Townsville Primary School

Infobox Singapore School
name = Townsville Primary School
城景小学


motto = Do our best
established = 1983
type = Government-aided
session = double
[principal = Mr Eugene Ong
vice-pricipal=Mdm Constance Wong
school code =TVPS
colours = Red,blue and white
city/town = Ang Mo Kio
enrolmet = 1720
Address=Ang Mo Kio Avrnue 10 ,Singapore 569730
Tel=64574345
Fax=64570141] | Email=[e-mail]
Website=www.townsvillepri.moe.edu.sg
homepage = [http://www.townsvillepri.moe.edu.sg/ Townsville Primary School]

Townsville Primary School is a co-educational primary school in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore. The school was founded in 1983, and was officially opened in 1985 by Singapore's then-Minister of State for Defence, Trade and Industry, Lee Hsien Loong. Queen Elizabeth II paid the school an official visit in 1989.In 2007,the school celebrated its 25th anniversary.It is one of the only schools under the prime minister's ward. In 2007, it officially became the centre of excellence for professional development of sciece for teachers.

Events

In 2000, Tong Cheng Wei, Jagdish, and Lin Rongwei, three students at the school created a www tutorial, "Simple Machines Made Simpler", which is widely referenced in educational materials of other schools worldwide.

MOE ExCEL Day 2001, an event organised by the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) to encourage innovation, was held at Townsville Primary School. The opening address was given by the Singapore Education Minister RADM Teo Chee Hean.

The Straits Times reported in 2003 that Townsville was starting interactive science classes for its pupils from Primary 1. The head of the Department of Science, John Ow, was quoted as saying: "We looked at the kindergarten curriculum and realised that the children were already exposed to concepts such as life cycles there. Since they come in with the knowledge, we just make sure they do not forget it by having science lessons in Primary 1."

The idea was first suggested by the school's principal, Chiang Wai Leng, who said: "Children are very curious when they enter primary school and it's the best time to teach them science."

The school is one of three participants in the Pathlight School project, which is intended to integrate autistic students into the educational community. Pathlight will have a new building in 2008 situated next to Townsville Primary School for the purposes of colocation and integration.In 2008,the school became the champion of Channel 8's competition,The Records Challenge.On their way to sucess,they broke a total 5 Singapore records,including builing a Singapore flag with a whopping 8500 cans

Last year,The Straits Times also reported that Townsville is one of the only schools which CCA's to her pupils as early as primary one.

Awards received by staff

* Mr Ow Eu Gene John, Head of Department for Science, was awarded an Efficiency Medal by the Singapore Ministry of Education, in the Singapore National Day Awards of 2004.

=Student Council=Perhaps the only primary school with a truly democratic system of voting for the president and vice-presients of the school.This year's president,Muhammad Faiz Bin Herman of 6 Diligence,won the election by a sizable margin.The vice-presidents,Asha Kalaichelvam of 6 Care and Tan Yuan Rong of 5 Charity won their seats by an equal number of votes.Last year's president was Muhammad Fauzan of 6 Care and in 2006 it was Ong Zhe Shou of 6 Charity

References

* [http://news.autismlina.com/archive/cat_autism_news.html Pathlight] (Autism News)
* [http://www.pathlight.org.sg/Pathlight/upload/PDF/Open%20House_%2013%20Nov%202004/SPEECH%20BY%20MR%20THARMAN%20SHANMUGARATNAM-%2013%20Nov%202004.pdf Speech by Singapore Minister for Education]
* [http://www.pmo.gov.sg/nda/nda2004/15tem_2.html Mr John's award] (Singapore government website)
* [http://www.ps21.gov.sg/challenge/issues/2001_12dec/pg03_what'sHot.htm MOE ExCEL Day 2001]
* [http://www.rednova.com/news/science/35874/some_british_teachers_helping_students_cheat/ Straits Times report on primary school science] (Rednova)
* [http://www.smartown.com/sp2000/machines2000/ Simple Machines Made Simpler]

External links

* [http://www.townsvillepri.moe.edu.sg/ Townsville Primary School]
* [http://www.thinsoftinc.com/townsville_singapore.htm Pictures, interior and exterior] from the page of a network provider that worked in the school.
* [http://www.propertynetasia.com.my/NewDevelopment/sentulraya/tamarind/shownews.asp?newsid=3582 Report an a speech given at the school] by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong in 2002.