Milestones in the Pathlight Story

Launch of Project Platinum by the ARC
Project Platinum is a total solution to support people with Autism in Singapore throughout their lifespan. It includes plans for an autism-focused school that offers mainstream academic curriculum. This eventually became the Pathlight School.

Interview

Minister of Education Dr Ng Eng Hean announced the set up of Pathlight school. The school was to be a collaboration between the ARC and the Rainbow Centre with MOE and NCSS support. MOE funds up to 90% of renovation costs. Funds of S$234,000 approved.

School for autistic kids to open next year, Straits Times, 20 July 2003

Renovation of building, hiring of staff and development of school curriculum is directed by a team of key volunteers (Denise Phua, Jean Koh & Jacqueline Ang) and key ARC staff (Sylvia Yap, Anita Russell & Dr Lam Chee Meng). All these to be done in 5 months.

Sessions are convened to develop the school’s vision and mission. The school curriculum is designed and created.

The school name and logo were decided during a branding exercise led by Kim Faulkner. The Pathlight logo can be interpreted in various ways. It can be seen as a smiley face representing the joyous place that is Pathlight school, or it can symbolise Pathlight as a bridge between the adult and the child. The green and blue colour scheme echoes Chinese saying 青出于蓝 which means that a Pathlight child can blossom way beyond his development when he first enters the school.

The upbeat school song is written by Desmond Moi with inputs from the staff.

The uniform: a polo T-shirt and cargo pants is designed to be contemporary and comfortable to wear. Also to give dignity to students.

A principal, Peck Soo Hong and teachers are employed and trained. 10 teachers are selected out of 200 applicants.

Presentations and various activities are conducted to publicise and recruit students for the new school.

Fund-raising activities carried out to raise additional funds for renovation.

Interview

Official first day of school
The school runs from 8:00am – 12:30pm. There are 10 teaching staff and 41 students.

ACS Primary, Rulang Primary and Chong Boon Secondary are ‘buddy schools’ which help provide inclusion experiences.

Communication Update
- 20 Dec 2003

Communication Update
- 3 Feb 2004

Communication Update
- Mar 2004

First day camp for Pathlight students. The camp also included students from neighbour, Chong Boon Secondary.

Denise Phua doubled up as Acting Principal, in addition to School Supervisor role in Board.

Communication Update
- May 2004

Townsville Primary School and Ang Mo Kio Secondary School are Pathlight’s newest ‘buddy school’, matchmade by MOE

Communication Update
- 16 Aug 2004

Communication Update
- 20 Dec 2004

The school year begins with 125 students enrolled.

Communication Update
- 20 Dec 2004

Pathlight secondary students join Ang Mo Kio Secondary for lunar new year celebrations

Communication Update
- 2 Feb 2005

Pathlight students attend their first formal dinner at Raffles Institution Boarding school

Communication Update
- 16 May 2005

A Very Special Walk is organised to raise funds for Pathlight and Rainbow school. The walk attracts 800 participants and funds raised go into the development of Enterprise Learning Centres (ELC).

Communication Update
- 5 Apr 2005
Fund raising report July 2005

Pathlight school embarks on a satellite arrangement with Chong Boon Secondary School. Official first day for secondary school students in our first satellite school.

Communication Update
- 30 Aug 2005

Lanterns made by Pathlight students were auctioned to corporate sponsors at a Mid-Autumn festival party to raise funds for the school.

Lanterns of hope to light the way for children with autism, TODAY, 15 Sept 2005

Opening of Pathlight café to track one students

Communication Update
- Oct 2005

IT Faculty formed in Pathlight to train students in basic IT skills. Students with specific talents may specialise in design, programming or any other computer-related skills.

Go Digital, Oct - Nov 2005

The school year begins with is 250 students enrolled.

Communication Update
- 10 Dec 2005

Pathlight café opens as a job training centre for students

Café prepares autistic teens for working world, Straits Times, 21 Jan 2006

Launch of “Beautiful Minds” book.
The book showcases the thoughts and feelings of Pathlight students and raises funds for the school.

New book to showcase thoughts and feelings of children with autism, CNA, 1 Oct 2006.

First overseas trip for Pathlight students to China. Highlights of the trip included a stay in an orphanage and a traditional Mongolian house and gaining experience serving others.

Interview

School year started with 354 students, 860% growth in 3 years.
Start of an afternoon session for Preparatory Track students due to lack of physical space.

First Pathlight Sports Carnival at Serangoon Stadium. National Day Celebrations at the stadium too. Mr Bean was key sponsor supplying drinks and Mr Bean mascot.

Post-GCE Exam students join PSLE students for annual study mission to Beijing.

2 out of 5 MOE-NCSS SPED Teachers Awards given to Pathlight teachers, Loy Sheau Mei and Victor Ong. This is the inaugural SPED awards organised. Pathlight student, Brian Lyen, wrote the theme song.

• 88% (EM2) and 63% (EM3) of P6 students passed their PSLE. All of them passed the English language/Foundation English, which is above the national average.
• 100% GCE 'NA' Level students qualified to Sec 5N to complete their GCE 'O' Levels.
• 100% GCE 'NT' Level students qualified to the local Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

The school year begins with 409 students enrolled, a 10-fold growth since its inception.

Pathlighters were part of Singapore’s bid for the Youth Olympics 2010. Mr Teo Ser Luck, Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports officiated a special pledge ceremony at Pathlight.

MOLLY’s first visit to Pathlight - The National Library Board held the launch of their mobile library – MOLLY in Pathlight.

Pathlighters had a once-in-a-lifetime experience on the recently launched Singapore Flyer. This was generously sponsored by Motorola and students also got to meet with Nominated Member of Parliament, Ms Eunice Olsen, the Motorola Ambassador.

A cheque presentation ceremony was held to announce the generous donation of $2 million by Ngee Ann Kongsi. The event was officiated by Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for Education and National Development. This marked the final stage of fundraising efforts for the development of the new Pathlight School.  

Our Primary 5 team excelled in the Learn @1 degree N – The Climate Herald event and proceeded to the next phase. Pathlight was the only special school to qualify for the post-event competition!

This year’s A Very Special Walk is significant as it created the awareness of autism amongst the community. It was also celebrated with a fun-filled Carnival.

Pathlight was the only SPED school invited to be part of the SingaporeCreates project, organised by MOE and MICA. The 11 proud Pathlighters received a token of appreciation from RADM (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Senior Minister of State of Education and Information, Communication and the Arts, at the project launch. Their artwork is now displayed at selected Caltex stations.

Our 2nd Sports cum National Day Celebrations was significant as it saw the participation of every student in Pathlight.  The event opened ceremoniously with 13 students involved in a  torch relay. Every student participated in one way or another in individual or specially designed tele-matches.  

Ms Wong Geok Choo (Secondary School Teacher) was among the 3 teachers who received the Outstanding SPED Teacher Award for their passion and commitment in providing an education for children with special needs. 

Pathlighters achieved very encouraging results in the 2008 PSLE.

Results of the 21 students who took the PSLE – 10 in EM2 (Standard stream) and 11 in EM3 (Foundation stream):

EM2 achievements:
100% of EM2 passed and did very well.
Highest score is 229 and in top 20% of national score.
Lowest score at 164 is almost double the national lowest score.

EM3 achievements:
70% passes.
Highest score of 106 is in top 21% of national score in EM3.
Lowest EM3 score is 1.72 times better than the national lowest score.

Spring Cleaning Day
Parents and school staff came together to spring clean the new school to ensure school readiness for the first day of school

Last day of Term 2
Students bid farewell to the old school.

School Move Days

Official Cross Over
All staff and operations started at the new site.

First day of Term 3
Students stepped into their new school for the first time.

The school reaches an enrolment of 501 students, with the latest intake of students in August 2009.

Pathlight School embarks on a special partnership with Townsville Primary School to promote integration in the areas of (1) Physical, (2) Social and (3) Academic. This long term partnership will first commence with integration during recess for selected classes. This is the official first day for our students at Townsville Primary School.

2009 PSLE RESULTS
Pathlighters once again achieved very encouraging PSLE results! 

The following are the PSLE 2009 results of the 29 students. Results combine both Standard and Foundation streams (Merged Stream):

• 100% of Standard Stream passed and did very well.
• 89% of Foundation Stream passed.
• Highest score is 233 and in top 21% of the national score.
• Lowest score at 83 is almost 2 times better than the national lowest score.

• 100% Passes
• 100% were eligible for ITE
• Our Top scorer achieved 5 “A”s out of 6 subjects offered
• 100 % of our students scored at least 1 “A”
• 75% of our students scored at least 3 “A”s100% of Standard Stream passed and did very well.

27 April
2010 

Pathlight Official School Opening

The New Pathlight School was officially opened by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minster for Defence, on 27 April 2010. The event was attended by about 180 specially invited guests from various factions of the community who have supported the school in one way or another

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June 2010

WeCAN Learning Congress 2010

WeCAN 10th Anniversary Autism Learning Congress brought together world leaders in autism, as well as empowered some 600 delegates knowledge and skills to help maximize the potential of people with autism.