Springer girls on region’s top CAPE list

When former Minister of Education Ronald Jones embarked on a policy he touted to expand the availability of Sixth Form places at secondary schools outside of the traditional ‘Big Four’ grammar schools, there was some muted rumblings.

Some questioned whether it might dilute Barbados’ Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results, while others found more creative reasons in their critique of the move.

As expected, ‘grammar schools’ like Christ Church Foundation and The St Michael School were expected to be shoo-ins for elevated status.

When ‘newer’ secondary schools like Springer Memorial, Ellerslie, and St Leonard’s Boys were added to the list of institutions offering Advanced Level studies, there was vocal concern expressed about the utility of stretching limited national resources across so many secondary schools.

Today, however, there is none prouder of the confidence placed in teachers and the leadership of the new sixth-form schools than Mitchelle Maxwell, principal of Springer Memorial, the Government Hill, St Michael all-girls school.

Known for their prowess in athletic and various team sports, the girls in their traditional blue uniform are demonstrating that their dominance is not limited to the field of play.

When the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) recently announced its list of the region’s Top 10 performers in a range of subjects offered at CAPE, Springer Memorial Girls’ School was right up there with the best and the brightest among CXC’s 16 participating countries.

The CXC CAPE Merit List for 2020 examinations from Springer Memorial included Reniqua Lyte-Griffith, Ariel Grant, Alitha Wiles who were ranked third, fourth and fifth, respectively in Agricultural Science, while Makaila Browne was the eighth best performer in the Caribbean from candidates who wrote CAPE Agricultural Science.

Tiffany Greaves and Ryanna Pollard were both ranked No. 2, each attaining Grade 1s in Unit 2 in Entrepreneurship, while classmate Dawnisha Hinkson was ranked No. 8 in the same subject.

In Information Technology, Dawnisha Bryan was ranked No. 8 in the Caribbean, gaining a Grade 1 in Unit 2 of the subject.

Springer Memorial also copped two top awards at Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, where Jada Codrington and Feria Proverbs both ranked No. 9 in the Caribbean for their performances in Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM).

Speaking with Barbados TODAY, an elated Maxwell expressed great pride in the excellent performance of the young ladies from Government Hill, and the teachers who guided them.

In the face of all the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the principal said the students and staff responded with determination.

“This is phenomenal work achieved through the dedication of the academic faculty here at Springer Memorial School, and the readiness and preparation of the students who took exams in the last season of exams at the CSEC and CAPE levels through the CXC,” she noted.

“We have 10 students who did exceptionally well in the areas identified, Entrepreneurship, Agricultural Science, Information Technology, as well as electronic data (EDPM) (Electronic Document Preparation Management) and the students are ranked from one to 10 in some instances.

“Springer Memorial School is the only school where students write the CAPE level Agricultural Science programme offered by the CXC. This really has made us ecstatic about the exceptional work that has been done within the last year.”

Maxwell is part of a legacy of strong leadership at the only remaining all-girls public secondary school in the island.

The principal said the consistently high performance of Springer’s Sixth Form cohorts was ample justification for the school’s elevation, since it was granted the status as a provider of Advanced Level studies.

“I believe that this performance, along with the other very good results that we have been having in the past – we have had over 92 per cent pass rate at the CAPE level since the inception of the CAPE programmes in 2013 – really does give testimony to, and strong justification for the school being taken to another level.”

Maxwell paid glowing tribute to her predecessors Pauline Benjamin and Benjamin’s deputy principal at the time, Beverley Bancroft.

The consistently high performance of Springer Memorial School in academic and sports, along with the strong emphasis on discipline, have resulted in increased applications to the school from girls attending other institutions, including those with Sixth Form programmes.

Maxwell added: “The majority of our students return to our Sixth Form programme because they are comfortable with what they experience from year one to year five. They are the ones who fuel the continuation and sustainability of a very exciting Sixth Form programme.

“Over the years we have had students from Christ Church Foundation School, Combermere, The Alleyne School, we have had students from The St Michael School, and they have come and have been very much a part of the Springer Memorial culture. They, too, have grown from the experiences here.”

According to Maxwell: “We are also very strong on offering academic counsel where it is needed, and even when it is not requested, we ensure that our students are prepared adequately so that they are equipped and are able to navigate when they leave this environment, which is also a very safe environment, a very caring environment.

“We always try to ensure that our students are offered the very best of experiences and that those experiences are varied and engaging.

“It seeks to allow them to be able to give back to the community and add value to what we are doing at Springer Memorial School.

“At the centre of it is God, who continues to guide us. We need to take care of our children and make sure that they are given the best guidance. God is at the centre of everything that we do, and He continues to give us a sense of discernment and that is what allows for us to be able to make impacts and share in the lives of our young ladies.” (IMC1)