Term 1 Bulletin – Creating the Eunoia Experience

Dear Parents and Alumni Members,

The first term of 2016 is behind us, and we hope that it has been every bit as fulfilling as you envisaged. To parents, we hope that your child has settled well into the school year, ready to encounter new possibilities and master the skills they need and want to learn. To both parents and alumni of Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, we would like to take this opportunity to keep you abreast of our journey thus far at Eunoia Junior College.

In January, we had the privilege of sharing with parents of Year 3 and 4 students in the three schools our vision for the college, our key programmes and updates on our Mount Sinai campus. At the various Parent-Teacher Meetings, we also had the opportunity to present a video that captured the shared aspirations of our students, parents, alumni and board members. The response to the video was very heartening, and we look forward to sharing the video on our website with you soon.

The creation of a distinctive college identity takes collective effort. Above all, we believe that our students will be the ones who define and live out the Eunoia legacy.

The creation of a distinctive college identity takes collective effort. Above all, we believe that our students will be the ones who define and live out the Eunoia legacy. A Call for Ideas was launched in February to invite students, parents, alumni and staff members to contribute their suggestions for the college uniform, anthem, cheers and dance. On the uniform alone, we were excited to receive over 70 proposals, many of which were the culmination of extensive research across schools and preference surveys with students. Behind the scenes, we consolidated and identified commonalities across the myriad designs before meeting with the budding student-designers to refine the prototypes. Three preliminary concepts were then surfaced for our students’ consideration in a poll which ended on 6 April. We understand that the college uniform is a vital expression of our students’ identity and sense of belonging. We are now reviewing the comments, and are exploring collaborations between our students and professional designers to improve upon the prototypes into a uniform that our students are proud to call truly theirs.

Delving deeper into the Eunoian experience, the college management team has been actively engaged in laying the foundation for a robust and enriching education for your child. We have in the past few months embarked on multiple research journeys into educational neuroscience, cultural intelligence and environmental design. The wealth of insights gleaned will help us shape an effective, inspiring curriculum and a conducive learning environment. In the midst of our own learning, we have also explored potential partnerships with several universities and organisations that promise to broaden our students’ learning opportunities. Our visits to Yale-NUS College, Singapore University of Technology and Design, and Nanyang Technological University, to name a few, have given us much to think about, and will bear fruit in time to come.

Eunoians certainly have exciting opportunities ahead of them. Sitting at the edge of the Green Corridor, the Mount Sinai campus affords us a one-of-a-kind gateway into the outdoors. To let our students appreciate the wonder and workings of the natural world, we are planning an Environmental Literacy Programme that will extend to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park when we move to our permanent campus. The college is also working on a community outreach programme that will allow Eunoians the opportunity to learn from and contribute to the neighbouring community around our campuses. In the meantime, the renewal of our Mount Sinai campus is seeing steady progress with a new classroom block and specialised facilities underway. Our own infrastructure team here has kept a close eye on the construction and will continue to ensure that our pioneering cohort has access to a wide range of facilities to enhance their learning experiences. Our very own college 3D art exhibit and campus cafe are also waiting to be unveiled. In addition, our pioneering cohort of students can look forward to a spread of internship and externship opportunities, as well as hearing from experienced professionals on career paths they might take.

The journey of creating an excellent education experience has only just begun… With your partnership, we know we will create a unique and memorable experience for every Eunoian.

The journey of creating an excellent education experience has only just begun. As the college progresses along the various work streams, do continue to let us have your feedback as a member of our extended Eunoia family. We also welcome your suggestions on possible contributions and partnerships. For example, the Call for Ideas for the college anthem, cheers and dance segments is still on-going, and we would be happy to receive your suggestions, or even link-ups with potential experts to work with. Do feel free to email us at eunoiajc@moe.edu.sg, or drop us a call at 6351 8388. With your partnership, we know we will create a unique and memorable experience for every Eunoian.

Mrs Wong-Cheang Mei Heng
Principal