Maris Stella High School 2007 Website Intro (Singapore)

Our Mission
“Our Marist Mission provides an educational program that blends FAITH, CULTURE and LIFE through a climate of cordiality, cooperation and constructive dialogue and thus effect the TOTAL FORMATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL, giving due respect to his human dignity.”

We perceive our students as seedlings and our task is therefore, to nurture, blend, graft and bind them so that they will become strong saplings. These strong saplings will soon grow into strong trees. Each strong tree will be a “Man for Others” with the following characteristics:

He is humble and unselfish in all his accomplishments and achievements
He values himself as a unique person and learns to value others as unique persons
He thinks well
He knows when to listen and when to speak
He is an individual who is willing to learn all through his life
He is creative, capable and has the ability to lead others to achieve at a high level and to take on challenges
He is an individual with a co-operative spirit whose main preoccupation is always to serve his fellow men
He is a determined and diligent person who perseveres courageously against all adversities
He is a considerate, cultured and dignified individual able to appreciate the fine things in life and live graciously

Our History
The Maris Stella Spirit Prevails
Maris Stella High School has in its forty-two years flourished from “a school without a home” into a big modern school made more beautiful with the present extension of a spanking new Primary Wing. The dream of our Founder, Reverent Brother J. Chanel, has now been fulfilled.
Through the forty-two years, thousands of students have received a well-rounded education. Indeed the hallmark of the past four decades has been effective bilingualism and a dedication to human and academic excellence.
This very happy occasion brings back memories of Maris Stella in the early days and it is hoped that its history will encourage us to press on together for an even better Maris Stella.

The First Decade (1958 – 1968)
Reverent Brother J. Chanel founded Maris Stella in 1958 in response to the need for another school because of overwhelming applications for admission to Catholic High School which was run by the Marist Brothers.
The school started with four Primary One classes (163 pupils) and four Secondary One classes (124 pupils) and a staff of eleven including the Principal, Rev. Bro. J. Chanel. Classes functioned in the afternoon at St. Stephen’s Primary School in Siglap. Soon the school expanded and more classrooms were needed. As St. Stephen’s Primary School could no longer accommodate the growing student population, other schools were approached for assistance and subsequently; Maris Stella functioned at different premises concurrently. Among them were Silat Road Government Integrated Primary School, St. Patrick’s School, Opera Estate Convent, Tung Ling English School, Jalan Kembangan Integrated Primary School. The school occupied these premises at various times from 2nd January 1963 to 22nd October 1966. That was a very difficult period in the history of Maris Stella. We encountered numerous problems both in administration as well as in conducting lessons. This was inevitable as the premises used were miles apart.
With Bro. Chanel’s sheer determination and the staff’s dedication and loyalty, those difficult years became memorable ones. It brought out the best in the staff who together with the principal overcame many problems. Needless to say, the students contributed no less to the success story of the school with their recurring 100% passes in the Government Examinations.
A new phase in the history of Maris Stella began in 1967, after nine long “homeless” years. The move to our own school of fifteen classrooms and a four-storey science block at Mount Vernon Road was filled with unrestrained enthusiasm. A grand celebration was held to mark the official opening of the new school. Development now came swiftly. 1968 saw the completion of the second phase, an adjoining block consisting of the Lee Kuo Chuan Hall, a canteen, a library and administration offices.

The Second Decade (1969 – 1978)
The second decade saw the gradual but steady development of Maris Stella. With the completion of the second phase, Bro. Chanel decided to proceed with the next project – a 5-storey building for the primary section. This marked the 3rd Phase of Bro. Chanel’s development plan for Maris Stella. However, it was not until the end of 1974 that he was granted permission to launch this project. Construction began soon after and the building was completed by the end of October 1975. It was built at a cost of about $1.1 million. This new building was officially declared open on 11 September 1976.

The Third Decade (1979 – 1988)
A very significant milestone in the history of Maris Stella marked the fourth phase. With the overwhelming demand for more places in the primary school, a need arose for a separate primary school building to be built. After some initial difficulty in selecting a suitable site for the school, it was finally decided that the piece of land to be acquired should be adjacent to the present school building. After much negotiation and with Mr Tan Keong Choon’s help, a piece of land of 3.11 hectares was acquired in 1982 and this became the site for the Primary School. The original plan for a four-storey building was changed to a three-storey one in order to cut costs. With the approval of our new plan and a generous grant from the Government, we set out to raise more funds to meet the escalating cost. At the helm of this massive fund-raising project was Rev. Bro. Anthony Tan (1984 to date), Rev. Bro. John Lek (1983 – 1984) and Rev. Bro. J. Chanel, who although retired in 1981 due to poor health, continued to be involved in raising funds for the school.
We could not have raised such a large sum if it had not been for the concerted effort of the school building committee, the teachers, old boys, in particular, Mr. Low Tuck Kwang, and students. Rev. Bro. Anthony Tan, our present principal, did much to instil in our pupils the sense of belonging and loyalty resulting in the parents giving generously to the school. To the Government, the Shaw Foundation, the Lee Foundation, Sum Cheong Piling Pte Ltd, Singapore Turf Club, Mr Andre Halim, Education and Relief of the Poor Fund and all those who have in one way or another helped make this fine school what it is today, we are deeply grateful.

The Fourth Decade and Beyond (1989 – To date)
The primary school has functioned on its present premise since 1987. Since 1997, the primary school has functioned as a single-session school. Minor improvements have been made to the building with the conversion of the library to a media resource library, an improved administration office and staff room with system furniture and the inclusion of two computer laboratories. All classrooms are now IT-enabled and the school is fully networked.
Currently, we are one of the schools in Phase 2 of the Programme for Rebuilding and Improving Existing Schools (PRIME). We hope to have another block added to the present building, with bigger classrooms, staff room and media resource library.

Our Crest

Marist “M”. The international crest of the Marist Brothers is the A.M. Monogram.
It is fairly certain the monogram had been devised in honour of Our Lady long before the Marist Brothers came into being in 1817. The letters probably stand for Ave Maria (Hail Mary).

The twelve stars over the Monogram are derived from Chapter 12 of the Apocalypse: “And a great sign appeared in Heaven : a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars”. The Church through the ages has accommodated this text to the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin, and the stars are thus symbolic of the role which Our Lady plays in the history of our salvation. Most Marist schools throughout the world use the A.M. Monogram and stars as part of their crest.

Our Motto
The following is adapted from a message by our late founder and principal of the school, Rev. Bro. J. Chanel.

Confucius said that if a person was idle and unconscientious, it would be difficult to educate him. St. Paul once wrote: ” If anyone will not work, let him not eat. ” A person who is idle and who does not want to labour with his hands or mind will not be successful in his life. Hard work is the key to success and the way to happiness and truth.

If a person is hardworking but not intelligent, he will acquire wisdom if he is willing to try his best. When we are faced with difficulties, we must always remind ourselves and others that God is always near and will always guide us. Through one’s own determination and God’s grace, we will definitely overcome our problems.

We should strive for sincerity towards others and devotion to our duty. We must endeavour to do the best in all that we do. We must fulfil our obligations and duties towards our neighbours, country, society and the Almighty God without shirking responsibility. This spirit of loyalty and dedication will result in the spirit of self-sacrifice.

Those who have the courage to face difficulties and challenges will be successful in life. Courage also means giving way to those who have better ideas. Sometimes, it is standing up for what is right, even to those in authority. Use your patience, determination and courage to do good deeds. When in a fix, look positively for solutions until you have solved your problems. Life is a continuous struggle and strive. Only those who can persevere till the end will have eternal happiness in life.

Our Policy
FAITH
Policy
We shall teach Christian values in the school but at the same time recognise the importance of respecting and tolerating the religious rights and beliefs of others
Goals
Promote racial and religious understandings and tolerance
Inculcate Christian values
CULTURE
Policy
We shall provide them with an inviting school environment that emphasises the Chinese traditions and culture
Goals
Engender traditional values in Chinese school setting
Build a school spirit so that both teachers and students can share in the care and concern for one and all
LIFE
Policies
We shall open our doors to any child who qualifies for admission according to the MOE guidelines
We believe that school exists for the good of the students
We strongly believe in improving the self concept of our students in order to uphold their dignity and self-worth
We shall instil in our students life skills which integrates intellectual, physical and moral growth
Goals
Place great emphasis on the ethos of moral values among our students
Carry out a TOTAL PE programme
Teach life skills through ECA
Train adolescents to become mature and responsible adults
Maintain a high standard of English
Maintain academic excellence
Live up to the school motto