Once every few weeks, I would drag myself out of bed a little early and make the hike to the high school office conference room. Groggy but excited, I sat with a few other students in front of an open laptop and watched picturesque renditions of our school in the future. We discussed the different facets of life at SAS and what we wanted our school to be like in five years. Architects, parents, faculty members, and students were there as part of the design advitsory group, an assembly of people tasked with creating a fun and effective learning environment for the new campus. Topics ranged from life as an Eagle, including dining (my favorite session), athletics, sustainability, and local influence on our campus culture.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
ROHAN PANDAY, ELEVENTH GRADE
7
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL • Over 25 percent more learning space • Three times more play space • Five separate dining spaces that will double as meeting and performance spaces • Reduced travel time throughout the building • Covered 25-meter pool • Additional full-size gymnasium • Covered bus bay that will double as a covered play space when it rains
JOURNEYS
S u m m e r
2 0 2 1
Singapore American School By K I N JA L S H A H Communications Writer
On April 15, 2021 Singapore American School announced a S$400 million campus upgrade project that reimagines school...one that reimagines the role of classrooms and buildings in the learning journey to provide unmatched opportunities for students and teachers. This is the result of several years of planning and school community engagement, including thousands of parent, educator, and student voices sharing thoughtful feedback throughout the development process.
HOW DID IT ALL START? Since 2014, SAS educators have been on a journey of transforming an existing successful school to better serve students as we prepare them for a constantly changing world. Initiated by former Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball, the R&D process was designed to challenge deeply held assumptions, engage educators, and shape culture. It included thousands of hours of research and visitations to over 100 schools worldwide. Over 100 college admissions officers were interviewed, internationally known educational leaders were consulted, and a strategic plan informed the creation of spaces on campus that could be prototyped for what the new learning environments in the new campus might yield. These illustrative and investigative prototypes, dubbed pathfinder projects, allowed educators to begin developing the practices and systems within a flexible learning environment to support our strategic plan. These pathfinders proved to be excellent learning tools, and the lessons learned from their implementation informed and guided the design of future spaces at SAS. These prototypes highlighted what works and does not work and the impact they have on teacher relationships, student relationships, and student development of future-relevant skills. “Learning walks” became an integral part of community engagement, and over 400 parents toured the pathfinders on these guided tours, which helped them better understand the school’s vision for learning and learning spaces.
