A New Dawn

INT. CLASS ROOM - AFTERNOON The date 11/11/20 is written on the whiteboard. The entire classroom is in chaos. The students are either on their phones, chatting loudly, eating, or some combination of the three. The class's form teacher, MISS CHUA, enters the classroom with a stack of papers. She slams them on the table with a giant thud. MISS CHUA 4N1! Miss Chua's presence is completely ignored. She glares at the class, eyes wide open, to no avail. Miss Chua then sighs and picks up the stack of papers. MISS CHUA Forget it. Miss Chua storms out of the classroom.

INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

MRS YAP and MISS DAWN are sitting at a table. MRS YAP You know, this is the most troublesome class we've ever had. MISS DAWN How so? MRS YAP They play truant. They cheat in exams. They have no respect for anyone. They- Mrs Yap sighs. MRS YAP The list goes on and on. I wouldn't be surprised if you left as well. This is your first assignment, after all. MISS DAWN Well, hopefully things will turn out differently this time. MRS YAP I hope so too. Nothing has been able to change 4N1.

Miss Dawn smiles. MISS DAWN Well, I'm here now, aren't I? INT. CLASS ROOM - AFTERNOON The date 2/1/2019 is written on the whiteboard. Approximately half of the students are not present. Miss Dawn walks in. MISS DAWN Good afternoon class! I'm your new form teacher. Miss Dawn looks around the class. MISS DAWN Uh, where's everyone? JASLYN They'll be here in around... half an hour. MISS DAWN But recess has already ended! JASLYN What are you going to do, find them? Miss Dawn smirks before walking out of the classroom. Jaslyn's mouth hangs agape in shock. JESSICA goes over to Jaslyn's table. JESSICA You know, she's the most interesting teacher I've seen so far. Should we get the others? JASLYN We should. If she's willing to search the school for them, god knows what she'll do when she actually finds them. Jaslyn and Jessica leave the classroom.

INT. CANTEEN - AFTERNOON A group of students consisting of AUSTIN, BERNICE, LAUREN and MEGAN are chatting with half-eaten bowls of noodles in front of them. Miss Dawn enters the canteen, sits with them and

slaps Austin on the back. MISS DAWN Wow! Popular with the girls, eh? Austin jumps slightly. AUSTIN Uh, who are you? MISS DAWN Your new form teacher. The students gasp in shock. Miss Dawn chuckles. MISS DAWN Anyways, recess is already over. Can you guys do me a huge favor and return to class? MEGAN And why should we do that? MISS DAWN Wow, it's my first day and you already don't want to attend my class? At least give me a chance. Lauren stifles a laugh. MISS DAWN I still gotta find the other students. See you guys in class! Miss Dawn leaves the canteen. MEGAN So are we going? AUSTIN Why would we? LAUREN Why not? If we don't like her, we can just ditch her class next time. BERNICE She even came all this way just to get us. Let's just give her a shot. Austin groans.

AUSTIN Fine. They get up and leave the canteen.

INT. CLASS ROOM - AFTERNOON The class is finally full. Some students are glaring at Miss Dawn while others are looking away, paying Miss Dawn no heed. On the contrary, there are other students, such as Lauren, who look at Miss Dawn excitedly. MISS DAWN Wow! Everyone's here! Just in time. Miss Dawn writes "Dawn" on the whiteboard. MISS DAWN I'm Dawn! LAUREN, BERNICE Good afternoon Miss Dawn! Miss Dawn freezes for a moment before regaining hercomposure. MISS DAWN Good afternoon! By the way, just call me "Dawn". The title "Miss" still feels weird to me - I just graduated from the NIE, haven't done muchteaching yet. A few laughs emerge from the class. MISS DAWN Anyways, today I just want to break the ice with you guys and get to- Jaslyn rises up from her seat, carrying her bag. JASLYN Are you going to be doing anything useful today? If not, I'm taking my leave. Austin and Jessica follow suit. Miss Dawn smiles cheekily. MISS DAWN Well, sadly you can't do that right now. You see, I just happenedto see

the unlocked gate on the way here... (sarcastically) And I was worried for your safety! So I made sure the guards locked it just in case. Miss Dawn winks. Jaslyn, Austin and Jessica curse under their breath and sit back down with anger evident on their faces. MISS DAWN No worries though! If you guys cooperate with me, I'll let you off fifteen minutes earlier! How does that sound? The glares from the students fade. Smiles form on Jessica's and Austin's faces. JESSICA Sounds pretty good to me. AUSTIN Yeah, me too. MISS DAWN Alright! This will apply to every lesson, so please cooperatewith me! INT. CLASSROOM - AFTERNOON The date 3/1/2019 is written on the whiteboard. Miss Dawn is sitting at the teacher's desk. Megan, along with a few other students, have earbuds plugged into their ears. MISS DAWN Since we just finished electrolysis, I need you guys to complete pages 55 to 60 of your workbooks, okay? The students grunt in disapproval, but take out their workbooks as Miss Dawn sits at the teacher's table. The students write for a bit, but soon get fed up and rest their heads on the table. Miss Dawn notices the lack of energy and gets up. MISS DAWN You know what? This isn't working. Miss Dawn approaches Megan.

MISS DAWN Are you listening to music? MEGAN (flustered) What if I am? Miss Dawn pulls out Megan's phone from under her table. MEGAN Hey! Miss Dawn returns to her desk and connect's Megan's phone to the speaker. MISS DAWN Pretty sure the class could use some music to wake them up. The students who had their heads on their table, begin to perk up and write on their workbooks. Austin even bobs his head up and down in tune to the music. AUSTIN Wow Jessica! I didn't know you had such a good taste in music. MEGAN What's that supposed to mean? The whole class, including Miss Dawn, bursts into laughter. INT. CLASSROOM - MORNING The date 2/3/2019 is written on the whiteboard. Jaslyn glances at Miss Dawn's position before darting underneath his table to bite on a puff pastry. She comes back up only to find Miss Dawn standing beside her. MISS DAWN Wow! Eating in class, aren't we? JASLYN (rolling her eyes) Go ahead, scold me and send me to the principal's office. Miss Dawn sighs. MISS DAWN At least you know that its against the rules.

Miss Dawn grins.

MISS DAWN But things are different in my class! All I ask is that you don't leave crumbs on the floor, could you do that for me? Miss Dawn walks back to the front of the class. Jaslyn stares at her in shock for a moment before going back to looking at her work. MISS DAWN Anyways guys, please revise for your upcoming test on Friday! I have a surprise if at least half of you improve by one grade. Text me if you guys need help with anything, okay? INT. CLASSROOM - MORNING The date 1/7/2019 is written on the whiteboard. Miss Yap is pacing furiously around the front of the classroom, glaring at the class. The students are mostly resting their heads on the table with downcast eyes or staring out the window. MISS YAP It's someone from this class, isn't it? The class remains silent. MISS YAP No answer? Very well then. You all remain here, every day till 7 pm until one of you admit that you started the fight! Miss Dawn! Miss Dawn enters the classroom with a pained expression as Miss Yap storms out. MISS DAWN Did you guys do it? Did you start the fight? JESSICA (slumping her shoulders) Even if we told you no, would you believe us?

AUSTIN The whole school hates us anyway. LAUREN We are always the prime suspects - for vandalism, violence, cheating- JESSICA Anything really. So is there any point in telling you we didn't do it if the finger gets pointed at us anyway? Miss Dawn drops her jaw in horror. After a moment, she sits down at the teacher's table and packs her things. MISS DAWN Pack up. The class gasps in shock. JESSICA ...Why? MISS DAWN There was no evidence at all - just a report from the other school's principal. BERNICE But won't you get into trouble? MISS DAWN Maybe. But this is just... wrong. You guys said you didn't start the fight, right? I believe you. Well, unless a video recording of the fight shows up and you guys show up in it I guess, but I really hope not. The class begins to pack up. MISS DAWN By the way, remember the surprise I told you guys about? The class stares at Miss Dawn in confusion. MISS DAWN Well, most of you improved by at least a grade, some even two! So... Swensen's anyone?

The class cheers happily as they leave the class with Miss Dawn. INT. CLASSROOM - MORNING The date 1/11/2019 is written on the whiteboard. Miss Dawn strolls in with a stack of papers. As she is about to reach the teacher's table, she collapses. The students immediately rush to her aid. JASLYN Miss Dawn! JESSICA What happened? BERNICE Are you okay? LAUREN Do you need us to get help? Miss Dawn slowly sits up. MISS DAWN No worries... I just need a breather. Could you guys help me pick up the worksheets? AUSTIN No shit we will! The students go to pick up the papers. As they do so, Miss Dawn faints. The students scream and shout Miss Dawn's name as they rush back to her side. INT. CLASSROOM - AFTERNOON The date 3/11/2019 is written on the whiteboard. The lively class has gone silent with Miss Dawn's presence gone. All eyes are on Jaslyn as she walks in, teary eyed. MEGAN How is she? JASLYN Bad. She's suspected to have an autoimmune disease. BERNICE Will she be able to recover?

JASLYN I don't know. She's been overexerting herself- She repeatedly put off visits to the doctor due to our nationalexams coming soon. The whole class goes silent, with the students looking down in despair. Jaslyn wipes away her tears and looks up with detemination. JASLYN We have to do well for our 'N' levels. AUSTIN Yeah, we have to. LAUREN She truly gave us her very best. It's the least we can do. INT. CLASSROOM - MORNING The date 11/11/2019 is written on the whiteboard. Miss Yap walks into the classroom. MISS YAP I guess you all know about what happened to Miss Dawn. My condolences, but N levels are still coming. Miss Yap removes her bag and takes out a marker, writing formulae on the whiteboard. MISS YAP I'll just write the formulae you need on the whiteboard. If you guys have any questions, just come to my table. Miss Yap goes to sit at the teacher's desk. The moment she does so, multiple students immediately get up and approach her desk. The ones that do not are writing intensely. Miss Yap opens her eyes wide in surprise. MISS YAP Since when was the class this diligent? The last time I was here, you guys were a mess. Jaslyn looks up from her workbook.

JASLYN ... Miss Dawn. MISS YAP What'd she do? AUSTIN Way too much. JESSICA She was the first one to believe in us. BERNICE She truly cared for us. LAUREN She gave us her all. MEGAN Without her, we'd be nothing. Miss Yap looks back down, with a sad smile slowly forming on her face. MISS YAP (muttering) Miss Dawn... You really are a force to be reckoned with, eh. INT. HALL - AFTERNOON Miss Yap is standing on the stage. Meanwhile, 4N1 is waiting for their results to be announced, sitting in the hall among many other classes, their anxiety evident by them holding each other's hands and shaking their legs. MISS YAP As for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme, you would need to have a score of twelve or below to qualify. I will now announce the percentage of Normal Academic students who qualify. The students squeeze each other's hands even more tightly. Miss Yap grins. MISS YAP But first... I would like to announce that for the first time in this school, a whole class qualified. And

that is... 4N1! The class cheer and hug one another as they go up to the stage.

MISS YAP Good job! AUSTIN

We couldn't have done it without Miss Dawn.

JESSICA

She truly paved the way for us to do well.

JASLYN

Yeah. I hope she recovers soon.

MISS DAWN

Well, your wish is granted!

Miss Dawn emerges from the side of the stage.

THE ENTIRE CLASS:

Miss Dawn!

MISS DAWN

I'm so proud. Of all of you.

They all crowd around her, smiling, laughing and tearing up.