:03 GMT

iFirefly — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 04:46:03 GMT

Nebbermind:
Do you think the P matters more or tuition? :evil:

Principal for \"macro\".. Tuition for \"micro\".. BOTH also important !! :oops: :siam:

Reply to Some well-regarded principals to head schools in heartlands on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 03:39:23 GMT

Funz — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 03:39:23 GMT

It is not just about academics.

I would love for DS’s school to adopt some of the programmes and activities that DD’s school has and vice versa. Each principal have over the years gained experience in developing certain areas in their schools and seen them take off or fail. They can recreate the good programmes in their new schools and learn from these new schools the things that were done well before, that he/she had never thought to implement.

Personally, I think a shuffle of the heads is a good thing. When the core group of people remain in the same place for too long, they stop coming up with new programmes and new things. They get comfortable and even the things that worked, are done mechanically, no more oomph or zest or drive to do more. They settle.

Last year I was hoping that there will be a change in DS’s school principal, this year again I was hoping. I will hope again next year.