Ms. Siti Nopiah Bte. Aziz has been part of the staff at SAS for 36 years. During her time many changes have happened both in her personal life and the life of the school at SAS. When Ms. Siti, as we all know her, started working at SAS, the school was at Alexandra Road. Then, she was still single and she used to walk to work each day. Now, not only has the school transformed into a new and enormous campus, Ms. Siti also has had a family, and she is a very proud grandmother, who is ready for the new challenge of caring for her granddaughter at home. The Gifted and Talented Reading Language Arts class recently interviewed her to find out more information about her 36 years of service to SAS.
How did you come to work here at SAS? Ms. Siti: There were no advertisements back then, so by word of mouth I heard of SAS. One day, a teacher asked me to babysit her kids and drop them off at Catholic Sunday School. Then, over time I came to work and do artwork with them. The teacher, Zoe Rita Smith, liked the work that I did and suggested that I apply for a job at SAS and so here I am 36 years later.
What changes have you noticed in the school while you’ve been here? Ms. Siti: There are more facilities and the population has grown. There used to be only 2 classes per grade level and so there were only 50 students per grade level back then, in 1973.
Were you always a third grade aide? Ms. Siti: I have worked in many different grade levels: 5th grade (1 year); 4th grade (20 years); 6th grade (6 years); 3rd grade (9 years).
What did you want to be growing up? Ms. Siti: I wanted to be a teacher, but things just didn’t work out. But, being a teacher’s aide is close enough.
What motivated you to keep working here? Ms. Siti: It was a great experience for me and my family and I liked meeting people from around the world. I also gained a lot of experience in ways to work with my small children at home.
What does it feel like, working here for so long and then leaving? Ms. Siti: I feel sad about leaving because I have made so many friends here from all ages, both adults and children. I will miss all the people here – the teachers, the staff and the students. I really enjoyed working here because everyone is so nice to work with.
What was one of your favorite memories that you have from SAS? Ms. Siti: When I started working at SAS, it was at the Alexandra Road campus in an old barracks building. I used to love walking to school and viewing the trees on the campus. It felt so peaceful. Now, it is quite different as I need to board the MRT and then I get on the shuttle bus that goes directly to the school.
What is the most meaningful thing that you’ve learned from SAS? Ms. Siti: I’ve learned how to deal with problematic kids from teachers and then I used some of those strategies with my own children when I needed to. I also believe that parents should always support their children’s teachers because they really do a wonderful job with the children in school.
What do you think of SAS? Ms. Siti: I think SAS is the best school in the world! They hire excellent teachers from all over the world!
Thank you Ms. Siti for all the lives you have touched in your 36 years of service at the Singapore American School. We will miss you.
Written by the 5thgrade GATE RLA Class.
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SAS Alum and her dance company performing in Chameleon