When EduNation visited CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School (SNGS) to interview the parent volunteers, we were impressed by the passion behind their efforts: at a games carnival for the primary school students, every Parent Support Group (PSG) member was there to help and they had also managed to secure sponsorships for the game stalls.

SNGS Principal, Mrs Tan Wai Lan, underlined the commitment of Parents@StNick's which was formed in 2003. "When they look for new volunteers every year, one of their key criteria would be that the parents are here not for their own good, but for the whole school's. That speaks volumes, and is actually a major ingredient in having a good PSG."

Parental Contributions

Parents@StNick's is an active, dedicated and hands-on group which boasts 35 executive committee members.

A typical member will chaperone pupils on learning journeys, help with traffic control every morning when parents arrive in droves to drop their daughters off at school, and become involved with any and all fundraising.

The most recent of such events, Dance-A-Thon, which was held in conjunction with the 2012 National Day celebrations, raised $200,000.

"Before we started organising the A-Thon events, we staged funfairs in 2006 and 2008 to raise funds for the school. The biggest funfair was Fiesta in 2008 where we raised about $800,000," said Mrs Florence Wong, a member of Parents@StNick's and SNGS alumna. "And we put all the money we raised towards the PRIME (Programme for Rebuilding and IMproving Existing schools) project."

On their own initiative, Parents@StNick's also creates a personalised souvenir for every girl in each graduating class. In 2012, this took the form of a tabletop photo album with pictures and well-wishes from the students' teachers. >> More

To read full content, please subscribe
 

当天，到校的不只是学生，还有家长。家长不是送了孩子就走，也不是来接孩子回家，而是在不同的游戏区里担任管理和主持工作。家长如此积极参与学校的活动，与学生同乐，要归功于家长会。

圣尼各拉女校是新加坡少有，有小学和中学的学校。2003年，小学和中学分别成立家长会。今天，家长会已经成为圣尼各拉女校大家庭不可或缺的一部分。

家长会是为孩子做好榜样

2012年中学部家长会会长吴淑玲，从2002年二女儿读小一就加入家长会。孩子升中学，她也一起升到中学部家长会。她说："把孩子送来圣尼各拉，主要因为我是天主教徒，圣尼各拉女校是新加坡最好的天主教学校之一。学校的华族文化价值观非常吸引我，我和丈夫认为这些价值观可以很好地培养女儿的性情，能让她们坚定地走向未来。"兼职的吴淑玲，愿意奉献个人时间，每天从东部住家到学校做义工。

圣尼各拉女校校长苏惠兰表示，家长会是学校发展的重要支柱。她说："圣尼各拉女校有今天的成就，都是因为家长会和校友会的支持。作为一所历史悠久的教会特选学校，年复一年，我们把'饮水思源'和'姐妹同心'的思想灌输给学生，培养她们的价值观。

"家长会与学校的关系，就是这些优良价值观的最佳体现。家长当中有不少校友，不管毕业了多久，都会回来帮忙；不管生活多忙碌，都会参与学校的活动，帮助学校发展。家长以身作则，为女儿做了好榜样。"

受访的家长，有三名校友：刘玉莲、刘妙甜和洪玮俐。其中，刘妙甜有两个女儿，参加家长会之前已经参加校友会。谈到校友会与家长会的不同，她说："校友会的服务对象是母校。家长会的责任则是为孩子与学校通力合作，学校好，就是孩子好。在这样的关系之上，又有对母校的感情，更觉得亲切。" >> 更多

全文未完，欲阅读全文，敬请订阅