Thank You, Mrs Wong – Our Tribute

Thank You, Mrs Wong

Mrs Wong-Cheang Mei Heng, our founding principal, will be retiring from the education service at the end of 2021 to begin a new journey. Since her appointment in December 2014, Mrs Wong has led Eunoia Junior College through many phases of its development: from recruiting the college's pioneering staff to guiding the deputy principals and key personnel, from creating the college vision to cultivating beautiful thinking amongst Eunoians, and from rejuvenating the Mount Sinai campus to overseeing the completion of our home in Bishan. Pivotal as she is, Mrs Wong was more than a Principal - an artist, teacher, leader, mentor, colleague and the head of a young Eunoia family. Together with our first five cohorts of students, teaching and non-teaching staff, parents and stakeholders, Mrs Wong has made a blank canvas into a beautiful community. While words alone cannot express our gratitude to Mrs Wong for her seven years of leading Eunoia Junior College, this is our little tribute:

I appreciated how ready you were to entertain wild ideas that supported a culture of creativity and openness, and the sheer variety of names helped us converge on some principles — and having a name that will give us a unique three-letter acronym was one consideration. I remember that when we discussed “Eunoia”, of course we considered the sound and pronunciation of the name.

And because we all agreed that the meaning resonated with us, you shared this perspective — that we are teachers, and so we will teach people to say our name. And we did. I felt that this exemplified leading with the heart of a teacher.

MS ADRIENNE DE SOUZA, HOD (PROJECT WORK & FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES)

I recall how determined Mrs Wong was in ensuring buy-in from all the pioneer staff. Those of us still around would recall our first Staff Eunite, where we engaged in several activities at Ghim Moh, NUS Guild House and the Hort Park. Mrs Wong was instrumental in shaping the programme and engagement of staff, and what you see here was our collective unpacking of the strategic plan. I also remember how she tried to recreate a caterer’s red bean soup for all of us to enjoy, one of the many ways in which Mrs Wong actively looked out for our welfare!

MRS BRIGITTE KOH, TEACHER (MATHEMATICS)

From the time we occupied one small corner office at MOE HQ (Ghim Moh), it has been a very enriching experience for me to learn from her. I remember the times when Mrs Wong bonded the newly form team of KPs, through many staff welfare activities that she would be the lead and even becoming the trainer for us! Mrs Wong, always being elegant and well composed, brought assurances to us that we were on the right track on uncharted waters, throughout our time together.

MS NG KOH YEE, ADMINISTRATION MANAGER (2015-2018)

Despite only being in EJ for 2 years, I will always remember Mrs Wong as a motherly figure - someone who is very nurturing. She always smiles and checks in on us whenever she sees us along the corridors. That simple "how are you?" really means a lot and shows how much she cares about us. Thank you for being Eunoia's very first Principal and for leading us to embrace the challenges as we embarked on a journey as the first cohort in EJ. We have come a long way under your leadership and we are very grateful for whatever you have done for us. Your lasting legacy will always be remembered and thank you for being an inspiration to us.

MS NICOLETTE TAN, CLASS OF 2018

Thank you, Mrs Wong, for always holding that strong belief that our college will make history. You have instilled courage in us to dare to be different. You have shaped our college to be one that embraces students' creativity and initiative and which provides so much safe space us to experiment, make mistakes and do even better the next time. Thank you for setting up such a wonderful foundation for our college. I am so excited for the many things you will pursue beyond Eunoia.

MS LEE XIN CHUN, CLASS OF 2020