News—Changing of the guard at six Methodist Schools

This year, six Methodist schools have had a change in leadership. We ask the new principals about their school’s direction for the new year and the Biblical inspiration behind it.

Build to Last

We hope to develop each boy into a young gentleman of character, ready for the future, to lead and to serve. It is our wish that the theme for 2022 will guide our boys in the day-to-day activities they participate in and the interactions they have with one another. Every learning experience, every shared moment they have with their peers, and every obstacle they face in learning or working together, is a building block which helps them to become the persons they are called to be. Every skill they master, every piece of knowledge they acquire, and every value they learn to demonstrate, helps to strengthen the foundation upon which they will build enduring traits that will aid them as they progress through the six years in primary school and beyond.

With the support of the Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) family, we are committed to helping our boys build strong relationships in their primary school years. We appreciate that each child is different and can contribute to his community by harnessing his own strengths and being a loving and loyal friend to his peers. As our boys manage change and embrace new challenges together, they learn to build one another up and forge relationships that last.

As our school is being rebuilt, we are reminded that we are God’s workmanship, created for good works to give him glory. We have the assurance that God’s grace is sufficient to help us in every situation and to surmount even the most difficult circumstances. As a community of God’s people, we build each other up by being inclusive and encouraging one another, trusting that God will empower and equip us for the works of service that will last.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.”

Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)

Miss Cheryl Chee

Principal Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)

“Love one another deeply. Honour others more than yourselves.”

Romans 12:10 (NIRV)

What will set us apart as a ‘good school’ and bring glory to God is if we obey Jesus’ commandment to love one another just as he has loved us. ACS already has a reputation for excellence, and my prayer is that our excellence will go beyond academic results and Co-curricular Activities (CCA) achievements to “excelling” in loving the people around us and the wider community, because “by this all people will know that we are his disciples, if we have love for one another” (John 13:35 NIV).

In these Covid times, I also desire for our school to be a place of rest and a haven for strong relationships with teachers and peers. Regardless of any pandemic or storms in life, we pray that our boys will be rested and resilient for the road ahead. Our boys must rest secure in the fact that they are loved and accepted by God, their parents and teachers for who they are. Their identity and worth as a person does not depend on their academic performance, Direct School Admission (DSA) outcome or CCA achievement, but simply because they are a child of God. We need to help them understand that in the process of learning, they do not have to be afraid of making mistakes, because it is through mistakes that we grow. There may be ongoing efforts by MOE to de-emphasise academic results, but it would be mission schools like ACS where biblical truths about our identity in Christ put us in a strong position to lead the way in how we educate and raise our children.

Mrs Leong-Ho Hil May

Principal Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)

Enriched to face life’s greatest call

School leadership is a privilege to learn and serve. I thank God for the learning and growth in my last school as Principal at Greendale Secondary. I trust and seek God’s purpose for this renewed privilege to serve in his school, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) (PLMGSS). It is a school with a long history, strong heritage and traditions, one that has been abundantly blessed by the Lord. I am humbled to learn from its past leaders, staff and key stakeholders. With their support and understanding, I will have courage to seek God’s purpose and will for the school and our students in this new chapter of our school’s history.

Unlike my previous school, PLMGSS is an all-girls, government-aided school. The role of girls and women has evolved and will continue to evolve. To ensure that our girls are future-ready, we will continue to uphold our H.E.A.R.T. values—Honour God, pursue Excellence, be Adaptable, Respect one another, and be filled with Thankfulness always. I am excited to lead and journey with the entire PLMGSS family to nurture the desired school culture of care, innovation and excellence with the H.E.A.R.T. values demonstrated. With this in place, and with the support of our key stakeholders, our girls will be ready for the future as “a Confident PL-Lite, Passionate Learner, Active Citizen and Inspiring Leader”.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

Miss Amy Ng

Principal Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)

To Grow in Friendship, Body and Mind

Istudied in ACS for 10 years and my first stint as a principal was at Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) from 2007 to 2014 for 7 years. So, I am glad to return and to serve God in the Methodist community where I have received so many blessings.

At Geylang Methodist School (Secondary), we affectionately refer to our students as GEMS (which is the acronym for our school values of Godliness, Excellence, Mastery and Service). This resonates deeply with my personal belief that every child is precious and a gift from God to be treasured. As a leader, my key guiding principles include, firstly, being student-centred in our school programmes and decisions and secondly, developing our staff while providing a caring work environment.

My belief is that each school is unique and the starting point must be to appreciate its origins, its journey and the people that make up the school and the community it serves. It is only through grace that we can humbly serve God by loving the staff and students that he has placed in our schools and help them to grow.

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.”

Luke 2:52 (NIV)

Mr Victor Owyong

Principal Geylang Methodist School (Secondary)

ENROLMENT PROMOTION

Pre-Nursery, Nursery & Kindergarten 4hr & 6hr classes

Stronger as ONE Fairfield

Having being a student at Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) (FMSS) and also having started my teaching career here at FMSS, I am excited for this God-given opportunity to be back in FMS(S) to lead and serve the Fairfield community.

I can see how the caring culture and the Christian ethos of the school continues to be evident and flourishing in FMSS. The learning environment and possibilities have naturally evolved with the times and I am excited that our Fairsians now have access to a wide range of learning opportunities that did not exist in the past. That said, the same spirit of innovation and enterprise is evident amongst the staff community and there is a sense of humble confidence amongst the student leaders as I interacted with them in the past few months.

A good school is one where there is a strong culture of care, where staff and students are challenged and supported to be the best versions of themselves. As a mission school, that culture of care has as its source the great care of God himself—loving each one of us and filling us up with his grace and presence so that we can pour out into the lives of one another.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

Mr Wee Tat Chuen

Principal Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary)

Here, for a Purpose

I believe God calls us to serve him in his time and place, according to his plan, and for his purpose. To be able to serve Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) is truly a joy and privilege—MGS has been instrumental in growing and shaping me in the most formative years of my education and teaching career, and I feel humbled and blessed for this opportunity to give back and to pay it forward.

MGS turns 135 this year, a long time by any measure. I thank God for his faithfulness and goodness to MGS. It is by his grace and to his glory that MGS has continued to grow and to develop our girls, providing quality holistic education in a Christian environment that prepares them for their future of leadership and service.

However, in response to the needs of students of today, who live in a much more connected, complex and ever-changing world, education has evolved significantly. Through the emphasis on the development of 21st century competencies, there is greater intentionality in preparing our students to be future-ready. There is a move away from an over-emphasis on academic grades towards a sharper focus on promoting lifelong learning.

For such a time as this, it is important that all of us find and stay anchored on a larger, enduring purpose that empowers us to stay the course and to be able to face challenges with hope, faith and confidence. The pursuit of purpose provides youths with meaningfulness that is much more sustaining for lifelong learning and service. Enduring purpose drives a person to work towards something over a longer term that is not only meaningful to self, but also leads to engagement that benefits the wider world beyond self.

In finding their purpose, we also challenge our girls to be fully “here”—wholly present in body, mind and spirit—ready to listen to others and themselves, and ready to offer and seek support in timely ways that build a stronger, more loving and caring community.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

Mrs Valarie Wilson

Principal Methodist Girls’ School