Kuala Lumpur – The month of May set aside for Teachers Day celebrations, usually observed globally on 16 May, was observed in St. John’s International School (SJIS) with much meaning and significance for SJIS teachers and students on 25 May, 2018.

SJIS being an associate La Salle school also marked their founder’s day, honouring the Patron of Modern education, St. John Baptist de La Salle. The celebrations began with students from the dance club and the prefects performing a festive piece at the SJIS courtyard to Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s March of Triumph. Elegant and stately, the piece with trumpet fanfare and a genteel interlude was delicately performed by ballerinas and other dancers with helium-filled red and pink, heart-shaped balloons. At the end of the piece the balloons that had the names of SJIS teachers were gently released into the air.

The second part of the programme passionately put together by students at the SJIS auditorium displayed the talents of upper forms who performed a monologue, I Have A Dream and a dramatic reading of the Last Testament of De La Salle as well as a medley of La Sallian songs performed a capella by Voices Unaccompanied.

Adding to the lustre of the event, SJIS principal, Mr Suresh Dass, Vice- Principal, Dr. Inderjeet Singh and School registrar, Mr Meby Ignatius led the school with the lighting of the candle of Guiding Wisdom to the tune of Lead, Kindly Light. SJIS teachers then lit their candles as well while two others teachers, Mr R. Ganesan and Miss Mehala Mohan read out the verses of A Teacher Muses. In his welcoming address Mr Suresh Dass reminded teachers that with SJIS being a continuing development of KL’s premier school, St John’s institution, the teachers have the pioneering responsibility of raising the standards of SJIS to even greater heights.

La Salle Brother Coordinator, Brother Andrew Loke, fsc who could not be present sent his message and goodwill that was delivered by SJIS student registrar, Mr Meby Ignatius. Brother Andrew in his message said that today the La Sallian spirit of care and concern for students are transmitted through teachers, and that they are the ones who can make a difference in the lives of their students. “Even the most challenging student deserves your time and while they may not appreciate it now, but later in their lives they will recall how you made a difference.”

The ceremony concluded with the prefects presenting SJIS teachers with a symbolic pineapple, representing warmth, generosity and hospitality, qualities that teachers are encouraged to have. Each pineapple representing the street address of the school and its location also came with personalized messages of encouragement from the Principal and Vice-Principal.

SJIS is a private international school that offers a British curriculum with the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) syllabus from Year 7 to A-Levels. SJIS is also an associate La Salle school that is linked to a global presence on every continent. In Kuala Lumpur it is a continued development of St John’s Institution established in 1904 and is located within the same grounds on Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur.