Principal's Message
An Illuminating 2023
2023 has been a busy year for Team Northland. The school transited back to the normalcy of the pre-COVID years. Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) was back in full swing. The National School Games (NSG) competition came thick and fast. Learning journeys to external locations resumed, including overseas trips. We also welcomed our first batch of Secondary One Full Subject-Based Banding (FSBB) cohort.
While tiring for the Starmakers, it was a fulfilling 2023. As a school, we want Northstars to enjoy the full suites of activities on offer for an enriched and meaningful schooling experience. We are proud that the hardwork by Starmakers had paid off in terms of personal and student outcomes.
Over the past year, we have witnessed many examples of our Northstars and Starmakers shining brightly, illuminating the way forward for Northland Secondary. Our students have excelled academically, creatively, and socially, demonstrating the leadership and compassion that we need in these challenging times. Northstars surprised us by winning many awards and medals in the domains of performing arts, sports, uniformed groups, as well as cognitive domains such as public speaking, animation, language, oracy and literary skills. One of our students, Rishikka D/O Ranesh, received the highest academic accolade for the 2022 N Level examinations by winning the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Outstanding Normal Course Students (LKY-ONC) (NT)
Our Starmakers, meanwhile, have shown unwavering dedication to their craft, by inspiring and guiding their students, and their colleagues to be the best version of themselves. A few of our Starmakers also achieved individual recognition for their dedicated service to the profession and to the community. They were recognised for their contributions to the professional development of their peers and for service excellence. Special congratulations to Mr Joseph Peterson, our VP(EO), for being conferred the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) for the 2023 National Day Awards. Our heartiest congratulations also to Ms Bian Yu Wei, our other VP(EO), for her appointment as the new Principal of Evergreen Secondary.
The word ‘star’ is synonymous with our students (Northstars) and staff (Starmakers). And just as stars give off light that illuminates the universe, Starmakers help students see the world in new and meaningful ways, expanding their horizons and inspiring them to reach for their own stars. In guiding and shaping Northstars with a rigorous academic and co-currirular programme, we hope to turn them into bright sparks that make a positive impact on the school, their peers and the community and the world at large.
We also name our classes after stars – Antares, Castor, Rigel, Vega, Sirius, Epsilon, Pollux and Polaris. Our annual speech and prize presentation day is also renamed as Starcolade, which is the amalgamation of two words – Stars, which refer to both our Northstars and Starsmakers, and Accolade, that is to praise, recognise and celebrate the achievements of our Northstars and Starmakers, the stars of our educational galaxy. Together, Starmakers and Northstars form a powerful force and a shining example of the beauty and wonder of the universe, and the limitless potential that lies within each and every one of us.
The poem below, penned by Miss Norashikin, our SH/English, aptly describes the attributes of Northstars and Starmakers, the illuminators of Northland Secondary.
Northstars,
Shining brilliant and bold
Collaborating to create a story untold
Albeit the storms of life’s might
They continue to shimmer bright.
Starmakers,
Imbibing values, so noble and grand
Shaping Northstars with open hands
Building character, a life to be proud
For Northstars, so bright in the crowd
Together,
They form a constellation
Of knowledge, growth and inspiration
Northstars shining, Starmakers guiding
A journey of education, always inspiring
Northstars and Starmakers,
May their light continue to grow
As they learn, to and fro
For in the darkness, they will always know
The power of their immense glow
May our educational galaxy continue to shine brightly for years to come.
Lim Kok Hwa
Principal
Northland Secondary