Goodbye Primary, Hello Secondary!
The final weeks of the school calendar have been filled with jubilant celebrations and everyone was in joyful spirits. A much-loved ISF tradition, the Grade 5 Advancement Parade took place in the afternoon on June 15 amidst a flurry of excitement and elation not only for the Grade 5 graduates, but parents, teachers and Primary students who joined in to farewell and cheer for the graduating class.
After a week of torrential rain, the weather brightened just hours before the parade and the whole Primary school came to life. The corridors were brimming with Grade 5 students dressed in brightly hued shirts as they paraded through each floor of the Primary school. Equally striking were the brilliantly adorned posters and banners that the students had drawn and decorated themselves.
To the disappointment of many, we were unable to hold the Advancement Parade in the past few years due to waves of COVID-19. The last time we celebrated this fanfare was in 2018. As such, this year’s parade ended with a long overdue group photo in The S.K. & Margaret Wong Gymnasium, perfectly captured from the spectator stand.
The sense of exuberance sustained well into the formal Grade 5 Advancement Ceremony on June 17, concluding the Primary school years on high notes.
Commending the maturity and literacy of our Grade 5 students, Dr. Malcolm Pritchard, Head of School, gifted the students with their own reflections as the keynote. It has been a “…massively disruptive and unfortunately broken year where the wrath of the virus still rages across the world.” The year “…was, well, complicated. We had our good, bad, exciting, and hopeless moments, and it is these that kept us running. We laugh, we cry, and most importantly, we learn.” Online learning was described as “horrible” by these avid learners who love their school, teachers and classmates. It was a huge comfort and reward when school resumed in time for ELP to be the most beloved and memorable conclusion to Grade 5.
Ms. Shan Ning, Primary Principal, was particularly moved seeing yet another class of her students growing and advancing into Secondary. She urged students to constantly reflect, learn from mistakes, and strive to become a better self. Like a pencil, we all have to be sharpened from time to time. It may be a painful but worthwhile journey of revelation and discovery that eventually shapes our character and manifests our determination. Ms. Shan Ning also reminded students to guard our heart with love, respect and gratitude.
Speaking of gratitude, Dr. Pritchard led the students in a bow of appreciation to their parents to show the virtue of Xiao (孝).
Following an animated speech by the Head Boy and Head Girl, the presentation of significant awards, and an orchestra accompanied school song that was sung with spirit, the Class of 2029 has made the audience proud and confident that they are fully ready for Secondary School!
