Students urged to remain steadfast as new school year begins

Students returning to Springer Memorial School on Monday were urged to remain “steadfast and motivated” as the school began the new academic year, while administrators outlined curriculum changes and the introduction of a 40-period week intended to improve student outcomes.

Principal Sonja Goodridge told students that the mantra, adopted last year, would remain the school’s theme for another year after teachers and students embraced it and asked that it continue.

“You would have heard the mantra repeated this morning because we want them to know that they are capable of anything, whatever they meet, that they’re capable of doing it. 

“We want them to remain unwavering in whatever they’re doing and just continue to be steadfast but to be motivated as well to excel, not just motivated to come to school, but come to school and add value as well.”

Goodridge also encouraged students to become active members of the school community, including through extracurricular activities, and to make the most of their secondary school years.

“Come to school and be a part of the community, do what we do here, get involved in the extracurricular activities as well as just enjoy school. 

“I keep telling them these are the best days they will ever have, and we want to ensure that when you pass through the Springer Memorial gates that you have had a good experience.”

Despite scattered showers during the early morning, Goodridge said the return to school had been positive, with students appearing eager and excited to be back.

“As you know, we usually have students in the longest uniforms on the island, so I’m quite pleased to see that the majority of the parents have remembered that we are very much about our deportment, so that looks good as well. 

“The children seemed eager, they seemed excited to be here and I’m pleased basically with what I’ve seen. I think it augurs well for our future.”

Goodridge said the school was also entering the new academic year with a number of changes aimed at improving student outcomes.

“It will be a good year because we have also looked at how we are going to improve. We’ve looked at our results. We’ve looked at what we can do differently. We’re trying some new things.”

Among the changes is the reintroduction of a room-based system, which Goodridge said would allow classrooms to become resource centres tailored to the subjects being taught.

The school is also introducing a 40-period week, which she said would facilitate the introduction of Community Service Learning (CSL) without taking away from other areas of the curriculum.

A curriculum review had also been conducted, with business and tourism introduced for third-form students, while tourism has also been introduced for senior students, Goodridge said.

Over at the neighbouring Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School, principal Paula Toppin welcomed the introduction of the National School Breakfast Programme, saying it would help to ensure that children who arrive at school hungry receive a nutritious start to their day.

Toppin said she was pleased to return to school and was looking forward to building on the institution’s successes.

“I am truly happy to be back at the plant working with my staff, the parents, and all the students to ensure our level of success continues.  

“We have lots of exciting programmes planned this school year and we’ve been working really hard during the planning week to bring all of these plans to fruition.”

Toppin said the breakfast programme would be particularly beneficial to students who leave home early.

“I am particularly pleased to have the national nutritional policy extended to the breakfast programme and I’m really happy that the students at my school who may come to school a little hungry, because some of them leave home early, will get that nutritional start to the day. 

“I thank the government for their initiative and we look forward to all the exciting things that our school has to offer this year and to make sure that we continue our standards that we are well known for.”

(SB)