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CHIJ Kellock
Explore the history of CHIJ Kellock.
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School History
The official founding date of CHIJ Kellock is 1964, but the origin of the school dates back to the 1930s. At the time, it was known as Our Lady of Lourdes School and subsequently Primary School II, before adopting its present name.
The school began in makeshift classrooms as a parish school of Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Ophir Road. In 1959, the classrooms were demolished and the school relocated to the Convent at Victoria Street, where it functioned in the afternoon as School II.
With the increase in enrolment, a new primary school became necessary. The late Archbishop Michael Olcomendy donated the land next to St Bernadette’s Church to Infant Jesus (IJ) Rev. Mother St. John. There, CHIJ Kellock was finally set up in 1964 and the pupils of Primary School II of Victoria Street were moved there.
In the 1990s, space constraint posed a major problem at the Kellock Road site. It could not be upgraded to include new facilities to provide for information and communications technology lessons. In 1994, CHIJ (Kellock) moved out of Kellock Road and was temporarily located at 11 Jalan Kuala during the construction of a new school building at Bukit Teresa in Kampong Bahru. CHIJ (Kellock) moved into its new school building in 2002, and was officially opened in 2004.
The year 2014 was a milestone in CHIJ Kellock’s history, when it celebrated its 50th anniversary. Themed “My Journey, Our Journey – Honouring Our Past, Celebrating Our Present, Co-creating the Future”, the celebration was for all who have been shaped by the school and carry within them cherished memories of their formative childhood experiences in the school, be it during the early years at Kellock Road and Jalan Kuala or at Bukit Teresa Road.
Principals:
- Sister Theophane (1964–1967)
- Mrs Helen Tan (1968)
- Mdm Mary Gomez (1969–1983)
- Sister Joan Tay (1984–1985)
- Mrs Lau Swee Chin (1986–1991)
- Mdm Tan Lee Choo (1991–2007)
- Mrs Clara Lim-Tan (2008–2013)
- Ms Magdalene Chin (2014–2020)
- Mrs Shanthi Suraj Nair (2021 - present)
Key Milestones
key milestones
1964 | Establishment of CHIJ Kellock at Kellock Road. |
1974 | Celebration of 10th anniversary and publication of first magazine. |
1989 | The school won its first National Netball Primary Schools Championships. |
1994 | Moved to a holding site at 11 Jalan Kuala due to PRIME. |
2002 | Completion of new school building at Bukit Teresa. It was officially opened by Minister of Education Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam two years later. |
2014 | Celebration of 50th anniversary and publication of second magazine. |
2016 | Conferred the School Distinction Award, Spring Singapore’s People Developer Award and Singapore Quality Class. |
2017 | Moved to a holding site at 121 Queensway due to the PERI upgrading. |
2018 | Commemorated the 10th anniversary of Children for Children. |
2019 | Moved back to Bukit Teresa premise with a brand new ISH block and other facilities after undergoing the PERI upgrading. |
School Motto
_Simple Dans Ma Vertu, Forte Dans Devoir (French Version)
Simple in Virtue, Steadfast in Duty (English Version)
To be Simple in Virtue is to cultivate a personal honesty which helps us relate to others with respect, openness and sincerity. Virtue is nobleness of character nurtured by a genuine desire to live according to God’s will as revealed in the Gospel.
To be Steadfast in Duty is to be faithful in fulfilling our obligations and having the capacity to rise above difficulties or obstacles to execute and complete a task in the service of others.
School Crest
The CHIJ badge or crest (called the Blason, in French) was designed by Mere Saint Aloysia, Superior General (1877 – 1901) and her senior students of 1894.
At the centre of the school crest lies a red shield with a silver band edged in gold. On the right side of the shield is the Book of Gospels with a silver rosary. On the left is a golden distaff and spindle. The shield, surmounted by a gold cross, is encircled by a garland of marguerites. Emblazoned on the crest is the motto of all CHIJ schools:-
Simple in Virtue, Steadfast in Duty
The cross is the symbol of our salvation and the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The open Gospel represents the teachings of Christ and is a source of inspiration that guides the school community. The silver rosary symbolizes prayer and is the story of the Gospel as seen through the eyes of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
The golden distaff and spindle are symbols of womanly labour and remind us of the dignity of work and the satisfaction and fulfilment to be found in a task well-accomplished.
The red shield symbolizes God’s all-embracing message of love.
The garland of marguerites is symbolic of purity and simplicity – charming traits of girlhood.
School Song
C. H. I. J. KELLOCK pupils are we
Steadfast together here we stand.
Youthful though we be , we realise
Our duty to our Motherland
Little citizens we strive and hope to bring --
Peace
Unity
Progress
And Prosperity
May God bless and guide us ,
As our best is yet to be !